Shuttle user analysis (study 2.2). Volume 3: Business risk and value of operations in space (BRAVO). Part 5: Analysis of GSFC Earth Observation Satellite (EOS) system mission model using BRAVO techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Cost comparisons were made between three modes of operation (expend, ground refurbish, and space resupply) for the Earth Observation System (EOS-B) to furnish data to NASA on alternative ways to use the shuttle/EOS. Results of the analysis are presented in tabular form.

Analysis research for earth resource information systems - Where do we stand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landgrebe, D. A.

1974-01-01

Discussion of the state of the technology of earth resources information systems relative to future operational implementation. The importance of recognizing the difference between systems with image orientation and systems with numerical orientation is illustrated in an example concerning the effect of noise on multiband multispectral data obtained in an agricultural experiment. It is suggested that the data system hardware portion of the total earth resources information system be designed in terms of a numerical orientation; it is argued, however, that this choise is entirely compatible with image-oriented analysis tasks. Some aspects of interfacing such an advanced technology with an operational user community in such a way as to accommodate the user's need for flexibility and yet provide the services needed on a cost-effective basis are discussed.

Machine processing for remotely acquired data. [using multivariate statistical analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landgrebe, D. A.

1974-01-01

This paper is a general discussion of earth resources information systems which utilize airborne and spaceborne sensors. It points out that information may be derived by sensing and analyzing the spectral, spatial and temporal variations of electromagnetic fields emanating from the earth surface. After giving an overview system organization, the two broad categories of system types are discussed. These are systems in which high quality imagery is essential and those more numerically oriented. Sensors are also discussed with this categorization of systems in mind. The multispectral approach and pattern recognition are described as an example data analysis procedure for numerically-oriented systems. The steps necessary in using a pattern recognition scheme are described and illustrated with data obtained from aircraft and the Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS-1).

An Analysis of Earth Science Data Analytics Use Cases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shie, Chung-Lin; Kempler, Steve

2014-01-01

The increase in the number and volume, and sources, of globally available Earth science data measurements and datasets have afforded Earth scientists and applications researchers unprecedented opportunities to study our Earth in ever more sophisticated ways. In fact, the NASA Earth Observing System Data Information System (EOSDIS) archives have doubled from 2007 to 2014, to 9.1 PB (Ramapriyan, 2009; and https:earthdata.nasa.govaboutsystem-- performance). In addition, other US agency, international programs, field experiments, ground stations, and citizen scientists provide a plethora of additional sources for studying Earth. Co--analyzing huge amounts of heterogeneous data to glean out unobvious information is a daunting task. Earth science data analytics (ESDA) is the process of examining large amounts of data of a variety of types to uncover hidden patterns, unknown correlations and other useful information. It can include Data Preparation, Data Reduction, and Data Analysis. Through work associated with the Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) Federation, a collection of Earth science data analytics use cases have been collected and analyzed for the purpose of extracting the types of Earth science data analytics employed, and requirements for data analytics tools and techniques yet to be implemented, based on use case needs. ESIP generated use case template, ESDA use cases, use case types, and preliminary use case analysis (this is a work in progress) will be presented.

Benchmark Comparison of Cloud Analytics Methods Applied to Earth Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lynnes, Chris; Little, Mike; Huang, Thomas; Jacob, Joseph; Yang, Phil; Kuo, Kwo-Sen

2016-01-01

Cloud computing has the potential to bring high performance computing capabilities to the average science researcher. However, in order to take full advantage of cloud capabilities, the science data used in the analysis must often be reorganized. This typically involves sharding the data across multiple nodes to enable relatively fine-grained parallelism. This can be either via cloud-based file systems or cloud-enabled databases such as Cassandra, Rasdaman or SciDB. Since storing an extra copy of data leads to increased cost and data management complexity, NASA is interested in determining the benefits and costs of various cloud analytics methods for real Earth Observation cases. Accordingly, NASA's Earth Science Technology Office and Earth Science Data and Information Systems project have teamed with cloud analytics practitioners to run a benchmark comparison on cloud analytics methods using the same input data and analysis algorithms. We have particularly looked at analysis algorithms that work over long time series, because these are particularly intractable for many Earth Observation datasets which typically store data with one or just a few time steps per file. This post will present side-by-side cost and performance results for several common Earth observation analysis operations.

Exploratory Climate Data Visualization and Analysis Using DV3D and UVCDAT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maxwell, Thomas

2012-01-01

Earth system scientists are being inundated by an explosion of data generated by ever-increasing resolution in both global models and remote sensors. Advanced tools for accessing, analyzing, and visualizing very large and complex climate data are required to maintain rapid progress in Earth system research. To meet this need, NASA, in collaboration with the Ultra-scale Visualization Climate Data Analysis Tools (UVCOAT) consortium, is developing exploratory climate data analysis and visualization tools which provide data analysis capabilities for the Earth System Grid (ESG). This paper describes DV3D, a UV-COAT package that enables exploratory analysis of climate simulation and observation datasets. OV3D provides user-friendly interfaces for visualization and analysis of climate data at a level appropriate for scientists. It features workflow inte rfaces, interactive 40 data exploration, hyperwall and stereo visualization, automated provenance generation, and parallel task execution. DV30's integration with CDAT's climate data management system (COMS) and other climate data analysis tools provides a wide range of high performance climate data analysis operations. DV3D expands the scientists' toolbox by incorporating a suite of rich new exploratory visualization and analysis methods for addressing the complexity of climate datasets.

Navigation study for low-altitude Earth satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pastor, P. R.; Fang, B. T.; Yee, C. P.

1985-01-01

This document describes several navigation studies for low-altitude Earth satellites. The use of Global Positioning System Navigation Package data for LANDSAT-5 orbit determination is evaluated. In addition, a navigation analysis for the proposed Tracking and Data Aquisition System is presented. This analysis, based on simulations employing one-way Doppler data, is used to determine the agreement between the Research and Development Goddard Trajectory Determination System and the Sequential Error Analysis Program results. Properties of several geopotential error models are studied and an exploratory study of orbit smoother process noise is presented.

Determination of Earth orientation using the Global Positioning System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freedman, A. P.

1989-01-01

Modern spacecraft tracking and navigation require highly accurate Earth-orientation parameters. For near-real-time applications, errors in these quantities and their extrapolated values are a significant error source. A globally distributed network of high-precision receivers observing the full Global Positioning System (GPS) configuration of 18 or more satellites may be an efficient and economical method for the rapid determination of short-term variations in Earth orientation. A covariance analysis using the JPL Orbit Analysis and Simulation Software (OASIS) was performed to evaluate the errors associated with GPS measurements of Earth orientation. These GPS measurements appear to be highly competitive with those from other techniques and can potentially yield frequent and reliable centimeter-level Earth-orientation information while simultaneously allowing the oversubscribed Deep Space Network (DSN) antennas to be used more for direct project support.

On the development of an interactive resource information management system for analysis and display of spatiotemporal data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schell, J. A.

1974-01-01

The recent availability of timely synoptic earth imagery from the Earth Resources Technology Satellites (ERTS) provides a wealth of information for the monitoring and management of vital natural resources. Formal language definitions and syntax interpretation algorithms were adapted to provide a flexible, computer information system for the maintenance of resource interpretation of imagery. These techniques are incorporated, together with image analysis functions, into an Interactive Resource Information Management and Analysis System, IRIMAS, which is implemented on a Texas Instruments 980A minicomputer system augmented with a dynamic color display for image presentation. A demonstration of system usage and recommendations for further system development are also included.

Earth-moon system: Dynamics and parameter estimation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Breedlove, W. J., Jr.

1975-01-01

A theoretical development of the equations of motion governing the earth-moon system is presented. The earth and moon were treated as finite rigid bodies and a mutual potential was utilized. The sun and remaining planets were treated as particles. Relativistic, non-rigid, and dissipative effects were not included. The translational and rotational motion of the earth and moon were derived in a fully coupled set of equations. Euler parameters were used to model the rotational motions. The mathematical model is intended for use with data analysis software to estimate physical parameters of the earth-moon system using primarily LURE type data. Two program listings are included. Program ANEAMO computes the translational/rotational motion of the earth and moon from analytical solutions. Program RIGEM numerically integrates the fully coupled motions as described above.

An Integrated Tool for System Analysis of Sample Return Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Samareh, Jamshid A.; Maddock, Robert W.; Winski, Richard G.

2012-01-01

The next important step in space exploration is the return of sample materials from extraterrestrial locations to Earth for analysis. Most mission concepts that return sample material to Earth share one common element: an Earth entry vehicle. The analysis and design of entry vehicles is multidisciplinary in nature, requiring the application of mass sizing, flight mechanics, aerodynamics, aerothermodynamics, thermal analysis, structural analysis, and impact analysis tools. Integration of a multidisciplinary problem is a challenging task; the execution process and data transfer among disciplines should be automated and consistent. This paper describes an integrated analysis tool for the design and sizing of an Earth entry vehicle. The current tool includes the following disciplines: mass sizing, flight mechanics, aerodynamics, aerothermodynamics, and impact analysis tools. Python and Java languages are used for integration. Results are presented and compared with the results from previous studies.

Earth recovery mode analysis for a Martian sample return mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, J. P.

1978-01-01

The analysis has concerned itself with evaluating alternative methods of recovering a sample module from a trans-earth trajectory originating in the vicinity of Mars. The major modes evaluated are: (1) direct atmospheric entry from trans-earth trajectory; (2) earth orbit insertion by retropropulsion; and (3) atmospheric braking to a capture orbit. In addition, the question of guided vs. unguided entry vehicles was considered, as well as alternative methods of recovery after orbit insertion for modes (2) and (3). A summary of results and conclusions is presented. Analytical results for aerodynamic and propulsive maneuvering vehicles are discussed. System performance requirements and alternatives for inertial systems implementation are also discussed. Orbital recovery operations and further studies required to resolve the recovery mode issue are described.

Acquisition/expulsion system for earth orbital propulsion system study. Volume 5: Earth storable design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

A comprehensive analysis and parametric design effort was conducted under the earth-storable phase of the program. Passive Acquisition/expulsion system concepts were evaluated for a reusable Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) application. The passive surface tension technique for providing gas free liquid on demand was superior to other propellant acquisition methods. Systems using fine mesh screens can provide the requisite stability and satisfy OMS mission requirements. Both fine mesh screen liner and trap systems were given detailed consideration in the parametric design, and trap systems were selected for this particular application. These systems are compatible with the 100- to 500-manned mission reuse requirements.

Low-cost Tools for Aerial Video Geolocation and Air Traffic Analysis for Delay Reduction Using Google Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zetterlind, V.; Pledgie, S.

2009-12-01

Low-cost, low-latency, robust geolocation and display of aerial video is a common need for a wide range of earth observing as well as emergency response and security applications. While hardware costs for aerial video collection systems, GPS, and inertial sensors have been decreasing, software costs for geolocation algorithms and reference imagery/DTED remain expensive and highly proprietary. As part of a Federal Small Business Innovative Research project, MosaicATM and EarthNC, Inc have developed a simple geolocation system based on the Google Earth API and Google's 'built-in' DTED and reference imagery libraries. This system geolocates aerial video based on platform and camera position, attitude, and field-of-view metadata using geometric photogrammetric principles of ray-intersection with DTED. Geolocated video can be directly rectified and viewed in the Google Earth API during processing. Work is underway to extend our geolocation code to NASA World Wind for additional flexibility and a fully open-source platform. In addition to our airborne remote sensing work, MosaicATM has developed the Surface Operations Data Analysis and Adaptation (SODAA) tool, funded by NASA Ames, which supports analysis of airport surface operations to optimize aircraft movements and reduce fuel burn and delays. As part of SODAA, MosaicATM and EarthNC, Inc have developed powerful tools to display national airspace data and time-animated 3D flight tracks in Google Earth for 4D analysis. The SODAA tool can convert raw format flight track data, FAA National Flight Data (NFD), and FAA 'Adaptation' airport surface data to a spatial database representation and then to Google Earth KML. The SODAA client provides users with a simple graphical interface through which to generate queries with a wide range of predefined and custom filters, plot results, and export for playback in Google Earth in conjunction with NFD and Adaptation overlays.

Optical MEMS for earth observation payloads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodrigues, B.; Lobb, D. R.; Freire, M.

2017-11-01

An ESA study has been taken by Lusospace Ltd and Surrey Satellite Techonoly Ltd (SSTL) into the use of optical Micro Eletro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) for earth Observation. A review and analysis was undertaken of the Micro-Optical Electro-Mechanical Systems (MOEMS) available in the market with potential application in systems for Earth Observation. A summary of this review will be presented. Following the review two space-instrument design concepts were selected for more detailed analysis. The first was the use of a MEMS device to remove cloud from Earth images. The concept is potentially of interest for any mission using imaging spectrometers. A spectrometer concept was selected and detailed design aspects and benefits evaluated. The second concept developed uses MEMS devices to control the width of entrance slits of spectrometers, to provide variable spectral resolution. This paper will present a summary of the results of the study.

University participation via UNIDATA, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dutton, J.

1986-01-01

The UNIDATA Project is a cooperative university project, operated by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) with National Science Foundation (NSF) funding, aimed at providing interactive communication and computations to the university community in the atmospheric and oceanic sciences. The initial focus has been on providing access to data for weather analysis and prediction. However, UNIDATA is in the process of expanding and possibly providing access to the Pilot Climate Data System (PCDS) through the UNIDATA system in an effort to develop prototypes for an Earth science information system. The notion of an Earth science information system evolved from discussions within NASA and several advisory committees in anticipation of receiving data from the many Earth observing instruments on the space station complex (Earth Observing System).

3rd Annual Earth System Grid Federation and 3rd Annual Earth System Grid Federation and Ultrascale Visualization Climate Data Analysis Tools Face-to-Face Meeting Report December 2013

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

Williams, Dean N.

The climate and weather data science community gathered December 3–5, 2013, at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, in Livermore, California, for the third annual Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF) and Ultra-scale Visualization Climate Data Analysis Tools (UV-CDAT) Face-to-Face (F2F) Meeting, which was hosted by the Department of Energy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the European Infrastructure for the European Network of Earth System Modelling, and the Australian Department of Education. Both ESGF and UV-CDAT are global collaborations designed to develop a new generation of open-source software infrastructure that provides distributed access and analysis to observed andmore » simulated data from the climate and weather communities. The tools and infrastructure developed under these international multi-agency collaborations are critical to understanding extreme weather conditions and long-term climate change, while the F2F meetings help to build a stronger climate and weather data science community and stronger federated software infrastructure. The 2013 F2F meeting determined requirements for existing and impending national and international community projects; enhancements needed for data distribution, analysis, and visualization infrastructure; and standards and resources needed for better collaborations.« less

Siberian Earth System Science Cluster - A web-based Geoportal to provide user-friendly Earth Observation Products for supporting NEESPI scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eberle, J.; Gerlach, R.; Hese, S.; Schmullius, C.

2012-04-01

To provide earth observation products in the area of Siberia, the Siberian Earth System Science Cluster (SIB-ESS-C) was established as a spatial data infrastructure at the University of Jena (Germany), Department for Earth Observation. This spatial data infrastructure implements standards published by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) and the International Organizsation for Standardization (ISO) for data discovery, data access, data processing and data analysis. The objective of SIB-ESS-C is to faciliate environmental research and Earth system science in Siberia. The region for this project covers the entire Asian part of the Russian Federation approximately between 58°E - 170°W and 48°N - 80°N. To provide discovery, access and analysis services a webportal was published for searching and visualisation of available data. This webportal is based on current web technologies like AJAX, Drupal Content Management System as backend software and a user-friendly surface with Drag-n-Drop and further mouse events. To have a wide range of regular updated earth observation products, some products from sensor MODIS at the satellites Aqua and Terra were processed. A direct connection to NASA archive servers makes it possible to download MODIS Level 3 and 4 products and integrate it in the SIB-ESS-C infrastructure. These data can be downloaded in a file format called Hierarchical Data Format (HDF). For visualisation and further analysis, this data is reprojected, converted to GeoTIFF and global products clipped to the project area. All these steps are implemented as an automatic process chain. If new MODIS data is available within the infrastructure this process chain is executed. With the link to a MODIS catalogue system, the system gets new data daily. With the implemented analysis processes, timeseries data can be analysed, for example to plot a trend or different time series against one another. Scientists working in this area and working with MODIS data can make use of this service over the webportal. Both searching manually the NASA archive for MODIS data, processing these data automatically and then download it for further processing and using the regular updated products.

GRAM Series of Atmospheric Models for Aeroentry and Aeroassist

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duvall, Aleta; Justus, C. G.; Keller, Vernon W.

2005-01-01

The eight destinations in the Solar System with sufficient atmosphere for either aeroentry or aeroassist, including aerocapture, are: Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn; Uranus. and Neptune, and Saturn's moon Titan. Engineering-level atmospheric models for four of these (Earth, Mars, Titan, and Neptune) have been developed for use in NASA's systems analysis studies of aerocapture applications in potential future missions. Work has recently commenced on development of a similar atmospheric model for Venus. This series of MSFC-sponsored models is identified as the Global Reference Atmosphere Model (GRAM) series. An important capability of all of the models in the GRAM series is their ability to simulate quasi-random perturbations for Monte Carlo analyses in developing guidance, navigation and control algorithms, and for thermal systems design. Example applications for Earth aeroentry and Mars aerocapture systems analysis studies are presented and illustrated. Current and planned updates to the Earth and Mars atmospheric models, in support of NASA's new exploration vision, are also presented.

Problem-Based Learning and Earth System Science - The ESSEA High School Earth System Science Online Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myers, R.; Botti, J.

2002-12-01

The high school Earth system science course is web based and designed to meet the professional development needs of science teachers in grades 9-12. Three themes predominate this course: Earth system science (ESS) content, collaborative investigations, and problem-based learning (PBL) methodology. PBL uses real-world contexts for in-depth investigations of a subject matter. Participants predict the potential impacts of the selected event on Earth's spheres and the subsequent feedback and potential interactions that might result. PBL activities start with an ill-structured problem that serves as a springboard to team engagement. These PBL scenarios contain real-world situations. Teams of learners conduct an Earth system science analysis of the event and make recommendations or offer solutions regarding the problem. The course design provides an electronic forum for conversations, debate, development, and application of ideas. Samples of threaded discussions built around ESS thinking in science and PBL pedagogy will be presented.

Problem-Based Learning and Earth System Science - The ESSEA High School Earth System Science Online Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myers, R. J.; Botti, J. A.

2001-12-01

The high school Earth system science course is web based and designed to meet the professional development needs of science teachers in grades 9-12. Three themes predominate this course: Earth system science (ESS) content, collaborative investigations, and problem-based learning (PBL) methodology. PBL uses real-world contexts for in-depth investigations of a subject matter. Participants predict the potential impacts of the selected event on Earth's spheres and the subsequent feedback and potential interactions that might result. PBL activities start with an ill-structured problem that serves as a springboard to team engagement. These PBL scenarios contain real-world situations. Teams of learners conduct an Earth system science analysis of the event and make recommendations or offer solutions regarding the problem. The course design provides an electronic forum for conversations, debate, development, and application of ideas. Samples of threaded discussions built around ESS thinking in science and PBL pedagogy will be presented.

Moon-Based INSAR Geolocation and Baseline Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Guang; Ren, Yuanzhen; Ye, Hanlin; Guo, Huadong; Ding, Yixing; Ruan, Zhixing; Lv, Mingyang; Dou, Changyong; Chen, Zhaoning

2016-07-01

Earth observation platform is a host, the characteristics of the platform in some extent determines the ability for earth observation. Currently most developing platforms are satellite, in contrast carry out systematic observations with moon based Earth observation platform is still a new concept. The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite and is the only one which human has reached, it will give people different perspectives when observe the earth with sensors from the moon. Moon-based InSAR (SAR Interferometry), one of the important earth observation technology, has all-day, all-weather observation ability, but its uniqueness is still a need for analysis. This article will discuss key issues of geometric positioning and baseline parameters of moon-based InSAR. Based on the ephemeris data, the position, liberation and attitude of earth and moon will be obtained, and the position of the moon-base SAR sensor can be obtained by coordinate transformation from fixed seleno-centric coordinate systems to terrestrial coordinate systems, together with the Distance-Doppler equation, the positioning model will be analyzed; after establish of moon-based InSAR baseline equation, the different baseline error will be analyzed, the influence of the moon-based InSAR baseline to earth observation application will be obtained.

Solar power satellite. System definition study. Part 1, volume 5: SPS transportation. Representative system descriptions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Both LEO transportation (earth to low earth orbit) and GEO transportation (low earth orbit to geosynchronous orbit) segments were addressed. LEO options include both a 2 stage winged space freighter vehicle and a 2 stage ballistic recoverable vehicle. Both incorporate LO(2)/RP-1/LH(2) engines on the booster and standard SSME's on the upper stage. The orbit transfer vehicle options included chemical for geosynchronous satellite assembly and self powered electric propulsion for low earth orbit satellite assembly. An exhaust products analysis was conducted for the earth to LEO vehicle since atmospheric pollution could be a concern.

The Earth System (ES-DOC) Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greenslade, Mark; Murphy, Sylvia; Treshansky, Allyn; DeLuca, Cecilia; Guilyardi, Eric; Denvil, Sebastien

2014-05-01

ESSI1.3 New Paradigms, Modelling, and International Collaboration Strategies for Earth System Sciences Earth System Documentation (ES-DOC) is an international project supplying tools & services in support of earth system documentation creation, analysis and dissemination. It is nurturing a sustainable standards based documentation eco-system that aims to become an integral part of the next generation of exa-scale dataset archives. ES-DOC leverages open source software and places end-user narratives at the heart of all it does. ES-DOC has initially focused upon nurturing the Earth System Model (ESM) documentation eco-system. Within this context ES-DOC leverages emerging documentation standards and supports the following projects: Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5); Dynamical Core Model Inter-comparison Project (DCMIP); National Climate Predictions and Projections Platforms Quantitative Evaluation of Downscaling Workshop. This presentation will introduce the project to a wider audience and demonstrate the range of tools and services currently available for use. It will also demonstrate how international collaborative efforts are essential to the success of ES-DOC.

Multi-Mission System Analysis for Planetary Entry (M-SAPE) Version 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Samareh, Jamshid; Glaab, Louis; Winski, Richard G.; Maddock, Robert W.; Emmett, Anjie L.; Munk, Michelle M.; Agrawal, Parul; Sepka, Steve; Aliaga, Jose; Zarchi, Kerry;

Navigation Design and Analysis for the Orion Earth-Moon Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DSouza, Christopher; Zanetti, Renato

2014-01-01

This paper details the design of the cislunar optical navigation system being proposed for the Orion Earth-Moon (EM) missions. In particular, it presents the mathematics of the navigation filter. The unmodeled accelerations and their characterization are detailed. It also presents the analysis that has been performed to understand the performance of the proposed system, with particular attention paid to entry flight path angle constraints and the delta-V performance.

The Characteristics of Earth System Thinking of Science Gifted Students in relation to Climate Changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, Duk Ho; Cho, Kyu Seong; Hong, Deok Pyo; Park, Kyeong Jin

2016-04-01

This study aimed to investigate the perception of earth system thinking of science gifted students in future problem solving (FPS) in relation to climate changes. In order to this study, the research problem associated with climate changes was developed through a literature review. The thirty seven science gifted students participated in lessons. The ideas in problem solving process of science gifted students were analyzed using the semantic network analysis method. The results are as follows. In the problem solving processes, science gifted students are ''changes of the sunlight by water layer'', ''changes of the Earth''s temperature'', ''changes of the air pressure'', '' change of the wind and weather''were represented in order. On other hand, regard to earth system thinking for climate changes, while science gifted students were used sub components related to atmospheres frequently, they were used sub components related to biosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere a little. But, the analytical results of the structural relationship between the sub components related to earth system, they were recognised that biosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere used very important in network structures. In conclusion, science gifted students were understood well that components of the earth system are influencing each other. Keywords : Science gifted students, Future problem solving, Climate change, Earth system thinking

Architecture Studies for Commercial Production of Propellants From the Lunar Poles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duke, Michael B.; Diaz, Javier; Blair, Brad R.; Oderman, Mark; Vaucher, Marc

2003-01-01

Two architectures are developed that could be used to convert water held in regolith deposits within permanently shadowed lunar craters into propellant for use in near-Earth space. In particular, the model has been applied to an analysis of the commercial feasibility of using lunar derived propellant to convey payloads from low Earth orbit to geosynchronous Earth orbit. Production and transportation system masses were estimated for each architecture and cost analysis was made using the NAFCOM cost model. Data from the cost model were analyzed using a financial analysis tool reported in a companion paper (Lamassoure et al., 2002) to determine under what conditions the architectures might be commercially viable. Analysis of the architectural assumptions is used to identify the principal areas for further research, which include technological development of lunar mining and water extraction systems, power systems, reusable space transportation systems, and orbital propellant depots. The architectures and commercial viability are sensitive to the assumed concentration of ice in the lunar deposits, suggesting that further lunar exploration to determine whether higher-grade deposits exist would be economically justified.

Utilizing ISS Camera Systems for Scientific Analysis of Lightning Characteristics and Comparison with ISS-LIS and GLM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schultz, Christopher J.; Lang, Timothy J.; Leake, Skye; Runco, Mario, Jr.; Blakeslee, Richard J.

2017-01-01

Video and still frame images from cameras aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are used to inspire, educate, and provide a unique vantage point from low-Earth orbit that is second to none; however, these cameras have overlooked capabilities for contributing to scientific analysis of the Earth and near-space environment. The goal of this project is to study how geo referenced video/images from available ISS camera systems can be useful for scientific analysis, using lightning properties as a demonstration.

Revolutionizing Earth System Science Education for the 21st Century: Report and Recommendations from a 50-State Analysis of Earth Science Education Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Martos; Barstow, Daniel

2007-01-01

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) commissioned TERC to complete a review of science education standards for all 50 states. The study analyzed K-12 Earth science standards to determine how well each state addresses key Earth-science content, concepts and skills. This report reveals that few states have thoroughly integrated…

Investigation of Alternative Return Strategies for Orion Trans-earth Injection Design Options

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marchand, Belinda G.; Scarritt, Sara K.; Howell, Kathleen C.; Weeks, Michael W.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate alternative return strategies for the Orion trans-Earth injection (TEI) phase. A dynamical systems analysis approach considers the structure of the stable and unstable Sun perturbed Earth-Moon manifolds near the Earth-Moon interface region. A hybrid approach, then, combines the results from this analysis with classical two-body methods in a targeting process that seeks to expand the window of return opportunities in a precision entry scenario. The resulting startup arcs can be used, for instance, to enhance the block set of solutions available onboard during an autonomous targeting process.

Orbit Determination (OD) Error Analysis Results for the Triana Sun-Earth L1 Libration Point Mission and for the Fourier Kelvin Stellar Interferometer (FKSI) Sun-Earth L2 Libration Point Mission Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marr, Greg C.

2003-01-01

The Triana spacecraft was designed to be launched by the Space Shuttle. The nominal Triana mission orbit will be a Sun-Earth L1 libration point orbit. Using the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Orbit Determination Error Analysis System (ODEAS), orbit determination (OD) error analysis results are presented for all phases of the Triana mission from the first correction maneuver through approximately launch plus 6 months. Results are also presented for the science data collection phase of the Fourier Kelvin Stellar Interferometer Sun-Earth L2 libration point mission concept with momentum unloading thrust perturbations during the tracking arc. The Triana analysis includes extensive analysis of an initial short arc orbit determination solution and results using both Deep Space Network (DSN) and commercial Universal Space Network (USN) statistics. These results could be utilized in support of future Sun-Earth libration point missions.

J-Earth: An Essential Resource for Terrestrial Remote Sensing and Data Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunn, S.; Rupp, J.; Cheeseman, S.; Christensen, P. R.; Prashad, L. C.; Dickenshied, S.; Anwar, S.; Noss, D.; Murray, K.

2011-12-01

There is a need for a software tool that has the ability to display and analyze various types of earth science and social data through a simple, user-friendly interface. The J-Earth software tool has been designed to be easily accessible for download and intuitive use, regardless of the technical background of the user base. This tool does not require courses or text books to learn to use, yet is powerful enough to allow a more general community of users to perform complex data analysis. Professions that will benefit from this tool range from geologists, geographers, and climatologists to sociologists, economists, and ecologists as well as policy makers. J-Earth was developed by the Arizona State University Mars Space Flight Facility as part of the JMARS (Java Mission-planning and Analysis for Remote Sensing) suite of open-source tools. The program is a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) application used for viewing and processing satellite and airborne remote sensing data. While the functionality of JMARS has historically focused on the research needs of the planetary science community, J-Earth has been designed for a much broader Earth-based user audience. NASA instrument products accessible within J-Earth include data from ASTER, GOES, Landsat, MODIS, and TIMS. While J-Earth contains exceptionally comprehensive and high resolution satellite-derived data and imagery, this tool also includes many socioeconomic data products from projects lead by international organizations and universities. Datasets used in J-Earth take the form of grids, rasters, remote sensor "stamps", maps, and shapefiles. Some highly demanded global datasets available within J-Earth include five levels of administrative/political boundaries, climate data for current conditions as well as models for future climates, population counts and densities, land cover/land use, and poverty indicators. While this application does share the same powerful functionality of JMARS, J-Earth's apperance is enhanced for much easier data analysis. J-Earth utilizes a layering system to view data from different sources which can then be exported, scaled, colored and superimposed for quick comparisons. Users may now perform spatial analysis over several diverse datasets with respect to a defined geographic area or the entire globe. In addition, several newly acquired global datasets contain a temporal dimension which when accessed through J-Earth, make this a unique and powerful tool for spatial analysis over time. The functionality and ease of use set J-Earth apart from all other terrestrial GIS software packages and enable endless social, political, and scientific possibilities

A Generalized Stability Analysis of the AMOC in Earth System Models: Implication for Decadal Variability and Abrupt Climate Change

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

Fedorov, Alexey V.

2015-01-14

The central goal of this research project was to understand the mechanisms of decadal and multi-decadal variability of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) as related to climate variability and abrupt climate change within a hierarchy of climate models ranging from realistic ocean models to comprehensive Earth system models. Generalized Stability Analysis, a method that quantifies the transient and asymptotic growth of perturbations in the system, is one of the main approaches used throughout this project. The topics we have explored range from physical mechanisms that control AMOC variability to the factors that determine AMOC predictability in the Earth systemmore » models, to the stability and variability of the AMOC in past climates.« less

Data Albums: An Event Driven Search, Aggregation and Curation Tool for Earth Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramachandran, Rahul; Kulkarni, Ajinkya; Maskey, Manil; Bakare, Rohan; Basyal, Sabin; Li, Xiang; Flynn, Shannon

2014-01-01

Approaches used in Earth science research such as case study analysis and climatology studies involve discovering and gathering diverse data sets and information to support the research goals. To gather relevant data and information for case studies and climatology analysis is both tedious and time consuming. Current Earth science data systems are designed with the assumption that researchers access data primarily by instrument or geophysical parameter. In cases where researchers are interested in studying a significant event, they have to manually assemble a variety of datasets relevant to it by searching the different distributed data systems. This paper presents a specialized search, aggregation and curation tool for Earth science to address these challenges. The search rool automatically creates curated 'Data Albums', aggregated collections of information related to a specific event, containing links to relevant data files [granules] from different instruments, tools and services for visualization and analysis, and information about the event contained in news reports, images or videos to supplement research analysis. Curation in the tool is driven via an ontology based relevancy ranking algorithm to filter out non relevant information and data.

EarthCube's Assessment Framework: Ensuring Return on Investment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehnert, K.

2016-12-01

EarthCube is a community-governed, NSF-funded initiative to transform geoscience research by developing cyberinfrastructure that improves access, sharing, visualization, and analysis of all forms of geosciences data and related resources. EarthCube's goal is to enable geoscientists to tackle the challenges of understanding and predicting a complex and evolving solid Earth, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and space environment systems. EarthCube's infrastructure needs capabilities around data, software, and systems. It is essential for EarthCube to determine the value of new capabilities for the community and the progress of the overall effort to demonstrate its value to the science community and Return on Investment for the NSF. EarthCube is therefore developing an assessment framework for research proposals, projects funded by EarthCube, and the overall EarthCube program. As a first step, a software assessment framework has been developed that addresses the EarthCube Strategic Vision by promoting best practices in software development, complete and useful documentation, interoperability, standards adherence, open science, and education and training opportunities for research developers.

Earth Observing System (EOS) Communication (Ecom) Modeling, Analysis, and Testbed (EMAT) activiy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Desai, Vishal

1994-01-01

This paper describes the Earth Observing System (EOS) Communication (Ecom) Modeling, Analysis, and Testbed (EMAT) activity performed by Code 540 in support of the Ecom project. Ecom is the ground-to-ground data transport system for operational EOS traffic. The National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) Communications (Nascom) Division, Code 540, is responsible for implementing Ecom. Ecom interfaces with various systems to transport EOS forward link commands, return link telemetry, and science payload data. To understand the complexities surrounding the design and implementation of Ecom, it is necessary that sufficient testbedding, modeling, and analysis be conducted prior to the design phase. These activities, when grouped, are referred to as the EMAT activity. This paper describes work accomplished to date in each of the three major EMAT activities: modeling, analysis, and testbedding.

Space-to-earth power transmission system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevens, G. H.; Schuh, R.

1976-01-01

A preliminary analysis was conducted to establish the requirements of a space-to-earth microwave power transmission system. The need for accurate phase control on the transmitter was established and methods for assessing the impact of power density and thermal constraints on system performance were demonstrated. Potential radio frequency interference was considered. The sensitivity of transmission system scale to variations in power source, transportation and orbital fabrication and assembly costs was also determined.

Precession of the Earth-Moon System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urbassek, Herbert M.

2009-01-01

The precession rate of the Earth-Moon system by the gravitational influence of the Sun is derived. Attention is focussed on a physically transparent but complete presentation accessible to first- or second-year physics students. Both a shortcut and a full analysis are given, which allows the inclusion of this material as an example of the physics…

6th Annual Earth System Grid Federation Face to Face Conference Report

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

Williams, D. N.

The Sixth Annual Face-to-Face (F2F) Conference of the Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF), a global consortium of international government agencies, institutions, and companies dedicated to the creation, management, analysis, and distribution of extreme-scale scientific data, was held December 5–9, 2016, in Washington, D.C.

Earth resources shuttle imaging radar. [systems analysis and design analysis of pulse radar for earth resources information system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

A report is presented on a preliminary design of a Synthetic Array Radar (SAR) intended for experimental use with the space shuttle program. The radar is called Earth Resources Shuttle Imaging Radar (ERSIR). Its primary purpose is to determine the usefulness of SAR in monitoring and managing earth resources. The design of the ERSIR, along with tradeoffs made during its evolution is discussed. The ERSIR consists of a flight sensor for collecting the raw radar data and a ground sensor used both for reducing these radar data to images and for extracting earth resources information from the data. The flight sensor consists of two high powered coherent, pulse radars, one that operates at L and the other at X-band. Radar data, recorded on tape can be either transmitted via a digital data link to a ground terminal or the tape can be delivered to the ground station after the shuttle lands. A description of data processing equipment and display devices is given.

Observation duration analysis for Earth surface features from a Moon-based platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Hanlin; Guo, Huadong; Liu, Guang; Ren, Yuanzhen

2018-07-01

Earth System Science is a discipline that performs holistic and comprehensive research on various components of the Earth. One of a key issue for the Earth monitoring and observation is to enhance the observation duration, the time intervals during which the Earth surface features can be observed by sensors. In this work, we propose to utilise the Moon as an Earth observation platform. Thanks to the long distance between the Earth and the Moon, and the vast space on the lunar surface which is suitable for sensor installation, this Earth observation platform could have large spatial coverage, long temporal duration, and could perform multi-layer detection of the Earth. The line of sight between a proposed Moon-based platform and the Earth will change with different lunar surface positions; therefore, in this work, the position of the lunar surface was divided into four regions, including one full observation region and three incomplete observation regions. As existing methods are not able to perform global-scale observations, a Boolean matrix method was established to calculate the necessary observation durations from a Moon-based platform. Based on Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) ephemerides and Earth Orientation Parameters (EOP), a formula was developed to describe the geometrical relationship between the Moon-based platform and Earth surface features in the unified spatial coordinate system and the unified time system. In addition, we compared the observation geometries at different positions on the lunar surface and two parameters that are vital to observation duration calculations were considered. Finally, an analysis method was developed. We found that the observation duration of a given Earth surface feature shows little difference regardless of sensor position within the full observation region. However, the observation duration for sensors in the incomplete observation regions is reduced by at least half. In summary, our results demonstrate the suitability of a Moon-based platform located in the full observation region.

TERSSE. Definition of the total earth resources system for the shuttle era. Volume 10: (TOSS) TERSSE operational system study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stow, W. K.; Cheeseman, C.; Dallam, W.; Dietrich, D.; Dorfman, G.; Fleming, R.; Fries, R.; Guard, W.; Jackson, F.; Jankowski, H.

1975-01-01

Economic benefits studies regarding the application of remote sensing to resource management and the Total Earth Resources for the Shuttle Era (TERSSE) study to outline the structure and development of future systems are used, along with experience from LANDSAT and LACIE, to define the system performance and economics of an operational Earth Resources system. The system is to be based on current (LANDSAT follow-on) technology and its application to high priority resource management missions, such as global crop inventory. The TERSSE Operational System Study (TOSS) investigated system-level design alternatives using economic performance as the evaluation criterion. As such, the TOSS effort represented a significant step forward in the systems engineering and economic analysis of Earth Resources programs. By parametrically relating engineering design parameters, such as sensor performance details, to the economic benefit mechanisms a new level of confidence in the conclusions concerning the implementation of such systems can be reached.

Simplify and Accelerate Earth Science Data Preparation to Systemize Machine Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, K. S.; Rilee, M. L.; Oloso, A.

2017-12-01

Data preparation is the most laborious and time-consuming part of machine learning. The effort required is usually more than linearly proportional to the varieties of data used. From a system science viewpoint, useful machine learning in Earth Science likely involves diverse datasets. Thus, simplifying data preparation to ease the systemization of machine learning in Earth Science is of immense value. The technologies we have developed and applied to an array database, SciDB, are explicitly designed for the purpose, including the innovative SpatioTemporal Adaptive-Resolution Encoding (STARE), a remapping tool suite, and an efficient implementation of connected component labeling (CCL). STARE serves as a universal Earth data representation that homogenizes data varieties and facilitates spatiotemporal data placement as well as alignment, to maximize query performance on massively parallel, distributed computing resources for a major class of analysis. Moreover, it converts spatiotemporal set operations into fast and efficient integer interval operations, supporting in turn moving-object analysis. Integrative analysis requires more than overlapping spatiotemporal sets. For example, meaningful comparison of temperature fields obtained with different means and resolutions requires their transformation to the same grid. Therefore, remapping has been implemented to enable integrative analysis. Finally, Earth Science investigations are generally studies of phenomena, e.g. tropical cyclone, atmospheric river, and blizzard, through their associated events, like hurricanes Katrina and Sandy. Unfortunately, except for a few high-impact phenomena, comprehensive episodic records are lacking. Consequently, we have implemented an efficient CCL tracking algorithm, enabling event-based investigations within climate data records beyond mere event presence. In summary, we have implemented the core unifying capabilities on a Big Data technology to enable systematic machine learning in Earth Science.

"New Space Explosion" and Earth Observing System Capabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stensaas, G. L.; Casey, K.; Snyder, G. I.; Christopherson, J.

2017-12-01

This presentation will describe recent developments in spaceborne remote sensing, including introduction to some of the increasing number of new firms entering the market, along with new systems and successes from established players, as well as industry consolidation reactions to these developments from communities of users. The information in this presentation will include inputs from the results of the Joint Agency Commercial Imagery Evaluation (JACIE) 2017 Civil Commercial Imagery Evaluation Workshop and the use of the US Geological Survey's Requirements Capabilities and Analysis for Earth Observation (RCA-EO) centralized Earth observing systems database and how system performance parameters are used with user science applications requirements.

Virtual Observation System for Earth System Model: An Application to ACME Land Model Simulations

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

Wang, Dali; Yuan, Fengming; Hernandez, Benjamin

Investigating and evaluating physical-chemical-biological processes within an Earth system model (EMS) can be very challenging due to the complexity of both model design and software implementation. A virtual observation system (VOS) is presented to enable interactive observation of these processes during system simulation. Based on advance computing technologies, such as compiler-based software analysis, automatic code instrumentation, and high-performance data transport, the VOS provides run-time observation capability, in-situ data analytics for Earth system model simulation, model behavior adjustment opportunities through simulation steering. A VOS for a terrestrial land model simulation within the Accelerated Climate Modeling for Energy model is also presentedmore » to demonstrate the implementation details and system innovations.« less

Virtual Observation System for Earth System Model: An Application to ACME Land Model Simulations

DOE PAGES

Wang, Dali; Yuan, Fengming; Hernandez, Benjamin; ...

2017-01-01

Investigating and evaluating physical-chemical-biological processes within an Earth system model (EMS) can be very challenging due to the complexity of both model design and software implementation. A virtual observation system (VOS) is presented to enable interactive observation of these processes during system simulation. Based on advance computing technologies, such as compiler-based software analysis, automatic code instrumentation, and high-performance data transport, the VOS provides run-time observation capability, in-situ data analytics for Earth system model simulation, model behavior adjustment opportunities through simulation steering. A VOS for a terrestrial land model simulation within the Accelerated Climate Modeling for Energy model is also presentedmore » to demonstrate the implementation details and system innovations.« less

A Passive Earth-Entry Capsule for Mars Sample Return

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitcheltree, Robert A.; Kellas, Sotiris

1999-01-01

A combination of aerodynamic analysis and testing, aerothermodynamic analysis, structural analysis and testing, impact analysis and testing, thermal analysis, ground characterization tests, configuration packaging, and trajectory simulation are employed to determine the feasibility of an entirely passive Earth entry capsule for the Mars Sample Return mission. The design circumvents the potential failure modes of a parachute terminal descent system by replacing that system with passive energy absorbing material to cushion the Mars samples during ground impact. The suggested design utilizes a spherically blunted 45-degree half-angle cone forebody with an ablative heat shield. The primary structure is a hemispherical, composite sandwich enclosing carbon foam energy absorbing material. Though no demonstration test of the entire system is included, results of the tests and analysis presented indicate that the design is a viable option for the Mars Sample Return Mission.

Space station needs, attributes and architectural options study. Volume 2: Mission analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

Space environment studies, astrophysics, Earth environment, life sciences, and material sciences are discussed. Commercial communication, materials processing, and Earth observation missions are addressed. Technology development, space operations, scenarios of operational capability, mission requirements, and benefits analysis results for space-produced gallium arsenide crystals, direct broadcasting satellite systems, and a high inclination space station are covered.

Supporting Weather Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

Since its founding in 1992, Global Science & Technology, Inc. (GST), of Greenbelt, Maryland, has been developing technologies and providing services in support of NASA scientific research. GST specialties include scientific analysis, science data and information systems, data visualization, communications, networking and Web technologies, computer science, and software system engineering. As a longtime contractor to Goddard Space Flight Center s Earth Science Directorate, GST scientific, engineering, and information technology staff have extensive qualifications with the synthesis of satellite, in situ, and Earth science data for weather- and climate-related projects. GST s experience in this arena is end-to-end, from building satellite ground receiving systems and science data systems, to product generation and research and analysis.

Earth-Referenced Aircraft Navigation and Surveillance Analysis

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-06-01

This document addresses a basic function of aircraft (and other vehicle) surveillance and navi-gation systems analyses quantifying the geometric relationship of two or more locations relative to each other and to the earth. Here, geometry means d...

Earth Resources Laboratory research and technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

The accomplishments of the Earth Resources Laboratory's research and technology program are reported. Sensors and data systems, the AGRISTARS project, applied research and data analysis, joint research projects, test and evaluation studies, and space station support activities are addressed.

Earth Observatory Satellite system definition study. Report 1: Orbit/launch vehicle trade-off studies and recommendations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

A summary of the constraints and requirements on the Earth Observatory Satellite (EOS-A) orbit and launch vehicle analysis is presented. The propulsion system (hydrazine) and the launch vehicle (Delta 2910) selected for EOS-A are examined. The rationale for the selection of the recommended orbital altitude of 418 nautical miles is explained. The original analysis was based on the EOS-A mission with the Thematic Mapper and the High Resolution Pointable Imager. The impact of the revised mission model is analyzed to show how the new mission model affects the previously defined propulsion system, launch vehicle, and orbit. A table is provided to show all aspects of the EOS multiple mission concepts. The subjects considered include the following: (1) mission orbit analysis, (2) spacecraft parametric performance analysis, (3) launch system performance analysis, and (4) orbits/launch vehicle selection.

Incorporating Parallel Computing into the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS DAS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Larson, Jay W.

1998-01-01

Atmospheric data assimilation is a method of combining actual observations with model forecasts to produce a more accurate description of the earth system than the observations or forecast alone can provide. The output of data assimilation, sometimes called the analysis, are regular, gridded datasets of observed and unobserved variables. Analysis plays a key role in numerical weather prediction and is becoming increasingly important for climate research. These applications, and the need for timely validation of scientific enhancements to the data assimilation system pose computational demands that are best met by distributed parallel software. The mission of the NASA Data Assimilation Office (DAO) is to provide datasets for climate research and to support NASA satellite and aircraft missions. The system used to create these datasets is the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS DAS). The core components of the the GEOS DAS are: the GEOS General Circulation Model (GCM), the Physical-space Statistical Analysis System (PSAS), the Observer, the on-line Quality Control (QC) system, the Coupler (which feeds analysis increments back to the GCM), and an I/O package for processing the large amounts of data the system produces (which will be described in another presentation in this session). The discussion will center on the following issues: the computational complexity for the whole GEOS DAS, assessment of the performance of the individual elements of GEOS DAS, and parallelization strategy for some of the components of the system.

Evolution of Information Management at the GSFC Earth Sciences (GES) Data and Information Services Center (DISC): 2006-2007

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kempler, Steven; Lynnes, Christopher; Vollmer, Bruce; Alcott, Gary; Berrick, Stephen

2009-01-01

Increasingly sophisticated National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth science missions have driven their associated data and data management systems from providing simple point-to-point archiving and retrieval to performing user-responsive distributed multisensor information extraction. To fully maximize the use of remote-sensor-generated Earth science data, NASA recognized the need for data systems that provide data access and manipulation capabilities responsive to research brought forth by advancing scientific analysis and the need to maximize the use and usability of the data. The decision by NASA to purposely evolve the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Earth Sciences (GES) Data and Information Services Center (DISC) and other information management facilities was timely and appropriate. The GES DISC evolution was focused on replacing the EOSDIS Core System (ECS) by reusing the In-house developed disk-based Simple, Scalable, Script-based Science Product Archive (S4PA) data management system and migrating data to the disk archives. Transition was completed in December 2007

Station coordinates, baselines, and earth rotation from Lageos laser ranging - 1976-1984

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tapley, B. D.; Schultz, B. E.; Eanes, R. J.

1985-01-01

The orbit of the Lageos satellite is well suited as a reference frame for studying the rotation of the earth and the relative motion of points on the earth's crust. The satellite laser measurements can determine the location of a set of tracking stations in an appropriate terrestrial coordinate system. The motion of the earth's rotation axis relative to this system can be studied on the basis of the established tracking station locations. The present investigation is concerned with an analysis of 7.7 years of Lageos laser ranging data. In the first solution considered, the entire data span was used to adjust a single set of station positions simultaneously with orbit and earth rotation parameters. Attention is given to the accuracy of earth rotation parameters which are determined as an inherent part of the solution process.

Earth Orbiting Support Systems for commercial low Earth orbit data relay: Assessing architectures through tradespace exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palermo, Gianluca; Golkar, Alessandro; Gaudenzi, Paolo

2015-06-01

As small satellites and Sun Synchronous Earth Observation systems are assuming an increased role in nowadays space activities, including commercial investments, it is of interest to assess how infrastructures could be developed to support the development of such systems and other spacecraft that could benefit from having a data relay service in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), as opposed to traditional Geostationary relays. This paper presents a tradespace exploration study of the architecture of such LEO commercial satellite data relay systems, here defined as Earth Orbiting Support Systems (EOSS). The paper proposes a methodology to formulate architectural decisions for EOSS constellations, and enumerate the corresponding tradespace of feasible architectures. Evaluation metrics are proposed to measure benefits and costs of architectures; lastly, a multicriteria Pareto criterion is used to downselect optimal architectures for subsequent analysis. The methodology is applied to two case studies for a set of 30 and 100 customer-spacecraft respectively, representing potential markets for LEO services in Exploration, Earth Observation, Science, and CubeSats. Pareto analysis shows how increased performance of the constellation is always achieved by an increased node size, as measured by the gain of the communications antenna mounted on EOSS spacecraft. On the other hand, nonlinear trends in optimal orbital altitude, number of satellites per plane, and number of orbital planes, are found in both cases. An upward trend in individual node memory capacity is found, although never exceeding 256 Gbits of onboard memory for both cases that have been considered, assuming the availability of a polar ground station for EOSS data downlink. System architects can use the proposed methodology to identify optimal EOSS constellations for a given service pricing strategy and customer target, thus identifying alternatives for selection by decision makers.

The CICT Earth Science Systems Analysis Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pell, Barney; Coughlan, Joe; Biegel, Bryan; Stevens, Ken; Hansson, Othar; Hayes, Jordan

2004-01-01

Contents include the following: Computing Information and Communications Technology (CICT) Systems Analysis. Our modeling approach: a 3-part schematic investment model of technology change, impact assessment and prioritization. A whirlwind tour of our model. Lessons learned.

Noise model for low-frequency through-the-Earth communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raab, Frederick H.

2010-12-01

Analysis and simulation of through-the-Earth communication links and signal processing techniques require a more complete noise model than is needed for the analysis of conventional communication systems. This paper presents a multicomponent noise model that includes impulsive characteristics, direction-of-arrival characteristics, and effects of local geology. The noise model is derived from theoretical considerations and confirmed by field tests.

Technical report series on global modeling and data assimilation. Volume 4: Documentation of the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) data assimilation system, version 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suarez, Max J. (Editor); Pfaendtner, James; Bloom, Stephen; Lamich, David; Seablom, Michael; Sienkiewicz, Meta; Stobie, James; Dasilva, Arlindo

1995-01-01

This report describes the analysis component of the Goddard Earth Observing System, Data Assimilation System, Version 1 (GEOS-1 DAS). The general features of the data assimilation system are outlined, followed by a thorough description of the statistical interpolation algorithm, including specification of error covariances and quality control of observations. We conclude with a discussion of the current status of development of the GEOS data assimilation system. The main components of GEOS-1 DAS are an atmospheric general circulation model and an Optimal Interpolation algorithm. The system is cycled using the Incremental Analysis Update (IAU) technique in which analysis increments are introduced as time independent forcing terms in a forecast model integration. The system is capable of producing dynamically balanced states without the explicit use of initialization, as well as a time-continuous representation of non- observables such as precipitation and radiational fluxes. This version of the data assimilation system was used in the five-year reanalysis project completed in April 1994 by Goddard's Data Assimilation Office (DAO) Data from this reanalysis are available from the Goddard Distributed Active Center (DAAC), which is part of NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS). For information on how to obtain these data sets, contact the Goddard DAAC at (301) 286-3209, EMAIL daac@gsfc.nasa.gov.

Lightcurve Analysis for Two Near-Earth Asteroids Eclipsed by the Earth's Shadow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birtwhistle, Peter

2018-07-01

Photometry was obtained from Great Shefford Observatory of near-Earth asteroids 2012 XE54 in 2012 and 2016 VA in 2016 during close approaches. A superfast rotation period has been determined for 2012 XE54 and H-G magnitude system coefficients have been estimated for 2016 VA. While under observation, 2012 XE54 underwent a deep penumbral eclipse by the Earth's shadow and 2016 VA also experienced a total eclipse by the Earth's shadow. The dimming due to the eclipses is modeled taking into account solar limb darkening.

Understanding the Role of Biology in the Global Environment: NASA'S Mission to Planet Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Townsend, William F.

1996-01-01

NASA has long used the unique perspective of space as a means of expanding our understanding of how the Earth's environment functions. In particular, the linkages between land, air, water, and life-the elements of the Earth system-are a focus for NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. This approach, called Earth system science, blends together fields like meteorology, biology, oceanography, and atmospheric science. Mission to Planet Earth uses observations from satellites, aircraft, balloons, and ground researchers as the basis for analysis of the elements of the Earth system, the interactions between those elements, and possible changes over the coming years and decades. This information is helping scientists improve our understanding of how natural processes affect us and how we might be affecting them. Such studies will yield improved weather forecasts, tools for managing agriculture and forests, information for fishermen and local planners, and, eventually, an enhanced ability to predict how the climate will change in the future. NASA has designed Mission to Planet Earth to focus on five primary themes: Land Cover and Land Use Change; Seasonal to Interannual Climate Prediction; Natural Hazards; Long-Term Climate Variability; and Atmosphere Ozone.

A parallel algorithm for viewshed analysis in three-dimensional Digital Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Wang; Gang, Wang; Deji, Pan; Yuan, Liu; Liuzhong, Yang; Hongbo, Wang

2015-02-01

Viewshed analysis, often supported by geographic information systems, is widely used in the three-dimensional (3D) Digital Earth system. Many of the analyzes involve the siting of features and real-timedecision-making. Viewshed analysis is usually performed at a large scale, which poses substantial computational challenges, as geographic datasets continue to become increasingly large. Previous research on viewshed analysis has been generally limited to a single data structure (i.e., DEM), which cannot be used to analyze viewsheds in complicated scenes. In this paper, a real-time algorithm for viewshed analysis in Digital Earth is presented using the parallel computing of graphics processing units (GPUs). An occlusion for each geometric entity in the neighbor space of the viewshed point is generated according to line-of-sight. The region within the occlusion is marked by a stencil buffer within the programmable 3D visualization pipeline. The marked region is drawn with red color concurrently. In contrast to traditional algorithms based on line-of-sight, the new algorithm, in which the viewshed calculation is integrated with the rendering module, is more efficient and stable. This proposed method of viewshed generation is closer to the reality of the virtual geographic environment. No DEM interpolation, which is seen as a computational burden, is needed. The algorithm was implemented in a 3D Digital Earth system (GeoBeans3D) with the DirectX application programming interface (API) and has been widely used in a range of applications.

A prospectus for Thematic Mapper research in the Earth sciences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

Earth science applications of Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery are discussed. Prospective research themes are defined in a general sense in relation to the technical measurement capabilities of the TM and the various types of Earth information that can potentially be derived from multispectral TM imagery. An overview of the system developed to acquire and reduce TM data is presented. The technical capabilities of this system are presented in detail. The orbital performance of the TM sensor is described, based upon the analysis of LANDSAT 4 and 5 TM data collected to date.

Earth radiation budget measurement from a spinning satellite: Conceptual design of detectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sromovsky, L. A.; Revercomb, H. E.; Suomi, V. E.

1975-01-01

The conceptual design, sensor characteristics, sensor performance and accuracy, and spacecraft and orbital requirements for a spinning wide-field-of-view earth energy budget detector were investigated. The scientific requirements for measurement of the earth's radiative energy budget are presented. Other topics discussed include the observing system concept, solar constant radiometer design, plane flux wide FOV sensor design, fast active cavity theory, fast active cavity design and error analysis, thermopile detectors as an alternative, pre-flight and in-flight calibration plane, system error summary, and interface requirements.

Newtonian-Machian analysis of the neo-Tychonian model of planetary motions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popov, Luka

2013-03-01

The calculation of the trajectories in the Sun-Earth-Mars system is performed using two different models, both in the framework of Newtonian mechanics. The first model is the well-known Copernican system, which assumes that the Sun is at rest and that all the planets orbit around it. The second is a less well-known model, developed by Tycho Brahe (1546-1601), according to which the Earth stands still, the Sun orbits around the Earth, and the other planets orbit around the Sun. The term ‘neo-Tychonian system’ refers to the assumption that orbits of distant masses around the Earth are synchronized with the Sun's orbit. It is the aim of this paper to show the kinematical and dynamical equivalence of these systems, under the assumption of Mach's principle.

The effect of the Earth's oblate spheroid shape on the accuracy of a time-of-arrival lightning ground strike locating system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Casper, Paul W.; Bent, Rodney B.

1991-01-01

The algorithm used in previous technology time-of-arrival lightning mapping systems was based on the assumption that the earth is a perfect spheroid. These systems yield highly-accurate lightning locations, which is their major strength. However, extensive analysis of tower strike data has revealed occasionally significant (one to two kilometer) systematic offset errors which are not explained by the usual error sources. It was determined that these systematic errors reduce dramatically (in some cases) when the oblate shape of the earth is taken into account. The oblate spheroid correction algorithm and a case example is presented.

NASA's Modern Era Retrospective-Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA): Early Results and Future Directions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schubert, Siegfried

2008-01-01

This talk will review the status and progress of the NASA/Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) atmospheric global reanalysis project called the Modern Era Retrospective-Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA). An overview of NASA's emerging capabilities for assimilating a variety of other Earth Science observations of the land, ocean, and atmospheric constituents will also be presented. MERRA supports NASA Earth science by synthesizing the current suite of research satellite observations in a climate data context (covering the period 1979-present), and by providing the science and applications communities with of a broad range of weather and climate data with an emphasis on improved estimates of the hydrological cycle. MERRA is based on a major new version of the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS-5), that includes the Earth System Modeling Framework (ESMF)-based GEOS-5 atmospheric general circulation model and the new NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) unified grid-point statistical interpolation (GST) analysis scheme developed as a collaborative effort between NCEP and the GMAO. In addition to MERRA, the GMAO is developing new capabilities in aerosol and constituent assimilation, ocean, ocean biology, and land surface assimilation. This includes the development of an assimilation capability for tropospheric air quality monitoring and prediction, the development of a carbon-cycle modeling and assimilation system, and an ocean data assimilation system for use in coupled short-term climate forecasting.

User Metrics in NASA Earth Science Data Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lynnes, Chris

2018-01-01

This presentation the collection and use of user metrics in NASA's Earth Science data systems. A variety of collection methods is discussed, with particular emphasis given to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ASCI). User sentiment on potential use of cloud computing is presented, with generally positive responses. The presentation also discusses various forms of automatically collected metrics, including an example of the relative usage of different functions within the Giovanni analysis system.

Coupled Data Assimilation for Integrated Earth System Analysis and Prediction: Goals, Challenges, and Recommendations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Penny, Stephen G.; Akella, Santha; Buehner, Mark; Chevallier, Matthieu; Counillon, Francois; Draper, Clara; Frolov, Sergey; Fujii, Yosuke; Karspeck, Alicia; Kumar, Arun

2017-01-01

The purpose of this report is to identify fundamental issues for coupled data assimilation (CDA), such as gaps in science and limitations in forecasting systems, in order to provide guidance to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on how to facilitate more rapid progress internationally. Coupled Earth system modeling provides the opportunity to extend skillful atmospheric forecasts beyond the traditional two-week barrier by extracting skill from low-frequency state components such as the land, ocean, and sea ice. More generally, coupled models are needed to support seamless prediction systems that span timescales from weather, subseasonal to seasonal (S2S), multiyear, and decadal. Therefore, initialization methods are needed for coupled Earth system models, either applied to each individual component (called Weakly Coupled Data Assimilation - WCDA) or applied the coupled Earth system model as a whole (called Strongly Coupled Data Assimilation - SCDA). Using CDA, in which model forecasts and potentially the state estimation are performed jointly, each model domain benefits from observations in other domains either directly using error covariance information known at the time of the analysis (SCDA), or indirectly through flux interactions at the model boundaries (WCDA). Because the non-atmospheric domains are generally under-observed compared to the atmosphere, CDA provides a significant advantage over single-domain analyses. Next, we provide a synopsis of goals, challenges, and recommendations to advance CDA: Goals: (a) Extend predictive skill beyond the current capability of NWP (e.g. as demonstrated by improving forecast skill scores), (b) produce physically consistent initial conditions for coupled numerical prediction systems and reanalyses (including consistent fluxes at the domain interfaces), (c) make best use of existing observations by allowing observations from each domain to influence and improve the full earth system analysis, (d) develop a robust observation-based identification and understanding of mechanisms that determine the variability of weather and climate, (e) identify critical weaknesses in coupled models and the earth observing system, (f) generate full-field estimates of unobserved or sparsely observed variables, (g) improve the estimation of the external forcings causing changes to climate, (h) transition successes from idealized CDA experiments to real-world applications. Challenges: (a) Modeling at the interfaces between interacting components of coupled Earth system models may be inadequate for estimating uncertainty or error covariances between domains, (b) current data assimilation methods may be insufficient to simultaneously analyze domains containing multiple spatiotemporal scales of interest, (c) there is no standardization of observation data or their delivery systems across domains, (d) the size and complexity of many large-scale coupled Earth system models makes it is difficult to accurately represent uncertainty due to model parameters and coupling parameters, (e) model errors lead to local biases that can transfer between the different Earth system components and lead to coupled model biases and long-term model drift, (e) information propagation across model components with different spatiotemporal scales is extremely complicated, and must be improved in current coupled modeling frameworks, (h) there is insufficient knowledge on how to represent evolving errors in non-atmospheric model components (e.g. as sea ice, land and ocean) on the timescales of NWP.

Benchmark Comparison of Cloud Analytics Methods Applied to Earth Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lynnes, C.; Little, M. M.; Huang, T.; Jacob, J. C.; Yang, C. P.; Kuo, K. S.

2016-12-01

Cloud computing has the potential to bring high performance computing capabilities to the average science researcher. However, in order to take full advantage of cloud capabilities, the science data used in the analysis must often be reorganized. This typically involves sharding the data across multiple nodes to enable relatively fine-grained parallelism. This can be either via cloud-based filesystems or cloud-enabled databases such as Cassandra, Rasdaman or SciDB. Since storing an extra copy of data leads to increased cost and data management complexity, NASA is interested in determining the benefits and costs of various cloud analytics methods for real Earth Observation cases. Accordingly, NASA's Earth Science Technology Office and Earth Science Data and Information Systems project have teamed with cloud analytics practitioners to run a benchmark comparison on cloud analytics methods using the same input data and analysis algorithms. We have particularly looked at analysis algorithms that work over long time series, because these are particularly intractable for many Earth Observation datasets which typically store data with one or just a few time steps per file. This post will present side-by-side cost and performance results for several common Earth observation analysis operations.

Development of FIAT-Based Parametric Thermal Protection System Mass Estimating Relationships for NASA's Multi-Mission Earth Entry Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sepka, Steven A.; Zarchi, Kerry; Maddock, Robert W.; Samareh, Jamshid A.

2013-01-01

Part of NASAs In-Space Propulsion Technology (ISPT) program is the development of the tradespace to support the design of a family of multi-mission Earth Entry Vehicles (MMEEV) to meet a wide range of mission requirements. An integrated tool called the Multi Mission System Analysis for Planetary Entry Descent and Landing or M-SAPE tool is being developed as part of Entry Vehicle Technology project under In-Space Technology program. The analysis and design of an Earth Entry Vehicle (EEV) is multidisciplinary in nature, requiring the application many disciplines. Part of M-SAPE's application required the development of parametric mass estimating relationships (MERs) to determine the vehicle's required Thermal Protection System (TPS) for safe Earth entry. For this analysis, the heat shield was assumed to be made of a constant thickness TPS. This resulting MERs will then e used to determine the pre-flight mass of the TPS. Two Mers have been developed for the vehicle forebaody. One MER was developed for PICA and the other consisting of Carbon Phenolic atop an Advanced Carbon-Carbon composition. For the the backshell, MERs have been developed for SIRCA, Acusil II, and LI-900. How these MERs were developed, the resulting equations, model limitations, and model accuracy are discussed in this poster.

IN13B-1660: Analytics and Visualization Pipelines for Big Data on the NASA Earth Exchange (NEX) and OpenNEX

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chaudhary, Aashish; Votava, Petr; Nemani, Ramakrishna R.; Michaelis, Andrew; Kotfila, Chris

2016-01-01

We are developing capabilities for an integrated petabyte-scale Earth science collaborative analysis and visualization environment. The ultimate goal is to deploy this environment within the NASA Earth Exchange (NEX) and OpenNEX in order to enhance existing science data production pipelines in both high-performance computing (HPC) and cloud environments. Bridging of HPC and cloud is a fairly new concept under active research and this system significantly enhances the ability of the scientific community to accelerate analysis and visualization of Earth science data from NASA missions, model outputs and other sources. We have developed a web-based system that seamlessly interfaces with both high-performance computing (HPC) and cloud environments, providing tools that enable science teams to develop and deploy large-scale analysis, visualization and QA pipelines of both the production process and the data products, and enable sharing results with the community. Our project is developed in several stages each addressing separate challenge - workflow integration, parallel execution in either cloud or HPC environments and big-data analytics or visualization. This work benefits a number of existing and upcoming projects supported by NEX, such as the Web Enabled Landsat Data (WELD), where we are developing a new QA pipeline for the 25PB system.

Analytics and Visualization Pipelines for Big ­Data on the NASA Earth Exchange (NEX) and OpenNEX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaudhary, A.; Votava, P.; Nemani, R. R.; Michaelis, A.; Kotfila, C.

2016-12-01

We are developing capabilities for an integrated petabyte-scale Earth science collaborative analysis and visualization environment. The ultimate goal is to deploy this environment within the NASA Earth Exchange (NEX) and OpenNEX in order to enhance existing science data production pipelines in both high-performance computing (HPC) and cloud environments. Bridging of HPC and cloud is a fairly new concept under active research and this system significantly enhances the ability of the scientific community to accelerate analysis and visualization of Earth science data from NASA missions, model outputs and other sources. We have developed a web-based system that seamlessly interfaces with both high-performance computing (HPC) and cloud environments, providing tools that enable science teams to develop and deploy large-scale analysis, visualization and QA pipelines of both the production process and the data products, and enable sharing results with the community. Our project is developed in several stages each addressing separate challenge - workflow integration, parallel execution in either cloud or HPC environments and big-data analytics or visualization. This work benefits a number of existing and upcoming projects supported by NEX, such as the Web Enabled Landsat Data (WELD), where we are developing a new QA pipeline for the 25PB system.

Use of global positioning system measurements to determine geocentric coordinates and variations in Earth orientation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malla, R. P.; Wu, S.-C.; Lichten, S. M.

1993-01-01

Geocentric tracking station coordinates and short-period Earth-orientation variations can be measured with Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements. Unless calibrated, geocentric coordinate errors and changes in Earth orientation can lead to significant deep-space tracking errors. Ground-based GPS estimates of daily and subdaily changes in Earth orientation presently show centimeter-level precision. Comparison between GPS-estimated Earth-rotation variations, which are the differences between Universal Time 1 and Universal Coordinated Time (UT1-UTC), and those calculated from ocean tide models suggests that observed subdaily variations in Earth rotation are dominated by oceanic tidal effects. Preliminary GPS estimates for the geocenter location (from a 3-week experiment) agree with independent satellite laser-ranging estimates to better than 10 cm. Covariance analysis predicts that temporal resolution of GPS estimates for Earth orientation and geocenter improves significantly when data collected from low Earth-orbiting satellites as well as from ground sites are combined. The low Earth GPS tracking data enhance the accuracy and resolution for measuring high-frequency global geodynamical signals over time scales of less than 1 day.

Satellite on-board processing for earth resources data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bodenheimer, R. E.; Gonzalez, R. C.; Gupta, J. N.; Hwang, K.; Rochelle, R. W.; Wilson, J. B.; Wintz, P. A.

1975-01-01

Results of a survey of earth resources user applications and their data requirements, earth resources multispectral scanner sensor technology, and preprocessing algorithms for correcting the sensor outputs and for data bulk reduction are presented along with a candidate data format. Computational requirements required to implement the data analysis algorithms are included along with a review of computer architectures and organizations. Computer architectures capable of handling the algorithm computational requirements are suggested and the environmental effects of an on-board processor discussed. By relating performance parameters to the system requirements of each of the user requirements the feasibility of on-board processing is determined for each user. A tradeoff analysis is performed to determine the sensitivity of results to each of the system parameters. Significant results and conclusions are discussed, and recommendations are presented.

The Diverse Data, User Driven Services and the Power of Giovanni at NASA GES DISC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shen, Suhung

2017-01-01

This presentation provides an overview of remote sensing and model data at GES (Goddard Earth Sciences) DISC (Data and Information Services Center); Overview of data services at GES DISC (Registration with NASA data system; Searching and downloading data); Giovanni (Geospatial Interactive Online VisualizationANd aNalysis Infrastructure): online data exploration tool; and NASA Earth Data and Information System.

In-flight measurement of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-10 static Earth sensor error

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harvie, E.; Filla, O.; Baker, D.

1993-01-01

Analysis performed in the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Flight Dynamics Division (FDD) measures error in the static Earth sensor onboard the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-10 spacecraft using flight data. Errors are computed as the difference between Earth sensor pitch and roll angle telemetry and reference pitch and roll attitude histories propagated by gyros. The flight data error determination illustrates the effect on horizon sensing of systemic variation in the Earth infrared (IR) horizon radiance with latitude and season, as well as the effect of anomalies in the global IR radiance. Results of the analysis provide a comparison between static Earth sensor flight performance and that of scanning Earth sensors studied previously in the GSFC/FDD. The results also provide a baseline for evaluating various models of the static Earth sensor. Representative days from the NOAA-10 mission indicate the extent of uniformity and consistency over time of the global IR horizon. A unique aspect of the NOAA-10 analysis is the correlation of flight data errors with independent radiometric measurements of stratospheric temperature. The determination of the NOAA-10 static Earth sensor error contributes to realistic performance expectations for missions to be equipped with similar sensors.

The Earth Observing System AM Spacecraft - Thermal Control Subsystem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chalmers, D.; Fredley, J.; Scott, C.

1993-01-01

Mission requirements for the EOS-AM Spacecraft intended to monitor global changes of the entire earth system are considered. The spacecraft is based on an instrument set containing the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection radiometer (ASTER), Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES), Multiangle Imaging Spectro-Radiometer (MISR), Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS), and Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT). Emphasis is placed on the design, analysis, development, and verification plans for the unique EOS-AM Thermal Control Subsystem (TCS) aimed at providing the required environments for all the onboard equipment in a densely packed layout. The TCS design maximizes the use of proven thermal design techniques and materials, in conjunction with a capillary pumped two-phase heat transport system for instrument thermal control.

Basic research and data analysis for the earth and ocean physics applications program and for the National Geodetic Satellite program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Data acquisition using single image and seven image data processing is used to provide a precise and accurate geometric description of the earth's surface. Transformation parameters and network distortions are determined, Sea slope along the continental boundaries of the U.S. and earth rotation are examined, along with close grid geodynamic satellite system. Data are derived for a mathematical description of the earth's gravitational field; time variations are determined for geometry of the ocean surface, the solid earth, gravity field, and other geophysical parameters.

The Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gelaro, Ronald; McCarty, Will; Randles, Cynthia; Darmenov, Anton; Bosilovich, Michael G.; Cullather, Richard; Buchard, Virginie; Gu, Wei; Putman, William; Schubert, Siegfried D.;

User-driven integrated software lives: ``Paleomag'' paleomagnetics analysis on the Macintosh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Craig H.

2002-12-01

"PaleoMag," a paleomagnetics analysis package originally developed for the Macintosh operating system in 1988, allows examination of demagnetization of individual samples and analysis of directional data from collections of samples. Prior to recent reinvigorated development of the software for both Macintosh and Windows, it was widely used despite not running properly on machines and operating systems sold after 1995. This somewhat surprising situation demonstrates that there is a continued need for integrated analysis software within the earth sciences, in addition to well-developed scripting and batch-mode software. One distinct advantage of software like PaleoMag is in the ability to combine quality control with analysis within a unique graphical environment. Because such demands are frequent within the earth sciences, means of nurturing the development of similar software should be found.

Geospatial Data Sciences | Energy Analysis | NREL

Science.gov Websites

, demographics, and the earth's physical geography to provide the foundation for energy analysis and decision -making. Photo of two people discussing a map. Geospatial Analysis Our geographic information system

Combined Industry, Space and Earth Science Data Compression Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kiely, Aaron B. (Editor); Renner, Robert L. (Editor)

1996-01-01

The sixth annual Space and Earth Science Data Compression Workshop and the third annual Data Compression Industry Workshop were held as a single combined workshop. The workshop was held April 4, 1996 in Snowbird, Utah in conjunction with the 1996 IEEE Data Compression Conference, which was held at the same location March 31 - April 3, 1996. The Space and Earth Science Data Compression sessions seek to explore opportunities for data compression to enhance the collection, analysis, and retrieval of space and earth science data. Of particular interest is data compression research that is integrated into, or has the potential to be integrated into, a particular space or earth science data information system. Preference is given to data compression research that takes into account the scien- tist's data requirements, and the constraints imposed by the data collection, transmission, distribution and archival systems.

JSC earth resources data analysis capabilities available to EOD revision B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

A list and summary description of all Johnson Space Center electronic laboratory and photographic laboratory capabilities available to earth resources division personnel for processing earth resources data are provided. The electronic capabilities pertain to those facilities and systems that use electronic and/or photographic products as output. The photographic capabilities pertain to equipment that uses photographic images as input and electronic and/or table summarizes processing steps. A general hardware description is presented for each of the data processing systems, and the titles of computer programs are used to identify the capabilities and data flow.

Vizualization of Arctic Landscapes in the Geoinformation System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panidi, E. A.; Tsepelev, V. Yu.; Bobkov, A. A.

2010-12-01

In order to investigate the long-scale dynamics of an ice cover, authors suggest to use the geoinformation system (GIS) which allows to conduct the operative and historical analysis of the Polar Region water-ice landscapes variability. Such GIS should include longterm monthly average fields of sea ice, hydrological and atmospheric characters. All collected data and results of their processing have been structured in ArcGISTM . For presentation in the INTERNET resources all datasets were transformed to the open format KML for using in the virtual reality of Google EarthTM . The double component system elaborating on the base of ArcGIS and Google Earth allows to make accumulation, processing and joint synchronous and asynchronous analysis of data and provide wide circle of remote users with accessibility of visual datasets analysis.

Geoinformatics 2007: data to knowledge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brady, Shailaja R.; Sinha, A. Krishna; Gundersen, Linda C.

2007-01-01

Geoinformatics is the term used to describe a variety of efforts to promote collaboration between the computer sciences and the geosciences to solve complex scientific questions. It refers to the distributed, integrated digital information system and working environment that provides innovative means for the study of the Earth systems, as well as other planets, through use of advanced information technologies. Geoinformatics activities range from major research and development efforts creating new technologies to provide high-quality, sustained production-level services for data discovery, integration and analysis, to small, discipline-specific efforts that develop earth science data collections and data analysis tools serving the needs of individual communities. The ultimate vision of Geoinformatics is a highly interconnected data system populated with high quality, freely available data, as well as, a robust set of software for analysis, visualization, and modeling.

Using the International Directory Network and connected information systems for research in the Earth and space sciences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thieman, J. R.

1994-01-01

Many researchers are becoming aware of the International Directory Network (IDN), an interconnected federation of international directories to Earth and space science data. Are you aware, however, of the many Earth-science-relevant information systems which can be accessed automatically from the directories? After determining potentially useful data sets in various disciplines through directories such as the Global Change Master Directory, it is becoming increasingly possible to get detailed information about the correlative possibilities of these data sets through the connected guide/catalog and inventory systems. Such capabilities as data set browse, subsetting, analysis, etc. are available now and will be improving in the future.

Lunar Laser Ranging: Glorious Past And A Bright Future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shelus, Peter J.

Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR), a part of the NASA Apollo program, has beenon-going for more than 30 years. It provides the grist for a multi-disciplinarydata analysis mill. Results exist for solid Earth sciences, geodesy and geodynamics,solar system ephemerides, terrestrial and celestial reference frames, lunar physics,general relativity and gravitational theory. Combined with other data, it treatsprecession of the Earth''s spin axis, lunar induced nutation, polar motion/Earthrotation, Earth orbit obliquity to the ecliptic, intersection of the celestial equatorwith the ecliptic, luni-solar solid body tides, lunar tidal deceleration, lunar physicaland free librations, structure of the moon and energy dissipation in the lunar interior.LLR provides input to lunar surface cartography and surveying, Earth station and lunar retroreflector location and motion, mass of the Earth-moon system, lunar and terrestrial gravity harmonics and Love numbers, relativistic geodesic precession, and the equivalence principle of general relativity. With the passive nature of the reflectors and steady improvement in observing equipment and data analysis, LLR continues to provide state-of-the-art results. Gains are steady as the data-base expands. After more than 30 years, LLR remains the only active Apollo experiment. It is important to recognize examples of efficient and cost effective progress of research. LLR is just such an example.

RIMS: An Integrated Mapping and Analysis System with Applications to Earth Sciences and Hydrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Proussevitch, A. A.; Glidden, S.; Shiklomanov, A. I.; Lammers, R. B.

2011-12-01

A web-based information and computational system for analysis of spatially distributed Earth system, climate, and hydrologic data have been developed. The System allows visualization, data exploration, querying, manipulation and arbitrary calculations with any loaded gridded or vector polygon dataset. The system's acronym, RIMS, stands for its core functionality as a Rapid Integrated Mapping System. The system can be deployed for a Global scale projects as well as for regional hydrology and climatology studies. In particular, the Water Systems Analysis Group of the University of New Hampshire developed the global and regional (Northern Eurasia, pan-Arctic) versions of the system with different map projections and specific data. The system has demonstrated its potential for applications in other fields of Earth sciences and education. The key Web server/client components of the framework include (a) a visualization engine built on Open Source libraries (GDAL, PROJ.4, etc.) that are utilized in a MapServer; (b) multi-level data querying tools built on XML server-client communication protocols that allow downloading map data on-the-fly to a client web browser; and (c) data manipulation and grid cell level calculation tools that mimic desktop GIS software functionality via a web interface. Server side data management of the system is designed around a simple database of dataset metadata facilitating mounting of new data to the system and maintaining existing data in an easy manner. RIMS contains "built-in" river network data that allows for query of upstream areas on-demand which can be used for spatial data aggregation and analysis of sub-basin areas. RIMS is an ongoing effort and currently being used to serve a number of websites hosting a suite of hydrologic, environmental and other GIS data.

Autonomous Mars ascent and orbit rendezvous for earth return missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, H. C.; Balmanno, W. F.; Cruz, Manuel I.; Ilgen, Marc R.

1991-01-01

The details of tha assessment of autonomous Mars ascent and orbit rendezvous for earth return missions are presented. Analyses addressing navigation system assessments, trajectory planning, targeting approaches, flight control guidance strategies, and performance sensitivities are included. Tradeoffs in the analysis and design process are discussed.

Advanced Analysis and Visualization of Space Weather Phenomena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Joshua J.

As the world becomes more technologically reliant, the more susceptible society as a whole is to adverse interactions with the sun. This "space weather'' can produce significant effects on modern technology, from interrupting satellite service, to causing serious damage to Earth-side power grids. These concerns have, over the past several years, prompted an out-welling of research in an attempt to understand the processes governing, and to provide a means of forecasting, space weather events. The research presented in this thesis couples to current work aimed at understanding Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) and their influence on the evolution of Earth's magnetic field and associated Van Allen radiation belts. To aid in the analysis of how these solar wind transients affect Earth's magnetic field, a system named Geospace/Heliosphere Observation & Simulation Tool-kit (GHOSTkit), along with its python analysis tools, GHOSTpy, has been devised to calculate the adiabatic invariants of trapped particle motion within Earth's magnetic field. These invariants aid scientists in ordering observations of the radiation belts, providing a more natural presentation of data, but can be computationally expensive to calculate. The GHOSTpy system, in the phase presented here, is aimed at providing invariant calculations based on LFM magnetic field simulation data. This research first examines an ideal dipole application to gain understanding on system performance. Following this, the challenges of applying the algorithms to gridded LFM MHD data is examined. Performance profiles are then presented, followed by a real-world application of the system.

Earth Science Informatics - Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramapriyan, H. K.

2015-01-01

Over the last 10-15 years, significant advances have been made in information management, there are an increasing number of individuals entering the field of information management as it applies to Geoscience and Remote Sensing data, and the field of informatics has come to its own. Informatics is the science and technology of applying computers and computational methods to the systematic analysis, management, interchange, and representation of science data, information, and knowledge. Informatics also includes the use of computers and computational methods to support decision making and applications. Earth Science Informatics (ESI, a.k.a. geoinformatics) is the application of informatics in the Earth science domain. ESI is a rapidly developing discipline integrating computer science, information science, and Earth science. Major national and international research and infrastructure projects in ESI have been carried out or are on-going. Notable among these are: the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), the European Commissions INSPIRE, the U.S. NSDI and Geospatial One-Stop, the NASA EOSDIS, and the NSF DataONE, EarthCube and Cyberinfrastructure for Geoinformatics. More than 18 departments and agencies in the U.S. federal government have been active in Earth science informatics. All major space agencies in the world, have been involved in ESI research and application activities. In the United States, the Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP), whose membership includes nearly 150 organizations (government, academic and commercial) dedicated to managing, delivering and applying Earth science data, has been working on many ESI topics since 1998. The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS)s Working Group on Information Systems and Services (WGISS) has been actively coordinating the ESI activities among the space agencies. Remote Sensing; Earth Science Informatics, Data Systems; Data Services; Metadata

System for near real-time crustal deformation monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macdoran, P. F. (Inventor)

1979-01-01

A system is described for use in detecting earth crustal deformation using an RF interferometer technique for such purposes as earthquake predictive research and eventual operational predictions. A lunar based RF transmission or transmissions from earth orbiting satellites are received at two locations on Earth, and a precise time dependent phase measurement is made of the RF signal as received at the two locations to determine two or three spatial parameters of the antenna relative positions. The received data are precisely time tagged and land-line routed to a central station for real-time phase comparison and analysis. By monitoring the antenna relative positions over an extended period of months or years, crustal deformation of the Earth can be detected.

Air Force Global Weather Central System Architecture Study. Final System/Subsystem Summary Report. Volume 2. Requirements Compilation and Analysis. Part 1. User and Model Requirements

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-03-01

Milestones will be established after staffing at 6WW. Long-Term Procedures: A capability will be acquired in automated support to Command and Control under... geocentric latitude f = ZttsinQ g = geopotential a = mean radius of earth Ü = angular rotation of the earth 7.29 x 10" rad/sec u,v

The Earth System Documentation (ES-DOC) Software Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greenslade, M. A.; Murphy, S.; Treshansky, A.; DeLuca, C.; Guilyardi, E.; Denvil, S.

2013-12-01

Earth System Documentation (ES-DOC) is an international project supplying high-quality tools & services in support of earth system documentation creation, analysis and dissemination. It is nurturing a sustainable standards based documentation eco-system that aims to become an integral part of the next generation of exa-scale dataset archives. ES-DOC leverages open source software, and applies a software development methodology that places end-user narratives at the heart of all it does. ES-DOC has initially focused upon nurturing the Earth System Model (ESM) documentation eco-system and currently supporting the following projects: * Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5); * Dynamical Core Model Inter-comparison Project (DCMIP); * National Climate Predictions and Projections Platforms Quantitative Evaluation of Downscaling Workshop. This talk will demonstrate that ES-DOC implements a relatively mature software development process. Taking a pragmatic Agile process as inspiration, ES-DOC: * Iteratively develops and releases working software; * Captures user requirements via a narrative based approach; * Uses online collaboration tools (e.g. Earth System CoG) to manage progress; * Prototypes applications to validate their feasibility; * Leverages meta-programming techniques where appropriate; * Automates testing whenever sensibly feasible; * Streamlines complex deployments to a single command; * Extensively leverages GitHub and Pivotal Tracker; * Enforces strict separation of the UI from underlying API's; * Conducts code reviews.

Earth Observatory Satellite system definition study. Report 3: Design cost trade-off studies and recommendations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

An analysis of the design and cost tradeoff aspects of the Earth Observatory Satellite (EOS) development is presented. The design/cost factors that affect a series of mission/system level concepts are discussed. The subjects considered are as follows: (1) spacecraft subsystem cost tradeoffs, (2) ground system cost tradeoffs, and (3) program cost summary. Tables of data are provided to summarize the results of the analyses. Illustrations of the various spacecraft configurations are included.

Analysis of the grounding system for a mobile communication site placed on HV power line mast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bîrsan, I.; Munteanu, C.; Horgoș, M.; Ilut, T.

2016-08-01

This paper aims to analyze the potential distribution on the soil surface or potential variation on the main directions inside computing mobile site. I want to study a system made the earth a mobile communications site, antennas operator and the system of which the earth is placed on a High Voltage Power Line Mast (LEA 110 KV). I made direct measurements and I use a 3D software for analyze the results and simulating some possible solutions.

The Spectral Image Processing System (SIPS) - Interactive visualization and analysis of imaging spectrometer data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kruse, F. A.; Lefkoff, A. B.; Boardman, J. W.; Heidebrecht, K. B.; Shapiro, A. T.; Barloon, P. J.; Goetz, A. F. H.

1993-01-01

The Center for the Study of Earth from Space (CSES) at the University of Colorado, Boulder, has developed a prototype interactive software system called the Spectral Image Processing System (SIPS) using IDL (the Interactive Data Language) on UNIX-based workstations. SIPS is designed to take advantage of the combination of high spectral resolution and spatial data presentation unique to imaging spectrometers. It streamlines analysis of these data by allowing scientists to rapidly interact with entire datasets. SIPS provides visualization tools for rapid exploratory analysis and numerical tools for quantitative modeling. The user interface is X-Windows-based, user friendly, and provides 'point and click' operation. SIPS is being used for multidisciplinary research concentrating on use of physically based analysis methods to enhance scientific results from imaging spectrometer data. The objective of this continuing effort is to develop operational techniques for quantitative analysis of imaging spectrometer data and to make them available to the scientific community prior to the launch of imaging spectrometer satellite systems such as the Earth Observing System (EOS) High Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (HIRIS).

Closed ecological systems: From test tubes to Earth's biosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frye, Robert J.; Mignon, George

1992-01-01

Artificially constructed closed ecological systems (CES) have been researched both experimentally and theoretically for over 25 years. The size of these systems have varied from less than one liter to many thousands of cubic meters in volume. The diversity of the included components has a similarly wide range from purely aquatic systems to soil based systems that incorporate many aspects of Earth's biosphere. While much has been learned about the functioning of these closed systems, much remains to be learned. In this paper, we compare and contrast the behavior of closed ecological systems of widely different sizes through an analysis of their atmospheric composition. In addition, we will compare the performance of relatively small CES with the behavior of Earth's biosphere. We address the applicability of small CES as replicable analogs for planetary biospheres and discuss the use of small CES as an experimental milieu for an examination of the evolution of extra-terrestrial colonies.

Spatial sampling considerations of the CERES (Clouds and Earth Radiant Energy System) instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, G. L.; Manalo-Smith, Natividdad; Priestley, Kory

2014-10-01

The CERES (Clouds and Earth Radiant Energy System) instrument is a scanning radiometer with three channels for measuring Earth radiation budget. At present CERES models are operating aboard the Terra, Aqua and Suomi/NPP spacecraft and flights of CERES instruments are planned for the JPSS-1 spacecraft and its successors. CERES scans from one limb of the Earth to the other and back. The footprint size grows with distance from nadir simply due to geometry so that the size of the smallest features which can be resolved from the data increases and spatial sampling errors increase with nadir angle. This paper presents an analysis of the effect of nadir angle on spatial sampling errors of the CERES instrument. The analysis performed in the Fourier domain. Spatial sampling errors are created by smoothing of features which are the size of the footprint and smaller, or blurring, and inadequate sampling, that causes aliasing errors. These spatial sampling errors are computed in terms of the system transfer function, which is the Fourier transform of the point response function, the spacing of data points and the spatial spectrum of the radiance field.

Data Albums: An Event Driven Search, Aggregation and Curation Tool for Earth Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramachandran, Rahul; Kulkarni, Ajinkya; Maskey, Manil; Bakare, Rohan; Basyal, Sabin; Li, Xiang; Flynn, Shannon

2014-01-01

One of the largest continuing challenges in any Earth science investigation is the discovery and access of useful science content from the increasingly large volumes of Earth science data and related information available. Approaches used in Earth science research such as case study analysis and climatology studies involve gathering discovering and gathering diverse data sets and information to support the research goals. Research based on case studies involves a detailed description of specific weather events using data from different sources, to characterize physical processes in play for a specific event. Climatology-based research tends to focus on the representativeness of a given event, by studying the characteristics and distribution of a large number of events. This allows researchers to generalize characteristics such as spatio-temporal distribution, intensity, annual cycle, duration, etc. To gather relevant data and information for case studies and climatology analysis is both tedious and time consuming. Current Earth science data systems are designed with the assumption that researchers access data primarily by instrument or geophysical parameter. Those who know exactly the datasets of interest can obtain the specific files they need using these systems. However, in cases where researchers are interested in studying a significant event, they have to manually assemble a variety of datasets relevant to it by searching the different distributed data systems. In these cases, a search process needs to be organized around the event rather than observing instruments. In addition, the existing data systems assume users have sufficient knowledge regarding the domain vocabulary to be able to effectively utilize their catalogs. These systems do not support new or interdisciplinary researchers who may be unfamiliar with the domain terminology. This paper presents a specialized search, aggregation and curation tool for Earth science to address these existing challenges. The search tool automatically creates curated "Data Albums", aggregated collections of information related to a specific science topic or event, containing links to relevant data files (granules) from different instruments; tools and services for visualization and analysis; and information about the event contained in news reports, images or videos to supplement research analysis. Curation in the tool is driven via an ontology based relevancy ranking algorithm to filter out non-relevant information and data.

Angular radiation models for earth-atmosphere system. Volume 2: Longwave radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suttles, J. T.; Green, R. N.; Smith, G. L.; Wielicki, B. A.; Walker, I. J.; Taylor, V. R.; Stowe, L. L.

1989-01-01

The longwave angular radiation models that are required for analysis of satellite measurements of Earth radiation, such as those from the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) are presented. The models contain limb-darkening characteristics and mean fluxes. Limb-darkening characteristics are the longwave anisotropic factor and the standard deviation of the longwave radiance. Derivation of these models from the Nimbus 7 ERB (Earth Radiation Budget) data set is described. Tabulated values and computer-generated plots are included for the limb-darkening and mean-flux models.

Global analysis of river systems: from Earth system controls to Anthropocene syndromes.

PubMed Central

Meybeck, Michel

2003-01-01

Continental aquatic systems from rivers to the coastal zone are considered within two perspectives: (i) as a major link between the atmosphere, pedosphere, biosphere and oceans within the Earth system with its Holocene dynamics, and (ii) as water and aquatic biota resources progressively used and transformed by humans. Human pressures have now reached a state where the continental aquatic systems can no longer be considered as being controlled by only Earth system processes, thus defining a new era, the Anthropocene. Riverine changes, now observed at the global scale, are described through a first set of syndromes (flood regulation, fragmentation, sediment imbalance, neo-arheism, salinization, chemical contamination, acidification, eutrophication and microbial contamination) with their related causes and symptoms. These syndromes have direct influences on water uses, either positive or negative. They also modify some Earth system key functions such as sediment, water, nutrient and carbon balances, greenhouse gas emissions and aquatic biodiversity. Evolution of river syndromes over the past 2000 years is complex: it depends upon the stages of regional human development and on natural conditions, as illustrated here for the chemical contamination syndrome. River damming, eutrophication and generalized decrease of river flow due to irrigation are some of the other global features of river changes. Future management of river systems should also consider these long-term impacts on the Earth system. PMID:14728790

Large space-based systems for dealing with global environment change

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jenkins, Lyle M.

1992-01-01

Increased concern over the effects of global climate change and depletion of the ozone layer has resulted in support for the Global Change Research Program and the Mission to Planet Earth. Research to understand Earth system processes is critical, but it falls short of providing ways of mitigating the effects of change. Geoengineering options and alternatives to interactively manage change need to be developed. Space-based concepts for dealing with changes to the environment should be considered in addition to Earth-based actions. 'Mission for Planet Earth' describes those space-based geoengineering solutions that may combine with an international global change program to stabilize the Global environment. Large space systems that may be needed for this response challenge guidance and control engineering and technology. Definition, analysis, demonstration, and preparation of geoengineering technology will provide a basis for policy response if global change consequences are severe.

IEDA Integrated Services: Improving the User Experience for Interdisciplinary Earth Science Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter-Orlando, M.; Ferrini, V. L.; Lehnert, K.; Carbotte, S. M.; Richard, S. M.; Morton, J. J.; Shane, N.; Ash, J.; Song, L.

2017-12-01

The Interdisciplinary Earth Data Alliance (IEDA) is an NSF-funded data facility that provides data tools and services to support the Ocean, Earth, and Polar Sciences. IEDA systems, developed and maintained primarily by the IEDA partners EarthChem and the Marine Geoscience Data System (MGDS), serve as primary community data collections for global geochemistry and marine geoscience research and support the preservation, discovery, retrieval, and analysis of a wide range of observational field and analytical data types. Individual IEDA systems originated independently and differ from one another in purpose and scope. Some IEDA systems are data repositories (EarthChem Library, Marine Geo-Digital Library), while others are actively maintained data syntheses (GMRT, PetDB, EarthChem Portal, Geochron). Still others are data visualization and analysis tools (GeoMapApp). Although the diversity of IEDA's data types, tools, and services is a major strength and of high value to investigators, it can be a source of confusion. And while much of the data managed in IEDA systems is appropriate for interdisciplinary research, investigators may be unfamiliar with the user interfaces and services of each system, especially if it is not in their primary discipline. This presentation will highlight new ways in which IEDA helps researchers to more efficiently navigate data submission and data access. It will also discuss how IEDA promotes discovery and access within and across its systems, to serve interdisciplinary science while also remaining aware of and responsive to the more specific needs of its disciplinary user communities. The IEDA Data Submission Hub (DaSH), which is currently under development, aspires to streamline the submission process for both the science data contributor and for the repository data curator. Instead of users deciding a priori, which system they should contribute their data to, the DaSH helps route them to the appropriate repository based primarily on data type, and to efficiently gather the necessary documentation for data accession. Similarly, for those looking for data, the IEDA Data Browser provides cross-system browse and discovery of data in a map interface presented in both Mercator and South Polar projections.

Advanced Spectroscopic and Thermal Imaging Instrumentation for Shock Tube and Ballistic Range Facilities

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

the development process, increase its quality and reduce development time through automation of synthesis, analysis or verification. For this purpose...made of time-non-deterministic systems, improving efficiency and reducing complexity of formal analysis . We also show how our theory relates to, and...of the most recent investigations for Earth and Mars atmospheres will be discussed in the following sections. 2.4.1 Earth: lunar return NASA’s

Preliminary analysis of space mission applications for electromagnetic launchers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, L. A.; Rice, E. E.; Earhart, R. W.; Conlon, R. J.

1984-01-01

The technical and economic feasibility of using electromagnetically launched EML payloads propelled from the Earth's surface to LEO, GEO, lunar orbit, or to interplanetary space was assessed. Analyses of the designs of rail accelerators and coaxial magnetic accelerators show that each is capable of launching to space payloads of 800 KG or more. A hybrid launcher in which EML is used for the first 2 KM/sec followed by chemical rocket stages was also tested. A cost estimates study shows that one to two EML launches per day are needed to break even, compared to a four-stage rocket. Development models are discussed for: (1) Earth orbital missions; (2) lunar base supply mission; (3) solar system escape mission; (4) Earth escape missions; (5) suborbital missions; (6) electromagnetic boost missions; and (7) space-based missions. Safety factors, environmental impacts, and EML systems analysis are discussed. Alternate systems examined include electrothermal thrustors, an EML rocket gun; an EML theta gun, and Soviet electromagnetic accelerators.

Analytical investigation of the dynamics of tethered constellations in Earth orbit, phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lorenzini, Enrico C.; Gullahorn, Gordon E.; Cosmo, Mario L.; Estes, Robert D.; Grossi, Mario D.

1994-01-01

This final report covers nine years of research on future tether applications and on the actual flights of the Small Expendable Deployment System (SEDS). Topics covered include: (1) a description of numerical codes used to simulate the orbital and attitude dynamics of tethered systems during station keeping and deployment maneuvers; (2) a comparison of various tethered system simulators; (3) dynamics analysis, conceptual design, potential applications and propagation of disturbances and isolation from noise of a variable gravity/microgravity laboratory tethered to the Space Station; (4) stability of a tethered space centrifuge; (5) various proposed two-dimensional tethered structures for low Earth orbit for use as planar array antennas; (6) tethered high gain antennas; (7) numerical calculation of the electromagnetic wave field on the Earth's surface on an electrodynamically tethered satellite; (8) reentry of tethered capsules; (9) deployment dynamics of SEDS-1; (10) analysis of SEDS-1 flight data; and (11) dynamics and control of SEDS-2.

Access to Mars from Earth-Moon Libration Point Orbits:. [Manifold and Direct Options

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kakoi, Masaki; Howell, Kathleen C.; Folta, David

2014-01-01

This investigation is focused specifically on transfers from Earth-Moon L(sub 1)/L(sub 2) libration point orbits to Mars. Initially, the analysis is based in the circular restricted three-body problem to utilize the framework of the invariant manifolds. Various departure scenarios are compared, including arcs that leverage manifolds associated with the Sun-Earth L(sub 2) orbits as well as non-manifold trajectories. For the manifold options, ballistic transfers from Earth-Moon L(sub 2) libration point orbits to Sun-Earth L(sub 1)/L(sub 2) halo orbits are first computed. This autonomous procedure applies to both departure and arrival between the Earth-Moon and Sun-Earth systems. Departure times in the lunar cycle, amplitudes and types of libration point orbits, manifold selection, and the orientation/location of the surface of section all contribute to produce a variety of options. As the destination planet, the ephemeris position for Mars is employed throughout the analysis. The complete transfer is transitioned to the ephemeris model after the initial design phase. Results for multiple departure/arrival scenarios are compared.

Microbiology of ancient and modern hydrothermal systems.

PubMed

Reysenbach, A L; Cady, S L

2001-02-01

Hydrothermal systems have prevailed throughout geological history on earth, and ancient ARCHAEAN hydrothermal deposits could provide clues to understanding earth's earliest biosphere. Modern hydrothermal systems support a plethora of microorganisms and macroorganisms, and provide good comparisons for paleontological interpretation of ancient hydrothermal systems. However, all of the microfossils associated with ancient hydrothermal deposits reported to date are filamentous, and limited STABLE ISOTOPE analysis suggests that these microfossils were probably autotrophs. Therefore, the morphology and mode of carbon metabolism are attributes of microorganisms from modern hydrothermal systems that provide valuable information for interpreting the geological record using morphological and isotopic signatures.

Preliminary Design Considerations for Access and Operations in Earth-Moon L1/L2 Orbits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Folta, David C.; Pavlak, Thomas A.; Haapala, Amanda F.; Howell, Kathleen C.

2013-01-01

Within the context of manned spaceflight activities, Earth-Moon libration point orbits could support lunar surface operations and serve as staging areas for future missions to near-Earth asteroids and Mars. This investigation examines preliminary design considerations including Earth-Moon L1/L2 libration point orbit selection, transfers, and stationkeeping costs associated with maintaining a spacecraft in the vicinity of L1 or L2 for a specified duration. Existing tools in multi-body trajectory design, dynamical systems theory, and orbit maintenance are leveraged in this analysis to explore end-to-end concepts for manned missions to Earth-Moon libration points.

Nonlinear dynamics of global atmospheric and Earth system processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saltzman, Barry

1993-01-01

During the past eight years, we have been engaged in a NASA-supported program of research aimed at establishing the connection between satellite signatures of the earth's environmental state and the nonlinear dynamics of the global weather and climate system. Thirty-five publications and four theses have resulted from this work, which included contributions in five main areas of study: (1) cloud and latent heat processes in finite-amplitude baroclinic waves; (2) application of satellite radiation data in global weather analysis; (3) studies of planetary waves and low-frequency weather variability; (4) GCM studies of the atmospheric response to variable boundary conditions measurable from satellites; and (5) dynamics of long-term earth system changes. Significant accomplishments from the three main lines of investigation pursued during the past year are presented and include the following: (1) planetary atmospheric waves and low frequency variability; (2) GCM studies of the atmospheric response to changed boundary conditions; and (3) dynamics of long-term changes in the global earth system.

Material Analysis and System Design for Exploration Life Support Systems 2017

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knox, Jim; Cmarik, Gregory E.

2017-01-01

Advanced Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) design is critical for manned space flight beyond Earth. Current systems enable extended missions in low-Earth orbit, but for deep-space missions, not only will astronauts be outside the reach of resupply operations from Earth but they will also need to handle malfunctions and compensate for the degradation of materials. These two daunting challenges must be overcome for long-term independent space flight. In order to solve the first, separation and recycling of onboard atmosphere is required. Current systems utilize space vacuum to fully regenerate CO2 sorbent beds, but this is not sustainable. The second challenge stems from material and performance degradation due to operational cycling and on-board contaminants. This report will review the recent work by the ECLSS team at Marshall Space Flight Center towards overcoming these challenges by characterizing materials via novel methods and by assessing new air revitalization systems.

Working parameters affecting earth-air heat exchanger (EAHE) system performance for passive cooling: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darius, D.; Misaran, M. S.; Rahman, Md. M.; Ismail, M. A.; Amaludin, A.

2017-07-01

The study on the effect of the working parameters such as pipe material, pipe length, pipe diameter, depth of burial of the pipe, air flow rate and different types of soils on the thermal performance of earth-air heat exchanger (EAHE) systems is very crucial to ensure that thermal comfort can be achieved. In the past decade, researchers have performed studies to develop numerical models for analysis of EAHE systems. Until recently, two-dimensional models replaced the numerical models in the 1990s and in recent times, more advanced analysis using three-dimensional models, specifically the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation in the analysis of EAHE system. This paper reviews previous models used to analyse the EAHE system and working parameters that affects the earth-air heat exchanger (EAHE) thermal performance as of February 2017. Recent findings on the parameters affecting EAHE performance are also presented and discussed. As a conclusion, with the advent of CFD methods, investigational work have geared up to modelling and simulation work as it saves time and cost. Comprehension of the EAHE working parameters and its effect on system performance is largely established. However, the study on type of soil and its characteristics on the performance of EAHEs systems are surprisingly barren. Therefore, future studies should focus on the effect of soil characteristics such as moisture content, density of soil, and type of soil on the thermal performance of EAHEs system.

Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) algorithm theoretical basis document. Volume 1; Overviews (subsystem 0)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wielicki, Bruce A. (Principal Investigator); Barkstrom, Bruce R. (Principal Investigator); Baum, Bryan A.; Cess, Robert D.; Charlock, Thomas P.; Coakley, James A.; Green, Richard N.; Lee, Robert B., III; Minnis, Patrick; Smith, G. Louis

1995-01-01

The theoretical bases for the Release 1 algorithms that will be used to process satellite data for investigation of the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) are described. The architecture for software implementation of the methodologies is outlined. Volume 1 provides both summarized and detailed overviews of the CERES Release 1 data analysis system. CERES will produce global top-of-the-atmosphere shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes at the top of the atmosphere, at the surface, and within the atmosphere by using the combination of a large variety of measurements and models. The CERES processing system includes radiance observations from CERES scanning radiometers, cloud properties derived from coincident satellite imaging radiometers, temperature and humidity fields from meteorological analysis models, and high-temporal-resolution geostationary satellite radiances to account for unobserved times. CERES will provide a continuation of the ERBE record and the lowest error climatology of consistent cloud properties and radiation fields. CERES will also substantially improve our knowledge of the Earth's surface radiation budget.

Applying Authentic Data Analysis in Learning Earth Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johan, H.; Suhandi, A.; Samsudin, A.; Wulan, A. R.

2017-09-01

The aim of this research was to develop earth science learning material especially earth atmosphere supported by science research with authentic data analysis to enhance reasoning through. Various earth and space science phenomenon require reasoning. This research used experimental research with one group pre test-post test design. 23 pre-service physics teacher participated in this research. Essay test was conducted to get data about reason ability. Essay test was analyzed quantitatively. Observation sheet was used to capture phenomena during learning process. The results showed that student’s reasoning ability improved from unidentified and no reasoning to evidence based reasoning and inductive/deductive rule-based reasoning. Authentic data was considered using Grid Analysis Display System (GrADS). Visualization from GrADS facilitated students to correlate the concepts and bring out real condition of nature in classroom activity. It also helped student to reason the phenomena related to earth and space science concept. It can be concluded that applying authentic data analysis in learning process can help to enhance students reasoning. This study is expected to help lecture to bring out result of geoscience research in learning process and facilitate student understand concepts.

Information Requirements for Integrating Spatially Discrete, Feature-Based Earth Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horsburgh, J. S.; Aufdenkampe, A. K.; Lehnert, K. A.; Mayorga, E.; Hsu, L.; Song, L.; Zaslavsky, I.; Valentine, D. L.

2014-12-01

Several cyberinfrastructures have emerged for sharing observational data collected at densely sampled and/or highly instrumented field sites. These include the CUAHSI Hydrologic Information System (HIS), the Critical Zone Observatory Integrated Data Management System (CZOData), the Integrated Earth Data Applications (IEDA) and EarthChem system, and the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). These systems rely on standard data encodings and, in some cases, standard semantics for classes of geoscience data. Their focus is on sharing data on the Internet via web services in domain specific encodings or markup languages. While they have made progress in making data available, it still takes investigators significant effort to discover and access datasets from multiple repositories because of inconsistencies in the way domain systems describe, encode, and share data. Yet, there are many scenarios that require efficient integration of these data types across different domains. For example, understanding a soil profile's geochemical response to extreme weather events requires integration of hydrologic and atmospheric time series with geochemical data from soil samples collected over various depth intervals from soil cores or pits at different positions on a landscape. Integrated access to and analysis of data for such studies are hindered because common characteristics of data, including time, location, provenance, methods, and units are described differently within different systems. Integration requires syntactic and semantic translations that can be manual, error-prone, and lossy. We report information requirements identified as part of our work to define an information model for a broad class of earth science data - i.e., spatially-discrete, feature-based earth observations resulting from in-situ sensors and environmental samples. We sought to answer the question: "What information must accompany observational data for them to be archivable and discoverable within a publication system as well as interpretable once retrieved from such a system for analysis and (re)use?" We also describe development of multiple functional schemas (i.e., physical implementations for data storage, transfer, and archival) for the information model that capture the requirements reported here.

Modeling and Analysis Compute Environments, Utilizing Virtualization Technology in the Climate and Earth Systems Science domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michaelis, A.; Nemani, R. R.; Wang, W.; Votava, P.; Hashimoto, H.

2010-12-01

Given the increasing complexity of climate modeling and analysis tools, it is often difficult and expensive to build or recreate an exact replica of the software compute environment used in past experiments. With the recent development of new technologies for hardware virtualization, an opportunity exists to create full modeling, analysis and compute environments that are “archiveable”, transferable and may be easily shared amongst a scientific community or presented to a bureaucratic body if the need arises. By encapsulating and entire modeling and analysis environment in a virtual machine image, others may quickly gain access to the fully built system used in past experiments, potentially easing the task and reducing the costs of reproducing and verify past results produced by other researchers. Moreover, these virtual machine images may be used as a pedagogical tool for others that are interested in performing an academic exercise but don't yet possess the broad expertise required. We built two virtual machine images, one with the Community Earth System Model (CESM) and one with Weather Research Forecast Model (WRF), then ran several small experiments to assess the feasibility, performance overheads costs, reusability, and transferability. We present a list of the pros and cons as well as lessoned learned from utilizing virtualization technology in the climate and earth systems modeling domain.

Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) Visualization Single Satellite Footprint (SSF) Plot Generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barsi, Julia A.

1995-01-01

The first Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) instrument will be launched in 1997 to collect data on the Earth's radiation budget. The data retrieved from the satellite will be processed through twelve subsystems. The Single Satellite Footprint (SSF) plot generator software was written to assist scientists in the early stages of CERES data analysis, producing two-dimensional plots of the footprint radiation and cloud data generated by one of the subsystems. Until the satellite is launched, however, software developers need verification tools to check their code. This plot generator will aid programmers by geolocating algorithm result on a global map.

Research and technology annual report, FY 1990

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Given here is the annual report of the John C. Stennis Space Center (SSC), a NASA center responsible for testing NASA's large propulsion systems, developing supporting test technologies, conducting research in a variety of earth science disciplines, and facilitating the commercial uses of NASA-developed technologies. Described here are activities of the Earth Sciences Research Program, the Technology Development Program, commercial programs, the Technology Utilization Program, and the Information Systems Program. Work is described in such areas as forest ecosystems, land-sea interface, wetland biochemical flux, thermal imaging of crops, gas detectors, plume analysis, synthetic aperture radar, forest resource management, applications engineering, and the Earth Observations Commercial Applications Program.

The Space and Earth Science Data Compression Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tilton, James C. (Editor)

1993-01-01

This document is the proceedings from a Space and Earth Science Data Compression Workshop, which was held on March 27, 1992, at the Snowbird Conference Center in Snowbird, Utah. This workshop was held in conjunction with the 1992 Data Compression Conference (DCC '92), which was held at the same location, March 24-26, 1992. The workshop explored opportunities for data compression to enhance the collection and analysis of space and Earth science data. The workshop consisted of eleven papers presented in four sessions. These papers describe research that is integrated into, or has the potential of being integrated into, a particular space and/or Earth science data information system. Presenters were encouraged to take into account the scientists's data requirements, and the constraints imposed by the data collection, transmission, distribution, and archival system.

Earth analysis methods, subsurface feature detection methods, earth analysis devices, and articles of manufacture

DOEpatents

West, Phillip B [Idaho Falls, ID; Novascone, Stephen R [Idaho Falls, ID; Wright, Jerry P [Idaho Falls, ID

2012-05-29

Earth analysis methods, subsurface feature detection methods, earth analysis devices, and articles of manufacture are described. According to one embodiment, an earth analysis method includes engaging a device with the earth, analyzing the earth in a single substantially lineal direction using the device during the engaging, and providing information regarding a subsurface feature of the earth using the analysis.

Earth analysis methods, subsurface feature detection methods, earth analysis devices, and articles of manufacture

DOEpatents

West, Phillip B [Idaho Falls, ID; Novascone, Stephen R [Idaho Falls, ID; Wright, Jerry P [Idaho Falls, ID

2011-09-27

Earth analysis methods, subsurface feature detection methods, earth analysis devices, and articles of manufacture are described. According to one embodiment, an earth analysis method includes engaging a device with the earth, analyzing the earth in a single substantially lineal direction using the device during the engaging, and providing information regarding a subsurface feature of the earth using the analysis.

The Use of HDTV Format and the Electronic Theater in Presenting Earth Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Summey, Barbara; Hasler, Arthur; Jentoft-Nilsen, Marit; Manyin, Michael; Bene, Meredith; Allen, Jesse

2000-01-01

In order to maximize the public's awareness of earth science observations, earth science data must be available in multiple media formats. This talk will focus on the use High Definition TV format in presenting earth science data, The Television (HDTV) networks are mandated to completely switch over from the current TV standard (NTSC) to HDTV in the next seven years. Museums are also beginning to use HDTV format in their displays. The Visualization Analysis Laboratory at Goddard Space Flight Center has been experimenting with the use of HDTV to present earth science data. The experimental package we have developed is called the Electronic Theater (e-theater). The e-theater is a mobile presentation system used for displaying and teaching groups about earth science and the delicate interdependence between the various earth systems. The e-theater takes advantage of a double-wide screen to show the audiences high resolution data displays. The unique architecture used in this exhibit allows several data sets to be displayed at one time, demonstrating the connections between different earth systems. The data animations are manipulated in real-time during the presentation and can be paused, moved forward, backward, looped, or zoomed into, to maximize the flexibility of the presentation. Because HDTV format is used within the e-theater, the materials generated for the e-theater are made available to the news media and museums.

A primordial origin for the compositional similarity between the Earth and the Moon.

PubMed

Mastrobuono-Battisti, Alessandra; Perets, Hagai B; Raymond, Sean N

2015-04-09

Most of the properties of the Earth-Moon system can be explained by a collision between a planetary embryo (giant impactor) and the growing Earth late in the accretion process. Simulations show that most of the material that eventually aggregates to form the Moon originates from the impactor. However, analysis of the terrestrial and lunar isotopic compositions show them to be highly similar. In contrast, the compositions of other Solar System bodies are significantly different from those of the Earth and Moon, suggesting that different Solar System bodies have distinct compositions. This challenges the giant impact scenario, because the Moon-forming impactor must then also be thought to have a composition different from that of the proto-Earth. Here we track the feeding zones of growing planets in a suite of simulations of planetary accretion, to measure the composition of Moon-forming impactors. We find that different planets formed in the same simulation have distinct compositions, but the compositions of giant impactors are statistically more similar to the planets they impact. A large fraction of planet-impactor pairs have almost identical compositions. Thus, the similarity in composition between the Earth and Moon could be a natural consequence of a late giant impact.

Earth resources data analysis program, phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

The efforts and findings of the Earth Resources Data Analysis Program are summarized. Results of a detailed study of the needs of EOD with respect to an applications development system (ADS) for the analysis of remotely sensed data, including an evaluation of four existing systems with respect to these needs are described. Recommendations as to possible courses for EOD to follow to obtain a viable ADS are presented. Algorithmic development comprised of several subtasks is discussed. These subtasks include the following: (1) two algorithms for multivariate density estimation; (2) a data smoothing algorithm; (3) a method for optimally estimating prior probabilities of unclassified data; and (4) further applications of the modified Cholesky decomposition in various calculations. Little effort was expended on task 3, however, two reports were reviewed.

Proterozoic Milankovitch cycles and the history of the solar system.

PubMed

Meyers, Stephen R; Malinverno, Alberto

2018-06-19

The geologic record of Milankovitch climate cycles provides a rich conceptual and temporal framework for evaluating Earth system evolution, bestowing a sharp lens through which to view our planet's history. However, the utility of these cycles for constraining the early Earth system is hindered by seemingly insurmountable uncertainties in our knowledge of solar system behavior (including Earth-Moon history), and poor temporal control for validation of cycle periods (e.g., from radioisotopic dates). Here we address these problems using a Bayesian inversion approach to quantitatively link astronomical theory with geologic observation, allowing a reconstruction of Proterozoic astronomical cycles, fundamental frequencies of the solar system, the precession constant, and the underlying geologic timescale, directly from stratigraphic data. Application of the approach to 1.4-billion-year-old rhythmites indicates a precession constant of 85.79 ± 2.72 arcsec/year (2σ), an Earth-Moon distance of 340,900 ± 2,600 km (2σ), and length of day of 18.68 ± 0.25 hours (2σ), with dominant climatic precession cycles of ∼14 ky and eccentricity cycles of ∼131 ky. The results confirm reduced tidal dissipation in the Proterozoic. A complementary analysis of Eocene rhythmites (∼55 Ma) illustrates how the approach offers a means to map out ancient solar system behavior and Earth-Moon history using the geologic archive. The method also provides robust quantitative uncertainties on the eccentricity and climatic precession periods, and derived astronomical timescales. As a consequence, the temporal resolution of ancient Earth system processes is enhanced, and our knowledge of early solar system dynamics is greatly improved.

NASA/MSFC FY91 Global Scale Atmospheric Processes Research Program Review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leslie, Fred W. (Editor)

1991-01-01

The reports presented at the annual Marshall Research Review of Earth Science and Applications are compiled. The following subject areas are covered: understanding of atmospheric processes in a variety of spatial and temporal scales; measurements of geophysical parameters; measurements on a global scale from space; the Mission to Planet Earth Program (comprised of and Earth Observation System and the scientific strategy to analyze these data); and satellite data analysis and fundamental studies of atmospheric dynamics.

A study of spatial data management and analysis systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christopher, Clyde; Galle, Richard

1989-01-01

The Earth Resources Laboratory of the NASA Stennis Space Center is a center of space related technology for Earth observations. It has assumed the task, in a joint effort with Jackson State University, to reach out to the science community and acquire information pertaining to characteristics of spatially oriented data processing.

Statistical description of tectonic motions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Agnew, Duncan Carr

1993-01-01

This report summarizes investigations regarding tectonic motions. The topics discussed include statistics of crustal deformation, Earth rotation studies, using multitaper spectrum analysis techniques applied to both space-geodetic data and conventional astrometric estimates of the Earth's polar motion, and the development, design, and installation of high-stability geodetic monuments for use with the global positioning system.

Data Mining in Earth System Science (DMESS 2011)

Treesearch

Forrest M. Hoffman; J. Walter Larson; Richard Tran Mills; Bhorn-Gustaf Brooks; Auroop R. Ganguly; William Hargrove; et al

2011-01-01

From field-scale measurements to global climate simulations and remote sensing, the growing body of very large and long time series Earth science data are increasingly difficult to analyze, visualize, and interpret. Data mining, information theoretic, and machine learning techniques—such as cluster analysis, singular value decomposition, block entropy, Fourier and...

Local Observability Analysis of Star Sensor Installation Errors in a SINS/CNS Integration System for Near-Earth Flight Vehicles.

PubMed

Yang, Yanqiang; Zhang, Chunxi; Lu, Jiazhen

2017-01-16

Strapdown inertial navigation system/celestial navigation system (SINS/CNS) integrated navigation is a fully autonomous and high precision method, which has been widely used to improve the hitting accuracy and quick reaction capability of near-Earth flight vehicles. The installation errors between SINS and star sensors have been one of the main factors that restrict the actual accuracy of SINS/CNS. In this paper, an integration algorithm based on the star vector observations is derived considering the star sensor installation error. Then, the star sensor installation error is accurately estimated based on Kalman Filtering (KF). Meanwhile, a local observability analysis is performed on the rank of observability matrix obtained via linearization observation equation, and the observable conditions are presented and validated. The number of star vectors should be greater than or equal to 2, and the times of posture adjustment also should be greater than or equal to 2. Simulations indicate that the star sensor installation error could be readily observable based on the maneuvering condition; moreover, the attitude errors of SINS are less than 7 arc-seconds. This analysis method and conclusion are useful in the ballistic trajectory design of near-Earth flight vehicles.

Systems analysis of solid fuel nuclear engines in cislunar space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, U.; Koelle, H. H.; Balzer-Sieb, R.; Bernau, D.; Czarnitzki, J.; Floete, A.; Goericke, D.; Lindenthal, A.; Protsch, R.; Teschner, O.

1984-12-01

The use of nuclear engines in cislunar space was studied and the restrictions imposed on nuclear ferries by the chemical Earth to lower Earth orbit (LEO) transportation system were analyzed. The operating conditions are best met by tungsten-water-moderated reactors due to a high specific impulse and long durability. Specific transportation cost for LEO to geostationary orbit (GEO) and LEO to lunar orbit flights were calculated for a transportation system life of 50 yr. Average transportation costs are estimated to be 141 $/kg. No difference is made for both routes. An additional analysis of smaller and larger flight units shows only small cost reductions by employing larger ferries but a significant cost increase in case smaller flight units are used.

Astrobiology and the Chemistry of the Early Solar System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cook, Jamie Elsila

2011-01-01

The field of astrochemistry investigates the origin of the chemicals necessary for the formation of life. Astrochemists use remote observations, laboratory simulations, and analysis of extraterrestrial samples to understand the inventory of pre biotic chemicals present on the early Earth. Among the problems investigated by astrochemists is the origin of homo chirality in terrestrial life. Analysis of meteorites shows that they may have delivered an excess of L-amino acids to the Earth's surface, perhaps leading to homochirality.

Space station systems analysis study. Part 3: Documentation. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

The space stations systems analysis study is summarized. A cost efffective system concept capable of meeting a broad spectrum of mission requirements was developed. Candidate objectives were reviewed and implementation requirements were defined. Program options for both low earth and geosynchronous orbits were examined. Space construction concepts were analyzed and defined in detail.

Freva - Freie Univ Evaluation System Framework for Scientific Infrastructures in Earth System Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadow, Christopher; Illing, Sebastian; Kunst, Oliver; Schartner, Thomas; Kirchner, Ingo; Rust, Henning W.; Cubasch, Ulrich; Ulbrich, Uwe

2016-04-01

The Freie Univ Evaluation System Framework (Freva - freva.met.fu-berlin.de) is a software infrastructure for standardized data and tool solutions in Earth system science. Freva runs on high performance computers to handle customizable evaluation systems of research projects, institutes or universities. It combines different software technologies into one common hybrid infrastructure, including all features present in the shell and web environment. The database interface satisfies the international standards provided by the Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF). Freva indexes different data projects into one common search environment by storing the meta data information of the self-describing model, reanalysis and observational data sets in a database. This implemented meta data system with its advanced but easy-to-handle search tool supports users, developers and their plugins to retrieve the required information. A generic application programming interface (API) allows scientific developers to connect their analysis tools with the evaluation system independently of the programming language used. Users of the evaluation techniques benefit from the common interface of the evaluation system without any need to understand the different scripting languages. Facilitation of the provision and usage of tools and climate data automatically increases the number of scientists working with the data sets and identifying discrepancies. The integrated web-shell (shellinabox) adds a degree of freedom in the choice of the working environment and can be used as a gate to the research projects HPC. Plugins are able to integrate their e.g. post-processed results into the database of the user. This allows e.g. post-processing plugins to feed statistical analysis plugins, which fosters an active exchange between plugin developers of a research project. Additionally, the history and configuration sub-system stores every analysis performed with the evaluation system in a database. Configurations and results of the tools can be shared among scientists via shell or web system. Therefore, plugged-in tools benefit from transparency and reproducibility. Furthermore, if configurations match while starting an evaluation plugin, the system suggests to use results already produced by other users - saving CPU/h, I/O, disk space and time. The efficient interaction between different technologies improves the Earth system modeling science framed by Freva.

Freva - Freie Univ Evaluation System Framework for Scientific HPC Infrastructures in Earth System Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadow, C.; Illing, S.; Schartner, T.; Grieger, J.; Kirchner, I.; Rust, H.; Cubasch, U.; Ulbrich, U.

2017-12-01

The Freie Univ Evaluation System Framework (Freva - freva.met.fu-berlin.de) is a software infrastructure for standardized data and tool solutions in Earth system science (e.g. www-miklip.dkrz.de, cmip-eval.dkrz.de). Freva runs on high performance computers to handle customizable evaluation systems of research projects, institutes or universities. It combines different software technologies into one common hybrid infrastructure, including all features present in the shell and web environment. The database interface satisfies the international standards provided by the Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF). Freva indexes different data projects into one common search environment by storing the meta data information of the self-describing model, reanalysis and observational data sets in a database. This implemented meta data system with its advanced but easy-to-handle search tool supports users, developers and their plugins to retrieve the required information. A generic application programming interface (API) allows scientific developers to connect their analysis tools with the evaluation system independently of the programming language used. Users of the evaluation techniques benefit from the common interface of the evaluation system without any need to understand the different scripting languages. The integrated web-shell (shellinabox) adds a degree of freedom in the choice of the working environment and can be used as a gate to the research projects HPC. Plugins are able to integrate their e.g. post-processed results into the database of the user. This allows e.g. post-processing plugins to feed statistical analysis plugins, which fosters an active exchange between plugin developers of a research project. Additionally, the history and configuration sub-system stores every analysis performed with the evaluation system in a database. Configurations and results of the tools can be shared among scientists via shell or web system. Furthermore, if configurations match while starting an evaluation plugin, the system suggests to use results already produced by other users - saving CPU/h, I/O, disk space and time. The efficient interaction between different technologies improves the Earth system modeling science framed by Freva.

Determination of crustal motions using satellite laser ranging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

Satellite laser ranging has matured over the last decade into one of the essential space geodesy techniques. It has demonstrated centimeter site positioning and millimeter per year velocity determinations in a frame tied dynamically to the mass center of the solid Earth hydrosphere atmosphere system. Such a coordinate system is a requirement for studying long term eustatic sea level rise and other global change phenomena. Earth orientation parameters determined with the coordinate system have been produced in near real time operationally since 1983, at a relatively modest cost. The SLR ranging to Lageos has also provided a rich spectrum of results based upon the analysis of Lageos orbital dynamics. These include significant improvements in the knowledge of the mean and variable components of the Earth's gravity field and the Earth's gravitational parameter. The ability to measure the time variations of the Earth's gravity field has opened as exciting area of study in relating global processes, including meteorologically derived mass transport through changes in the satellite dynamics. New confirmation of general relativity was obtained using the Lageos SLR data.

A microcomputer based data acquisition system and experiment controller

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ganz, M. W.

1981-01-01

A data acquisition system is described. The system monitors and records the signal strength of a radio beacon sent to Earth from a geosynchronous satellite. It acquires data from several devices such as a radar, a radiometer, and a rain gauge which monitor the meteorological conditions along the Earth space propagation path. The acquired data are stored in digital format on magnetic tape for analysis at the computer center. A detailed description of the design and operation of the system's various hardware components is given. Schematic diagrams, the theory of operation, and normal operating procedures are presented.

Earth Observatory Satellite system definition study. Report no. 7: EOS system definition report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

The design concept and operational aspects of the Earth Observatory Satellite (EOS) are presented. A table of the planned EOS missions is included to show the purpose of the mission, the instruments involved, and the launch date. The subjects considered in the analysis of the EOS development are: (1) system requirements, (2) design/cost trade methodology, (3) observatory design alternatives, (4) the data management system, (5) the design evaluation and preferred approach, (6) program cost compilation, (7) follow-on mission accommodation, and (8) space shuttle interfaces and utilization. Illustrations and block diagrams of the spacecraft configurations are provided.

Earth Observatory Satellite system definition study. Report no. 3: Design/cost tradeoff studies. Appendix D: EOS configuration design data. Part 2: Data management system configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

The Earth Observatory Satellite (EOS) data management system (DMS) is discussed. The DMS is composed of several subsystems or system elements which have basic purposes and are connected together so that the DMS can support the EOS program by providing the following: (1) payload data acquisition and recording, (2) data processing and product generation, (3) spacecraft and processing management and control, and (4) data user services. The configuration and purposes of the primary or high-data rate system and the secondary or local user system are explained. Diagrams of the systems are provided to support the systems analysis.

Planetary/DOD entry technology flight experiments. Volume 2: Planetary entry flight experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christensen, H. E.; Krieger, R. J.; Mcneilly, W. R.; Vetter, H. C.

1976-01-01

The technical feasibility of launching a high speed, earth entry vehicle from the space shuttle to advance technology for the exploration of the outer planets' atmospheres was established. Disciplines of thermodynamics, orbital mechanics, aerodynamics propulsion, structures, design, electronics and system integration focused on the goal of producing outer planet environments on a probe shaped vehicle during an earth entry. Major aspects of analysis and vehicle design studied include: planetary environments, earth entry environment capability, mission maneuvers, capabilities of shuttle upper stages, a comparison of earth entry planetary environments, experiment design and vehicle design.

Cost analysis of water recovery systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yakut, M. M.

1972-01-01

Cost and performance data from Gemini, Skylab, and other aerospace and biotechnology programs were analyzed to identify major cost elements required to establish cost estimating relationships for advanced life support subsystems for long range planning in support of earth orbital programs. Cost analysis are presented for five leading water reclamation systems; (1) RITE waste management-water system;(2) reverse osmosis system;(3) multifiltration system;(4) vapor compression system; and(5) closed air evaporation system with electrolytic pretreatment.

Earth Exploration Toolbook Workshops: Web-Conferencing and Teleconferencing Professional Development Bringing Earth Science Data Analysis and Visualization Tools to K-12 Teachers and Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McAuliffe, C.; Ledley, T.

2008-12-01

The Earth Exploration Toolbook (EET) Workshops Project provides a mechanism for teachers and students to have successful data-using educational experiences. In this professional development project, teachers learn to use National Science Digital Library (NSDL), the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE), and an Earth Exploration Toolbook (EET) chapter. In an EET Data Analysis Workshop, participants walk through an Earth Exploration Toolbook (EET) chapter, learning basic data analysis techniques and discussing ways to use Earth science datasets and analysis tools with their students. We have offered twenty-eight Data Analysis Workshops since the project began. The total number of participants in the twenty-eight workshops to date is three hundred eleven, which reflects one hundred eighty different teachers participating in one or more workshops. Our workshops reach middle and high school teachers across the United States at schools with lower socioeconomic levels and at schools with large numbers of minority students. Our participants come from thirty-eight different states including Alaska, Maine, Florida, Montana, and many others. Eighty-six percent of our participants are classroom teachers. The remaining fourteen percent are staff development specialists, university faculty, or outreach educators working with teachers. Of the classroom teachers, one third are middle school teachers (grades 6 to 8) and two thirds are high school teachers (grades 9 to 12.) Thirty-four percent of our participants come from schools where minority populations are the majority make up of the school. Twenty-five percent of our participants are at schools where the majority of the students receive free or reduced cost lunches. Our professional development workshops are helping to raise teachers' awareness of both the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) and the National Science Digital Library (NSDL). Prior to taking one of our workshops, forty-two percent of our participants reported that they have not tried to locate a teaching resource in DLESE and forty-eight percent report that they have not to locate a teaching resource in NSDL. As part of an EET Data Analysis workshop, teachers actively visit both digital libraries. Virtual workshops using Web conferencing and teleconferencing are an effective and convenient way to deliver professional development that brings teachers from all over the nation together to learn new technology. Teachers report that the step-by-step facilitation along with the ability to ask questions and interact with their peers are some of the most useful aspects of the workshop. In this presentation, we will share successes and challenges of teachers as they implement these Earth science data analysis and visualization tools in their classrooms.

Understanding USGS user needs and Earth observing data use for decision making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Z.

2016-12-01

US Geological Survey (USGS) initiated the Requirements, Capabilities and Analysis for Earth Observations (RCA-EO) project in the Land Remote Sensing (LRS) program, collaborating with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to jointly develop the supporting information infrastructure - The Earth Observation Requirements Evaluation Systems (EORES). RCA-EO enables us to collect information on current data products and projects across the USGS and evaluate the impacts of Earth observation data from all sources, including spaceborne, airborne, and ground-based platforms. EORES allows users to query, filter, and analyze usage and impacts of Earth observation data at different organizational level within the bureau. We engaged over 500 subject matter experts and evaluated more than 1000 different Earth observing data sources and products. RCA-EO provides a comprehensive way to evaluate impacts of Earth observing data on USGS mission areas and programs through the survey of 345 key USGS products and services. We paid special attention to user feedback about Earth observing data to inform decision making on improving user satisfaction. We believe the approach and philosophy of RCA-EO can be applied in much broader scope to derive comprehensive knowledge of Earth observing systems impacts and usage and inform data products development and remote sensing technology innovation.

An analysis of bi-directional use of frequencies for satellite communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whyte, W. A., Jr.; Miller, E. F.; Sullivan, T.; Miller, J. E.

1986-01-01

The bi-directional use of frequencies allocated for space communications has the potential to double the orbit/spectrum capacity available. The technical feasibility of reverse band use (RBU) at C-band (4 GHz uplinks and 6 GHz downlinks) is studied. The analysis identifies the constraints under which both forward and reverse band use satellite systems can share the same frequencies with terrestrial, line of sight transmission systems. The results of the analysis show that RBU satellite systems can be similarly sized to forward band use (FBU) satellite systems. In addition, the orbital separation requirements between RBU and FBU satellite systems are examined. The analysis shows that a carrier to interference ratio of 45 dB can be maintianed between RBU and FBU satellites separated by less than 0.5 deg., and that a carrier to interference ratio of 42 dB can be maintained in the antipodal case. Rain scatter propagation analysis shows that RBU and FBU Earth stations require separation distances fo less than 10 km at a rain rate of 13.5 mm/hr escalating to less than 100 km at a rain rate of 178 mm/hr for Earth station antennas in the 3 to 10 m range.

The Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP Federation): Facilitating Partnerships that Work to Bring Earth Science Data into Educational Settings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freuder, R.; Ledley, T. S.; Dahlman, L.

2004-12-01

The Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP Federation, http://www.esipfed.org) formed seven years ago and now with 77 member organizations is working to "increase the quality and value of Earth science products and services .for the benefit of the ESIP Federation's stakeholder communities." Education (both formal and informal) is a huge audience that we serve. Partnerships formed by members within the ESIP Federation have created bridges that close the gap between Earth science data collection and research and the effective use of that Earth science data to explore concepts in Earth system science by the educational community. The Earth Exploration Toolbook is one of those successful collaborations. The Earth Exploration Toolbook (EET, http://serc.carleton.edu/eet) grew out of a need of the educational community (articulated by the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) community) to have better access to Earth science data and data analysis tools and help in effectively using them with students. It is a collection of web-accessible chapters, each featuring step-by-step instructions on how to use an Earth science dataset and data analysis tool to investigate an issue or concept in Earth system science. Each chapter also provides the teacher information on the outcome of the activity, grade level, standards addressed, learning goals, time required, and ideas for exploring further. The individual ESIP Federation partners alone could not create the EET. However, the ESIP Federation facilitated the partnering of members, drawing from data providers, researchers and education tool developers, to create the EET. Interest in the EET has grown since it went live with five chapters in July 2003. There are currently seven chapters with another six soon to be released. Monthly online seminars in which over a hundred educators have participated have given very positive feedback. Post workshop surveys from our telecon-online workshops indicate that participants have an increased comfort level in using digital libraries, datasets, and scientific tools after working through an EET chapter. The EET is a vehicle that can grow and support new chapter development. An EET chapter template for creating new "chapters" has been devised. Other research-focused members of the ESIP Federation have expressed interest in working with the EET team to facilitate the use of their Earth science data by educators and students. This presentation will describe how the partnerships were forged, how they are maintained, and how the ESIP Federation is facilitating further growth. http://serc.carleton.edu/eet

Orbit Determination Error Analysis Results for the Triana Sun-Earth L2 Libration Point Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marr, G.

2003-01-01

Using the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Orbit Determination Error Analysis System (ODEAS), orbit determination error analysis results are presented for all phases of the Triana Sun-Earth L1 libration point mission and for the science data collection phase of a future Sun-Earth L2 libration point mission. The Triana spacecraft was nominally to be released by the Space Shuttle in a low Earth orbit, and this analysis focuses on that scenario. From the release orbit a transfer trajectory insertion (TTI) maneuver performed using a solid stage would increase the velocity be approximately 3.1 km/sec sending Triana on a direct trajectory to its mission orbit. The Triana mission orbit is a Sun-Earth L1 Lissajous orbit with a Sun-Earth-vehicle (SEV) angle between 4.0 and 15.0 degrees, which would be achieved after a Lissajous orbit insertion (LOI) maneuver at approximately launch plus 6 months. Because Triana was to be launched by the Space Shuttle, TTI could potentially occur over a 16 orbit range from low Earth orbit. This analysis was performed assuming TTI was performed from a low Earth orbit with an inclination of 28.5 degrees and assuming support from a combination of three Deep Space Network (DSN) stations, Goldstone, Canberra, and Madrid and four commercial Universal Space Network (USN) stations, Alaska, Hawaii, Perth, and Santiago. These ground stations would provide coherent two-way range and range rate tracking data usable for orbit determination. Larger range and range rate errors were assumed for the USN stations. Nominally, DSN support would end at TTI+144 hours assuming there were no USN problems. Post-TTI coverage for a range of TTI longitudes for a given nominal trajectory case were analyzed. The orbit determination error analysis after the first correction maneuver would be generally applicable to any libration point mission utilizing a direct trajectory.

Results of scatterometer systems analysis for NASA/MSC Earth Observation Sensor Evaluation Program.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krishen, K.; Vlahos, N.; Brandt, O.; Graybeal, G.

1971-01-01

Radar scatterometers have applications in the NASA/MSC Earth Observation Aircraft Program. Over a period of several years, several missions have been flown over both land and ocean. In this paper a system evaluation of the NASA/MSC 13.3-GHz Scatterometer System is presented. The effects of phase error between the Scatterometer channels, antenna pattern deviations, aircraft attitude deviations, environmental changes, and other related factors such as processing errors, system repeatability, and propeller modulation, were established. Furthermore, the reduction in system errors and calibration improvement was investigated by taking into account these parameter deviations. Typical scatterometer data samples are presented.

Forced nutations of the earth: Influence of inner core dynamics. I - Theory. II - Numerical results and comparisons. III - Very long interferometry data analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mathews, P. M.; Buffett, Bruce A.; Herring, Thomas A.; Shapiro, Irwin I.

1991-01-01

A treatment is presented of the nutation problem for an oceanless, elastic, spheroidally stratified earth, with the dynamical role of the inner core explicitly included in the formulation. Solving the enlarged system of equations shows that a new almost diurnal eigenfrequency emerges. A rough estimate places it not far from the prograde annual tidal excitation frequency, so that possible resonance effects on nutation amplitudes need careful consideration. Tables are provided that exhibit the sensitivities of various relevant quantities, the eigenfrequencies and the coefficients which appear in the resonance expansion, as well as the nutation amplitudes at important tidal frequencies, to possible errors in the earth parameters which enter the theory set forth. Finally, the analysis of 798 VLBI experiments performed between July 1980 and February 1989 and the determination from this analysis of corrections to selected coefficients in the International Astronomical Union 1980 theory of the nutations of the earth are discussed.

Monitoring Building Energy Systems at NASA Centers Using NASA Earth Science data, CMIP5 climate data products and RETScreen Expert Clean Energy Tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stackhouse, P. W., Jr.; Ganoe, R. E.; Westberg, D. J.; Leng, G. J.; Teets, E.; Hughes, J. M.; De Young, R.; Carroll, M.; Liou, L. C.; Iraci, L. T.; Podolske, J. R.; Stefanov, W. L.; Chandler, W.

2016-12-01

The NASA Climate Adaptation Science Investigator team is devoted to building linkages between NASA Earth Science and those within NASA responsible for infrastructure assessment, upgrades and planning. One of the focus areas is assessing NASA center infrastructure for energy efficiency, planning to meet new energy portfolio standards, and assessing future energy needs. These topics intersect at the provision of current and predicted future weather and climate data. This presentation provides an overview of the multi-center effort to access current building energy usage using Earth science observations, including those from in situ measurements, satellite measurement analysis, and global model data products as inputs to the RETScreen Expert, a clean energy decision support tool. RETScreen® Expert, sponsored by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), is a tool dedicated to developing and providing clean energy project analysis software for the feasibility design and assessment of a wide range of building projects that incorporate renewable energy technologies. RETScreen Expert requires daily average meteorological and solar parameters that are available within less than a month of real-time. A special temporal collection of meteorological parameters was compiled from near-by surface in situ measurements. These together with NASA data from the NASA CERES (Clouds and Earth's Radiance Energy System)/FLASHFlux (Fast Longwave and SHortwave radiative Fluxes) provides solar fluxes and the NASA GMAO (Global Modeling and Assimilation Office) GEOS (Goddard Earth Observing System) operational meteorological analysis are directly used for meteorological input parameters. Examples of energy analysis for a few select buildings at various NASA centers are presented in terms of the energy usage relationship that these buildings have with changes in their meteorological environment. The energy requirements of potential future climates are then surveyed for a range of changes using the most recent CMIP5 global climate model data output.

Probabilistic safety analysis of earth retaining structures during earthquakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grivas, D. A.; Souflis, C.

1982-07-01

A procedure is presented for determining the probability of failure of Earth retaining structures under static or seismic conditions. Four possible modes of failure (overturning, base sliding, bearing capacity, and overall sliding) are examined and their combined effect is evaluated with the aid of combinatorial analysis. The probability of failure is shown to be a more adequate measure of safety than the customary factor of safety. As Earth retaining structures may fail in four distinct modes, a system analysis can provide a single estimate for the possibility of failure. A Bayesian formulation of the safety retaining walls is found to provide an improved measure for the predicted probability of failure under seismic loading. The presented Bayesian analysis can account for the damage incurred to a retaining wall during an earthquake to provide an improved estimate for its probability of failure during future seismic events.

A propagation effects handbook for satellite systems design. A summary of propagation impairments on 10-100 GHz satellite links, with techniques for system design. [tropospheric scattering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaul, R.; Wallace, R.; Kinal, G.

1980-01-01

This handbook provides satellite system engineers with a concise summary of the major propagation effects experienced on Earth-space paths in the 10 to 100 GHz frequency range. The dominant effect, attenuation due to rain, is dealt with in terms of both experimental data from measurements made in the U.S. and Canada, and the mathematical and conceptual models devised to explain the data. Rain systems, rain and attenuation models, depolarization and experimental data are described. The design techniques recommended for predicting propagation effects in Earth-space communications systems are presented. The questions of where in the system design process the effects of propagation should be considered, and what precautions should be taken when applying the propagation results are addressed in order to bridge the gap between the propagation research data and the classical link budget analysis of Earth-space communications system.

Atmospheric Models for Aeroentry and Aeroassist

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Justus, C. G.; Duvall, Aleta; Keller, Vernon W.

2005-01-01

Eight destinations in the Solar System have sufficient atmosphere for aeroentry, aeroassist, or aerobraking/aerocapture: Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, plus Saturn's moon Titan. Engineering-level atmospheric models for Earth, Mars, Titan, and Neptune have been developed for use in NASA's systems analysis studies of aerocapture applications. Development has begun on a similar atmospheric model for Venus. An important capability of these models is simulation of quasi-random perturbations for Monte Carlo analyses in developing guidance, navigation and control algorithms, and for thermal systems design. Characteristics of these atmospheric models are compared, and example applications for aerocapture are presented. Recent Titan atmospheric model updates are discussed, in anticipation of applications for trajectory and atmospheric reconstruct of Huygens Probe entry at Titan. Recent and planned updates to the Mars atmospheric model, in support of future Mars aerocapture systems analysis studies, are also presented.

Work and Inertial Frames

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaufman, Richard

2017-12-01

A fairly recent paper resolves a large discrepancy in the internal energy utilized to fire a cannon as calculated by two inertial observers. Earth and its small reaction velocity must be considered in the system so that the change in kinetic energy is calculated correctly. This paper uses a car in a similar scenario, but considers the work done by forces acting over distances. An analysis of the system must include all energy interactions, including the work done on the car and especially the (negative) work done on Earth in a moving reference frame. This shows the importance of considering the force on Earth and the distance Earth travels. For calculation of work in inertial reference frames, the center of mass perspective is shown to be useful. We also consider the energy requirements to efficiently accelerate a mass among interacting masses.

Project Mapping to Build Capacity and Demonstrate Impact in the Earth Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemmings, S. N.; Searby, N. D.; Murphy, K. J.; Mataya, C. J.; Crepps, G.; Clayton, A.; Stevens, C. L.

2017-12-01

Diverse organizations are increasingly using project mapping to communicate location-based information about their activities. NASA's Earth Science Division (ESD), through the Earth Science Data Systems and Applied Sciences' Capacity Building Program (CBP), has created a geographic information system of all ESD projects to support internal program management for the agency. The CBP's NASA DEVELOP program has built an interactive mapping tool to support capacity building for the program's varied constituents. This presentation will explore the types of programmatic opportunities provided by a geographic approach to management, communication, and strategic planning. We will also discuss the various external benefits that mapping supports and that build capacity in the Earth sciences. These include activities such as project matching (location-focused synergies), portfolio planning, inter- and intra-organizational collaboration, science diplomacy, and basic impact analysis.

The 1994 Space and Earth Science Data Compression Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tilton, James C. (Editor)

1994-01-01

This document is the proceedings from the fourth annual 'Space and Earth Science Data Compression Workshop,' which was held on April 2, 1994, at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. This workshop was held in cooperation with the 1994 Data Compression Conference, which was held at Snowbird, Utah, March 29-31 1994. The Workshop explored opportunities for data compression to enhance the collection and analysis of space and Earth science data. It consisted of 13 papers presented in 4 sessions. The papers focus on data compression research that is integrated into, or has the potential to be integrated into, a particular space and/or Earth science data information system. Presenters were encouraged to take into account the scientist's data requirements, and the constraints imposed by the data collection, transmission, distribution, and archival system.

New tools for linking human and earth system models: The Toolbox for Human-Earth System Interaction & Scaling (THESIS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Neill, B. C.; Kauffman, B.; Lawrence, P.

2016-12-01

Integrated analysis of questions regarding land, water, and energy resources often requires integration of models of different types. One type of integration is between human and earth system models, since both societal and physical processes influence these resources. For example, human processes such as changes in population, economic conditions, and policies govern the demand for land, water and energy, while the interactions of these resources with physical systems determine their availability and environmental consequences. We have begun to develop and use a toolkit for linking human and earth system models called the Toolbox for Human-Earth System Integration and Scaling (THESIS). THESIS consists of models and software tools to translate, scale, and synthesize information from and between human system models and earth system models (ESMs), with initial application to linking the NCAR integrated assessment model, iPETS, with the NCAR earth system model, CESM. Initial development is focused on urban areas and agriculture, sectors that are both explicitly represented in both CESM and iPETS. Tools are being made available to the community as they are completed (see https://www2.cgd.ucar.edu/sections/tss/iam/THESIS_tools). We discuss four general types of functions that THESIS tools serve (Spatial Distribution, Spatial Properties, Consistency, and Outcome Evaluation). Tools are designed to be modular and can be combined in order to carry out more complex analyses. We illustrate their application to both the exposure of population to climate extremes and to the evaluation of climate impacts on the agriculture sector. For example, projecting exposure to climate extremes involves use of THESIS tools for spatial population, spatial urban land cover, the characteristics of both, and a tool to bring urban climate information together with spatial population information. Development of THESIS tools is continuing and open to the research community.

Astrometric detectability of systems with unseen companions: effects of the Earth orbital motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butkevich, Alexey G.

2018-06-01

The astrometric detection of an unseen companion is based on an analysis of the apparent motion of its host star around the system's barycentre. Systems with an orbital period close to 1 yr may escape detection if the orbital motion of their host stars is observationally indistinguishable from the effects of parallax. Additionally, an astrometric solution may produce a biased parallax estimation for such systems. We examine the effects of the orbital motion of the Earth on astrometric detectability in terms of a correlation between the Earth's orbital position and the position of the star relative to its system barycentre. The χ2 statistic for parallax estimation is calculated analytically, leading to expressions that relate the decrease in detectability and accompanying parallax bias to the position correlation function. The impact of the Earth's motion critically depends on the exoplanet's orbital period, diminishing rapidly as the period deviates from 1 yr. Selection effects against 1-yr-period systems is, therefore, expected. Statistical estimation shows that the corresponding loss of sensitivity results in a typical 10 per cent increase in the detection threshold. Consideration of eccentric orbits shows that the Earth's motion has no effect on detectability for e≳ 0.5. The dependence of the detectability on other parameters, such as orbital phases and inclination of the orbital plane to the ecliptic, are smooth and monotonic because they are described by simple trigonometric functions.

Definition and Proposed Realization of the International Height Reference System (IHRS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ihde, Johannes; Sánchez, Laura; Barzaghi, Riccardo; Drewes, Hermann; Foerste, Christoph; Gruber, Thomas; Liebsch, Gunter; Marti, Urs; Pail, Roland; Sideris, Michael

2017-05-01

Studying, understanding and modelling global change require geodetic reference frames with an order of accuracy higher than the magnitude of the effects to be actually studied and with high consistency and reliability worldwide. The International Association of Geodesy, taking care of providing a precise geodetic infrastructure for monitoring the Earth system, promotes the implementation of an integrated global geodetic reference frame that provides a reliable frame for consistent analysis and modelling of global phenomena and processes affecting the Earth's gravity field, the Earth's surface geometry and the Earth's rotation. The definition, realization, maintenance and wide utilization of the International Terrestrial Reference System guarantee a globally unified geometric reference frame with an accuracy at the millimetre level. An equivalent high-precision global physical reference frame that supports the reliable description of changes in the Earth's gravity field (such as sea level variations, mass displacements, processes associated with geophysical fluids) is missing. This paper addresses the theoretical foundations supporting the implementation of such a physical reference surface in terms of an International Height Reference System and provides guidance for the coming activities required for the practical and sustainable realization of this system. Based on conceptual approaches of physical geodesy, the requirements for a unified global height reference system are derived. In accordance with the practice, its realization as the International Height Reference Frame is designed. Further steps for the implementation are also proposed.

Monitoring of Earth Rotation by VLBI

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ma., Chopo; Macmillan, D. S.

2000-01-01

Monitoring Earth rotation with Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) has unique potential because of direct access to the Celestial Reference System (CRF and Terrestrial Reference System (TRF) and the feasibility of re-analyzing the entire data set. While formal precision of better than 0.045 mas for pole and 0.002 ms for UT 1 has been seen in the best 24-hr data, the accuracy of the Earth Orientation Parameter (EOP) time series as a whole is subject to logistical, operational, analytical and conceptual constraints. The current issues related to the VLBI data set and the CORE program for greater time resolution such as analysis consistency, network jitter and reference frame stability will be discussed.

Towards disruptions in Earth observation? New Earth Observation systems and markets evolution: Possible scenarios and impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denis, Gil; Claverie, Alain; Pasco, Xavier; Darnis, Jean-Pierre; de Maupeou, Benoît; Lafaye, Murielle; Morel, Eric

2017-08-01

This paper reviews the trends in Earth observation (EO) and the possible impacts on markets of the new initiatives, launched either by existing providers of EO data or by new players, privately funded. After a presentation of the existing models, the paper discusses the new approaches, addressing both commercial and institutional markets. New concepts for the very high resolution markets, in Europe and in the US, are the main focus of this analysis. Two complementary perspectives are summarised: on the one hand, the type of system and its operational performance and, on the other, the related business models, concepts of operation and ownership schemes.

NASA's Earth Resources Laboratory - Seventeen years of using remotely sensed satellite data in land applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cashion, Kenneth D.; Whitehurst, Charles A.

1987-01-01

The activities of the Earth Resources Laboratoy (ERL) for the past seventeen years are reviewed with particular reference to four typical applications demonstrating the use of remotely sensed data in a geobased information system context. The applications discussed are: a fire control model for the Olympic National Park; wildlife habitat modeling; a resource inventory system including a potential soil erosion model; and a corridor analysis model for locating routes between geographical locations. Some future applications are also discussed.

Rotation of a Moonless Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lissauer, Jack J.; Barnes, Jason W.; Chambers, John E.

2013-01-01

We numerically explore the obliquity (axial tilt) variations of a hypothetical moonless Earth. Previous work has shown that the Earth's Moon stabilizes Earth's obliquity such that it remains within a narrow range, between 22.1 deg and 24.5 deg. Without lunar influence, a frequency-map analysis by Laskar et al. showed that the obliquity could vary between 0 deg. and 85 deg. This has left an impression in the astrobiology community that a large moon is necessary to maintain a habitable climate on an Earth-like planet. Using a modified version of the orbital integrator mercury, we calculate the obliquity evolution for moonless Earths with various initial conditions for up to 4 Gyr. We find that while obliquity varies significantly more than that of the actual Earth over 100,000 year timescales, the obliquity remains within a constrained range, typically 20-25 deg. in extent, for timescales of hundreds of millions of years. None of our Solar System integrations in which planetary orbits behave in a typical manner show obliquity accessing more than 65% of the full range allowed by frequency-map analysis. The obliquities of moonless Earths that rotate in the retrograde direction are more stable than those of pro-grade rotators. The total obliquity range explored for moonless Earths with rotation periods shorter than 12 h is much less than that for slower-rotating moonless Earths. A large moon thus does not seem to be needed to stabilize the obliquity of an Earth-like planet on timescales relevant to the development of advanced life.

The Near Earth Object (NEO) Scout Spacecraft: A Low-cost Approach to In-situ Characterization of the NEO Population

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woeppel, Eric A.; Balsamo, James M.; Fischer, Karl J.; East, Matthew J.; Styborski, Jeremy A.; Roche, Christopher A.; Ott, Mackenzie D.; Scorza, Matthew J.; Doherty, Christopher D.; Trovato, Andrew J.;

Some economic benefits of a synchronous earth observatory satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Battacharyya, R. K.; Greenberg, J. S.; Lowe, D. S.; Sattinger, I. J.

1974-01-01

An analysis was made of the economic benefits which might be derived from reduced forecasting errors made possible by data obtained from a synchronous satellite system which can collect earth observation and meteorological data continuously and on demand. User costs directly associated with achieving benefits are included. In the analysis, benefits were evaluated which might be obtained as a result of improved thunderstorm forecasting, frost warning, and grain harvest forecasting capabilities. The anticipated system capabilities were used to arrive at realistic estimates of system performance on which to base the benefit analysis. Emphasis was placed on the benefits which result from system forecasting accuracies. Benefits from improved thunderstorm forecasts are indicated for the construction, air transportation, and agricultural industries. The effects of improved frost warning capability on the citrus crop are determined. The benefits from improved grain forecasting capability are evaluated in terms of both U.S. benefits resulting from domestic grain distribution and U.S. benefits from international grain distribution.

Broad-Band Analysis of Polar Motion Excitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, J.

2016-12-01

Earth rotational changes, i.e. polar motion and length-of-day (LOD), are driven by two types of geophysical excitations: 1) mass redistribution within the Earth system, and 2) angular momentum exchange between the solid Earth (more precisely the crust) and other components of the Earth system. Accurate quantification of Earth rotational excitations has been difficult, due to the lack of global-scale observations of mass redistribution and angular momentum exchange. The over 14-years time-variable gravity measurements from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) have provided a unique means for quantifying Earth rotational excitations from mass redistribution in different components of the climate system. Comparisons between observed Earth rotational changes and geophysical excitations estimated from GRACE, satellite laser ranging (SLR) and climate models show that GRACE-derived excitations agree remarkably well with polar motion observations over a broad-band of frequencies. GRACE estimates also suggest that accelerated polar region ice melting in recent years and corresponding sea level rise have played an important role in driving long-term polar motion as well. With several estimates of polar motion excitations, it is possible to estimate broad-band noise variance and noise power spectra in each, given reasonable assumptions about noise independence. Results based on GRACE CSR RL05 solutions clearly outperform other estimates with the lowest noise levels over a broad band of frequencies.

Human factors analysis of workstation design: Earth Radiation Budget Satellite Mission Operations Room

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, L. J.; Murphy, E. D.; Mitchell, C. M.

1982-01-01

A human factors analysis addressed three related yet distinct issues within the area of workstation design for the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) mission operation room (MOR). The first issue, physical layout of the MOR, received the most intensive effort. It involved the positioning of clusters of equipment within the physical dimensions of the ERBS MOR. The second issue for analysis was comprised of several environmental concerns, such as lighting, furniture, and heating and ventilation systems. The third issue was component arrangement, involving the physical arrangement of individual components within clusters of consoles, e.g., a communications panel.

Re-Organizing Earth Observation Data Storage to Support Temporal Analysis of Big Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lynnes, Christopher

2017-01-01

The Earth Observing System Data and Information System archives many datasets that are critical to understanding long-term variations in Earth science properties. Thus, some of these are large, multi-decadal datasets. Yet the challenge in long time series analysis comes less from the sheer volume than the data organization, which is typically one (or a small number of) time steps per file. The overhead of opening and inventorying complex, API-driven data formats such as Hierarchical Data Format introduces a small latency at each time step, which nonetheless adds up for datasets with O(10^6) single-timestep files. Several approaches to reorganizing the data can mitigate this overhead by an order of magnitude: pre-aggregating data along the time axis (time-chunking); storing the data in a highly distributed file system; or storing data in distributed columnar databases. Storing a second copy of the data incurs extra costs, so some selection criteria must be employed, which would be driven by expected or actual usage by the end user community, balanced against the extra cost.

Re-organizing Earth Observation Data Storage to Support Temporal Analysis of Big Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lynnes, C.

2017-12-01

The Earth Observing System Data and Information System archives many datasets that are critical to understanding long-term variations in Earth science properties. Thus, some of these are large, multi-decadal datasets. Yet the challenge in long time series analysis comes less from the sheer volume than the data organization, which is typically one (or a small number of) time steps per file. The overhead of opening and inventorying complex, API-driven data formats such as Hierarchical Data Format introduces a small latency at each time step, which nonetheless adds up for datasets with O(10^6) single-timestep files. Several approaches to reorganizing the data can mitigate this overhead by an order of magnitude: pre-aggregating data along the time axis (time-chunking); storing the data in a highly distributed file system; or storing data in distributed columnar databases. Storing a second copy of the data incurs extra costs, so some selection criteria must be employed, which would be driven by expected or actual usage by the end user community, balanced against the extra cost.

Analysis of Critical Earth Observation Priorities for Societal Benefit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zell, E. R.; Huff, A. K.; Carpenter, A. T.; Friedl, L.

2011-12-01

To ensure that appropriate near real-time (NRT) and historical Earth observation data are available to benefit society and meet end-user needs, the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) sponsored a multi-disciplinary study to identify a set of critical and common Earth observations associated with 9 Societal Benefit Areas (SBAs): Agriculture, Biodiversity, Climate, Disasters, Ecosystems, Energy, Health, Water, and Weather. GEO is an intergovernmental organization working to improve the availability, access, and use of Earth observations to benefit society through a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). The study, overseen by the GEO User Interface Committee, focused on the "demand" side of Earth observation needs: which users need what types of data, and when? The methodology for the study was a meta-analysis of over 1,700 publicly available documents addressing Earth observation user priorities, under the guidance of expert advisors from around the world. The result was a ranking of 146 Earth observation parameters that are critical and common to multiple SBAs, based on an ensemble of 4 statistically robust methods. Within the results, key details emerged on NRT observations needed to serve a broad community of users. The NRT observation priorities include meteorological parameters, vegetation indices, land cover and soil property observations, water body and snow cover properties, and atmospheric composition. The results of the study and examples of NRT applications will be presented. The applications are as diverse as the list of priority parameters. For example, NRT meteorological and soil moisture information can support monitoring and forecasting for more than 25 infectious diseases, including epidemic diseases, such as malaria, and diseases of major concern in the U.S., such as Lyme disease. Quickly evolving events that impact forests, such as fires and insect outbreaks, can be monitored and forecasted with a combination of vegetation indices, fuel moisture content, burn scars, and meteorological parameters. Impacts to public health and livelihoods due to food insecurity, algal blooms, and air pollution can be addressed through NRT monitoring of specific events utilizing land cover, atmospheric composition, water quality, and meteorological observations. More broadly, the assessment of water availability for drinking and agriculture and the development of floods and storms rely on continuous feeds of NRT meteorological and atmospheric composition observations. Overall, this multi-disciplinary study of user needs for NRT data and products can inform the design and operation of NRT data systems. Follow-on work for this study will also be presented, focusing on the availability of current and future satellite measurements (including NRT) of the 30 most critical Earth observation priorities, as well as a detailed analysis of users' needs for precipitation data. The results of this study summarize the priorities for critical Earth observations utilized globally for societal benefit.

Design Study of 8 Meter Monolithic Mirror UV/Optical Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stahl, H. Philip

2008-01-01

The planned Ares V launch vehicle with its 10 meter fairing shroud and 55,000 kg capacity to the Sun Earth L2 point enables entirely new classes of space telescopes. NASA MSFC has conducted a preliminary study that demonstrates the feasibility of launching a 6 to 8 meter class monolithic primary mirror telescope to Sun-Earth L2 using an Ares V. Specific technical areas studied included optical design; structural design/analysis including primary mirror support structure, sun shade and secondary mirror support structure; thermal analysis; launch vehicle performance and trajectory; spacecraft including structure, propulsion, GN&C, avionics, power systems and reaction wheels; operations and servicing; mass and power budgets; and system cost.

Optimal design of near-Earth asteroid sample-return trajectories in the Sun-Earth-Moon system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Shengmao; Zhu, Zhengfan; Peng, Chao; Ma, Jian; Zhu, Xiaolong; Gao, Yang

2016-08-01

In the 6th edition of the Chinese Space Trajectory Design Competition held in 2014, a near-Earth asteroid sample-return trajectory design problem was released, in which the motion of the spacecraft is modeled in multi-body dynamics, considering the gravitational forces of the Sun, Earth, and Moon. It is proposed that an electric-propulsion spacecraft initially parking in a circular 200-km-altitude low Earth orbit is expected to rendezvous with an asteroid and carry as much sample as possible back to the Earth in a 10-year time frame. The team from the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization, Chinese Academy of Sciences has reported a solution with an asteroid sample mass of 328 tons, which is ranked first in the competition. In this article, we will present our design and optimization methods, primarily including overall analysis, target selection, escape from and capture by the Earth-Moon system, and optimization of impulsive and low-thrust trajectories that are modeled in multi-body dynamics. The orbital resonance concept and lunar gravity assists are considered key techniques employed for trajectory design. The reported solution, preliminarily revealing the feasibility of returning a hundreds-of-tons asteroid or asteroid sample, envisions future space missions relating to near-Earth asteroid exploration.

2014 Earth System Grid Federation and Ultrascale Visualization Climate Data Analysis Tools Conference Report

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

Williams, Dean N.

2015-01-27

The climate and weather data science community met December 9–11, 2014, in Livermore, California, for the fourth annual Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF) and Ultrascale Visualization Climate Data Analysis Tools (UV-CDAT) Face-to-Face (F2F) Conference, hosted by the Department of Energy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the European Infrastructure for the European Network of Earth System Modelling, and the Australian Department of Education. Both ESGF and UVCDATremain global collaborations committed to developing a new generation of open-source software infrastructure that provides distributed access and analysis to simulated and observed data from the climate and weather communities.more » The tools and infrastructure created under these international multi-agency collaborations are critical to understanding extreme weather conditions and long-term climate change. In addition, the F2F conference fosters a stronger climate and weather data science community and facilitates a stronger federated software infrastructure. The 2014 F2F conference detailed the progress of ESGF, UV-CDAT, and other community efforts over the year and sets new priorities and requirements for existing and impending national and international community projects, such as the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase Six. Specifically discussed at the conference were project capabilities and enhancements needs for data distribution, analysis, visualization, hardware and network infrastructure, standards, and resources.« less

Earth Science Informatics - Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramapriyan, H. K.

2017-01-01

Over the last 10-15 years, significant advances have been made in information management, there are an increasing number of individuals entering the field of information management as it applies to Geoscience and Remote Sensing data, and the field of informatics has come to its own. Informatics is the science and technology of applying computers and computational methods to the systematic analysis, management, interchange, and representation of science data, information, and knowledge. Informatics also includes the use of computers and computational methods to support decision making and applications. Earth Science Informatics (ESI, a.k.a. geoinformatics) is the application of informatics in the Earth science domain. ESI is a rapidly developing discipline integrating computer science, information science, and Earth science. Major national and international research and infrastructure projects in ESI have been carried out or are on-going. Notable among these are: the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), the European Commissions INSPIRE, the U.S. NSDI and Geospatial One-Stop, the NASA EOSDIS, and the NSF DataONE, EarthCube and Cyberinfrastructure for Geoinformatics. More than 18 departments and agencies in the U.S. federal government have been active in Earth science informatics. All major space agencies in the world, have been involved in ESI research and application activities. In the United States, the Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP), whose membership includes over 180 organizations (government, academic and commercial) dedicated to managing, delivering and applying Earth science data, has been working on many ESI topics since 1998. The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS)s Working Group on Information Systems and Services (WGISS) has been actively coordinating the ESI activities among the space agencies.

Earth Science Informatics - Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramapriyan, H. K.

2017-01-01

Over the last 10-15 years, significant advances have been made in information management, there are an increasing number of individuals entering the field of information management as it applies to Geoscience and Remote Sensing data, and the field of informatics has come to its own. Informatics is the science and technology of applying computers and computational methods to the systematic analysis, management, interchange, and representation of science data, information, and knowledge. Informatics also includes the use of computers and computational methods to support decision making and applications. Earth Science Informatics (ESI, a.k.a. geoinformatics) is the application of informatics in the Earth science domain. ESI is a rapidly developing discipline integrating computer science, information science, and Earth science. Major national and international research and infrastructure projects in ESI have been carried out or are on-going. Notable among these are: the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), the European Commissions INSPIRE, the U.S. NSDI and Geospatial One-Stop, the NASA EOSDIS, and the NSF DataONE, EarthCube and Cyberinfrastructure for Geoinformatics. More than 18 departments and agencies in the U.S. federal government have been active in Earth science informatics. All major space agencies in the world, have been involved in ESI research and application activities. In the United States, the Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP), whose membership includes over 180 organizations (government, academic and commercial) dedicated to managing, delivering and applying Earth science data, has been working on many ESI topics since 1998. The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS)s Working Group on Information Systems and Services (WGISS) has been actively coordinating the ESI activities among the space agencies.The talk will present an overview of current efforts in ESI, the role members of IEEE GRSS play, and discuss recent developments in data preservation and provenance.

Space-based solar power conversion and delivery systems (study), engineering analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nathan, C. A.

1975-01-01

A systems analysis of synchronous, orbit-based power generation and relay systems that could be operational in the 1990's is described along with a comparison with earth-based systems to be operational in the same time frame. Operational and economic requirements for the orbiting systems and near term research activities which will be required to assure feasibility, development, launch and operational capabilities of such systems in the post- 1990 time frame are examined.

Numerical Simulations of Buoyancy Effects in low Density Gas Jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Satti, R. P.; Pasumarthi, K. S.; Agrawal, A. K.

2004-01-01

This paper deals with the computational analysis of buoyancy effects in the near field of an isothermal helium jet injected into quiescent ambient air environment. The transport equations of helium mass fraction coupled with the conservation equations of mixture mass and momentum were solved using a staggered grid finite volume method. Laminar, axisymmetric, unsteady flow conditions were considered for the analysis. An orthogonal system with non-uniform grids was used to capture the instability phenomena. Computations were performed for Earth gravity and during transition from Earth to different gravitational levels. The flow physics was described by simultaneous visualizations of velocity and concentration fields at Earth and microgravity conditions. Computed results were validated by comparing with experimental data substantiating that buoyancy induced global flow oscillations present in Earth gravity are absent in microgravity. The dependence of oscillation frequency and amplitude on gravitational forcing was presented to further quantify the buoyancy effects.

Simple Thermal Environment Model (STEM) User's Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Justus, C.G.; Batts, G. W.; Anderson, B. J.; James, B. F.

2001-01-01

This report presents a Simple Thermal Environment Model (STEM) for determining appropriate engineering design values to specify the thermal environment of Earth-orbiting satellites. The thermal environment of a satellite, consists of three components: (1) direct solar radiation, (2) Earth-atmosphere reflected shortwave radiation, as characterized by Earth's albedo, and (3) Earth-atmosphere-emitted outgoing longwave radiation (OLR). This report, together with a companion "guidelines" report provides methodology and guidelines for selecting "design points" for thermal environment parameters for satellites and spacecraft systems. The methods and models reported here are outgrowths of Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) satellite data analysis and thermal environment specifications discussed by Anderson and Smith (1994). In large part, this report is intended to update (and supersede) those results.

What do we mean by sensitivity analysis? The need for comprehensive characterization of "global" sensitivity in Earth and Environmental systems models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razavi, Saman; Gupta, Hoshin V.

2015-05-01

Sensitivity analysis is an essential paradigm in Earth and Environmental Systems modeling. However, the term "sensitivity" has a clear definition, based in partial derivatives, only when specified locally around a particular point (e.g., optimal solution) in the problem space. Accordingly, no unique definition exists for "global sensitivity" across the problem space, when considering one or more model responses to different factors such as model parameters or forcings. A variety of approaches have been proposed for global sensitivity analysis, based on different philosophies and theories, and each of these formally characterizes a different "intuitive" understanding of sensitivity. These approaches focus on different properties of the model response at a fundamental level and may therefore lead to different (even conflicting) conclusions about the underlying sensitivities. Here we revisit the theoretical basis for sensitivity analysis, summarize and critically evaluate existing approaches in the literature, and demonstrate their flaws and shortcomings through conceptual examples. We also demonstrate the difficulty involved in interpreting "global" interaction effects, which may undermine the value of existing interpretive approaches. With this background, we identify several important properties of response surfaces that are associated with the understanding and interpretation of sensitivities in the context of Earth and Environmental System models. Finally, we highlight the need for a new, comprehensive framework for sensitivity analysis that effectively characterizes all of the important sensitivity-related properties of model response surfaces.

Climate Literacy: Progress in Climate and Global Change Undergraduate Courses in Meteorology and Earth System Science Programs at Jackson State University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reddy, S. R.; Tuluri, F.; Fadavi, M.

2017-12-01

JSU Meteorology Program will be offering AMS Climate Studies undergraduate course under MET 210: Climatology in spring 2013. AMS Climate Studies is offered as a 3 credit hour laboratory course with 2 lectures and 1 lab sessions per week. Although this course places strong intellectual demands upon each student, the instructors' objective is to help each student to pass the course with an adequate understanding of the fundamentals and advanced and advanced courses. AMS Climate Studies is an introductory college-level course developed by the American Meteorological Society for implementation at undergraduate institutions nationwide. The course places students in a dynamic and highly motivational educational environment where they investigate Earth's climate system using real-world environmental data. The AMS Climate Studies course package consists of a textbook, investigations manual, course website, and course management system-compatible files. Instructors can use these resources in combinations that make for an exciting learning experience for their students. This is a content course in Earth Science. It introduces a new concept that views Earth as a synergistic physical system applied concepts of climatology, for him/her to understand basic atmospheric/climate processes, physical and dynamical climatology, regional climatology, past and future climates and statistical analysis using climate data and to be prepared to profit from studying more of interrelated phenomenon governed by complex processes involving the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the biosphere, and the solid Earth. The course emphasizes that the events that shape the physical, chemical, and biological processes of the Earth do not occur in isolation. Rather, there is a delicate relationship between the events that occur in the ocean, atmosphere, and the solid Earth. The course provides a multidimensional approach in solving scientific issues related to Earth-related sciences,

GLANCING VIEWS OF THE EARTH: FROM A LUNAR ECLIPSE TO AN EXOPLANETARY TRANSIT

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

Garcia Munoz, A.; Barrena, R.; Montanes-Rodriguez, P.

2012-08-20

It has been posited that lunar eclipse observations may help predict the in-transit signature of Earth-like extrasolar planets. However, a comparative analysis of the two phenomena addressing in detail the transport of stellar light through the planet's atmosphere has not yet been presented. Here, we proceed with the investigation of both phenomena by making use of a common formulation. Our starting point is a set of previously unpublished near-infrared spectra collected at various phases during the 2008 August lunar eclipse. We then take the formulation to the limit of an infinitely distant observer in order to investigate the in-transit signaturemore » of the Earth-Sun system as being observed from outside our solar system. The refraction bending of sunlight rays that pass through Earth's atmosphere is a critical factor in the illumination of the eclipsed Moon. Likewise, refraction will have an impact on the in-transit transmission spectrum for specific planet-star systems depending on the refractive properties of the planet's atmosphere, the stellar size, and the planet's orbital distance. For the Earth-Sun system, at mid-transit, refraction prevents the remote observer's access to the lower {approx}12-14 km of the atmosphere and, thus, also to the bulk of the spectroscopically active atmospheric gases. We demonstrate that the effective optical radius of the Earth in-transit is modulated by refraction and varies by {approx}12 km from mid-transit to internal contact. The refractive nature of atmospheres, a property which is rarely accounted for in published investigations, will pose additional challenges to the characterization of Earth-like extrasolar planets. Refraction may have a lesser impact for Earth-like extrasolar planets within the habitable zone of some M-type stars.« less

Navigation Design and Analysis for the Orion Cislunar Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

D'Souza, Christopher; Holt, Greg; Gay, Robert; Zanetti, Renato

2014-01-01

This paper details the design and analysis of the cislunar optical navigation system being proposed for the Orion Earth-Moon (EM) missions. In particular, it presents the mathematics of the navigation filter. It also presents the sensitivity analysis that has been performed to understand the performance of the proposed system, with particular attention paid to entry flight path angle constraints and the DELTA V performance

The Earth Observing System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaffer, Lisa Robock

1992-01-01

The restructuring of the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS), designed to provide comprehensive long term observations from space of changes occurring on the Earth from natural and human causes in order to have a sound scientific basis for policy decisions on protection of the future, is reported. In response to several factors, the original program approved in the fiscal year 1991 budget was restructured and somewhat reduced in scope. The resulting program uses three different sized launch vehicles to put six different spacecraft in orbit in the first phase, followed by two replacement launches for each of five of the six satellites to maintain a long term observing capability to meet the needs of global climate change research and other science objectives. The EOS system, including the space observatories, the data and information system, and the interdisciplinary global change research effort, are approved and proceeding. Elements of EOS are already in place, such as the research investigations and initial data system capabilities. The flights of precursor satellite and Shuttle missions, the ongoing data analysis, and the evolutionary enhancements to the integrated Earth science data management capabilities are all important building blocks to the full EOS program.

EarthTutor: An Interactive Intelligent Tutoring System for Remote Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, A. M.; Parton, K.; Smith, E.

2005-12-01

Earth science classes in colleges and high schools use a variety of satellite image processing software to teach earth science and remote sensing principles. However, current tutorials for image processing software are often paper-based or lecture-based and do not take advantage of the full potential of the computer context to teach, immerse, and stimulate students. We present EarthTutor, an adaptive, interactive Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) being built for NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) that is integrated directly with an image processing application. The system aims to foster the use of satellite imagery in classrooms and encourage inquiry-based, hands-on earth science scientific study by providing students with an engaging imagery analysis learning environment. EarthTutor's software is available as a plug-in to ImageJ, a free image processing system developed by the NIH (National Institute of Health). Since it is written in Java, it can be run on almost any platform and also as an applet from the Web. Labs developed for EarthTutor combine lesson content (such as HTML web pages) with interactive activities and questions. In each lab the student learns to measure, calibrate, color, slice, plot and otherwise process and analyze earth science imagery. During the activities, EarthTutor monitors students closely as they work, which allows it to provide immediate feedback that is customized to a particular student's needs. As the student moves through the labs, EarthTutor assesses the student, and tailors the presentation of the content to a student's demonstrated skill level. EarthTutor's adaptive approach is based on emerging Artificial Intelligence (AI) research. Bayesian networks are employed to model a student's proficiency with different earth science and image processing concepts. Agent behaviors are used to track the student's progress through activities and provide guidance when a student encounters difficulty. Through individual feedback and adaptive instruction, EarthTutor aims to offer the benefits of a one-on-one human instructor in a cost-effective, easy-to-use application. We are currently working with remote sensing experts to develop EarthTutor labs for diverse earth science subjects such as global vegetation, stratospheric ozone, oceanography, polar sea ice and natural hazards. These labs will be packaged with the first public release of EarthTutor in December 2005. Custom labs can be designed with the EarthTutor authoring tool. The tool is basic enough to allow teachers to construct tutorials to fit their classroom's curriculum and locale, but also powerful enough to allow advanced users to create highly-interactive labs. Preliminary results from an ongoing pilot study demonstrate that the EarthTutor system is effective and enjoyable teaching tool, relative to traditional satellite imagery teaching methods.

Major and Trace Element Analysis of Natural and Experimental Igneous Systems using LA-ICP-MS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jenner, Frances E.; Arevalo, Ricardo D., Jr.

2016-01-01

Major- and trace-element compositions of minerals provide valuable information on a variety of global Earth-system processes, including melting of distinct mantle reservoirs, the growth and evolution of the Earths crust and the formation of economically viable ore deposits. In the mid-1980s and early 1990s, attempts were made to couple laser ablation (LA) systems to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) instruments (e.g. Fryer et al. 1995; Jackson et al. 1992). The goal was to develop a rapid, highly sensitive in situ analytical technique to measure abundances and spatial distributions of trace elements in minerals and other geological samples. Elemental analysis using LAICPMS was envisaged as a quicker and less destructive means of chemical analysis (requiring only g quantities) than labour-intensive sample digestion and solution analysis (requiring mg-levels of material); and it would be a more cost-effective method than secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) for the routine analysis of trace elements from solid samples. Furthermore, it would have lower limits-of-detection than electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) (e.g. Jackson et al. 1992; Eggins 2003).

MW-Class Electric Propulsion System Designs for Mars Cargo Transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilland, James H.; LaPointe, Michael R.; Oleson, Steven; Mercer, Carolyn; Pencil, Eric; Maosn, Lee

2011-01-01

Multi-kilowatt electric propulsion systems are well developed and have been used on commercial and military satellites in Earth orbit for several years. Ion and Hall thrusters have also propelled robotic spacecraft to encounters with asteroids, the Moon, and minor planetary bodies within the solar system. High power electric propulsion systems are currently being considered to support piloted missions to near earth asteroids, as cargo transport for sustained lunar or Mars exploration, and for very high-power piloted missions to Mars and the outer planets. Using NASA Mars Design Architecture 5.0 as a reference, a preliminary parametric analysis was performed to determine the suitability of a nuclear powered, MW-class electric propulsion system for Mars cargo transport. For this initial analysis, high power 100-kW Hall thrusters and 250-kW VASIMR engines were separately evaluated to determine optimum vehicle architecture and estimated performance. The DRA 5.0 cargo mission closed for both propulsion options, delivering a 100 t payload to Mars orbit and reducing the number of heavy lift launch vehicles from five in the baseline DRA 5.0 architecture to two using electric propulsion. Under an imposed single engine-out mission success criteria, the VASIMR system took longer to reach Mars than did the Hall system, arising from the need to operate the VASIMR thrusters in pairs during the spiral out from low Earth orbit.

Local Observability Analysis of Star Sensor Installation Errors in a SINS/CNS Integration System for Near-Earth Flight Vehicles

PubMed Central

Yang, Yanqiang; Zhang, Chunxi; Lu, Jiazhen

2017-01-01

Strapdown inertial navigation system/celestial navigation system (SINS/CNS) integrated navigation is a fully autonomous and high precision method, which has been widely used to improve the hitting accuracy and quick reaction capability of near-Earth flight vehicles. The installation errors between SINS and star sensors have been one of the main factors that restrict the actual accuracy of SINS/CNS. In this paper, an integration algorithm based on the star vector observations is derived considering the star sensor installation error. Then, the star sensor installation error is accurately estimated based on Kalman Filtering (KF). Meanwhile, a local observability analysis is performed on the rank of observability matrix obtained via linearization observation equation, and the observable conditions are presented and validated. The number of star vectors should be greater than or equal to 2, and the times of posture adjustment also should be greater than or equal to 2. Simulations indicate that the star sensor installation error could be readily observable based on the maneuvering condition; moreover, the attitude errors of SINS are less than 7 arc-seconds. This analysis method and conclusion are useful in the ballistic trajectory design of near-Earth flight vehicles. PMID:28275211

Uniform Foam Crush Testing for Multi-Mission Earth Entry Vehicle Impact Attenuation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, Byron W.; Glaab, Louis J.

2012-01-01

Multi-Mission Earth Entry Vehicles (MMEEVs) are blunt-body vehicles designed with the purpose of transporting payloads from outer space to the surface of the Earth. To achieve high-reliability and minimum weight, MMEEVs avoid use of limited-reliability systems, such as parachutes and retro-rockets, instead using built-in impact attenuators to absorb energy remaining at impact to meet landing loads requirements. The Multi-Mission Systems Analysis for Planetary Entry (M-SAPE) parametric design tool is used to facilitate the design of MMEEVs and develop the trade space. Testing was conducted to characterize the material properties of several candidate impact foam attenuators to enhance M-SAPE analysis. In the current effort, four different Rohacell foams are tested at three different, uniform, strain rates (approximately 0.17, approximately 100, approximately 13,600%/s). The primary data analysis method uses a global data smoothing technique in the frequency domain to remove noise and system natural frequencies. The results from the data indicate that the filter and smoothing technique are successful in identifying the foam crush event and removing aberrations. The effect of strain rate increases with increasing foam density. The 71-WF-HT foam may support Mars Sample Return requirements. Several recommendations to improve the drop tower test technique are identified.

GPS Data Analysis for Earth Orientation at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zumberge, J.; Webb, F.; Lindqwister, U.; Lichten, S.; Jefferson, D.; Ibanez-Meier, R.; Heflin, M.; Freedman, A.; Blewitt, G.

1994-01-01

Beginning June 1992 and continuing indefinitely as part of our contribution to FLINN (Fiducial Laboratories for an International Natural Science Network), DOSE (NASA's Dynamics of the Solid Earth Program), and the IGS (International GPS Geodynamics Service), analysts at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) have routinely been reducing data from a globally-distributed network of Rogue Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers.

Analysis of Spatial Concepts, Spatial Skills and Spatial Representations in New York State Regents Earth Science Examinations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kastens, Kim A.; Pistolesi, Linda; Passow, Michael J.

2014-01-01

Research has shown that spatial thinking is important in science in general, and in Earth Science in particular, and that performance on spatially demanding tasks can be fostered through instruction. Because spatial thinking is rarely taught explicitly in the U.S. education system, improving spatial thinking may be "low-hanging fruit" as…

Projectiles, pendula, and special relativity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, Richard H.

2005-05-01

The kind of flat-earth gravity used in introductory physics appears in an accelerated reference system in special relativity. From this viewpoint, we work out the special relativistic description of a ballistic projectile and a simple pendulum, two examples of simple motion driven by earth-surface gravity. The analysis uses only the basic mathematical tools of special relativity typical of a first-year university course.

In-space propellant logistics. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The study addresses the systems and operational problems associated with the transport, transfer, and storage of cryogenic propellants in low earth orbits. The safety problems connected with in-space propellant logistics operations are also considered.Correlation between the two projects was maintained by including safety considerations, resulting from the system safety analysis, in the trade studies and evaluations of alternate operating concepts in the systems operations analysis.

Navigation Architecture for a Space Mobile Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Valdez, Jennifer E.; Ashman, Benjamin; Gramling, Cheryl; Heckler, Gregory W.; Carpenter, Russell

2016-01-01

The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) Augmentation Service for Satellites (TASS) is a proposed beacon service to provide a global, space based GPS augmentation service based on the NASA Global Differential GPS (GDGPS) System. The TASS signal will be tied to the GPS time system and usable as an additional ranging and Doppler radiometric source. Additionally, it will provide data vital to autonomous navigation in the near Earth regime, including space weather information, TDRS ephemerides, Earth Orientation Parameters (EOP), and forward commanding capability. TASS benefits include enhancing situational awareness, enabling increased autonomy, and providing near real-time command access for user platforms. As NASA Headquarters' Space Communication and Navigation Office (SCaN) begins to move away from a centralized network architecture and towards a Space Mobile Network (SMN) that allows for user initiated services, autonomous navigation will be a key part of such a system. This paper explores how a TASS beacon service enables the Space Mobile Networking paradigm, what a typical user platform would require, and provides an in-depth analysis of several navigation scenarios and operations concepts. This paper provides an overview of the TASS beacon and its role within the SMN and user community. Supporting navigation analysis is presented for two user mission scenarios: an Earth observing spacecraft in low earth orbit (LEO), and a highly elliptical spacecraft in a lunar resonance orbit. These diverse flight scenarios indicate the breadth of applicability of the TASS beacon for upcoming users within the current network architecture and in the SMN.

The NASA Modern Era Reanalysis for Research and Applications, Version-2 (MERRA-2)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gelaro, R.; McCarty, W.; Molod, A.; Suarez, M.; Takacs, L.; Todling, R.

2014-12-01

The NASA Modern Era Reanalysis for Research Applications Version-2 (MERRA-2) is a reanalysis for the satellite era using an updated version of the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System Version-5 (GEOS-5) produced by the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO). MERRA-2 will assimilate meteorological and aerosol observations not available to MERRA and includes improvements to the GEOS-5 model and analysis scheme so as to provide an ongoing climate analysis beyond MERRA's terminus. MERRA-2 will also serve as a development milestone for a future GMAO coupled Earth system analysis. Production of MERRA-2 began in June 2014 in four processing streams, with convergence to a single near-real time climate analysis expected by early 2015. This talk provides an overview of the MERRA-2 system developments and key science results. For example, compared with MERRA, MERRA-2 exhibits a well-balanced relationship between global precipitation and evaporation, with significantly reduced sensitivity to changes in the global observing system through time. Other notable improvements include reduced biases in the tropical middle- and upper-tropospheric wind and near-surface temperature over continents.

Design/cost tradeoff studies. Appendix A. Supporting analyses and tradeoffs, book 2. Earth Observatory Satellite system definition study (EOS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

Attitude reference systems for use with the Earth Observatory Satellite (EOS) are described. The systems considered are fixed and gimbaled star trackers, star mappers, and digital sun sensors. Covariance analyses were performed to determine performance for the most promising candidate in low altitude and synchronous orbits. The performance of attitude estimators that employ gyroscopes which are periodically updated by a star sensor is established by a single axis covariance analysis. The other systems considered are: (1) the propulsion system design, (2) electric power and electrical integration, (3) thermal control, (4) ground data processing, and (5) the test plan and cost reduction aspects of observatory integration and test.

Giovanni - The Bridge Between Data and Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Zhong; Acker, James

2017-01-01

This article describes new features in the Geospatial Interactive Online Visualization ANd aNalysis Infrastructure (Giovanni), a user-friendly online tool that enables visualization, analysis, and assessment of NASA Earth science data sets without downloading data and software. Since the satellite era began, data collected from Earth-observing satellites have been widely used in research and applications; however, using satellite-based data sets can still be a challenge to many. To facilitate data access and evaluation, as well as scientific exploration and discovery, the NASA Goddard Earth Sciences (GES) Data and Information Services Center (DISC) has developed Giovanni for a wide range of users around the world. This article describes the latest capabilities of Giovanni with examples, and discusses future plans for this innovative system.

Solar system: Sandcastles in space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scheeres, Daniel J.

2014-08-01

Analysis of a kilometre-sized, near-Earth asteroid shows that forces weaker than the weight of a penny can keep it from falling apart. This has implications for understanding the evolution of the Solar System. See Letter p.174

Atmospheric Models for Aeroentry and Aeroassist

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Justus, C. G.; Duvall, Aleta; Keller, Vernon W.

2004-01-01

Eight destinations in the Solar System have sufficient atmosphere for aeroentry, aeroassist, or aerobraking/aerocapture: Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, plus Saturn's moon Titan. Engineering-level atmospheric models for Earth, Mars, Titan, and Neptune have been developed for use in NASA s systems analysis studies of aerocapture applications. Development has begun on a similar atmospheric model for Venus. An important capability of these models is simulation of quasi-random perturbations for Monte Carlo analyses in developing guidance, navigation and control algorithms, and for thermal systems design. Characteristics of these atmospheric models are compared, and example applications for aerocapture are presented. Recent Titan atmospheric model updates are discussed, in anticipation of applications for trajectory and atmospheric reconstruct of Huygens Probe entry at Titan. Recent and planned updates to the Mars atmospheric model, in support of future Mars aerocapture systems analysis studies, are also presented.

Teaching Climate Change Using System Models: An Understanding Global Change Project Pilot Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bean, J. R.; Stuhlsatz, M.; Bracey, Z. B.; Marshall, C. R.

2017-12-01

Teaching and learning about historical and anthropogenic climate change in the classroom requires integrating instructional resources that address physical, chemical, and biological processes. The Understanding Global Change (UGC) framework and system models developed at the University of California Museum of Paleontology (UCMP) provide visualizations of the relationships and feedbacks between Earth system processes, and the consequences of anthropogenic activities on global climate. This schema provides a mechanism for developing pedagogic narratives that are known to support comprehension and retention of information and relationships. We designed a nine-day instructional unit for middle and high school students that includes a sequence of hands-on, inquiry-based, data rich activities combined with conceptual modeling exercises intended to foster students' development of systems thinking and their understanding of human influences on Earth system processes. The pilot unit, Sea Level Rise in the San Francisco Bay Area, addresses the human causes and consequences of sea level rise and related Earth system processes (i.e., the water cycle and greenhouse effect). Most of the content is not Bay Area specific, and could be used to explore sea level rise in any coastal region. Students completed pre and post assessments, which included questions about the connectedness of components of the Earth system and probed their attitudes towards participating in environmental stewardship activities. Students sequentially drew models representing the content explored in the activities and wrote short descriptions of their system diagrams that were collected by teachers for analysis. We also randomly assigned classes to engage in a very short additional intervention that asked students to think about the role that humans play in the Earth system and to draw themselves into the models. The study will determine if these students have higher stewardship scores and more frequently discuss their personal impact on the Earth system in their writing tasks. The results from this pilot will inform the design of future resources using UGC system models.

A Demonstration of Big Data Technology for Data Intensive Earth Science (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, K.; Clune, T.; Ramachandran, R.; Rushing, J.; Fekete, G.; Lin, A.; Doan, K.; Oloso, A. O.; Duffy, D.

2013-12-01

Big Data technologies exhibit great potential to change the way we conduct scientific investigations, especially analysis of voluminous and diverse data sets. Obviously, not all Big Data technologies are applicable to all aspects of scientific data analysis. Our NASA Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) Advanced Information Systems Technology (AIST) project, Automated Event Service (AES), pioneers the exploration of Big Data technologies for data intensive Earth science. Since Earth science data are largely stored and manipulated in the form of multidimensional arrays, the project first evaluates array performance of several candidate Big Data technologies, including MapReduce (Hadoop), SciDB, and a custom-built Polaris system, which have one important feature in common: shared nothing architecture. The evaluation finds SicDB to be the most promising. In this presentation, we demonstrate SciDB using a couple of use cases, each operating on a distinct data set in the regular latitude-longitude grid. The first use case is the discovery and identification of blizzards using NASA's Modern Era Retrospective-analysis for Research and Application (MERRA) data sets. The other finds diurnal signals in the same 8-year period using SSMI data from three different instruments with different equator crossing times by correlating their retrieved parameters. In addition, the AES project is also developing a collaborative component to enable the sharing of event queries and results. Preliminary capabilities will be presented as well.

Guidelines for the Selection of Near-Earth Thermal Environment Parameters for Spacecraft Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, B. J.; Justus, C. G.; Batts, G. W.

2001-01-01

Thermal analysis and design of Earth orbiting systems requires specification of three environmental thermal parameters: the direct solar irradiance, Earth's local albedo, and outgoing longwave radiance (OLR). In the early 1990s data sets from the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment were analyzed on behalf of the Space Station Program to provide an accurate description of these parameters as a function of averaging time along the orbital path. This information, documented in SSP 30425 and, in more generic form in NASA/TM-4527, enabled the specification of the proper thermal parameters for systems of various thermal response time constants. However, working with the engineering community and SSP-30425 and TM-4527 products over a number of years revealed difficulties in interpretation and application of this material. For this reason it was decided to develop this guidelines document to help resolve these issues of practical application. In the process, the data were extensively reprocessed and a new computer code, the Simple Thermal Environment Model (STEM) was developed to simplify the process of selecting the parameters for input into extreme hot and cold thermal analyses and design specifications. In the process, greatly improved values for the cold case OLR values for high inclination orbits were derived. Thermal parameters for satellites in low, medium, and high inclination low-Earth orbit and with various system thermal time constraints are recommended for analysis of extreme hot and cold conditions. Practical information as to the interpretation and application of the information and an introduction to the STEM are included. Complete documentation for STEM is found in the user's manual, in preparation.

Earth Entry Vehicle Design for Sample Return Missions Using M-SAPE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Samareh, Jamshid

2015-01-01

Most mission concepts that return sample material to Earth share one common element: an Earth entry vehicle (EEV). The primary focus of this paper is the examination of EEV design space for relevant sample return missions. Mission requirements for EEV concepts can be divided into three major groups: entry conditions (e.g., velocity and flight path angle), payload (e.g., mass, volume, and g-load limit), and vehicle characteristics (e.g., thermal protection system, structural topology, and landing concepts). The impacts of these requirements on the EEV design have been studied with an integrated system analysis tool, and the results will be discussed in details. In addition, through sensitivities analyses, critical design drivers that have been identified will be reviewed.

Overview of the Miniature Sensor Technology Integration (MSTI) spacecraft attitude control system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcewen, Rob

1994-01-01

Msti2 is a small, 164 kg (362 lb), 3-axis stabilized, low-Earth-orbiting satellite whose mission is missile booster tracking. The spacecraft is actuated by 3 reaction wheels and 12 hot gas thrusters. It carries enough fuel for a projected life of 6 months. The sensor complement consists of a Horizon Sensor, a Sun Sensor, low-rate gyros, and a high rate gyro for despin. The total pointing control error allocation is 6 mRad (.34 Deg), and this is while tracking a target on the Earth's surface. This paper describes the Attitude Control System (ACS) algorithms which include the following: attitude acquisition (despin, Sun and Earth acquisition), attitude determination, attitude control, and linear stability analysis.

In-Situ Resource Utilization for Space Exploration: Resource Processing, Mission-Enabling Technologies, and Lessons for Sustainability on Earth and Beyond

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hepp, A. F.; Palaszewski, B. A.; Landis, G. A.; Jaworske, D. A.; Colozza, A. J.; Kulis, M. J.; Heller, R. S.

2015-01-01

As humanity begins to reach out into the solar system, it has become apparent that supporting a human or robotic presence in transit andor on station requires significant expendable resources including consumables (to support people), fuel, and convenient reliable power. Transporting all necessary expendables is inefficient, inconvenient, costly, and, in the final analysis, a complicating factor for mission planners and a significant source of potential failure modes. Over the past twenty-five years, beginning with the Space Exploration Initiative, researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC), academic collaborators, and industrial partners have analyzed, researched, and developed successful solutions for the challenges posed by surviving and even thriving in the resource limited environment(s) presented by near-Earth space and non-terrestrial surface operations. In this retrospective paper, we highlight the efforts of the co-authors in resource simulation and utilization, materials processing and consumable(s) production, power systems and analysis, fuel storage and handling, propulsion systems, and mission operations. As we move forward in our quest to explore space using a resource-optimized approach, it is worthwhile to consider lessons learned relative to efficient utilization of the (comparatively) abundant natural resources and improving the sustainability (and environment) for life on Earth. We reconsider Lunar (and briefly Martian) resource utilization for potential colonization, and discuss next steps moving away from Earth.

In-Situ Resource Utilization for Space Exploration: Resource Processing, Mission-Enabling Technologies, and Lessons for Sustainability on Earth and Beyond

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hepp, A. F.; Palaszewski, B. A.; Landis, G. A.; Jaworske, D. A.; Colozza, A. J.; Kulis, M. J.; Heller, Richard S.

2014-01-01

As humanity begins to reach out into the solar system, it has become apparent that supporting a human or robotic presence in transit and/or on station requires significant expendable resources including consumables (to support people), fuel, and convenient reliable power. Transporting all necessary expendables is inefficient, inconvenient, costly, and, in the final analysis, a complicating factor for mission planners and a significant source of potential failure modes. Over the past twenty-five years, beginning with the Space Exploration Initiative, researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC), academic collaborators, and industrial partners have analyzed, researched, and developed successful solutions for the challenges posed by surviving and even thriving in the resource limited environment(s) presented by near-Earth space and non-terrestrial surface operations. In this retrospective paper, we highlight the efforts of the co-authors in resource simulation and utilization, materials processing and consumable(s) production, power systems and analysis, fuel storage and handling, propulsion systems, and mission operations. As we move forward in our quest to explore space using a resource-optimized approach, it is worthwhile to consider lessons learned relative to efficient utilization of the (comparatively) abundant natural resources and improving the sustainability (and environment) for life on Earth. We reconsider Lunar (and briefly Martian) resource utilization for potential colonization, and discuss next steps moving away from Earth.

Using natural archives to detect climate and environmental tipping points in the Earth System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Zoë A.

2016-11-01

'Tipping points' in the Earth system are characterised by a nonlinear response to gradual forcing, and may have severe and wide-ranging impacts. Many abrupt events result from simple underlying system dynamics termed 'critical transitions' or 'bifurcations'. One of the best ways to identify and potentially predict threshold behaviour in the climate system is through analysis of natural ('palaeo') archives. Specifically, on the approach to a tipping point, early warning signals can be detected as characteristic fluctuations in a time series as a system loses stability. Testing whether these early warning signals can be detected in highly complex real systems is a key challenge, since much work is either theoretical or only tested with simple models. This is particularly problematic in palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironmental records with low resolution, non-equidistant data, which can limit accurate analysis. Here, a range of different datasets are examined to explore generic rules that can be used to detect such dramatic events. A number of key criteria are identified to be necessary for the reliable identification of early warning signals in natural archives, most crucially, the need for a low-noise record of sufficient data length, resolution and accuracy. A deeper understanding of the underlying system dynamics is required to inform the development of more robust system-specific indicators, or to indicate the temporal resolution required, given a known forcing. This review demonstrates that time series precursors from natural archives provide a powerful means of forewarning tipping points within the Earth System.

Design and systems analysis of a chemical interorbital shuttle. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nissim, W.

1972-01-01

An interorbital shuttle that can be utilized to carry payloads between low earth orbit (180 n mi, 37.6 deg) and lunar or geosynchronous orbits, and also to interplanetary trajectories is discussed. After each mission the stage returns to its earth parking orbit where it delivers the inbound payloads, and where it is maintained and refueled for the subsequent missions. The stage can also be utilized to carry large payloads (150 to 200 KLBS) to the Space Station orbit (270 n mi, 55 deg) when it is used as a second or parallel burn stage to the space shuttle booster. The mission and systems analysis, as well as the results of structural, mechanical and propulsion, and avionics subsystems analysis and design are described. A development plan and cost estimates are also included.

Earth Observatory Satellite system definition study. Report no. 3: Design/cost tradeoff studies. Appendix A: EOS program WBS dictionary. Appendix B: EOS mission functional analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

The work breakdown structure (WBS) dictionary for the Earth Observatory Satellite (EOS) is defined. The various elements of the EOS program are examined to include the aggregate of hardware, computer software, services, and data required to develop, produce, test, support, and operate the space vehicle and the companion ground data management system. A functional analysis of the EOS mission is developed. The operations for three typical EOS missions, Delta, Titan, and Shuttle launched are considered. The functions were determined for the top program elements, and the mission operations, function 2.0, was expanded to level one functions. Selection of ten level one functions for further analysis to level two and three functions were based on concern for the EOS operations and associated interfaces.

Sustainable earth-based vs. conventional construction systems in the Mediterranean climate: Experimental analysis of thermal performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serrano, S.; de Gracia, A.; Pérez, G.; Cabeza, L. F.

2017-10-01

The building envelope has high potential to reduce the energy consumption of buildings according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) because it is involved along all the building process: design, construction, use, and end-of-life. The present study compares the thermal behavior of seven different building prototypes tested under Mediterranean climate: two of them were built with sustainable earth-based construction systems and the other five, with conventional brick construction systems. The tested earth-based construction systems consist of rammed earth walls and wooden green roofs, which have been adapted to contemporary requirements by reducing their thickness. In order to balance the thermal response, wooden insulation panels were placed in one of the earth prototypes. All building prototypes have the same inner dimensions and orientation, and they are fully monitored to register inner temperature and humidity, surface walls temperatures and temperatures inside walls. Furthermore, all building prototypes are equipped with a heat pump and an electricity meter to measure the electrical energy consumed to maintain a certain level of comfort. The experimentation was performed along a whole year by carrying out several experiments in free floating and controlled temperature conditions. This study aims at demonstrating that sustainable construction systems can behave similarly or even better than conventional ones under summer and winter conditions. Results show that thermal behavior is strongly penalized when rammed earth wall thickness is reduced. However, the addition of 6 cm of wooden insulation panels in the outer surface of the building prototype successfully improves the thermal response.

NASA's EOSDIS Approach to Big Earth Data Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lowe, D. R.; Behnke, J.; Murphy, K. J.

2014-12-01

Over the past 20 years, NASA has been committed to making our Earth Science data more useable and accessible, not only to the community of NASA science researchers, but also to the world-wide public research community. The data collected by NASA's remote sensing instruments represent a significant public investment in research. NASA holds these data in a public trust to promote comprehensive, long-term Earth science research. The Earth Observing System Data & Information System (EOSDIS) was established to meet this goal. From the beginning, NASA employed a free, open and non-discriminatory data policy to maximize the global utilization of the products derived from NASA's observational data and related analyses. EOSDIS is designed to ingest, process, archive, and distribute data in a multi-mission environment. The system supports a wide variety of Earth science disciplines, including cryosphere, land cover change, radiation budget, atmosphere dynamics and composition, as well as inter-disciplinary research, including global climate change. A distributed architecture was adopted to ensure discipline-specific support for the science data, while also leveraging standards and establishing policies and tools to enable interdisciplinary research, and analysis across multiple instruments. Over the past 2 decades the EOSDIS has evolved substantially. Today's EOSDIS is a tightly coupled, yet heterogeneous system designed to meet the requirements of a diverse user community. The system was scaled to expand to meet the ever-growing volume of data (currently ~10 petabytes), and the exponential increase in user demand that has occurred over the past 15 years. We will present how the EOSDIS has evolved to support the variety and volume of NASA's Earth Science data.

EarthChem: International Collaboration for Solid Earth Geochemistry in Geoinformatics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, J. D.; Lehnert, K. A.; Hofmann, A. W.; Sarbas, B.; Carlson, R. W.

2005-12-01

The current on-line information systems for igneous rock geochemistry - PetDB, GEOROC, and NAVDAT - convincingly demonstrate the value of rigorous scientific data management of geochemical data for research and education. The next generation of hypothesis formulation and testing can be vastly facilitated by enhancing these electronic resources through integration of available datasets, expansion of data coverage in location, time, and tectonic setting, timely updates with new data, and through intuitive and efficient access and data analysis tools for the broader geosciences community. PetDB, GEOROC, and NAVDAT have therefore formed the EarthChem consortium (www.earthchem.org) as a international collaborative effort to address these needs and serve the larger earth science community by facilitating the compilation, communication, serving, and visualization of geochemical data, and their integration with other geological, geochronological, geophysical, and geodetic information to maximize their scientific application. We report on the status of and future plans for EarthChem activities. EarthChem's development plan includes: (1) expanding the functionality of the web portal to become a `one-stop shop for geochemical data' with search capability across databases, standardized and integrated data output, generally applicable tools for data quality assessment, and data analysis/visualization including plotting methods and an information-rich map interface; and (2) expanding data holdings by generating new datasets as identified and prioritized through community outreach, and facilitating data contributions from the community by offering web-based data submission capability and technical assistance for design, implementation, and population of new databases and their integration with all EarthChem data holdings. Such federated databases and datasets will retain their identity within the EarthChem system. We also plan on working with publishers to ease the assimilation of geochemical data into the EarthChem database. As a community resource, EarthChem will address user concerns and respond to broad scientific and educational needs. EarthChem will hold yearly workshops, town hall meetings, and/or exhibits at major meetings. The group has established a two-tier committee structure to help ease the communication and coordination of database and IT issues between existing data management projects, and to receive feedback and support from individuals and groups from the larger geosciences community.

Status and Plans for Reanalysis at NASA/GMAO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gelaro, Ron

2017-01-01

Reanalysis plays a critical role in GMAOs goal to enhance NASA's program of Earth observations, providing vital data sets for climate research and the development of future missions. As the breadth of NASAs observations expands to include multiple components of the Earth system, so does the need to assimilate observations from currently uncoupled components of the system in a more physically consistent manner. GMAOs most recent reanalysis of the satellite era, MERRA-2, has completed the period 1980-present, and is now running as a continuing global climate analysis with two- to three-week latency. MERRA-2 assimilates meteorological and aerosol observations as a weakly coupled assimilation system as a first step toward GMAOs longer term goal of developing an integrated Earth system analysis (IESA) capability that will couple assimilation systems for the atmosphere, ocean, land and chemistry. The GMAO strategy is to progress incrementally toward an IESA through an evolving combination of coupled systems and offline component reanalyses driven by, for example, MERRA-2 atmospheric forcing. Most recently, the GMAO has implemented a weakly coupled assimilation scheme for analyzing ocean skin temperature within the existing atmospheric analysis. The scheme uses background fields from a near-surface ocean diurnal layer model to assimilate surface-sensitive radiances plus in-situ observations along with all other observations in the atmospheric assimilation system. In addition, MERRA-2-driven simulations of the ocean (plus sea ice) and atmospheric chemistry (for the EOS period) are currently underway, as is the development of a coupled atmosphere-ocean assimilation system. This talk will describe the status of these ongoing efforts and the planned steps toward an IESA capability for climate research.

Documentation and Validation of the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) Data Assimilation System, Version 4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suarez, Max J. (Editor); daSilva, Arlindo; Dee, Dick; Bloom, Stephen; Bosilovich, Michael; Pawson, Steven; Schubert, Siegfried; Wu, Man-Li; Sienkiewicz, Meta; Stajner, Ivanka

2005-01-01

This document describes the structure and validation of a frozen version of the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS DAS): GEOS-4.0.3. Significant features of GEOS-4 include: version 3 of the Community Climate Model (CCM3) with the addition of a finite volume dynamical core; version two of the Community Land Model (CLM2); the Physical-space Statistical Analysis System (PSAS); and an interactive retrieval system (iRET) for assimilating TOVS radiance data. Upon completion of the GEOS-4 validation in December 2003, GEOS-4 became operational on 15 January 2004. Products from GEOS-4 have been used in supporting field campaigns and for reprocessing several years of data for CERES.

Challenges in Modeling the Sun-Earth System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spann, James

2004-01-01

The transfer of mass, energy and momentum through the coupled Sun-Earth system spans a wide range of scales in time and space. While profound advances have been made in modeling isolated regions of the Sun-Earth system, minimal progress has been achieved in modeling the end-to-end system. Currently, end-to-end modeling of the Sun-Earth system is a major goal of the National Space Weather and NASA Living With a Star (LWS) programs. The uncertainty in the underlying physics responsible for coupling contiguous regions of the Sun-Earth system is recognized as a significant barrier to progress. Our limited understanding of the underlying coupling physics is illustrated by the following example questions: how does the propagation of a typical CME/solar flare influence the measured properties of the solar wind at 1 AU? How does the solar wind compel the dynamic response of the Earth's magnetosphere? How is variability in the ionosphere-thermosphere system coupled to magnetospheric variations? Why do these and related important questions remain unanswered? What are the primary problems that need to be resolved to enable significant progress in comprehensive modeling of the Sun-Earth system? Which model/technique improvements are required and what new data coverage is required to enable full model advances? This poster opens the discussion for how these and other important questions can be addressed. A workshop scheduled for October 8-22, 2004 in Huntsville, Alabama, will be a forum for identifying ana exploring promising new directions and approaches for characterizing and understanding the system. To focus the discussion, the workshop will emphasize the genesis, evolution, propagation and interaction of high-speed solar wind streamers or CME/flares with geospace and the subsequent response of geospace from its outer reaches in the magnetosphere to the lower edge of the ionosphere-mesosphere-thermosphere. Particular emphasis will be placed on modeling the coupling aspects of these phenomena across boundaries between regions and on data analysis that guides and constrains model results. Specific topics to be addressed are: Corotating interaction regions, Coronal mass ejections, Energetic particles, System preconditioning, Extreme events and super storms, End-to-End modeling efforts.

The Earth System Documentation (ES-DOC) project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, S.; Greenslade, M. A.; Treshansky, A.; DeLuca, C.; Guilyardi, E.; Denvil, S.

2013-12-01

Earth System Documentation (ES-DOC) is an international project supplying high quality tools and services in support of Earth system documentation creation, analysis and dissemination. It is nurturing a sustainable standards based documentation ecosystem that aims to become an integral part of the next generation of exa-scale dataset archives. ES-DOC leverages open source software, and applies a software development methodology that places end-user narratives at the heart of all it does. ES-DOC has initially focused upon nurturing the Earth System Model (ESM) documentation eco-system. Within this context ES-DOC leverages the emerging Common Information Model (CIM) metadata standard, which has supported the following projects: ** Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5); ** Dynamical Core Model Inter-comparison Project (DCMIP-2012); ** National Climate Predictions and Projections Platforms (NCPP) Quantitative Evaluation of Downscaling Workshop (QED-2013). This presentation will introduce the project to a wider audience and will demonstrate the current production level capabilities of the eco-system: ** An ESM documentation Viewer embeddable into any website; ** An ESM Questionnaire configurable on a project by project basis; ** An ESM comparison tool reusable across projects; ** An ESM visualization tool reusable across projects; ** A search engine for speedily accessing published documentation; ** Libraries for streamlining document creation, validation and publishing pipelines.

Systems analysis on laser beamed power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeiders, Glenn W., Jr.

1993-01-01

The NASA SELENE power beaming program is intended to supply cost-effective power to space assets via Earth-based lasers and active optics systems. Key elements of the program are analyzed, the overall effort is reviewed, and recommendations are presented.

Lessons Learned while Exploring Cloud-Native Architectures for NASA EOSDIS Applications and Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pilone, D.

2016-12-01

As new, high data rate missions begin collecting data, the NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) archive is projected to grow roughly 20x to over 300PBs by 2025. To prepare for the dramatic increase in data and enable broad scientific inquiry into larger time series and datasets, NASA has been exploring the impact of applying cloud technologies throughout EOSDIS. In this talk we will provide an overview of NASA's prototyping and lessons learned in applying cloud architectures to: Highly scalable and extensible ingest and archive of EOSDIS data Going "all-in" on cloud based application architectures including "serverless" data processing pipelines and evaluating approaches to vendor-lock in Rethinking data distribution and approaches to analysis in a cloud environment Incorporating and enforcing security controls while minimizing the barrier for research efforts to deploy to NASA compliant, operational environments. NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) is a coordinated series of satellites for long term global observations. NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) is a multi-petabyte-scale archive of environmental data that supports global climate change research by providing end-to-end services from EOS instrument data collection to science data processing to full access to EOS and other earth science data. On a daily basis, the EOSDIS ingests, processes, archives and distributes over 3 terabytes of data from NASA's Earth Science missions representing over 6000 data products ranging from various types of science disciplines. EOSDIS has continually evolved to improve the discoverability, accessibility, and usability of high-impact NASA data spanning the multi-petabyte-scale archive of Earth science data products.

Getting Out of Orbit: Water Recycling Requirements and Technology Needs for Long Duration Missions Away from Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barta, Daniel J.

2017-01-01

Deep-space crewed missions will not have regular access to the Earth's resources or the ability to rapidly return to Earth if a system fails. As crewed missions extend farther from Earth for longer periods, habitation systems must become more self-sufficient and reliable for safe, healthy, and sustainable human exploration. For human missions to Mars, Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) must be able operate for up to 1,100 days with minimal spares and consumables. These missions will require capabilities to more fully recycle atmospheric gases and wastewater to substantially reduce mission costs. Even with relatively austere requirements for use, water represents one of the largest consumables by mass. Systems must be available to extract and recycle water from all sources of waste. And given that there will be no opportunity to send samples back to Earth for analysis, analytical measurements will be limited to monitoring hardware brought on board the spacecraft. The Earth Reliant phase of NASA's exploration strategy includes leveraging the International Space Station (ISS) to demonstrate advanced capabilities for a robust and reliable ECLSS. The ISS Water Recovery System (WRS) includes a Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) for distillation and recovery of water from urine and a Water Processor Assembly (WPA) to process humidity condensate and urine distillate into potable water. Possible enhancements to more fully "close the water loop" include recovery of water from waste brines and solid wastes. A possible game changer is the recovery of water from local planetary resources through use of In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) technologies. As part of the development and demonstration sequence, NASA intends to utilize cis-Lunar space as a Proving Ground to verify systems for deep space habitation by conducting extended duration missions to validate our readiness for Mars.

OASIS - ORBIT ANALYSIS AND SIMULATION SOFTWARE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, S. C.

1994-01-01

The Orbit Analysis and Simulation Software, OASIS, is a software system developed for covariance and simulation analyses of problems involving earth satellites, especially the Global Positioning System (GPS). It provides a flexible, versatile and efficient accuracy analysis tool for earth satellite navigation and GPS-based geodetic studies. To make future modifications and enhancements easy, the system is modular, with five major modules: PATH/VARY, REGRES, PMOD, FILTER/SMOOTHER, and OUTPUT PROCESSOR. PATH/VARY generates satellite trajectories. Among the factors taken into consideration are: 1) the gravitational effects of the planets, moon and sun; 2) space vehicle orientation and shapes; 3) solar pressure; 4) solar radiation reflected from the surface of the earth; 5) atmospheric drag; and 6) space vehicle gas leaks. The REGRES module reads the user's input, then determines if a measurement should be made based on geometry and time. PMOD modifies a previously generated REGRES file to facilitate various analysis needs. FILTER/SMOOTHER is especially suited to a multi-satellite precise orbit determination and geodetic-type problems. It can be used for any situation where parameters are simultaneously estimated from measurements and a priori information. Examples of nonspacecraft areas of potential application might be Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) geodesy and radio source catalogue studies. OUTPUT PROCESSOR translates covariance analysis results generated by FILTER/SMOOTHER into user-desired easy-to-read quantities, performs mapping of orbit covariances and simulated solutions, transforms results into different coordinate systems, and computes post-fit residuals. The OASIS program was developed in 1986. It is designed to be implemented on a DEC VAX 11/780 computer using VAX VMS 3.7 or higher. It can also be implemented on a Micro VAX II provided sufficient disk space is available.

Analysis of active volcanoes from the Earth Observing System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mouginis-Mark, Peter; Rowland, Scott; Crisp, Joy; Glaze, Lori; Jones, Kenneth; Kahle, Anne; Pieri, David; Zebker, Howard; Krueger, Arlin; Walter, Lou

1991-01-01

The Earth Observing System (EOS) scheduled for launch in 1997 and 1999 is briefly described, and the EOS volcanology investigation objectives are discussed. The volcanology investigation will include long- and short-term monitoring of selected volcanoes, the detection of precursor activity associated with unanticipated eruptions, and a detailed study of on-going eruptions. A variety of instruments on the EOS platforms will enable the study of local- and regional-scale thermal and deformational features of volcanoes, and the chemical and structural features of volcanic eruption plumes and aerosols.

Meteorological Satellites (METSAT) and Earth Observing System (EOS) Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A) Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

This Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is for the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A) instruments that are being designed and manufactured for the Meteorological Satellites Project (METSAT) and the Earth Observing System (EOS) integrated programs. The FMEA analyzes the design of the METSAT and EOS instruments as they currently exist. This FMEA is intended to identify METSAT and EOS failure modes and their effect on spacecraft-instrument and instrument-component interfaces. The prime objective of this FMEA is to identify potential catastrophic and critical failures so that susceptibility to the failures and their effects can be eliminated from the METSAT/EOS instruments.

Geometric error analysis for shuttle imaging spectrometer experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, S. J.; Ih, C. H.

1984-01-01

The demand of more powerful tools for remote sensing and management of earth resources steadily increased over the last decade. With the recent advancement of area array detectors, high resolution multichannel imaging spectrometers can be realistically constructed. The error analysis study for the Shuttle Imaging Spectrometer Experiment system is documented for the purpose of providing information for design, tradeoff, and performance prediction. Error sources including the Shuttle attitude determination and control system, instrument pointing and misalignment, disturbances, ephemeris, Earth rotation, etc., were investigated. Geometric error mapping functions were developed, characterized, and illustrated extensively with tables and charts. Selected ground patterns and the corresponding image distortions were generated for direct visual inspection of how the various error sources affect the appearance of the ground object images.

Supporting EarthScope Cyber-Infrastructure with a Modern GPS Science Data System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webb, F. H.; Bock, Y.; Kedar, S.; Jamason, P.; Fang, P.; Dong, D.; Owen, S. E.; Prawirodirjo, L.; Squibb, M.

2008-12-01

Building on NASA's investment in the measurement of crustal deformation from continuous GPS, we are developing and implementing a Science Data System (SDS) that will provide mature, long-term Earth Science Data Records (ESDR's). This effort supports NASA's Earth Surface and Interiors (ESI) focus area and provide NASA's component to the EarthScope PBO. This multi-year development is sponsored by NASA's Making Earth System data records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs) program. The SDS integrates the generation of ESDRs with data analysis and exploration, product generation, and modeling tools based on daily GPS data that include GPS networks in western North America and a component of NASA's Global GPS Network (GGN) for terrestrial reference frame definition. The system is expandable to multiple regional and global networks. The SDS builds upon mature data production, exploration, and analysis algorithms developed under NASA's REASoN, ACCESS, and SENH programs. This SDS provides access to positions, time series, velocity fields, and strain measurements derived from continuous GPS data obtained at tracking stations in both the Plate Boundary Observatory and other regional Western North America GPS networks, dating back to 1995. The SDS leverages the IT and Web Services developments carried out under the SCIGN/REASoN and ACCESS projects, which have streamlined access to data products for researchers and modelers, and which have created a prototype an on-the-fly interactive research environment through a modern data portal, GPS Explorer. This IT system has been designed using modern IT tools and principles in order to be extensible to any geographic location, scale, natural hazard, and combination of geophysical sensor and related data. We have built upon open GIS standards, particularly those of the OGC, and have used the principles of Web Service-based Service Oriented Architectures to provide scalability and extensibility to new services and capabilities.

Educator Uses of Data-Enhanced Investigations for Climate Change Education (DICCE), An Online System for Accessing a Vast Portal of NASA Earth System Data Known As the Goddard Interactive Online Visualization and Analysis Infrastructure (GIOVANNI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zalles, D. R.; Acker, J. G.

2015-12-01

Data-enhanced Investigations for Climate Change Education (DICCE) has made it easier and more technologically feasible for secondary and post-secondary instructors and students to study climate change and related Earth system phenomena using data products from the Goddard Interactive Online Visualization and Analysis Infrastructure (GIOVANNI), a powerful portal of Earth observation data that provides access to numerous data products on Earth system phenomena representing the land biosphere, physical land, ocean biosphere, physical ocean, physical atmosphere, atmospheric gases, and energy and radiation system. These data products are derived from remote-sensing instruments on satellites, ground stations, and data assimilation models. Instructors and students can query the GIOVANNI data archive, then save the results as map images, time series plots, vertical profiles of the atmosphere, and data tables. Any part of the world can be selected for analysis. The project has also produced a tool for instructors to author and adapt standards-based lesson plans, student data investigation activities, and presentations around visualizations they make available to their students via DICCE-G. Supports are provided to students and teachers about how to interpret trends in data products of their choice at the regional level and a schema has been developed to help them understand how those data products fit into current scientific thinking about the certainties and uncertainties of climate change. The presentation will (1) describe the features of DICCE, (2) examples of curricula developed to make use of DICCE in classrooms, (3) how these curricula align to Next Generation Science Standards, and (4) how they align to science education research literature about how to make school science more engaging. Recently-analyzed teacher and student outcomes from DICCE use will also be reported.

Looking at Earth observation impacts with fresh eyes: a Landsat example

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Zhuoting; Snyder, Greg; Quirk, Bruce; Stensaas, Greg; Vadnais, Carolyn; Babcock, Michael; Dale, Erin; Doucette, Peter

2016-05-01

The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) initiated the Requirements, Capabilities and Analysis for Earth Observations (RCA-EO) activity in the Land Remote Sensing (LRS) program to provide a structured approach to collect, store, maintain, and analyze user requirements and Earth observing system capabilities information. RCA-EO enables the collection of information on current key Earth observation products, services, and projects, and to evaluate them at different organizational levels within an agency, in terms of how reliant they are on Earth observation data from all sources, including spaceborne, airborne, and ground-based platforms. Within the USGS, RCA-EO has engaged over 500 subject matter experts in this assessment, and evaluated the impacts of more than 1000 different Earth observing data sources on 345 key USGS products and services. This paper summarizes Landsat impacts at various levels of the organizational structure of the USGS and highlights the feedback of the subject matter experts regarding Landsat data and Landsat-derived products. This feedback is expected to inform future Landsat mission decision making. The RCA-EO approach can be applied in a much broader scope to derive comprehensive knowledge of Earth observing system usage and impacts, to inform product and service development and remote sensing technology innovation beyond the USGS.

Geometric analysis of an observer on a spherical earth and an aircraft or satellite

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-09-30

This memorandum contains a large amount of technical detail. However, in significant contrast, : it addresses an easily-understood and fundamental need in surveillance and navigation systems : analysis quantifying the geometry of two locations re...

New Earth Science Data and Access Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moses, John F.; Weinstein, Beth E.; Farnham, Jennifer

2004-01-01

NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, working with its domestic and international partners, provides scientific data and analysis to improve life here on Earth. NASA provides science data products that cover a wide range of physical, geophysical, biochemical and other parameters, as well as services for interdisciplinary Earth science studies. Management and distribution of these products is administered through the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs), which all hold data within a different Earth science discipline. This paper will highlight selected EOS datasets and will focus on how these observations contribute to the improvement of essential services such as weather forecasting, climate prediction, air quality, and agricultural efficiency. Emphasis will be placed on new data products derived from instruments on board Terra, Aqua and ICESat as well as new regional data products and field campaigns. A variety of data tools and services are available to the user community. This paper will introduce primary and specialized DAAC-specific methods for finding, ordering and using these data products. Special sections will focus on orienting users unfamiliar with DAAC resources, HDF-EOS formatted data and the use of desktop research and application tools.

Angular radiation models for Earth-atmosphere system. Volume 1: Shortwave radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suttles, J. T.; Green, R. N.; Minnis, P.; Smith, G. L.; Staylor, W. F.; Wielicki, B. A.; Walker, I. J.; Young, D. F.; Taylor, V. R.; Stowe, L. L.

1988-01-01

Presented are shortwave angular radiation models which are required for analysis of satellite measurements of Earth radiation, such as those fro the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE). The models consist of both bidirectional and directional parameters. The bidirectional parameters are anisotropic function, standard deviation of mean radiance, and shortwave-longwave radiance correlation coefficient. The directional parameters are mean albedo as a function of Sun zenith angle and mean albedo normalized to overhead Sun. Derivation of these models from the Nimbus 7 ERB (Earth Radiation Budget) and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) data sets is described. Tabulated values and computer-generated plots are included for the bidirectional and directional modes.

On possible interconnections between Climate Change and Earth rotation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zotov, Leonid; Christian, Bizouard; Sidorenkov, Nikolay

The question of interconnections between rotation of the Earth and Climate Change raised more, then 30 years ago. In Lambeck’s, Sidorenkov’s and others books the correlation between the secular changes of temperature and rotation velocity of the Earth was found. Since Climate Change brings to the redistribution of water and ice mass, ocean currents and atmospheric circulation, it also influences the angular momentum and moment of inertia of the Earth system, what causes variations in its rotation. We present the results of analysis of global temperature, sea level, Chandler wobble, atmospheric winds, and length of day (LOD) changes with arguments testifying possible interrelations between these processes and their dependence on space factors.

Laser power conversion system analysis, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, W. S.; Morgan, L. L.; Forsyth, J. B.; Skratt, J. P.

1979-01-01

The orbit-to-ground laser power conversion system analysis investigated the feasibility and cost effectiveness of converting solar energy into laser energy in space, and transmitting the laser energy to earth for conversion to electrical energy. The analysis included space laser systems with electrical outputs on the ground ranging from 100 to 10,000 MW. The space laser power system was shown to be feasible and a viable alternate to the microwave solar power satellite. The narrow laser beam provides many options and alternatives not attainable with a microwave beam.

Data handling and analysis for the 1971 corn blight watch experiment.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anuta, P. E.; Phillips, T. L.; Landgrebe, D. A.

1972-01-01

Review of the data handling and analysis methods used in the near-operational test of remote sensing systems provided by the 1971 corn blight watch experiment. The general data analysis techniques and, particularly, the statistical multispectral pattern recognition methods for automatic computer analysis of aircraft scanner data are described. Some of the results obtained are examined, and the implications of the experiment for future data communication requirements of earth resource survey systems are discussed.

A Rapid Prototyping Look at NASA's Next Generation Earth-Observing Satellites; Opportunities for Global Change Research and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cecil, L.; Young, D. F.; Parker, P. A.; Eckman, R. S.

2006-12-01

The NASA Applied Sciences Program extends the results of Earth Science Division (ESD) research and knowledge beyond the scientific and research communities to contribute to national priority applications with societal benefits. The Applied Sciences Program focuses on, (1) assimilation of NASA Earth-science research results and their associated uncertainties to improve decision support systems and, (2) the transition of NASA research results to evolve improvements in future operational systems. The broad range of Earth- science research results that serve as inputs to the Applied Sciences Program are from NASA's Research and Analysis Program (R&A) within the ESD. The R&A Program has established six research focus areas to study the complex processes associated with Earth-system science; Atmospheric Composition, Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems, Climate Variability and Change, Earth Surface and Interior, Water and Energy Cycle, and Weather. Through observations-based Earth-science research results, NASA and its partners are establishing predictive capabilities for future projections of natural and human perturbations on the planet. The focus of this presentation is on the use of research results and their associated uncertainties from several of NASA's nine next generation missions for societal benefit. The newly launched missions are, (1) CloudSat, and (2) CALIPSO (Cloud Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations), both launched April 28, 2006, and the planned next generation missions include, (3) the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO), (4) the Global Precipitation Mission (GPM), (5) the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM), (6) Glory, for measuring the spatial and temporal distribution of aerosols and total solar irradiance for long-term climate records, (7) Aquarius, for measuring global sea surface salinity, (8) the Ocean Surface Topography Mission (OSTM), and (9) the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) for measuring long-term climate trends and global biological productivity. NASA's Applied Sciences Program is taking a scientifically rigorous systems engineering approach to facilitate rapid prototyping of potential uses of the projected research capabilities of these new missions into decision support systems. This presentation includes an example of a prototype experiment that focuses on two of the Applied Sciences Program's twelve National Applications focus areas, Water Management and Energy Management. This experiment is utilizing research results and associated uncertainties from existing Earth-observation missions as well as from several of NASA's nine next generation missions. This prototype experiment is simulating decision support analysis and research results leading to priority management and/or policy issues concentrating on climate change and uncertainties in alpine areas on the watershed scale.

Geoinformatics 2008 - Data to Knowledge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brady, Shailaja R.; Sinha, A. Krishna; Gundersen, Linda C.

2008-01-01

Geoinformatics is the term used to describe a variety of efforts to promote collaboration between the computer sciences and the geosciences to solve complex scientific questions. It refers to the distributed, integrated digital information system and working environment that provides innovative means for the study of the Earth systems, as well as other planets, through use of advanced information technologies. Geoinformatics activities range from major research and development efforts creating new technologies to provide high-quality, sustained production-level services for data discovery, integration and analysis, to small, discipline-specific efforts that develop earth science data collections and data analysis tools serving the needs of individual communities. The ultimate vision of Geoinformatics is a highly interconnected data system populated with high quality, freely available data, as well as, a robust set of software for analysis, visualization, and modeling. This volume is a collection of extended abstracts for oral papers presented at the Geoinformatics 2008 conference, June 11 and 13, 2008, in Potsdam, Germany.

Development of detailed design concepts for the EarthCARE multi-spectral imager

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lobb, Dan; Escadero, Isabel; Chang, Mark; Gode, Sophie

2017-11-01

The EarthCARE mission is dedicated to the study of clouds by observations from a satellite in low Earth orbit. The payload will include major radar and LIDAR instruments, supported by a multi-spectral imager (MSI) and a broadband radiometer. The paper describes development of detailed design concepts for the MSI, and analysis of critical performance parameters. The MSI will form Earth images at 500m ground sample distance (GSD) over a swath width of 150km, from a nominal platform altitude of around 400km. The task of the MSI is to provide spatial context for the single-point measurements made by the radar and LIDAR systems; it will image Earth in 7 spectral bands: one visible, one near-IR, two short-wave IR and three thermal IR. The MSI instrument will be formed in two parts: a visible-NIR-SWIR (VNS) system, radiometrically calibrated using a sunilluminated diffuser, and a thermal IR (TIR) system calibrated using cold space and an internal black-body. The VNS system will perform push-broom imaging, using linear array detectors (silicon and InGaAs) and 4 separate lenses. The TIR system will use a microbolometer array detector in a time delay and integration (TDI) mode. Critical issues discussed for the VNS system include detector selection and detailed optical design trade-offs. The latter are related to the desirability of dichroics to achieve a common aperture, which influences the calibration hardware and lens design. The TIR system's most significant problems relate to control of random noise and bias errors, requiring optimisation of detector operation and calibration procedures.

Depending on Partnerships to Manage NASA's Earth Science Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behnke, J.; Lindsay, F. E.; Lowe, D. R.

2015-12-01

NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) has been a central component of the NASA Earth observation program since the 1990's.The data collected by NASA's remote sensing instruments represent a significant public investment in research, providing access to a world-wide public research community. From the beginning, NASA employed a free, open and non-discriminatory data policy to maximize the global utilization of the products derived from NASA's observational data and related analyses. EOSDIS is designed to ingest, process, archive, and distribute data in a multi-mission environment. The system supports a wide variety of Earth science disciplines, including cryosphere, land cover change, radiation budget, atmosphere dynamics and composition, as well as inter-disciplinary research, including global climate change. To this end, EOSDIS has collocated NASA Earth science data and processing with centers of science discipline expertise located at universities, other government agencies and NASA centers. Commercial industry is also part of this partnership as it focuses on developing the EOSDIS cross-element infrastructure. The partnership to develop and operate EOSDIS has made for a robust, flexible system that evolves continuously to take advantage of technological opportunities. The centralized entrance point to the NASA Earth Science data collection can be found at http://earthdata.nasa.gov. A distributed architecture was adopted to ensure discipline-specific support for the science data, while also leveraging standards and establishing policies and tools to enable interdisciplinary research, and analysis across multiple instruments. Today's EOSDIS is a loosely coupled, yet heterogeneous system designed to meet the requirements of both a diverse user community and a growing collection of data to be archived and distributed. The system was scaled to expand to meet the ever-growing volume of data (currently ~10 petabytes), and the exponential increase in user demand that has occurred over the past 15 years. We will present how the EOSDIS has relies on partnerships to support the challenges of managing NASA's Earth Science data.

A Service Oriented Infrastructure for Earth Science exchange

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burnett, M.; Mitchell, A.

2008-12-01

NASA's Earth Science Distributed Information System (ESDIS) program has developed an infrastructure for the exchange of Earth Observation related resources. Fundamentally a platform for Service Oriented Architectures, ECHO provides standards-based interfaces based on the basic interactions for a SOA pattern: Publish, Find and Bind. This infrastructure enables the realization of the benefits of Service Oriented Architectures, namely the reduction of stove-piped systems, the opportunity for reuse and flexibility to meet dynamic business needs, on a global scale. ECHO is the result of the infusion of IT technologies, including those standards of Web Services and Service Oriented Architecture technologies. The infrastructure is based on standards and leverages registries for data, services, clients and applications. As an operational system, ECHO currently representing over 110 million Earth Observation resources from a wide number of provider organizations. These partner organizations each have a primary mission - serving a particular facet of the Earth Observation community. Through ECHO, those partners can serve the needs of not only their target portion of the community, but also enable a wider range of users to discover and leverage their data resources, thereby increasing the value of their offerings. The Earth Observation community benefits from this infrastructure because it provides a set of common mechanisms for the discovery and access to resources from a much wider range of data and service providers. ECHO enables innovative clients to be built for targeted user types and missions. There several examples of those clients already in process. Applications built on this infrastructure can include User-driven, GUI-clients (web-based or thick clients), analysis programs (as intermediate components of larger systems), models or decision support systems. This paper will provide insight into the development of ECHO, as technologies were evaluated for infusion, and a summary of how technologies where leveraged into a significant operational system for the Earth Observation community.

A Model for Dynamic Simulation and Analysis of Tether Momentum Exchange

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Canfield, Stephen; Johnson, David; Sorensen, Kirk; Welzyn, Ken; Rodgers, Stephen L. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Momentum-exchange/electrodynamic reboost (MXER) tether systems may enable high-energy missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond by serving as an 'upper stage in space'. Existing rockets that use an MXER tether station could double their capability to launch communications satellites and help improve US competitiveness. A MXER tether station would boost spacecraft from low Earth orbit to a high-energy orbit quickly, like a high-thrust rocket. Then, using the same principles that make an electric motor work, it would slowly rebuild its orbital momentum by pushing against the Earth's magnetic field-without using any propellant. One of the significant challenges in developing a momentum-exchange/electrodynamic reboost tether systems is in the analysis and design of the capture mechanism and its effects on the overall dynamics of the system. This paper will present a model for a momentum-exchange tether system that can simulate and evaluate the performance and requirements of such a system.

Impact Foam Testing for Multi-Mission Earth Entry Vehicle Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glaab, Louis J.; Agrawal, Paul; Hawbaker, James

2013-01-01

Multi-Mission Earth Entry Vehicles (MMEEVs) are blunt-body vehicles designed with the purpose of transporting payloads from outer space to the surface of the Earth. To achieve high-reliability and minimum weight, MMEEVs avoid use of limited-reliability systems, such as parachutes and retro-rockets, instead using built-in impact attenuators to absorb energy remaining at impact to meet landing loads requirements. The Multi-Mission Systems Analysis for Planetary Entry (M-SAPE) parametric design tool is used to facilitate the design of MMEEVs and develop the trade space. Testing was conducted to characterize the material properties of several candidate impact foam attenuators to enhance M-SAPE analysis. In the current effort, two different Rohacell foams were tested to determine their thermal conductivity in support of MMEEV design applications. These applications include thermal insulation during atmospheric entry, impact attenuation, and post-impact thermal insulation in support of thermal soak analysis. Results indicate that for these closed-cell foams, the effect of impact is limited on thermal conductivity due to the venting of the virgin material gas and subsequent ambient air replacement. Results also indicate that the effect of foam temperature is significant compared to data suggested by manufacturer's specifications.

Reusable Social Networking Capabilities for an Earth Science Collaboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lynnes, C.; Da Silva, D.; Leptoukh, G. G.; Ramachandran, R.

2011-12-01

A vast untapped resource of data, tools, information and knowledge lies within the Earth science community. This is due to the fact that it is difficult to share the full spectrum of these entities, particularly their full context. As a result, most knowledge exchange is through person-to-person contact at meetings, email and journal articles, each of which can support only a limited level of detail. We propose the creation of an Earth Science Collaboratory (ESC): a framework that would enable sharing of data, tools, workflows, results and the contextual knowledge about these information entities. The Drupal platform is well positioned to provide the key social networking capabilities to the ESC. As a proof of concept of a rich collaboration mechanism, we have developed a Drupal-based mechanism for graphically annotating and commenting on results images from analysis workflows in the online Giovanni analysis system for remote sensing data. The annotations can be tagged and shared with others in the community. These capabilities are further supplemented by a Research Notebook capability reused from another online analysis system named Talkoot. The goal is a reusable set of modules that can integrate with variety of other applications either within Drupal web frameworks or at a machine level.

Analysis of systems hardware flown on LDEF. Results of the systems special investigation group

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dursch, Harry W.; Spear, W. Steve; Miller, Emmett A.; Bohnhoff-Hlavacek, Gail L.; Edelman, Joel

1992-01-01

The Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) was retrieved after spending 69 months in low Earth orbit (LEO). LDEF carried a remarkable variety of mechanical, electrical, thermal, and optical systems, subsystems, and components. The Systems Special Investigation Group (Systems SIG) was formed to investigate the effects of the long duration exposure to LEO on systems related hardware and to coordinate and collate all systems analysis of LDEF hardware. Discussed here is the status of the LDEF Systems SIG investigation through the end of 1991.

Analysis of systems hardware flown on LDEF. Results of the systems special investigation group

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

Dursch, H.W.; Spear, W.S.; Miller, E.A.

1992-04-01

The Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) was retrieved after spending 69 months in low Earth orbit (LEO). LDEF carried a remarkable variety of mechanical, electrical, thermal, and optical systems, subsystems, and components. The Systems Special Investigation Group (Systems SIG) was formed to investigate the effects of the long duration exposure to LEO on systems related hardware and to coordinate and collate all systems analysis of LDEF hardware. Discussed here is the status of the LDEF Systems SIG investigation through the end of 1991.

NetCDF-CF: Supporting Earth System Science with Data Access, Analysis, and Visualization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, E.; Zender, C. S.; Arctur, D. K.; O'Brien, K.; Jelenak, A.; Santek, D.; Dixon, M. J.; Whiteaker, T. L.; Yang, K.

2017-12-01

NetCDF-CF is a community-developed convention for storing and describing earth system science data in the netCDF binary data format. It is an OGC recognized standard with numerous existing FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) and commercial software tools can explore, analyze, and visualize data that is stored and described as netCDF-CF data. To better support a larger segment of the earth system science community, a number of efforts are underway to extend the netCDF-CF convention with the goal of increasing the types of data that can be represented as netCDF-CF data. This presentation will provide an overview and update of work to extend the existing netCDF-CF convention. It will detail the types of earth system science data currently supported by netCDF-CF and the types of data targeted for support by current netCDF-CF convention development efforts. It will also describe some of the tools that support the use of netCDF-CF compliant datasets, the types of data they support, and efforts to extend them to handle the new data types that netCDF-CF will support.

Earth Sciences Data and Information System (ESDIS) program planning and evaluation methodology development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dickinson, William B.

1995-01-01

An Earth Sciences Data and Information System (ESDIS) Project Management Plan (PMP) is prepared. An ESDIS Project Systems Engineering Management Plan (SEMP) consistent with the developed PMP is also prepared. ESDIS and related EOS program requirements developments, management and analysis processes are evaluated. Opportunities to improve the effectiveness of these processes and program/project responsiveness to requirements are identified. Overall ESDIS cost estimation processes are evaluated, and recommendations to improve cost estimating and modeling techniques are developed. ESDIS schedules and scheduling tools are evaluated. Risk assessment, risk mitigation strategies and approaches, and use of risk information in management decision-making are addressed.

Earth Viewing Applications Laboratory (EVAL). Dedicated payload, standard test rack payload, sensor modifications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The preliminary analysis of strawman earth-viewing shuttle sortie payloads begun with the partial spacelab payload was analyzed. The payloads analyzed represent the two extremes of shuttle sortie application payloads: a full shuttle sortie payload dedicated to earth-viewing applications, and a small structure payload which can fly on a space available basis with another primary shuttle payload such as a free flying satellite. The intent of the dedicated mission analysis was to configure an ambitious, but feasible, payload; which, while rich in scientific return, would also stress the system and reveal any deficiences or problem areas in mission planning, support equipment, and operations. Conversely, the intent of the small structure payload was to demonstrate the ease with which a small, simple, flexible payload can be accommodated on shuttle flights.

Meteorite zircon constraints on the bulk Lu-Hf isotope composition and early differentiation of the Earth.

PubMed

Iizuka, Tsuyoshi; Yamaguchi, Takao; Hibiya, Yuki; Amelin, Yuri

2015-04-28

Knowledge of planetary differentiation is crucial for understanding the chemical and thermal evolution of terrestrial planets. The (176)Lu-(176)Hf radioactive decay system has been widely used to constrain the timescales and mechanisms of silicate differentiation on Earth, but the data interpretation requires accurate estimation of Hf isotope evolution of the bulk Earth. Because both Lu and Hf are refractory lithophile elements, the isotope evolution can be potentially extrapolated from the present-day (176)Hf/(177)Hf and (176)Lu/(177)Hf in undifferentiated chondrite meteorites. However, these ratios in chondrites are highly variable due to the metamorphic redistribution of Lu and Hf, making it difficult to ascertain the correct reference values for the bulk Earth. In addition, it has been proposed that chondrites contain excess (176)Hf due to the accelerated decay of (176)Lu resulting from photoexcitation to a short-lived isomer. If so, the paradigm of a chondritic Earth would be invalid for the Lu-Hf system. Herein we report the first, to our knowledge, high-precision Lu-Hf isotope analysis of meteorite crystalline zircon, a mineral that is resistant to metamorphism and has low Lu/Hf. We use the meteorite zircon data to define the Solar System initial (176)Hf/(177)Hf (0.279781 ± 0.000018) and further to identify pristine chondrites that contain no excess (176)Hf and accurately represent the Lu-Hf system of the bulk Earth ((176)Hf/(177)Hf = 0.282793 ± 0.000011; (176)Lu/(177)Hf = 0.0338 ± 0.0001). Our results provide firm evidence that the most primitive Hf in terrestrial zircon reflects the development of a chemically enriched silicate reservoir on Earth as far back as 4.5 billion years ago.

Meteorite zircon constraints on the bulk Lu−Hf isotope composition and early differentiation of the Earth

PubMed Central

Iizuka, Tsuyoshi; Yamaguchi, Takao; Hibiya, Yuki; Amelin, Yuri

2015-01-01

Knowledge of planetary differentiation is crucial for understanding the chemical and thermal evolution of terrestrial planets. The 176Lu−176Hf radioactive decay system has been widely used to constrain the timescales and mechanisms of silicate differentiation on Earth, but the data interpretation requires accurate estimation of Hf isotope evolution of the bulk Earth. Because both Lu and Hf are refractory lithophile elements, the isotope evolution can be potentially extrapolated from the present-day 176Hf/177Hf and 176Lu/177Hf in undifferentiated chondrite meteorites. However, these ratios in chondrites are highly variable due to the metamorphic redistribution of Lu and Hf, making it difficult to ascertain the correct reference values for the bulk Earth. In addition, it has been proposed that chondrites contain excess 176Hf due to the accelerated decay of 176Lu resulting from photoexcitation to a short-lived isomer. If so, the paradigm of a chondritic Earth would be invalid for the Lu−Hf system. Herein we report the first, to our knowledge, high-precision Lu−Hf isotope analysis of meteorite crystalline zircon, a mineral that is resistant to metamorphism and has low Lu/Hf. We use the meteorite zircon data to define the Solar System initial 176Hf/177Hf (0.279781 ± 0.000018) and further to identify pristine chondrites that contain no excess 176Hf and accurately represent the Lu−Hf system of the bulk Earth (176Hf/177Hf = 0.282793 ± 0.000011; 176Lu/177Hf = 0.0338 ± 0.0001). Our results provide firm evidence that the most primitive Hf in terrestrial zircon reflects the development of a chemically enriched silicate reservoir on Earth as far back as 4.5 billion years ago. PMID:25870298

Electromagnetic Calculation of Combined Earthing System with Ring Earth Electrode and Vertical Rods for Wind Turbine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujii, Toshiaki; Yasuda, Yoh; Ueda, Toshiaki

With the worldwide spread of wind turbine installations, various problems such as landscape issues, bird strikes and grid connections have arisen. Protection of wind turbines from lightning is cited as one of the main problems. Wind turbines are often struck by lightning because of their open-air locations, such as in mountainous areas, and their special configuration and very-high construction. Especially, low-voltage and control circuits can fail or suffer burnout while blades can incur serious damage if struck by lightning. Wind turbine failures caused by lightning strikes account for approximately 25% of all failures. The problem is regarded as a global one that needs immediate resolution. It is important to understand the impedance characteristics of wind turbine earthing systems from the viewpoint of lightning protection. A report from IEC TR61400-24 recommends a “ring earth electrode”. This was originally defined in IEC 61024 (currently revised and re-numbered as IEC 62305), where such an electrode is recommended to reduce touch and step voltages in households and buildings. IEC TR61400-24 also recommended additional electrodes of vertical or horizontal rods. However, these concepts have not been fully discussed from the viewpoint of its application to wind turbines. To confirm the effect of a combination of a ring earth electrode and additional vertical rods for protection of a wind turbine, this report uses the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method to present an electromagnetic transient analysis on such a wind turbine earthing system. The results show that an optimal combination can be arranged from viewpoints of lightning protection and construction cost. Thus, this report discusses how to establish a quantitative design methodology of the wind turbine earthing system to provide effective lightning protection.

Evolving Metadata in NASA Earth Science Data Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, A.; Cechini, M. F.; Walter, J.

2011-12-01

NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) is a coordinated series of satellites for long term global observations. NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) is a petabyte-scale archive of environmental data that supports global climate change research by providing end-to-end services from EOS instrument data collection to science data processing to full access to EOS and other earth science data. On a daily basis, the EOSDIS ingests, processes, archives and distributes over 3 terabytes of data from NASA's Earth Science missions representing over 3500 data products ranging from various types of science disciplines. EOSDIS is currently comprised of 12 discipline specific data centers that are collocated with centers of science discipline expertise. Metadata is used in all aspects of NASA's Earth Science data lifecycle from the initial measurement gathering to the accessing of data products. Missions use metadata in their science data products when describing information such as the instrument/sensor, operational plan, and geographically region. Acting as the curator of the data products, data centers employ metadata for preservation, access and manipulation of data. EOSDIS provides a centralized metadata repository called the Earth Observing System (EOS) ClearingHouse (ECHO) for data discovery and access via a service-oriented-architecture (SOA) between data centers and science data users. ECHO receives inventory metadata from data centers who generate metadata files that complies with the ECHO Metadata Model. NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) Project established a Tiger Team to study and make recommendations regarding the adoption of the international metadata standard ISO 19115 in EOSDIS. The result was a technical report recommending an evolution of NASA data systems towards a consistent application of ISO 19115 and related standards including the creation of a NASA-specific convention for core ISO 19115 elements. Part of NASA's effort to continually evolve its data systems led ECHO to enhancing the method in which it receives inventory metadata from the data centers to allow for multiple metadata formats including ISO 19115. ECHO's metadata model will also be mapped to the NASA-specific convention for ingesting science metadata into the ECHO system. As NASA's new Earth Science missions and data centers are migrating to the ISO 19115 standards, EOSDIS is developing metadata management resources to assist in the reading, writing and parsing ISO 19115 compliant metadata. To foster interoperability with other agencies and international partners, NASA is working to ensure that a common ISO 19115 convention is developed, enhancing data sharing capabilities and other data analysis initiatives. NASA is also investigating the use of ISO 19115 standards to encode data quality, lineage and provenance with stored values. A common metadata standard across NASA's Earth Science data systems promotes interoperability, enhances data utilization and removes levels of uncertainty found in data products.

An analysis of the New York State Earth Science Curriculum with respect to standards, classroom practices, and the Regents Examination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Contino, Julie Anna

In a standards-based system, it is important for all components of the system to align in order to achieve the intended goals. In New York State, standards are provided to the teachers who then create individual curricula that will lead to student success on the state assessment. This mixed methods study presents an analysis of the alignment between the National Science Education Standards (NSES), New York State Physical Setting/Earth Science Core Curriculum (Core Curriculum), and New York State Earth Science Regents Examination (Regents)---the sources teachers use for creating Earth Science curricula in New York State. The NSES were found to have a 49% overlap with the Core Curriculum and a 27% overlap with the Regents. The Core Curriculum and Regents, represented by matrices consisting of performance indicators and cognitive demands, were compared using the Porter alignment index. The alignment was 0.35, categorized as slightly aligned, due to the different emphases on cognitive levels (the Core Curriculum focused on Understand and Apply while the Regents focused on Apply followed by Understand and Remember). Additionally, a purposeful sample of experienced and innovative teachers were surveyed and interviewed to gain insight on how NYS Earth Science teachers organize their scope and sequences, align their lessons with the Core Curriculum, establish internal lesson coherence, and prepare their students for the Regents Exam. Teachers' scope and sequences were well-aligned with the Core Curriculum and Regents but misalignment was found between their lessons and the Core Curriculum as well as between the stated objectives for their students and evaluation of those objectives. Based on the findings, it is suggested that the NSES be revised and the Core Curriculum updated to include quantifiable emphasis on the major understandings such as percentage of time, as well as an emphasis on alignment principles. Teacher professional development focused on alignment issues relative to the state standards and enhancing internal lesson coherence should also be provided. The insights gained from this analysis of the NYS system may be helpful to other states as they move toward standards-based systems.

Antenna concepts for interstellar search systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Basler, R. P.; Johnson, G. L.; Vondrak, R. R.

1977-01-01

An evaluation is made of microwave receiving systems designed to search for signals from extraterrestrial intelligence. Specific design concepts are analyzed parametrically to determine whether the optimum antenna system location is on earth, in space, or on the moon. Parameters considered include the hypothesized number of transmitting civilizations, the number of stars that must be searched to give any desired probability of receiving a signal, the antenna collecting area, the search time, the search range, and the cost. This analysis suggests that (1) search systems based on the moon are not cost-competitive, (2) if the search is extended only a few hundred light years from the earth, a Cyclops-type array on earth may be the most cost-effective system, (3) for a search extending to 500 light years or more, a substantial cost and search-time advantage can be achieved with a large spherical reflector in space with multiple feeds, (4) radio frequency interference shields can be provided for space systems, and (5) cost can range from a few hundred million to tens of billions of dollars, depending on the parameter values assumed.

Earth system science: A program for global change

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

The Earth System Sciences Committee (ESSC) was appointed to consider directions for the NASA Earth-sciences program, with the following charge: review the science of the Earth as a system of interacting components; recommend an implementation strategy for Earth studies; and define the role of NASA in such a program. The challenge to the Earth system science is to develop the capability to predict those changes that will occur in the next decade to century, both naturally and in response to human activity. Sustained, long-term measurements of global variables; fundamental descriptions of the Earth and its history; research foci and process studies; development of Earth system models; an information system for Earth system science; coordination of Federal agencies; and international cooperation are examined.

An improved Rosetta pedotransfer function and evaluation in earth system models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y.; Schaap, M. G.

2017-12-01

Soil hydraulic parameters are often difficult and expensive to measure, leading to the pedotransfer functions (PTFs) an alternative to predict those parameters. Rosetta (Schaap et al., 2001, denoted as Rosetta1) are widely used PTFs, which is based on artificial neural network (ANN) analysis coupled with the bootstrap re-sampling method, allowing the estimation of van Genuchten water retention parameters (van Genuchten, 1980, abbreviated here as VG), saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks), as well as their uncertainties. We present an improved hierarchical pedotransfer functions (Rosetta3) that unify the VG water retention and Ks submodels into one, thus allowing the estimation of uni-variate and bi-variate probability distributions of estimated parameters. Results show that the estimation bias of moisture content was reduced significantly. Rosetta1 and Posetta3 were implemented in the python programming language, and the source code are available online. Based on different soil water retention equations, there are diverse PTFs used in different disciplines of earth system modelings. PTFs based on Campbell [1974] or Clapp and Hornberger [1978] are frequently used in land surface models and general circulation models, while van Genuchten [1980] based PTFs are more widely used in hydrology and soil sciences. We use an independent global scale soil database to evaluate the performance of diverse PTFs used in different disciplines of earth system modelings. PTFs are evaluated based on different soil characteristics and environmental characteristics, such as soil textural data, soil organic carbon, soil pH, as well as precipitation and soil temperature. This analysis provides more quantitative estimation error information for PTF predictions in different disciplines of earth system modelings.

AFFECTS - Advanced Forecast For Ensuring Communications Through Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bothmer, Volker

2013-04-01

Through the AFFECTS project funded by the European Union's 7th Framework Programme, European and US scientists develop an advanced proto-type space weather warning system to safeguard the operation of telecommunication and navigation systems on Earth to the threat of solar storms. The project is led by the University of Göttingen's Institute for Astrophysics and comprises worldwide leading research and academic institutions and industrial enterprises from Germany, Belgium, Ukraine, Norway and the United States. The key objectives of the AFFECTS project are: State-of-the-art analysis and modelling of the Sun-Earth chain of effects on the Earth's ionosphere and their subsequent impacts on communication systems based on multipoint space observations and complementary ground-based data. Development of a prototype space weather early warning system and reliable space weather forecasts, with specific emphasis on ionospheric applications. Dissemination of new space weather products and services to end users, the scientific community and general public. The presentation summarizes the project highlights, with special emphasis on the developed space weather forecast tools.

The Earth Data Analytic Services (EDAS) Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maxwell, T. P.; Duffy, D.

2017-12-01

Faced with unprecedented growth in earth data volume and demand, NASA has developed the Earth Data Analytic Services (EDAS) framework, a high performance big data analytics framework built on Apache Spark. This framework enables scientists to execute data processing workflows combining common analysis operations close to the massive data stores at NASA. The data is accessed in standard (NetCDF, HDF, etc.) formats in a POSIX file system and processed using vetted earth data analysis tools (ESMF, CDAT, NCO, etc.). EDAS utilizes a dynamic caching architecture, a custom distributed array framework, and a streaming parallel in-memory workflow for efficiently processing huge datasets within limited memory spaces with interactive response times. EDAS services are accessed via a WPS API being developed in collaboration with the ESGF Compute Working Team to support server-side analytics for ESGF. The API can be accessed using direct web service calls, a Python script, a Unix-like shell client, or a JavaScript-based web application. New analytic operations can be developed in Python, Java, or Scala (with support for other languages planned). Client packages in Python, Java/Scala, or JavaScript contain everything needed to build and submit EDAS requests. The EDAS architecture brings together the tools, data storage, and high-performance computing required for timely analysis of large-scale data sets, where the data resides, to ultimately produce societal benefits. It is is currently deployed at NASA in support of the Collaborative REAnalysis Technical Environment (CREATE) project, which centralizes numerous global reanalysis datasets onto a single advanced data analytics platform. This service enables decision makers to compare multiple reanalysis datasets and investigate trends, variability, and anomalies in earth system dynamics around the globe.

Analysis of quasi-hybrid solid rocket booster concepts for advanced earth-to-orbit vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zurawski, Robert L.; Rapp, Douglas C.

1987-01-01

A study was conducted to assess the feasibility of quasi-hybrid solid rocket boosters for advanced Earth-to-orbit vehicles. Thermochemical calculations were conducted to determine the effect of liquid hydrogen addition, solids composition change plus liquid hydrogen addition, and the addition of an aluminum/liquid hydrogen slurry on the theoretical performance of a PBAN solid propellant rocket. The space shuttle solid rocket booster was used as a reference point. All three quasi-hybrid systems theoretically offer higher specific impulse when compared with the space shuttle solid rocket boosters. However, based on operational and safety considerations, the quasi-hybrid rocket is not a practical choice for near-term Earth-to-orbit booster applications. Safety and technology issues pertinent to quasi-hybrid rocket systems are discussed.

Advances in Ka-Band Communication System for CubeSats and SmallSats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kegege, Obadiah; Wong, Yen F.; Altunc, Serhat

2016-01-01

A study was performed that evaluated the feasibility of Ka-band communication system to provide CubeSat/SmallSat high rate science data downlink with ground antennas ranging from the small portable 1.2m/2.4m to apertures 5.4M, 7.3M, 11M, and 18M, for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to Lunar CubeSat missions. This study included link analysis to determine the data rate requirement, based on the current TRL of Ka-band flight hardware and ground support infrastructure. Recent advances in Ka-band transceivers and antennas, options of portable ground stations, and various coverage distances were included in the analysis. The link/coverage analysis results show that Cubesat/Smallsat missions communication requirements including frequencies and data rates can be met by utilizing Near Earth Network (NEN) Ka-band support with 2 W and high gain (>6 dBi) antennas.

Archive Management of NASA Earth Observation Data to Support Cloud Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lynnes, Christopher; Baynes, Kathleen; McInerney, Mark A.

2017-01-01

NASA collects, processes and distributes petabytes of Earth Observation (EO) data from satellites, aircraft, in situ instruments and model output, with an order of magnitude increase expected by 2024. Cloud-based web object storage (WOS) of these data can simplify the execution of such an increase. More importantly, it can also facilitate user analysis of those volumes by making the data available to the massively parallel computing power in the cloud. However, storing EO data in cloud WOS has a ripple effect throughout the NASA archive system with unexpected challenges and opportunities. One challenge is modifying data servicing software (such as Web Coverage Service servers) to access and subset data that are no longer on a directly accessible file system, but rather in cloud WOS. Opportunities include refactoring of the archive software to a cloud-native architecture; virtualizing data products by computing on demand; and reorganizing data to be more analysis-friendly.

Assimilating All-Sky GPM Microwave Imager(GMI) Radiance Data in NASA GEOS-5 System for Global Cloud and Precipitation Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, M. J.; Jin, J.; McCarty, W.; Todling, R.; Holdaway, D. R.; Gelaro, R.

2014-12-01

The NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) works to maximize the impact of satellite observations in the analysis and prediction of climate and weather through integrated Earth system modeling and data assimilation. To achieve this goal, the GMAO undertakes model and assimilation development, generates products to support NASA instrument teams and the NASA Earth science program. Currently Atmospheric Data Assimilation System (ADAS) in the Goddard Earth Observing System Model, Version 5(GEOS-5) system combines millions of observations and short-term forecasts to determine the best estimate, or analysis, of the instantaneous atmospheric state. However, ADAS has been geared towards utilization of observations in clear sky conditions and the majority of satellite channel data affected by clouds are discarded. Microwave imager data from satellites can be a significant source of information for clouds and precipitation but the data are presently underutilized, as only surface rain rates from the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI) are assimilated with small weight assigned in the analysis process. As clouds and precipitation often occur in regions with high forecast sensitivity, improvements in the temperature, moisture, wind and cloud analysis of these regions are likely to contribute to significant gains in numerical weather prediction accuracy. This presentation is intended to give an overview of GMAO's recent progress in assimilating the all-sky GPM Microwave Imager (GMI) radiance data in GEOS-5 system. This includes development of various new components to assimilate cloud and precipitation affected data in addition to data in clear sky condition. New observation operators, quality controls, moisture control variables, observation and background error models, and a methodology to incorporate the linearlized moisture physics in the assimilation system are described. In addition preliminary results showing impacts of assimilating all-sky GMI data on GEOS-5 forecasts are discussed.

A Hypothesis: Life Initiated from Two Genes, as Deduced from the RNA World Hypothesis and the Characteristics of Life-Like Systems

PubMed Central

Kawamura, Kunio

2016-01-01

RNA played a central role in the emergence of the first life-like system on primitive Earth since RNA molecules contain both genetic information and catalytic activity. However, there are several drawbacks regarding the RNA world hypothesis. Here, I briefly discuss the feasibility of the RNA world hypothesis to deduce the RNA functions that are essential for forming a life-like system. At the same time, I have conducted a conceptual analysis of the characteristics of biosystems as a useful approach to deduce a realistic life-like system in relation to the definition of life. For instance, an RNA-based life-like system should possess enough stability to resist environmental perturbations, by developing a cell-like compartment, for instance. Here, a conceptual viewpoint is summarized to provide a realistic life-like system that is compatible with the primitive Earth environment and the capabilities of RNA molecules. According to the empirical and conceptual analysis, I propose the hypothesis that the first life-like system could have initiated from only two genes. PMID:27490571

Diversity of Approaches to Structuring University-Based Earth System Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aron, J.; Ruzek, M.; Johnson, D. R.

2004-12-01

Over the past quarter century, the "Earth system science" paradigm has emerged among the interdisciplinary science community, emphasizing interactions among components hitherto considered within separate disciplines: atmosphere (air); hydrosphere (water); biosphere (life); lithosphere (land); anthroposphere (human dimension); and exosphere (solar system and beyond). How should the next generation of Earth system scientists learn to contribute to this interdisciplinary endeavor? There is no one simple answer. The Earth System Science Education program, funded by NASA, has addressed this question by supporting faculty at U.S. universities who develop new courses, curricula and degree programs in their institutional contexts. This report demonstrates the diversity of approaches to structuring university-based Earth system science education, focusing on the 18 current grantees of the Earth System Science Education Program for the 21st Century (ESSE21). One of the most fundamental characteristics is the departmental structure for teaching Earth system science. The "home" departments of the Earth system science faculty range from Earth sciences and physics to agronomy and social work. A brand-new institution created an interdisciplinary Institute for Earth Systems Science and Policy without traditional "parent" departments. Some institutions create new degree programs as majors or as minors while others work within existing degree programs to add or revise courses. A university may also offer multiple strands, such as a degree in the Science of the Earth System and a degree in the Human Dimensions of the Earth System. Defining a career path is extremely important to students considering Earth system science programs and a major institutional challenge for all programs in Earth system science education. How will graduate programs assess prospective students? How will universities and government agencies assess prospective faculty and scientists? How will government agencies allocate funds to interdisciplinary Earth system science and technology? Finally, how should the Earth system science education community evolve?

Sustainability, collapse and oscillations in a simple World-Earth model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nitzbon, Jan; Heitzig, Jobst; Parlitz, Ulrich

2017-07-01

The Anthropocene is characterized by close interdependencies between the natural Earth system and the global human society, posing novel challenges to model development. Here we present a conceptual model describing the long-term co-evolution of natural and socio-economic subsystems of Earth. While the climate is represented via a global carbon cycle, we use economic concepts to model socio-metabolic flows of biomass and fossil fuels between nature and society. A well-being-dependent parametrization of fertility and mortality governs human population dynamics. Our analysis focuses on assessing possible asymptotic states of the Earth system for a qualitative understanding of its complex dynamics rather than quantitative predictions. Low dimension and simple equations enable a parameter-space analysis allowing us to identify preconditions of several asymptotic states and hence fates of humanity and planet. These include a sustainable co-evolution of nature and society, a global collapse and everlasting oscillations. We consider different scenarios corresponding to different socio-cultural stages of human history. The necessity of accounting for the ‘human factor’ in Earth system models is highlighted by the finding that carbon stocks during the past centuries evolved opposing to what would ‘naturally’ be expected on a planet without humans. The intensity of biomass use and the contribution of ecosystem services to human well-being are found to be crucial determinants of the asymptotic state in a (pre-industrial) biomass-only scenario without capital accumulation. The capitalistic, fossil-based scenario reveals that trajectories with fundamentally different asymptotic states might still be almost indistinguishable during even a centuries-long transient phase. Given current human population levels, our study also supports the claim that besides reducing the global demand for energy, only the extensive use of renewable energies may pave the way into a sustainable future.

Small Spacecraft System-Level Design and Optimization for Interplanetary Trajectories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spangelo, Sara; Dalle, Derek; Longmier, Ben

2014-01-01

The feasibility of an interplanetary mission for a CubeSat, a type of miniaturized spacecraft, that uses an emerging technology, the CubeSat Ambipolar Thruster (CAT) is investigated. CAT is a large delta-V propulsion system that uses a high-density plasma source that has been miniaturized for small spacecraft applications. An initial feasibility assessment that demonstrated escaping Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and achieving Earth-escape trajectories with a 3U CubeSat and this thruster technology was demonstrated in previous work. We examine a mission architecture with a trajectory that begins in Earth orbits such as LEO and Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) which escapes Earth orbit and travels to Mars, Jupiter, or Saturn. The goal was to minimize travel time to reach the destinations and considering trade-offs between spacecraft dry mass, fuel mass, and solar power array size. Sensitivities to spacecraft dry mass and available power are considered. CubeSats are extremely size, mass, and power constrained, and their subsystems are tightly coupled, limiting their performance potential. System-level modeling, simulation, and optimization approaches are necessary to find feasible and optimal operational solutions to ensure system-level interactions are modeled. Thus, propulsion, power/energy, attitude, and orbit transfer models are integrated to enable systems-level analysis and trades. The CAT technology broadens the possible missions achievable with small satellites. In particular, this technology enables more sophisticated maneuvers by small spacecraft such as polar orbit insertion from an equatorial orbit, LEO to GEO transfers, Earth-escape trajectories, and transfers to other interplanetary bodies. This work lays the groundwork for upcoming CubeSat launch opportunities and supports future development of interplanetary and constellation CubeSat and small satellite mission concepts.

Visions of tomorrow: A focus on national space transportation issues; Proceedings of the Twenty-fifth Goddard Memorial Symposium, Greenbelt, MD, Mar. 18-20, 1987

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soffen, Gerald A. (Editor)

1987-01-01

The present conference on U.S. space transportation systems development discusses opportunities for aerospace students in prospective military, civil, industrial, and scientific programs, current strategic conceptualization and program planning for future U.S. space transportation, the DOD space transportation plan, NASA space transportation plans, medium launch vehicle and commercial space launch services, the capabilities and availability of foreign launch vehicles, and the role of commercial space launch systems. Also discussed are available upper stage systems, future space transportation needs for space science and applications, the trajectory analysis of a low lift/drag-aeroassisted orbit transfer vehicle, possible replacements for the Space Shuttle, LEO to GEO with combined electric/beamed-microwave power from earth, the National Aerospace Plane, laser propulsion to earth orbit, and a performance analysis for a laser-powered SSTO vehicle.

ERISTAR: Earth Resources Information Storage, Transformation, Analysis, and Retrieval administrative report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vachon, R. I.; Obrien, J. F., Jr.; Lueg, R. E.; Cox, J. E.

1972-01-01

The 1972 Systems Engineering program at Marshall Space Flight Center where 15 participants representing 15 U.S. universities, 1 NASA/MSFC employee, and another specially assigned faculty member, participated in an 11-week program is discussed. The Fellows became acquainted with the philosophy of systems engineering, and as a training exercise, used this approach to produce a conceptional design for an Earth Resources Information Storage, Transformation, Analysis, and Retrieval System. The program was conducted in three phases; approximately 3 weeks were devoted to seminars, tours, and other presentations to subject the participants to technical and other aspects of the information management problem. The second phase, 5 weeks in length, consisted of evaluating alternative solutions to problems, effecting initial trade-offs and performing preliminary design studies and analyses. The last 3 weeks were occupied with final trade-off sessions, final design analyses and preparation of a final report and oral presentation.

Preliminary System Analysis of In Situ Resource Utilization for Mars Human Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rapp, Donald; Andringa, Jason; Easter, Robert; Smith, Jeffrey H .; Wilson, Thomas; Clark, D. Larry; Payne, Kevin

2005-01-01

We carried out a system analysis of processes for utilization of Mars resources to support human exploration of Mars by production of propellants from indigenous resources. Seven ISRU processes were analyzed to determine mass. power and propellant storage volume requirements. The major elements of each process include C02 acquisition, chemical conversion, and storage of propellants. Based on a figure of merit (the ratio of the mass of propellants that must be brought from Earth in a non-ISRU mission to the mass of the ISRU system. tanks and feedstocks that must be brought from Earth for a ISRU mission) the most attractive process (by far); is one where indigenous Mars water is accessible and this is processed via Sabatier/Electrolysis to methane and oxygen. These processes are technically relatively mature. Other processes with positive leverage involve reverse water gas shift and solid oxide electrolysis.

Orion Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, and Docking Design and Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

D'Souza, Christopher; Hanak, F. Chad; Spehar, Pete; Clark, Fred D.; Jackson, Mark

2007-01-01

The Orion vehicle will be required to perform rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking with the International Space Station (ISS) and the Earth Departure Stage (EDS)/Lunar Landing Vehicle (LLV) stack in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) as well as with the Lunar Landing Vehicle in Low Lunar Orbit (LLO). The RPOD system, which consists of sensors, actuators, and software is being designed to be flexible and robust enough to perform RPOD with different vehicles in different environments. This paper will describe the design and the analysis which has been performed to date to allow the vehicle to perform its mission. Since the RPOD design touches on many areas such as sensors selection and placement, trajectory design, navigation performance, and effector performance, it is inherently a systems design problem. This paper will address each of these issues in order to demonstrate how the Orion RPOD has been designed to accommodate and meet all the requirements levied on the system.

Ground penetrating radar antenna system analysis for prediction of earth material properties

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oden, C.P.; Wright, D.L.; Powers, M.H.; Olhoeft, G.

2005-01-01

The electrical properties of the ground directly beneath a ground penetrating radar (GPR) antenna very close to the earth's surface (ground-coupled) must be known in order to predict the antenna response. In order to investigate changing antenna response with varying ground properties, a series of finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations were made for a bi-static (fixed horizontal offset between transmitting and receiving antennas) antenna array over a homogeneous ground. We examine the viability of using an inversion algorithm based on the simulated received waveforms to estimate the material properties of the earth near the antennas. Our analysis shows that, for a constant antenna height above the earth, the amplitude of certain frequencies in the received signal can be used to invert for the permittivity and conductivity of the ground. Once the antenna response is known, then the wave field near the antenna can be determined and sharper images of the subsurface near the antenna can be made. ?? 2005 IEEE.

Wetlab-2 - Quantitative PCR Tools for Spaceflight Studies of Gene Expression Aboard the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schonfeld, Julie E.

2015-01-01

Wetlab-2 is a research platform for conducting real-time quantitative gene expression analysis aboard the International Space Station. The system enables spaceflight genomic studies involving a wide variety of biospecimen types in the unique microgravity environment of space. Currently, gene expression analyses of space flown biospecimens must be conducted post flight after living cultures or frozen or chemically fixed samples are returned to Earth from the space station. Post-flight analysis is limited for several reasons. First, changes in gene expression can be transient, changing over a timescale of minutes. The delay between sampling on Earth can range from days to months, and RNA may degrade during this period of time, even in fixed or frozen samples. Second, living organisms that return to Earth may quickly re-adapt to terrestrial conditions. Third, forces exerted on samples during reentry and return to Earth may affect results. Lastly, follow up experiments designed in response to post-flight results must wait for a new flight opportunity to be tested.

Estimation of the Ocean Skin Temperature using the NASA GEOS Atmospheric Data Assimilation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koster, Randal D.; Akella, Santha; Todling, Ricardo; Suarez, Max

2016-01-01

This report documents the status of the development of a sea surface temperature (SST) analysis for the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) Version-5 atmospheric data assimilation system (ADAS). Its implementation is part of the steps being taken toward the development of an integrated earth system analysis. Currently, GEOS-ADAS SST is a bulk ocean temperature (from ocean boundary conditions), and is almost identical to the skin sea surface temperature. Here we describe changes to the atmosphere-ocean interface layer of the GEOS-atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) to include near surface diurnal warming and cool-skin effects. We also added SST relevant Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) observations to the GEOS-ADAS observing system. We provide a detailed description of our analysis of these observations, along with the modifications to the interface between the GEOS atmospheric general circulation model, gridpoint statistical interpolation-based atmospheric analysis and the community radiative transfer model. Our experiments (with and without these changes) show improved assimilation of satellite radiance observations. We obtained a closer fit to withheld, in-situ buoys measuring near-surface SST. Evaluation of forecast skill scores corroborate improvements seen in the observation fits. Along with a discussion of our results, we also include directions for future work.

Interactive design and analysis of future large spacecraft concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garrett, L. B.

1981-01-01

An interactive computer aided design program used to perform systems level design and analysis of large spacecraft concepts is presented. Emphasis is on rapid design, analysis of integrated spacecraft, and automatic spacecraft modeling for lattice structures. Capabilities and performance of multidiscipline applications modules, the executive and data management software, and graphics display features are reviewed. A single user at an interactive terminal create, design, analyze, and conduct parametric studies of Earth orbiting spacecraft with relative ease. Data generated in the design, analysis, and performance evaluation of an Earth-orbiting large diameter antenna satellite are used to illustrate current capabilities. Computer run time statistics for the individual modules quantify the speed at which modeling, analysis, and design evaluation of integrated spacecraft concepts is accomplished in a user interactive computing environment.

Preliminary Design and Analysis of the GIFTS Instrument Pointing System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zomkowski, Paul P.

2003-01-01

The Geosynchronous Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (GIFTS) Instrument is the next generation spectrometer for remote sensing weather satellites. The GIFTS instrument will be used to perform scans of the Earth s atmosphere by assembling a series of field-of- views (FOV) into a larger pattern. Realization of this process is achieved by step scanning the instrument FOV in a contiguous fashion across any desired portion of the visible Earth. A 2.3 arc second pointing stability, with respect to the scanning instrument, must be maintained for the duration of the FOV scan. A star tracker producing attitude data at 100 Hz rate will be used by the autonomous pointing algorithm to precisely track target FOV s on the surface of the Earth. The main objective is to validate the pointing algorithm in the presence of spacecraft disturbances and determine acceptable disturbance limits from expected noise sources. Proof of concept validation of the pointing system algorithm is carried out with a full system simulation developed using Matlab Simulink. Models for the following components function within the full system simulation: inertial reference unit (IRU), attitude control system (ACS), reaction wheels, star tracker, and mirror controller. With the spacecraft orbital position and attitude maintained to within specified limits the pointing algorithm receives quaternion, ephemeris, and initialization data that are used to construct the required mirror pointing commands at a 100 Hz rate. This comprehensive simulation will also aid in obtaining a thorough understanding of spacecraft disturbances and other sources of pointing system errors. Parameter sensitivity studies and disturbance analysis will be used to obtain limits of operability for the GIFTS instrument. The culmination of this simulation development and analysis will be used to validate the specified performance requirements outlined for this instrument.

The Stuff of Other Worlds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stansbery, EIleen K.; Latner, Alexis Glynn

2000-01-01

Extraterrestrial material eternally rains down on Earth. Meteorites flare in the night sky. Cosmic rays plow into Earth's atmosphere, creating invisible bursts of secondary particles. These processes began when the Earth formed in the primordial solar system and have continued ever since, indifferent to the exceedingly recent presence of human intelligence. For us to seek out stuff of other worlds, in contrast, takes a great deal of determined ingenuity. First we have to send a spacecraft somewhere else in the solar system. Indigenous material has to be collected and then brought back to Earth without exposure to conditions that might significantly alter it. The material must undergo meaningful scientific analysis. Most important, part of the material is preserved intact for future investigations. Beginning with bringing back Moon rocks, and now moving onward in the form of new missions to capture the hot thin solar wind and cold thin atmosphere of comets, extraterrestrial sample return takes place on the cutting edge of scientific technology. Sample return is also the fulcrum of an energetic debate about how to do planetary science missions. Scientists and engineers are debating whether to rely on remote sensing and in situ analysis, or to plan missions to undertake sample return. The latter is definitely more expensive on a per mission basis, and is usually technologically more challenging. But for an initially high investment of money and technology, bringing the stuff of other worlds back to Earth yields an incomparable return in scientific results.

Spectral Estimation Techniques for time series with Long Gaps: Applications to Paleomagnetism and Geomagnetic Depth Sounding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith-Boughner, Lindsay

Many Earth systems cannot be studied directly. One cannot measure the velocities of convecting fluid in the Earth's core but can measure the magnetic field generated by these motions on the surface. Examining how the magnetic field changes over long periods of time, using power spectral density estimation provides insight into the dynamics driving the system. The changes in the magnetic field can also be used to study Earth properties - variations in magnetic fields outside of Earth like the ring-current induce currents to flow in the Earth, generating magnetic fields. Estimating the transfer function between the external changes and the induced response characterizes the electromagnetic response of the Earth. From this response inferences can be made about the electrical conductivity of the Earth. However, these types of time series, and many others have long breaks in the record with no samples available and limit the analysis. Standard methods require interpolation or section averaging, with associated problems of introducing bias or reducing the frequency resolution. Extending the methods of Fodor and Stark (2000), who adapt a set of orthogonal multi-tapers to compensate for breaks in sampling- an algorithm and software package for applying these techniques is developed. Methods of empirically estimating the average transfer function of a set of tapers and confidence intervals are also tested. These methods are extended for cross-spectral, coherence and transfer function estimation in the presence of noise. With these methods, new analysis of a highly interrupted ocean sediment core from the Oligocene (Hartl et al., 1993) reveals a quasi-periodic signal in the calibrated paleointensity time series at 2.5 cpMy. The power in the magnetic field during this period appears to be dominated by reversal rate processes with less overall power than the early Oligocene. Previous analysis of the early Oligocene by Constable et al. (1998) detected a signal near 8 cpMy. These results suggest that a strong magnetic field inhibits reversals and has more variability in shorter term field changes. Using over 9 years of data from the CHAMP low-Earth orbiting magnetic satellite and the techniques developed here, more robust estimates of the electromagnetic response of the Earth can be made. The tapers adapted for gaps provide flexibility to study the effects of local time, storm conditions on Earth's 1-D electromagnetic response as well as providing robust estimates of the C-response at longer periods than previous satellite studies.

Global water cycle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robertson, Franklin; Goodman, Steven J.; Christy, John R.; Fitzjarrald, Daniel E.; Chou, Shi-Hung; Crosson, William; Wang, Shouping; Ramirez, Jorge

1993-01-01

This research is the MSFC component of a joint MSFC/Pennsylvania State University Eos Interdisciplinary Investigation on the global water cycle extension across the earth sciences. The primary long-term objective of this investigation is to determine the scope and interactions of the global water cycle with all components of the Earth system and to understand how it stimulates and regulates change on both global and regional scales. Significant accomplishments in the past year are presented and include the following: (1) water vapor variability; (2) multi-phase water analysis; (3) global modeling; and (4) optimal precipitation and stream flow analysis and hydrologic processes.

A relativistic analysis of clock synchronization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, J. B.

1974-01-01

The relativistic conversion between coordinate time and atomic time is reformulated to allow simpler time calculations relating analysis in solar-system barycentric coordinates (using coordinate time) with earth-fixed observations (measuring earth-bound proper time or atomic time.) After an interpretation of terms, this simplified formulation, which has a rate accuracy of about 10 to the minus 15th power, is used to explain the conventions required in the synchronization of a world wide clock network and to analyze two synchronization techniques-portable clocks and radio interferometry. Finally, pertinent experiment tests of relativity are briefly discussed in terms of the reformulated time conversion.

Comparison of Spares Logistics Analysis Techniques for Long Duration Human Spaceflight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Owens, Andrew; de Weck, Olivier; Mattfeld, Bryan; Stromgren, Chel; Cirillo, William

2015-01-01

As the durations and distances involved in human exploration missions increase, the logistics associated with the repair and maintenance becomes more challenging. Whereas the operation of the International Space Station (ISS) depends upon regular resupply from the Earth, this paradigm may not be feasible for future missions. Longer mission durations result in higher probabilities of component failures as well as higher uncertainty regarding which components may fail, and longer distances from Earth increase the cost of resupply as well as the speed at which the crew can abort to Earth in the event of an emergency. As such, mission development efforts must take into account the logistics requirements associated with maintenance and spares. Accurate prediction of the spare parts demand for a given mission plan and how that demand changes as a result of changes to the system architecture enables full consideration of the lifecycle cost associated with different options. In this paper, we utilize a range of analysis techniques - Monte Carlo, semi-Markov, binomial, and heuristic - to examine the relationship between the mass of spares and probability of loss of function related to the Carbon Dioxide Removal System (CRS) for a notional, simplified mission profile. The Exploration Maintainability Analysis Tool (EMAT), developed at NASA Langley Research Center, is utilized for the Monte Carlo analysis. We discuss the implications of these results and the features and drawbacks of each method. In particular, we identify the limitations of heuristic methods for logistics analysis, and the additional insights provided by more in-depth techniques. We discuss the potential impact of system complexity on each technique, as well as their respective abilities to examine dynamic events. This work is the first step in an effort that will quantitatively examine how well these techniques handle increasingly more complex systems by gradually expanding the system boundary.

Building a cloud based distributed active archive data center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramachandran, Rahul; Baynes, Katie; Murphy, Kevin

2017-04-01

NASA's Earth Science Data System (ESDS) Program serves as a central cog in facilitating the implementation of NASA's Earth Science strategic plan. Since 1994, the ESDS Program has committed to the full and open sharing of Earth science data obtained from NASA instruments to all users. One of the key responsibilities of the ESDS Program is to continuously evolve the entire data and information system to maximize returns on the collected NASA data. An independent review was conducted in 2015 to holistically review the EOSDIS in order to identify gaps. The review recommendations were to investigate two areas: one, whether commercial cloud providers offer potential for storage, processing, and operational efficiencies, and two, the potential development of new data access and analysis paradigms. In response, ESDS has initiated several prototypes investigating the advantages and risks of leveraging cloud computing. This poster will provide an overview of one such prototyping activity, "Cumulus". Cumulus is being designed and developed as a "native" cloud-based data ingest, archive and management system that can be used for all future NASA Earth science data streams. The long term vision for Cumulus, its requirements, overall architecture, and implementation details, as well as lessons learned from the completion of the first phase of this prototype will be covered. We envision Cumulus will foster design of new analysis/visualization tools to leverage collocated data from all of the distributed DAACs as well as elastic cloud computing resources to open new research opportunities.

News and Views: Keep it down! AU becomes au, and is defined in metres; Kepler survey announces two planets in a binary star system; Is there plate tectonics on Mars? Vaporizing Earth - for research!

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2012-10-01

Division 1 of the IAU recommended that the astronomical unit - originally the length of the semi-major axis of the Earth's orbit - be redefined as a fixed number of kilometres. A team of observers using data from NASA's Kepler space observatory announced at the IAU General Assembly that they had discovered two planets orbiting a pair of binary stars, and that such planets could exist in the habitable zone of their system. The Red Planet has long been considered something of a dead planet as far as tectonic movements of its crust, but careful analysis of thermal and topographic images of the surface suggest the existence of major faults with horizontal slip along the Valles Marineris. The question of what would happen if Earth were to approach the Sun and start vaporizing has been modelled in order to help to model the composition of super-Earths.

Mission Analysis Program for Solar Electric Propulsion (MAPSEP). Volume 1: Analytical manual for earth orbital MAPSEP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

An introduction to the MAPSEP organization and a detailed analytical description of all models and algorithms are given. These include trajectory and error covariance propagation methods, orbit determination processes, thrust modeling, and trajectory correction (guidance) schemes. Earth orbital MAPSEP contains the capability of analyzing almost any currently projected low thrust mission from low earth orbit to super synchronous altitudes. Furthermore, MAPSEP is sufficiently flexible to incorporate extended dynamic models, alternate mission strategies, and almost any other system requirement imposed by the user. As in the interplanetary version, earth orbital MAPSEP represents a trade-off between precision modeling and computational speed consistent with defining necessary system requirements. It can be used in feasibility studies as well as in flight operational support. Pertinent operational constraints are available both implicitly and explicitly. However, the reader should be warned that because of program complexity, MAPSEP is only as good as the user and will quickly succumb to faulty user inputs.

Sensor Webs as Virtual Data Systems for Earth Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moe, K. L.; Sherwood, R.

2008-05-01

The NASA Earth Science Technology Office established a 3-year Advanced Information Systems Technology (AIST) development program in late 2006 to explore the technical challenges associated with integrating sensors, sensor networks, data assimilation and modeling components into virtual data systems called "sensor webs". The AIST sensor web program was initiated in response to a renewed emphasis on the sensor web concepts. In 2004, NASA proposed an Earth science vision for a more robust Earth observing system, coupled with remote sensing data analysis tools and advances in Earth system models. The AIST program is conducting the research and developing components to explore the technology infrastructure that will enable the visionary goals. A working statement for a NASA Earth science sensor web vision is the following: On-demand sensing of a broad array of environmental and ecological phenomena across a wide range of spatial and temporal scales, from a heterogeneous suite of sensors both in-situ and in orbit. Sensor webs will be dynamically organized to collect data, extract information from it, accept input from other sensor / forecast / tasking systems, interact with the environment based on what they detect or are tasked to perform, and communicate observations and results in real time. The focus on sensor webs is to develop the technology and prototypes to demonstrate the evolving sensor web capabilities. There are 35 AIST projects ranging from 1 to 3 years in duration addressing various aspects of sensor webs involving space sensors such as Earth Observing-1, in situ sensor networks such as the southern California earthquake network, and various modeling and forecasting systems. Some of these projects build on proof-of-concept demonstrations of sensor web capabilities like the EO-1 rapid fire response initially implemented in 2003. Other projects simulate future sensor web configurations to evaluate the effectiveness of sensor-model interactions for producing improved science predictions. Still other projects are maturing technology to support autonomous operations, communications and system interoperability. This paper will highlight lessons learned by various projects during the first half of the AIST program. Several sensor web demonstrations have been implemented and resulting experience with evolving standards, such as the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Sensor Web Enablement (SWE) among others, will be featured. The role of sensor webs in support of the intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations' Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) will also be discussed. The GEOSS vision is a distributed system of systems that builds on international components to supply observing and processing systems that are, in the whole, comprehensive, coordinated and sustained. Sensor web prototypes are under development to demonstrate how remote sensing satellite data, in situ sensor networks and decision support systems collaborate in applications of interest to GEO, such as flood monitoring. Furthermore, the international Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) has stepped up to the challenge to provide the space-based systems component for GEOSS. CEOS has proposed "virtual constellations" to address emerging data gaps in environmental monitoring, avoid overlap among observing systems, and make maximum use of existing space and ground assets. Exploratory applications that support the objectives of virtual constellations will also be discussed as a future role for sensor webs.

Customer premise service study for 30/20 GHz satellite system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Milton, R. T.; Ross, D. P.; Harcar, A. R.; Freedenberg, P.; Schoen, D.

1983-01-01

Satellite systems in which the space segment operates in the 30/20 GHz frequency band are defined and compared as to their potential for providing various types of communications services to customer premises and the economic and technical feasibility of doing so. Technical tasks performed include: market postulation, definition of the ground segment, definition of the space segment, definition of the integrated satellite system, service costs for satellite systems, sensitivity analysis, and critical technology. Based on an analysis of market data, a sufficiently large market for services is projected so as to make the system economically viable. A large market, and hence a high capacity satellite system, is found to be necessary to minimize service costs, i.e., economy of scale is found to hold. The wide bandwidth expected to be available in the 30/20 GHz band, along with frequency reuse which further increases the effective system bandwidth, makes possible the high capacity system. Extensive ground networking is required in most systems to both connect users into the system and to interconnect Earth stations to provide spatial diversity. Earth station spatial diversity is found to be a cost effective means of compensating the large fading encountered in the 30/20 GHz operating band.

Time series of low-degree geopotential coefficients from SLR data: estimation of Earth's figure axis and LOD variations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luceri, V.; Sciarretta, C.; Bianco, G.

2012-12-01

The redistribution of the mass within the earth system induces changes in the Earth's gravity field. In particular, the second-degree geopotential coefficients reflect the behaviour of the Earth's inertia tensor of order 2, describing the main mass variations of our planet impacting the EOPs. Thanks to the long record of accurate and continuous laser ranging observations to Lageos and other geodetic satellites, SLR is the only current space technique capable to monitor the long time variability of the Earth's gravity field with adequate accuracy. Time series of low-degree geopotential coefficients are estimated with our analysis of SLR data (spanning more than 25 years) from several geodetic satellites in order to detect trends and periodic variations related to tidal effects and atmospheric/oceanic mass variations. This study is focused on the variations of the second-degree Stokes coefficients related to the Earth's principal figure axis and oblateness: C21, S21 and C20. On the other hand, surface mass load variations induce excitations in the EOPs that are proportional to the same second-degree coefficients. The time series of direct estimates of low degree geopotential and those derived from the EOP excitation functions are compared and presented together with their time and frequency analysis.

Development and Commercialization of the Lunar Solar Power System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Criswell, D. R.

2002-01-01

The proposed Lunar Solar Power (LSP) System consists of pairs of power bases located on opposite limbs of the Moon as seen from Earth. The power bases collect the solar energy and convert it to beams of microwaves. The microwaves are delivered directly to moonward-facing receivers on Earth or indirectly through relay satellites in orbit about Earth (1, 2, 3, 4). The LSP System may be the only reasonable method for establishing sustainable global energy prosperity within two generations. Commercial power prosperity requires at least 2 kWe/person. For ten billion people this implies 20 TWe and 2,000 TWe-y of electric energy or ~6,000 TWt-y of thermal energy per century (5, 6, 7, 8). A brief overview is presented of a reference LSP System that supplies 20 TWe by 2050. The engineering scales and the cost and benefits of this system are described. In order to provide low cost commercial electric energy, the power bases are made primarily of local lunar materials by machines, facilities, and people deployed from Earth (1, 2, 3). In addition, lunar production machinery can be made primarily from lunar materials. Advantages of this approach, versus the reference LSP System, are discussed. Full-scale production of a LSP System will certainly be proceeded by terrestrial and lunar operation of the production machinery and a small-scale demonstration of the operational system (1). Using government funds to establishing a permanent lunar base and the associated transportation system would significantly reduce the upfront cost for the demonstration of a commercial LSP System (2). The government program would provide a legal framework for commercial development of the LSP System (3, 9). The LSP System offers the opportunity to establish a materials industry on the Moon that can produce a growing mass and variety of goods and enable new services of benefit on the Earth and the Moon (10). New priorities are suggested for civilian space programs that can accelerate the establishment of a demonstration LSP System and growing commercialization of the Moon and cis-lunar space. 1. Criswell, David R. (2001) Lunar Solar Power System: Industrial Research, Development, and Demonstration, Session 1.2.2: Hydroelectricity, Nuclear Energy and New Renewables, 18th World Energy Congress. [http://www.wec.co.ukin the Congress Papers, Discussion Sessions] 2. Criswell, D. R. and Waldron, R. D. 1993. International Lunar Base and Lunar-based Power System to Supply Earth with Electric Power, Acta Astronautica, Vol. 29, No. 6, pp. 469-480. Pergamon Press Ltd. 3. NASA TASK FORCE. 1989 (July) Report of NASA Lunar Energy Enterprise Case Study Task Force. NASA Technical Memo 101652. 163pp. NASA Headquarters, Office of Exploration (Code Z), Washington, D.C. 20546. 4. Moore, T. (2000, Spring) "Renewed interest in space solar power," EPRI Journal, pp. 6-17. 5. World Energy Council (2000) Energy for Tomorrow's World - Acting Now!, 175pp., Atalink Projects Ltd, London. 6. Criswell, David R. (2002) Energy Prosperity within the 21st Century and Beyond: Options and the Unique Roles of the Sun and the Moon. Chapter 9: Innovative Solutions To CO2 Stabilization, R. Watts (editor), Cambridge Un. Press 7. Strong, Maurice (2001) Where on Earth are We Going?, (See p. 351-352), 419pp., Random House (forward by Kofi Annan) 8. Criswell, D. R. and Thompson, R. G. (1996), "Data envelopment analysis of space and terrestrial-based large scale commercial power systems for Earth: A prototype analysis of their relative economic advantages," Solar Energy, 56, No. 1: 119-131. 9 ILEWG (1997), Proc. 2nd International Lunar Workshop, organized by: International Lunar Exploration Working Group, Inst. Space and Astronautical Science, and National Space Development Agency of Japan, Kyoto, Japan, (October 14 - 17), 89pp. 10. Criswell, D.R. 2000 (October) Commercial power for Earth and lunar industrial development, 7pp., 51st Congress of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF). (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). Paper #IAA-00-IAA.13.2.06.

What Do We Mean By Sensitivity Analysis? The Need For A Comprehensive Characterization Of Sensitivity In Earth System Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razavi, S.; Gupta, H. V.

2014-12-01

Sensitivity analysis (SA) is an important paradigm in the context of Earth System model development and application, and provides a powerful tool that serves several essential functions in modelling practice, including 1) Uncertainty Apportionment - attribution of total uncertainty to different uncertainty sources, 2) Assessment of Similarity - diagnostic testing and evaluation of similarities between the functioning of the model and the real system, 3) Factor and Model Reduction - identification of non-influential factors and/or insensitive components of model structure, and 4) Factor Interdependence - investigation of the nature and strength of interactions between the factors, and the degree to which factors intensify, cancel, or compensate for the effects of each other. A variety of sensitivity analysis approaches have been proposed, each of which formally characterizes a different "intuitive" understanding of what is meant by the "sensitivity" of one or more model responses to its dependent factors (such as model parameters or forcings). These approaches are based on different philosophies and theoretical definitions of sensitivity, and range from simple local derivatives and one-factor-at-a-time procedures to rigorous variance-based (Sobol-type) approaches. In general, each approach focuses on, and identifies, different features and properties of the model response and may therefore lead to different (even conflicting) conclusions about the underlying sensitivity. This presentation revisits the theoretical basis for sensitivity analysis, and critically evaluates existing approaches so as to demonstrate their flaws and shortcomings. With this background, we discuss several important properties of response surfaces that are associated with the understanding and interpretation of sensitivity. Finally, a new approach towards global sensitivity assessment is developed that is consistent with important properties of Earth System model response surfaces.

Evaluation of an earth heated bridge deck.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1984-04-01

The design, construction, performance and analysis of the first ground heat pipe : system to heat an entire bridge deck are detailed. Each of the sixty heat pipes in : this system is comprised of a 6 em (2.4") diameter, 31 m (lOO')_long vertical grou...

Satellite nuclear power station: An engineering analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, J. R.; Clement, J. D.; Rosa, R. J.; Kirby, K. D.; Yang, Y. Y.

1973-01-01

A nuclear-MHD power plant system which uses a compact non-breeder reactor to produce power in the multimegawatt range is analyzed. It is shown that, operated in synchronous orbit, the plant would transmit power safely to the ground by a microwave beam. Fuel reprocessing would take place in space, and no radioactive material would be returned to earth. Even the effect of a disastrous accident would have negligible effect on earth. A hydrogen moderated gas core reactor, or a colloid-core, or NERVA type reactor could also be used. The system is shown to approach closely the ideal of economical power without pollution.

Lunar far side sample return missions using the Soviet Luna system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, P. H., Jr.

1977-01-01

The paper assesses the feasibility of using the Soviet Lunar Sample Return vehicle in cooperation with the United States to return a sample of lunar soil from the far side of the moon. Analysis of the orbital mechanics of the Luna system shows how landing sites are restricted on the moon. The trajectory model is used to duplicate the 3 Luna missions flown to date and the results compared to actual Soviet data. The existence of suitable trajectories for the earth return trip is assessed, including landing dispersions at earth. Several possible areas of technical difficulty are identified.

Balloon-Borne Full-Column Greenhouse Gas Profiling Field Campaign Report

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

Fischer, Marc L

The vertical distributions of CO2, CH4, and other gases provide important constraints for the determination of terrestrial and ocean sources and sinks of carbon and other biogeochemical processes in the Earth system. The DOE Biological and Environmental Research Program (DOE-BER) and the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory (NOAA-ESRL) collaborate to quantify the vertically resolved distribution of atmospheric carbon-cycle gases (CO2, and CH4) within approximately 99% of the atmospheric column at the DOE ARM Southern Great Plains Facility in Oklahoma. In 2015, flights were delayed while research at NOAA focused on evaluating sources of systematic errors in the gas collection andmore » analysis system and modifying the sampling system to provide duplicate air samples in a single flight package. In 2017, we look forward to proposing additional sampling and analysis at ARM-SGP (and other sites) that characterize the vertical distribution of CO2 and CH4 over time and space.« less

Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Systems Engineering Office (SEO). Ocean Surface Topography (OST) Workshop, Ruedesheim an Rhein, Germany. [CEOS SEO Status Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Killough, Brian D., Jr.

2008-01-01

The CEOS Systems Engineering Office will present a 2007 status report of the CEOS constellation process, present a new systems engineering framework, and analysis results from the GEO Societal Benefit Area (SBA) assessment and the OST constellation requirements assessment.

Radiometric assessment method for diffraction effects in hyperspectral imagers applied to the earth explorer #8 mission candidate flex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berlich, R.; Harnisch, B.

2017-11-01

An accurate stray light analysis represents a crucial part in the early design phase of hyperspectral imaging systems, since scattering effects can severely limit the radiometric accuracy performance. In addition to conventional contributors including ghost images and surface scattering, i.e. caused by a residual surface micro-roughness and particle contamination, diffraction effects can result in significant radiometric errors in the spatial and spectral domain of pushbroom scanners. In this paper, we present a mathematical approach that efficiently evaluates these diffraction effects based on a Fourier analysis. It is shown that considering the conventional diffraction at the systems entrance pupil only, significantly overestimates the stray light contribution. In fact, a correct assessment necessitates taking into account the joint influence of the entrance pupil, the spectrometer slit as well as the dispersion element. We quantitatively investigate the corresponding impact on the Instrument Spectral Response Function (ISRF) of the Earth Explorer #8 Mission Candidate FLEX and analyse the expected radiometric error distribution for a typical earth observation scenario requirement.

Total chemical management in photographic processing

USGS Publications Warehouse

Luden, Charles; Schultz, Ronald

1985-01-01

The mission of the U. S. Geological Survey's Earth Resources Observation Systems (EROS) Data Center is to produce high-quality photographs of the earth taken from aircraft and Landsat satellite. In order to meet the criteria of producing research-quality photographs, while at the same time meeting strict environmental restrictions, a total photographic chemical management system was installed. This involved a three-part operation consisting of the design of a modern chemical analysis laboratory, the implementation of a chemical regeneration system, and the installation of a waste treatment system, including in-plant pretreatment and outside secondary waste treatment. Over the last ten years the result of this program has yielded high-quality photographs while saving approximately 30,000 per year and meeting all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) restrictions.

CEOS SEO and GISS Meeting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Killough, Brian; Stover, Shelley

2008-01-01

The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) provides a brief to the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) regarding the CEOS Systems Engineering Office (SEO) and current work on climate requirements and analysis. A "system framework" is provided for the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). SEO climate-related tasks are outlined including the assessment of essential climate variable (ECV) parameters, use of the "systems framework" to determine relevant informational products and science models and the performance of assessments and gap analyses of measurements and missions for each ECV. Climate requirements, including instruments and missions, measurements, knowledge and models, and decision makers, are also outlined. These requirements would establish traceability from instruments to products and services allowing for benefit evaluation of instruments and measurements. Additionally, traceable climate requirements would provide a better understanding of global climate models.

GEOS Atmospheric Model: Challenges at Exascale

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Putman, William M.; Suarez, Max J.

2017-01-01

The Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) model at NASA's Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) is used to simulate the multi-scale variability of the Earth's weather and climate, and is used primarily to assimilate conventional and satellite-based observations for weather forecasting and reanalysis. In addition, assimilations coupled to an ocean model are used for longer-term forecasting (e.g., El Nino) on seasonal to interannual times-scales. The GMAO's research activities, including system development, focus on numerous time and space scales, as detailed on the GMAO website, where they are tabbed under five major themes: Weather Analysis and Prediction; Seasonal-Decadal Analysis and Prediction; Reanalysis; Global Mesoscale Modeling, and Observing System Science. A brief description of the GEOS systems can also be found at the GMAO website. GEOS executes as a collection of earth system components connected through the Earth System Modeling Framework (ESMF). The ESMF layer is supplemented with the MAPL (Modeling, Analysis, and Prediction Layer) software toolkit developed at the GMAO, which facilitates the organization of the computational components into a hierarchical architecture. GEOS systems run in parallel using a horizontal decomposition of the Earth's sphere into processing elements (PEs). Communication between PEs is primarily through a message passing framework, using the message passing interface (MPI), and through explicit use of node-level shared memory access via the SHMEM (Symmetric Hierarchical Memory access) protocol. Production GEOS weather prediction systems currently run at 12.5-kilometer horizontal resolution with 72 vertical levels decomposed into PEs associated with 5,400 MPI processes. Research GEOS systems run at resolutions as fine as 1.5 kilometers globally using as many as 30,000 MPI processes. Looking forward, these systems can be expected to see a 2 times increase in horizontal resolution every two to three years, as well as less frequent increases in vertical resolution. Coupling these resolution changes with increases in complexity, the computational demands on the GEOS production and research systems should easily increase 100-fold over the next five years. Currently, our 12.5 kilometer weather prediction system narrowly meets the time-to-solution demands of a near-real-time production system. Work is now in progress to take advantage of a hybrid MPI-OpenMP parallelism strategy, in an attempt to achieve a modest two-fold speed-up to accommodate an immediate demand due to increased scientific complexity and an increase in vertical resolution. Pursuing demands that require a 10- to 100-fold increases or more, however, would require a detailed exploration of the computational profile of GEOS, as well as targeted solutions using more advanced high-performance computing technologies. Increased computing demands of 100-fold will be required within five years based on anticipated changes in the GEOS production systems, increases of 1000-fold can be anticipated over the next ten years.

LARGE SCALE DISASTER ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT: SYSTEM LEVEL STUDY ON AN INTEGRATED MODEL

EPA Science Inventory

The increasing intensity and scale of human activity across the globe leading to severe depletion and deterioration of the Earth's natural resources has meant that sustainability has emerged as a new paradigm of analysis and management. Sustainability, conceptually defined by the...

Strategy for earth explorers in global earth sciences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

The goal of the current NASA Earth System Science initiative is to obtain a comprehensive scientific understanding of the Earth as an integrated, dynamic system. The centerpiece of the Earth System Science initiative will be a set of instruments carried on polar orbiting platforms under the Earth Observing System program. An Earth Explorer program can open new vistas in the earth sciences, encourage innovation, and solve critical scientific problems. Specific missions must be rigorously shaped by the demands and opportunities of high quality science and must complement the Earth Observing System and the Mission to Planet Earth. The committee believes that the proposed Earth Explorer program provides a substantial opportunity for progress in the earth sciences, both through independent missions and through missions designed to complement the large scale platforms and international research programs that represent important national commitments. The strategy presented is intended to help ensure the success of the Earth Explorer program as a vital stimulant to the study of the planet.

Mission Analysis for Multiple Rendezvous of Near-Earth Asteroids Using Earth Gravity Assist

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

devices. Finding solutions with this approach leads to a quicker timeline for possible missions since one does not have to wait for the propulsion...in this research. The discussion focuses on their approach to the problem and the applicability to this research. The headings are the titles of... approach the problem utilizing conventional impulsive thrust propulsion systems and utilize data presented from the JPL website for locating the

GOATS Image Projection Component

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haber, Benjamin M.; Green, Joseph J.

2011-01-01

When doing mission analysis and design of an imaging system in orbit around the Earth, answering the fundamental question of imaging performance requires an understanding of the image products that will be produced by the imaging system. GOATS software represents a series of MATLAB functions to provide for geometric image projections. Unique features of the software include function modularity, a standard MATLAB interface, easy-to-understand first-principles-based analysis, and the ability to perform geometric image projections of framing type imaging systems. The software modules are created for maximum analysis utility, and can all be used independently for many varied analysis tasks, or used in conjunction with other orbit analysis tools.

UNH Data Cooperative: A Cyber Infrastructure for Earth System Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braswell, B. H.; Fekete, B. M.; Prusevich, A.; Gliden, S.; Magill, A.; Vorosmarty, C. J.

2007-12-01

Earth system scientists and managers have a continuously growing demand for a wide array of earth observations derived from various data sources including (a) modern satellite retrievals, (b) "in-situ" records, (c) various simulation outputs, and (d) assimilated data products combining model results with observational records. The sheer quantity of data, and formatting inconsistencies make it difficult for users to take full advantage of this important information resource. Thus the system could benefit from a thorough retooling of our current data processing procedures and infrastructure. Emerging technologies, like OPeNDAP and OGC map services, open standard data formats (NetCDF, HDF) data cataloging systems (NASA-Echo, Global Change Master Directory, etc.) are providing the basis for a new approach in data management and processing, where web- services are increasingly designed to serve computer-to-computer communications without human interactions and complex analysis can be carried out over distributed computer resources interconnected via cyber infrastructure. The UNH Earth System Data Collaborative is designed to utilize the aforementioned emerging web technologies to offer new means of access to earth system data. While the UNH Data Collaborative serves a wide array of data ranging from weather station data (Climate Portal) to ocean buoy records and ship tracks (Portsmouth Harbor Initiative) to land cover characteristics, etc. the underlaying data architecture shares common components for data mining and data dissemination via web-services. Perhaps the most unique element of the UNH Data Cooperative's IT infrastructure is its prototype modeling environment for regional ecosystem surveillance over the Northeast corridor, which allows the integration of complex earth system model components with the Cooperative's data services. While the complexity of the IT infrastructure to perform complex computations is continuously increasing, scientists are often forced to spend considerable amount of time to solve basic data management and preprocessing tasks and deal with low level computational design problems like parallelization of model codes. Our modeling infrastructure is designed to take care the bulk of the common tasks found in complex earth system models like I/O handling, computational domain and time management, parallel execution of the modeling tasks, etc. The modeling infrastructure allows scientists to focus on the numerical implementation of the physical processes on a single computational objects(typically grid cells) while the framework takes care of the preprocessing of input data, establishing of the data exchange between computation objects and the execution of the science code. In our presentation, we will discuss the key concepts of our modeling infrastructure. We will demonstrate integration of our modeling framework with data services offered by the UNH Earth System Data Collaborative via web interfaces. We will layout the road map to turn our prototype modeling environment into a truly community framework for wide range of earth system scientists and environmental managers.

Space and Earth Sciences, Computer Systems, and Scientific Data Analysis Support, Volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estes, Ronald H. (Editor)

1993-01-01

This Final Progress Report covers the specific technical activities of Hughes STX Corporation for the last contract triannual period of 1 June through 30 Sep. 1993, in support of assigned task activities at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). It also provides a brief summary of work throughout the contract period of performance on each active task. Technical activity is presented in Volume 1, while financial and level-of-effort data is presented in Volume 2. Technical support was provided to all Division and Laboratories of Goddard's Space Sciences and Earth Sciences Directorates. Types of support include: scientific programming, systems programming, computer management, mission planning, scientific investigation, data analysis, data processing, data base creation and maintenance, instrumentation development, and management services. Mission and instruments supported include: ROSAT, Astro-D, BBXRT, XTE, AXAF, GRO, COBE, WIND, UIT, SMM, STIS, HEIDI, DE, URAP, CRRES, Voyagers, ISEE, San Marco, LAGEOS, TOPEX/Poseidon, Pioneer-Venus, Galileo, Cassini, Nimbus-7/TOMS, Meteor-3/TOMS, FIFE, BOREAS, TRMM, AVHRR, and Landsat. Accomplishments include: development of computing programs for mission science and data analysis, supercomputer applications support, computer network support, computational upgrades for data archival and analysis centers, end-to-end management for mission data flow, scientific modeling and results in the fields of space and Earth physics, planning and design of GSFC VO DAAC and VO IMS, fabrication, assembly, and testing of mission instrumentation, and design of mission operations center.

Spacecraft formation keeping near the libration points of the Sun-Earth/Moon system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchand, Belinda G.

Multi-spacecraft formations, evolving near the vicinity of the libration points of the Sun-Earth/Moon system, have drawn increased interest for a variety of applications. This is particularly true for space based interferometry missions such as Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) and the Micro Arcsecond X-Ray Imaging Mission (MAXIM). Recent studies in formation flight have focused, primarily, on the control of formations that evolve in the immediate vicinity of the Earth. However, the unique dynamical structure near the libration points requires that the effectiveness and feasibility of these methods be re-examined. The present study is divided into two main topics. First, a dynamical systems approach is employed to develop a better understanding of the natural uncontrolled formation dynamics in this region of space. The focus is formations that evolve near halo orbits and Lissajous trajectories, near the L1 and L2 libration points of the Sun-Earth/Moon system. This leads to the development of a Floquet controller designed to simplify the process of identifying naturally existing formations as well as the associated stable manifolds for deployment. The initial analysis is presented in the Circular Restricted Three-Body Problem, but the results are later transitioned into the more complete Ephemeris model. The next subject of interest in this investigation is non-natural formations. That is, formations that are not consistent with the natural dynamical flow near the libration points. Mathematically, precise formation keeping of a given nominal configuration requires continuous control. Hence, a detailed analysis is presented to contrast the effectiveness and issues associated with linear optimal control and feedback linearization methods. Of course, continuous operation of the thrusters, may not represent a feasible option for a particular mission. If discrete formation keeping is implemented, however, the formation keeping goal will be subject to increased tracking errors relative to the nominal path. With this in mind, the final phase of the analysis presented here is centered on discrete formation keeping. The initial analysis is devoted to both linear state and radial targeters. The results from these two methodologies are later employed as a starting solution for an optimal impulsive control algorithm.

Managing Sustainable Data Infrastructures: The Gestalt of EOSDIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behnke, J.; Lindsay, F. E.; Lowe, D. R.; Mitchell, A. E.; Lynnes, C.

2016-12-01

NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) has been a central component of the NASA Earth observation program since the 1990's. The data collected by NASA's remote sensing instruments represent a significant public investment in research. EOSDIS provides free and open access to this data to a worldwide public research community. From the very beginning, EOSDIS was conceived as a system built on partnerships between NASA Centers, US agencies and academia. EOSDIS manages a wide range of Earth science discipline data that include cryosphere, land cover change, polar processes, field campaigns, ocean surface, digital elevation, atmosphere dynamics and composition, and inter-disciplinary research, among many others. Over the years, EOSDIS has evolved to support increasingly complex and diverse NASA Earth Science data collections. EOSDIS epitomizes a System of Systems, whose many varied and distributed parts are integrated into a single, highly functional organized science data system. A distributed architecture was adopted to ensure discipline-specific support for the science data, while also leveraging standards and establishing policies and tools to enable interdisciplinary research, and analysis across multiple scientific instruments. The EOSDIS is composed of system elements such as geographically distributed archive centers used to manage the stewardship of data. The infrastructure consists of underlying capabilities/connections that enable the primary system elements to function together. For example, one key infrastructure component is the common metadata repository, which enables discovery of all data within the EOSDIS system. . EOSDIS employs processes and standards to ensure partners can work together effectively, and provide coherent services to users. While the separation into domain-specific science archives helps to manage the wide variety of missions and datasets, the common services and practices serve to knit the overall system together into a coherent whole, with sharing of data, metadata, information and software making EOSDIS more than the simple sum of its parts. This paper will describe those parts and how the whole system works together to deliver Earth science data to millions of users.

Study of on-board compression of earth resources data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Habibi, A.

1975-01-01

The current literature on image bandwidth compression was surveyed and those methods relevant to compression of multispectral imagery were selected. Typical satellite multispectral data was then analyzed statistically and the results used to select a smaller set of candidate bandwidth compression techniques particularly relevant to earth resources data. These were compared using both theoretical analysis and simulation, under various criteria of optimality such as mean square error (MSE), signal-to-noise ratio, classification accuracy, and computational complexity. By concatenating some of the most promising techniques, three multispectral data compression systems were synthesized which appear well suited to current and future NASA earth resources applications. The performance of these three recommended systems was then examined in detail by all of the above criteria. Finally, merits and deficiencies were summarized and a number of recommendations for future NASA activities in data compression proposed.

MultiSpec—a tool for multispectral hyperspectral image data analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biehl, Larry; Landgrebe, David

2002-12-01

MultiSpec is a multispectral image data analysis software application. It is intended to provide a fast, easy-to-use means for analysis of multispectral image data, such as that from the Landsat, SPOT, MODIS or IKONOS series of Earth observational satellites, hyperspectral data such as that from the Airborne Visible-Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) and EO-1 Hyperion satellite system or the data that will be produced by the next generation of Earth observational sensors. The primary purpose for the system was to make new, otherwise complex analysis tools available to the general Earth science community. It has also found use in displaying and analyzing many other types of non-space related digital imagery, such as medical image data and in K-12 and university level educational activities. MultiSpec has been implemented for both the Apple Macintosh ® and Microsoft Windows ® operating systems (OS). The effort was first begun on the Macintosh OS in 1988. The GLOBE ( http://www.globe.gov) program supported the development of a subset of MultiSpec for the Windows OS in 1995. Since then most (but not all) of the features in the Macintosh OS version have been ported to the Windows OS version. Although copyrighted, MultiSpec with its documentation is distributed without charge. The Macintosh and Windows versions and documentation on its use are available from the World Wide Web at URL: http://dynamo.ecn.purdue.edu/˜biehl/MultiSpec/ MultiSpec is copyrighted (1991-2001) by Purdue Research Foundation, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907.

Building sector feedbacks lead to increased energy demands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartin, C.; Link, R. P.; Patel, P.; Horowitz, R.; Clarke, L.; Mundra, A.

2017-12-01

Typically in human-earth system modeling studies, feedbacks between the earth and human systems are analyzed by passing information between independent models, leading to data errors and poor reproducibility. In this study we explore the two-way feedbacks between the human and earth systems in the building sector of GCAM, an integrated assessment model and, its fully-integrated climate component, Hector. While there is a general agreement in the literature that increasing temperatures will increase cooling energy demands and decrease heating energy demands, there has been no fully-coupled analysis of this dynamic that would, for example, account for the feedbacks on hydrofluorocarbons from increased cooling demands. Using a statistical relationship between global mean temperature change and heating and cooling degree days, we find that the feedbacks on hydrofluorocarbons lead to an increase in global mean temperature of between 0.16 to 0.27 °C in 2100. Demands for electricity increase by about 10% in Africa, while demands decrease in Canada by about 3.0% when taking into account these feedbacks. While the feedbacks between building energy demand and global mean temperature are modest by themselves, this study prompts future research on coupled human-earth system feedbacks, in particular in regards to land, water, and other energy infrastructure.

Space Weather and the State of Cardiovascular System of a Healthy Human Being

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samsonov, S. N.; Manykina, V. I.; Krymsky, G. F.; Petrova, P. G.; Palshina, A. M.; Vishnevsky, V. V.

The term "space weather" characterizes a state of the near-Earth environmental space. An organism of human being represents an open system so the change of conditions in the environment including the near-Earth environmental space influences the health state of a human being.In recent years many works devoted to the effect of space weather on the life on the Earth, and the degree of such effect has been represented from a zero-order up to apocalypse. To reveal a real effect of space weather on the health of human being the international Russian- Ukrainian experiment "Geliomed" is carried out since 2005 (http://geliomed.immsp.kiev.ua) [Vishnevsky et al., 2009]. The analysis of observational set of data has allowed to show a synchronism and globality of such effect (simultaneous manifestation of space weather parameters in a state of cardiovascular system of volunteer groups removed from each other at a distance over 6000 km). The response of volunteer' cardiovascular system to the changes of space weather parameters were observed even at insignificant values of the Earth's geomagnetic field. But even at very considerable disturbances of space weather parameters a human being healthy did not feel painful symptoms though measurements of objective physiological indices showed their changes.

An Analysis of Sources of Technological Change in Efficiency Improvement of Fluorescent Lamp Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imanaka, Takeo

In Japan, energy efficient fluorescent lamp systems which use “rare-earth phosphors” and “electronic ballasts” have shown rapid diffusion since 1990s. This report investigated sources of technological change in the efficiency improvement of fluorescent lamp systems: (i) Fluorescent lamp and luminaires have been under steady technological development for getting more energy efficient lighting and the concepts to achieve high efficiency had been found in such activities; however, it took long time until they realized and become widely used; (ii) Electronic ballasts and rare-earth phosphors add fluorescent lamp systems not only energy efficiency but also various values such as compactness, lightweight, higher output, and better color rendering properties, which have also been expected and have induced research and development (R&D) (iii) Affordable electronic ballasts are realized by the new technology “power MOSFET” which is based on IC technologies and has been developed for large markets of information and communication technologies and mobile devices; and (iv) Rare-earth phosphors became available after rare-earth industries developed for the purpose of supplying rare-earth phosphors for color television. In terms of sources of technological change, (i) corresponds to “R&D” aiming at the particular purpose i.e. energy efficiency in this case, on the other hand, (ii), (iii), and (iv) correspond to “spillovers” from activities aiming at other purposes. This case exhibits an actual example in which “spillovers” were the critical sources of technological change in energy technology.

Google Earth Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorelick, Noel

2013-04-01

The Google Earth Engine platform is a system designed to enable petabyte-scale, scientific analysis and visualization of geospatial datasets. Earth Engine provides a consolidated environment including a massive data catalog co-located with thousands of computers for analysis. The user-friendly front-end provides a workbench environment to allow interactive data and algorithm development and exploration and provides a convenient mechanism for scientists to share data, visualizations and analytic algorithms via URLs. The Earth Engine data catalog contains a wide variety of popular, curated datasets, including the world's largest online collection of Landsat scenes (> 2.0M), numerous MODIS collections, and many vector-based data sets. The platform provides a uniform access mechanism to a variety of data types, independent of their bands, projection, bit-depth, resolution, etc..., facilitating easy multi-sensor analysis. Additionally, a user is able to add and curate their own data and collections. Using a just-in-time, distributed computation model, Earth Engine can rapidly process enormous quantities of geo-spatial data. All computation is performed lazily; nothing is computed until it's required either for output or as input to another step. This model allows real-time feedback and preview during algorithm development, supporting a rapid algorithm development, test, and improvement cycle that scales seamlessly to large-scale production data processing. Through integration with a variety of other services, Earth Engine is able to bring to bear considerable analytic and technical firepower in a transparent fashion, including: AI-based classification via integration with Google's machine learning infrastructure, publishing and distribution at Google scale through integration with the Google Maps API, Maps Engine and Google Earth, and support for in-the-field activities such as validation, ground-truthing, crowd-sourcing and citizen science though the Android Open Data Kit.

Google Earth Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorelick, N.

2012-12-01

The Google Earth Engine platform is a system designed to enable petabyte-scale, scientific analysis and visualization of geospatial datasets. Earth Engine provides a consolidated environment including a massive data catalog co-located with thousands of computers for analysis. The user-friendly front-end provides a workbench environment to allow interactive data and algorithm development and exploration and provides a convenient mechanism for scientists to share data, visualizations and analytic algorithms via URLs. The Earth Engine data catalog contains a wide variety of popular, curated datasets, including the world's largest online collection of Landsat scenes (> 2.0M), numerous MODIS collections, and many vector-based data sets. The platform provides a uniform access mechanism to a variety of data types, independent of their bands, projection, bit-depth, resolution, etc..., facilitating easy multi-sensor analysis. Additionally, a user is able to add and curate their own data and collections. Using a just-in-time, distributed computation model, Earth Engine can rapidly process enormous quantities of geo-spatial data. All computation is performed lazily; nothing is computed until it's required either for output or as input to another step. This model allows real-time feedback and preview during algorithm development, supporting a rapid algorithm development, test, and improvement cycle that scales seamlessly to large-scale production data processing. Through integration with a variety of other services, Earth Engine is able to bring to bear considerable analytic and technical firepower in a transparent fashion, including: AI-based classification via integration with Google's machine learning infrastructure, publishing and distribution at Google scale through integration with the Google Maps API, Maps Engine and Google Earth, and support for in-the-field activities such as validation, ground-truthing, crowd-sourcing and citizen science though the Android Open Data Kit.

Nonlinear dynamics of global atmospheric and Earth-system processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saltzman, Barry; Ebisuzaki, Wesley; Maasch, Kirk A.; Oglesby, Robert; Pandolfo, Lionel

1990-01-01

Researchers are continuing their studies of the nonlinear dynamics of global weather systems. Sensitivity analyses of large-scale dynamical models of the atmosphere (i.e., general circulation models i.e., GCM's) were performed to establish the role of satellite-signatures of soil moisture, sea surface temperature, snow cover, and sea ice as crucial boundary conditions determining global weather variability. To complete their study of the bimodality of the planetary wave states, they are using the dynamical systems approach to construct a low-order theoretical explanation of this phenomenon. This work should have important implications for extended range forecasting of low-frequency oscillations, elucidating the mechanisms for the transitions between the two wave modes. Researchers are using the methods of jump analysis and attractor dimension analysis to examine the long-term satellite records of significant variables (e.g., long wave radiation, and cloud amount), to explore the nature of mode transitions in the atmosphere, and to determine the minimum number of equations needed to describe the main weather variations with a low-order dynamical system. Where feasible they will continue to explore the applicability of the methods of complex dynamical systems analysis to the study of the global earth-system from an integrative viewpoint involving the roles of geochemical cycling and the interactive behavior of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.

An Analysis of Applications Development Systems for Remotely Sensed, Multispectral Data for the Earth Observations Division of the NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanrooy, D. L.; Smith, R. M.; Lynn, M. S.

1974-01-01

An application development system (ADS) is examined for remotely sensed, multispectral data at the Earth Observations Division (EOD) at Johnson Space Center. Design goals are detailed, along with design objectives that an ideal system should contain. The design objectives were arranged according to the priorities of EOD's program objectives. Four systems available to EOD were then measured against the ideal ADS as defined by the design objectives and their associated priorities. This was accomplished by rating each of the systems on each of the design objectives. Utilizing the established priorities, it was determined how each system stood up as an ADS. Recommendations were made as to possible courses of action for EOD to pursue to obtain a more efficient ADS.

The Value of Information from a GRACE-Enhanced Drought Severity Index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuwayama, Y.; Bernknopf, R.; Macauley, M.; Brookshire, D.; Zaitchik, B. F.; Rodell, M.

2013-12-01

Water storage anomalies derived from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Data Assimilation System (GRACE-DAS) have been used to enhance the information contained in drought indicators. The potential value of this information is to inform local and regional decisions to improve economic welfare in the face of drought. Based on a characterization of current drought evaluations, a modeling framework has been structured to analyze the contributed value of the Earth observations in the assessment of the onset and duration of droughts and their regional impacts. The analysis focuses on (1) characterizing how GRACE-DAS provides Earth observation information for a drought warning, (2) assessing how a GRACE-DAS-enhanced U.S. Drought Monitor would improve economic outcomes in a region, and (3) applying this enhancement process in a decision framework to illustrate the potential role of GRACE data products in a recent drought and response scenario for a value-of-information (VOI) analysis. The VOI analysis quantifies the relative contribution of enhanced understanding and communication of the societal benefits associated with GRACE Earth observation science. Our emphasis is to illustrate the role of an enhanced National Integrated Drought Information System outlook on three key societal outcomes: effects on particular economic sectors, changes in land management decisions, and reductions in damages to ecosystem services.

Scientific analysis of satellite ranging data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, David E.

1994-01-01

A network of satellite laser ranging (SLR) tracking systems with continuously improving accuracies is challenging the modelling capabilities of analysts worldwide. Various data analysis techniques have yielded many advances in the development of orbit, instrument and Earth models. The direct measurement of the distance to the satellite provided by the laser ranges has given us a simple metric which links the results obtained by diverse approaches. Different groups have used SLR data, often in combination with observations from other space geodetic techniques, to improve models of the static geopotential, the solid Earth, ocean tides, and atmospheric drag models for low Earth satellites. Radiation pressure models and other non-conservative forces for satellite orbits above the atmosphere have been developed to exploit the full accuracy of the latest SLR instruments. SLR is the baseline tracking system for the altimeter missions TOPEX/Poseidon, and ERS-1 and will play an important role in providing the reference frame for locating the geocentric position of the ocean surface, in providing an unchanging range standard for altimeter calibration, and for improving the geoid models to separate gravitational from ocean circulation signals seen in the sea surface. However, even with the many improvements in the models used to support the orbital analysis of laser observations, there remain systematic effects which limit the full exploitation of SLR accuracy today.

Exploiting NASA's Cumulus Earth Science Cloud Archive with Services and Computation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pilone, D.; Quinn, P.; Jazayeri, A.; Schuler, I.; Plofchan, P.; Baynes, K.; Ramachandran, R.

2017-12-01

NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) houses nearly 30PBs of critical Earth Science data and with upcoming missions is expected to balloon to between 200PBs-300PBs over the next seven years. In addition to the massive increase in data collected, researchers and application developers want more and faster access - enabling complex visualizations, long time-series analysis, and cross dataset research without needing to copy and manage massive amounts of data locally. NASA has started prototyping with commercial cloud providers to make this data available in elastic cloud compute environments, allowing application developers direct access to the massive EOSDIS holdings. In this talk we'll explain the principles behind the archive architecture and share our experience of dealing with large amounts of data with serverless architectures including AWS Lambda, the Elastic Container Service (ECS) for long running jobs, and why we dropped thousands of lines of code for AWS Step Functions. We'll discuss best practices and patterns for accessing and using data available in a shared object store (S3) and leveraging events and message passing for sophisticated and highly scalable processing and analysis workflows. Finally we'll share capabilities NASA and cloud services are making available on the archives to enable massively scalable analysis and computation in a variety of formats and tools.

Landsat 8 on-orbit characterization and calibration system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Micijevic, Esad; Morfitt, Ron; Choate, Michael J.

2011-01-01

The Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) is planning to launch the Landsat 8 satellite in December 2012, which continues an uninterrupted record of consistently calibrated globally acquired multispectral images of the Earth started in 1972. The satellite will carry two imaging sensors: the Operational Land Imager (OLI) and the Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS). The OLI will provide visible, near-infrared and short-wave infrared data in nine spectral bands while the TIRS will acquire thermal infrared data in two bands. Both sensors have a pushbroom design and consequently, each has a large number of detectors to be characterized. Image and calibration data downlinked from the satellite will be processed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center using the Landsat 8 Image Assessment System (IAS), a component of the Ground System. In addition to extracting statistics from all Earth images acquired, the IAS will process and trend results from analysis of special calibration acquisitions, such as solar diffuser, lunar, shutter, night, lamp and blackbody data, and preselected calibration sites. The trended data will be systematically processed and analyzed, and calibration and characterization parameters will be updated using both automatic and customized manual tools. This paper describes the analysis tools and the system developed to monitor and characterize on-orbit performance and calibrate the Landsat 8 sensors and image data products.

Dynamic Assessment of Seismic Risk (DASR) by Multi-parametric Observations: Preliminary Results of PRIME experiment within the PRE-EARTHQUAKES EU-FP7 Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tramutoli, V.; Inan, S.; Jakowski, N.; Pulinets, S. A.; Romanov, A.; Filizzola, C.; Shagimuratov, I.; Pergola, N.; Ouzounov, D. P.; Papadopoulos, G. A.; Parrot, M.; Genzano, N.; Lisi, M.; Alparlsan, E.; Wilken, V.; Tsybukia, K.; Romanov, A.; Paciello, R.; Zakharenkova, I.; Romano, G.

2012-12-01

The integration of different observations together with the refinement of data analysis methods, is generally expected to improve our present knowledge of preparatory phases of earthquakes and of their possible precursors. This is also the main goal of PRE-EARTHQUAKES (Processing Russian and European EARTH observations for earthQUAKE precursors Studies) the FP7 Project which, to this aim, committed together, different international expertise and observational capabilities, in the last 2 years. In the learning phase of the project, different parameters (e.g. thermal anomalies, total electron content, radon concentration, etc.), measured from ground and satellite systems and analyzed by using different data analysis approaches, have been studied for selected geographic areas and specific seismic events in the past. Since July 2012 the PRIME (PRE-EARTHQUAKES Real-time Integration and Monitoring Experiment) started attempting to perform, on the base of independent observations collected and integrated in real-time through the PEG (PRE-EARTHQUAKES Geo-portal), a Dynamic Assessment of Seismic Risk (DASR) on selected geographic areas of Europe (Italy-Greece-Turkey) and Asia (Kamchatka, Sakhalin, Japan). In this paper, results so far achieved as well as the potential and opportunities they open for a worldwide Earthquake Observation System (EQuOS) - as a dedicated component of GEOSS (Global Earth Observation System of Systems) - will be presented.

Information services platforms at geosynchronous earth orbit: A requirements analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

The potential user requirements for Information Services Platforms at geosynchronous orbits were investigated. A rationale for identifying the corollary system requirements and supporting research and technology needs was provided.

14 CFR 417.207 - Trajectory analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... any stage that has the potential to impact the Earth and does not burn to propellant depletion before a programmed thrust termination. (3) For launch vehicles flown with a flight safety system, a...

14 CFR 417.207 - Trajectory analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... any stage that has the potential to impact the Earth and does not burn to propellant depletion before a programmed thrust termination. (3) For launch vehicles flown with a flight safety system, a...

14 CFR 417.207 - Trajectory analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... any stage that has the potential to impact the Earth and does not burn to propellant depletion before a programmed thrust termination. (3) For launch vehicles flown with a flight safety system, a...

Research and Technology Report. Goddard Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soffen, Gerald (Editor); Truszkowski, Walter (Editor); Ottenstein, Howard (Editor); Frost, Kenneth (Editor); Maran, Stephen (Editor); Walter, Lou (Editor); Brown, Mitch (Editor)

1996-01-01

This issue of Goddard Space Flight Center's annual report highlights the importance of mission operations and data systems covering mission planning and operations; TDRSS, positioning systems, and orbit determination; ground system and networks, hardware and software; data processing and analysis; and World Wide Web use. The report also includes flight projects, space sciences, Earth system science, and engineering and materials.

Space station systems analysis study. Part 2, Volume 2. [technical report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Specific system options are defined and identified for a cost effective space station capable of orderly growth with regard to both function and orbit location. Selected program options are analyzed and configuration concepts are developed to meet objectives for the satellite power system, earth servicing, space processing, and supporting activities. Transportation systems are analyzed for both LEO and GEO orbits.

Procurement specification color graphic camera system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prow, G. E.

1980-01-01

The performance and design requirements for a Color Graphic Camera System are presented. The system is a functional part of the Earth Observation Department Laboratory System (EODLS) and will be interfaced with Image Analysis Stations. It will convert the output of a raster scan computer color terminal into permanent, high resolution photographic prints and transparencies. Images usually displayed will be remotely sensed LANDSAT imager scenes.

Advanced Cyberinfrastructure for Geochronology as a Collaborative Endeavor: A Decade of Progress, A Decade of Plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowring, J. F.; McLean, N. M.; Walker, J. D.; Gehrels, G. E.; Rubin, K. H.; Dutton, A.; Bowring, S. A.; Rioux, M. E.

2015-12-01

The Cyber Infrastructure Research and Development Lab for the Earth Sciences (CIRDLES.org) has worked collaboratively for the last decade with geochronologists from EARTHTIME and EarthChem to build cyberinfrastructure geared to ensuring transparency and reproducibility in geoscience workflows and is engaged in refining and extending that work to serve additional geochronology domains during the next decade. ET_Redux (formerly U-Pb_Redux) is a free open-source software system that provides end-to-end support for the analysis of U-Pb geochronological data. The system reduces raw mass spectrometer (TIMS and LA-ICPMS) data to U-Pb dates, allows users to interpret ages from these data, and then facilitates the seamless federation of the results from one or more labs into a community web-accessible database using standard and open techniques. This EarthChem database - GeoChron.org - depends on keyed references to the System for Earth Sample Registration (SESAR) database that stores metadata about registered samples. These keys are each a unique International Geo Sample Number (IGSN) assigned to a sample and to its derivatives. ET_Redux provides for interaction with this archive, allowing analysts to store, maintain, retrieve, and share their data and analytical results electronically with whomever they choose. This initiative has created an open standard for the data elements of a complete reduction and analysis of U-Pb data, and is currently working to complete the same for U-series geochronology. We have demonstrated the utility of interdisciplinary collaboration between computer scientists and geoscientists in achieving a working and useful system that provides transparency and supports reproducibility, allowing geochemists to focus on their specialties. The software engineering community also benefits by acquiring research opportunities to improve development process methodologies used in the design, implementation, and sustainability of domain-specific software.

Modeling change from large-scale high-dimensional spatio-temporal array data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Meng; Pebesma, Edzer

2014-05-01

The massive data that come from Earth observation satellite and other sensors provide significant information for modeling global change. At the same time, the high dimensionality of the data has brought challenges in data acquisition, management, effective querying and processing. In addition, the output of earth system modeling tends to be data intensive and needs methodologies for storing, validation, analyzing and visualization, e.g. as maps. An important proportion of earth system observations and simulated data can be represented as multi-dimensional array data, which has received increasingly attention in big data management and spatial-temporal analysis. Study cases will be developed in natural science such as climate change, hydrological modeling, sediment dynamics, from which the addressing of big data problems is necessary. Multi-dimensional array-based database management and analytics system such as Rasdaman, SciDB, and R will be applied to these cases. From these studies will hope to learn the strengths and weaknesses of these systems, how they might work together or how semantics of array operations differ, through addressing the problems associated with big data. Research questions include: • How can we reduce dimensions spatially and temporally, or thematically? • How can we extend existing GIS functions to work on multidimensional arrays? • How can we combine data sets of different dimensionality or different resolutions? • Can map algebra be extended to an intelligible array algebra? • What are effective semantics for array programming of dynamic data driven applications? • In which sense are space and time special, as dimensions, compared to other properties? • How can we make the analysis of multi-spectral, multi-temporal and multi-sensor earth observation data easy?

EarthChem and SESAR: Data Resources and Interoperability for EarthScope Cyberinfrastructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehnert, K. A.; Walker, D.; Block, K.; Vinay, S.; Ash, J.

2008-12-01

Data management within the EarthScope Cyberinfrastructure needs to pursue two goals in order to advance and maximize the broad scientific application and impact of the large volumes of observational data acquired by EarthScope facilities: (a) to provide access to all data acquired by EarthScope facilities, and to promote their use by broad audiences, and (b) to facilitate discovery of, access to, and integration of multi-disciplinary data sets that complement EarthScope data in support of EarthScope science. EarthChem and SESAR, the System for Earth Sample Registration, are two projects within the Geoinformatics for Geochemistry program that offer resources for EarthScope CI. EarthChem operates a data portal that currently provides access to >13 million analytical values for >600,000 samples, more than half of which are from North America, including data from the USGS and all data from the NAVDAT database, a web-accessible repository for age, chemical and isotopic data from Mesozoic and younger igneous rocks in western North America. The new EarthChem GEOCHRON database will house data collected in association with GeoEarthScope, storing and serving geochronological data submitted by participating facilities. The EarthChem Deep Lithosphere Dataset is a compilation of petrological data for mantle xenoliths, initiated in collaboration with GeoFrame to complement geophysical endeavors within EarthScope science. The EarthChem Geochemical Resource Library provides a home for geochemical and petrological data products and data sets. Parts of the digital data in EarthScope CI refer to physical samples such as drill cores, igneous rocks, or water and gas samples, collected, for example, by SAFOD or by EarthScope science projects and acquired through lab-based analysis. Management of sample-based data requires the use of global unique identifiers for samples, so that distributed data for individual samples generated in different labs and published in different papers can be unambiguously linked and integrated. SESAR operates a registry for Earth samples that assigns and administers the International GeoSample Numbers (IGSN) as a global unique identifier for samples. Registration of EarthScope samples with SESAR and use of the IGSN will ensure their unique identification in publications and data systems, thus facilitating interoperability among sample-based data relevant to EarthScope CI and globally. It will also make these samples visible to global audiences via the SESAR Global Sample Catalog.

Lunar Pole Illumination and Communications Maps Computed from GSSR Elevation Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryant, Scott

2009-01-01

A Digital Elevation Model of the lunar south pole was produced using Goldstone Solar System RADAR (GSSR) data obtained in 2006.12 This model has 40-meter horizontal resolution and about 5-meter relative vertical accuracy. This Digital Elevation Model was used to compute average solar illumination and Earth visibility with 100 kilometers of the lunar south pole. The elevation data were converted into local terrain horizon masks, then converted into lunar-centric latitude and longitude coordinates. The horizon masks were compared to latitude, longitude regions bounding the maximum Sun and Earth motions relative to the moon. Estimates of Earth visibility were computed by integrating the area of the region bounding the Earth's motion that was below the horizon mask. Solar illumination and other metrics were computed similarly. Proposed lunar south pole base sites were examined in detail, with the best site showing yearly solar power availability of 92 percent and Direct-To-Earth (DTE) communication availability of about 50 percent. Similar analysis of the lunar south pole used an older GSSR Digital Elevation Model with 600-meter horizontal resolution. The paper also explores using a heliostat to reduce the photovoltaic power system mass and complexity.

Meteorological Satellites (METSAT) and Earth Observing System (EOS) Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A) Stress Analysis Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heffner, Robert

1996-01-01

Stress analysis of the primary structure of the Meteorological Satellites Project (METSAT) Advanced Microwave Sounding Units-A, A1 Module using static loads is presented. The structural margins of safety and natural frequency predictions for the METSAT design are reported.

Subsatellite Orbital Analysis Program (SOAP) user's guide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castle, K. G.; Voss, J. M.; Gibson, J. S.

1981-07-01

The features and use of the subsatellite operational analysis are examined. The model simulates several Earth-orbiting vehicles, their pilots, control systems, and interaction with the environment. The use of the program, input and output capabilities, executive structures, and properties of the vehicles and environmental effects which it models are described.

Subsatellite Orbital Analysis Program (SOAP) user's guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Castle, K. G.; Voss, J. M.; Gibson, J. S.

1981-01-01

The features and use of the subsatellite operational analysis are examined. The model simulates several Earth-orbiting vehicles, their pilots, control systems, and interaction with the environment. The use of the program, input and output capabilities, executive structures, and properties of the vehicles and environmental effects which it models are described.

Modernizing Earth and Space Science Modeling Workflows in the Big Data Era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinter, J. L.; Feigelson, E.; Walker, R. J.; Tino, C.

2017-12-01

Modeling is a major aspect of the Earth and space science research. The development of numerical models of the Earth system, planetary systems or astrophysical systems is essential to linking theory with observations. Optimal use of observations that are quite expensive to obtain and maintain typically requires data assimilation that involves numerical models. In the Earth sciences, models of the physical climate system are typically used for data assimilation, climate projection, and inter-disciplinary research, spanning applications from analysis of multi-sensor data sets to decision-making in climate-sensitive sectors with applications to ecosystems, hazards, and various biogeochemical processes. In space physics, most models are from first principles, require considerable expertise to run and are frequently modified significantly for each case study. The volume and variety of model output data from modeling Earth and space systems are rapidly increasing and have reached a scale where human interaction with data is prohibitively inefficient. A major barrier to progress is that modeling workflows isn't deemed by practitioners to be a design problem. Existing workflows have been created by a slow accretion of software, typically based on undocumented, inflexible scripts haphazardly modified by a succession of scientists and students not trained in modern software engineering methods. As a result, existing modeling workflows suffer from an inability to onboard new datasets into models; an inability to keep pace with accelerating data production rates; and irreproducibility, among other problems. These factors are creating an untenable situation for those conducting and supporting Earth system and space science. Improving modeling workflows requires investments in hardware, software and human resources. This paper describes the critical path issues that must be targeted to accelerate modeling workflows, including script modularization, parallelization, and automation in the near term, and longer term investments in virtualized environments for improved scalability, tolerance for lossy data compression, novel data-centric memory and storage technologies, and tools for peer reviewing, preserving and sharing workflows, as well as fundamental statistical and machine learning algorithms.

The effects of general relativity on near-earth satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ries, J. C.; Watkins, M. M.; Tapley, B. D.; Huang, C.

1990-01-01

Whether one uses a solar system barycentric frame or a geocentric frame when including the general theory of relativity in orbit determination for near-earth satellites, the results should be equivalent to some limiting accuracy. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the effects of relativity in each frame and to demonstrate their equivalence through the analysis of three years of laser tracking data taken on the Lageos satellite. It is demonstrated that the simpler formulation in the geocentric frame is adequate for the purpose of near-earth satellite orbit determination. A correction to the conventional barycentric equations of motion is shown to be required.

The EOSDIS Products Usability for Disaster Response.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kafle, D. N.; Wanchoo, L.; Won, Y. I.; Michael, K.

2016-12-01

The Earth Observing System (EOS) Data and Information System (EOSDIS) is a key core capability in NASA's Earth Science Data System Program. The EOSDIS science operations are performed within a distributed system of interconnected nodes: the Science Investigator-led Processing Systems (SIPS), and the distributed, discipline-specific, Earth science Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs), which have specific responsibilities for the production, archiving, and distribution of Earth science data products. NASA also established the Land, Atmosphere Near real-time Capability for EOS (LANCE) program through which near real-time (NRT) products are produced and distributed within a latency of no more than 3 hours. These data, including NRT, have been widely used by scientists and researchers for studying Earth system science, climate change, natural variability, and enhanced climate predictions including disaster assessments. The Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction (SDR) has defined 15 major types of disasters such as flood, hurricane, earthquake, volcano, tsunami, etc. The focus of the study is to categorize both NRT and standard data products based on applicability to the SDR-defined disaster types. This will identify which datasets from current NASA satellite missions/instruments are best suited for disaster response. The distribution metrics of the products that have been used for studying various selected disasters that have occurred over last 5 years will be analyzed that include volume, number of files, number of users, user domains, user country, etc. This data usage analysis will provide information to the data centers' staff that can help them develop the functionality and allocate the resources needed for enhanced access and timely availability of the data products that are critical for the time-sensitive analyses.

Temporal Variability of Observed and Simulated Hyperspectral Earth Reflectance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, Yolanda; Pilewskie, Peter; Kindel, Bruce; Feldman, Daniel; Collins, William D.

2012-01-01

The Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) is a climate observation system designed to study Earth's climate variability with unprecedented absolute radiometric accuracy and SI traceability. Observation System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs) were developed using GCM output and MODTRAN to simulate CLARREO reflectance measurements during the 21st century as a design tool for the CLARREO hyperspectral shortwave imager. With OSSE simulations of hyperspectral reflectance, Feldman et al. [2011a,b] found that shortwave reflectance is able to detect changes in climate variables during the 21st century and improve time-to-detection compared to broadband measurements. The OSSE has been a powerful tool in the design of the CLARREO imager and for understanding the effect of climate change on the spectral variability of reflectance, but it is important to evaluate how well the OSSE simulates the Earth's present-day spectral variability. For this evaluation we have used hyperspectral reflectance measurements from the Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric Cartography (SCIAMACHY), a shortwave spectrometer that was operational between March 2002 and April 2012. To study the spectral variability of SCIAMACHY-measured and OSSE-simulated reflectance, we used principal component analysis (PCA), a spectral decomposition technique that identifies dominant modes of variability in a multivariate data set. Using quantitative comparisons of the OSSE and SCIAMACHY PCs, we have quantified how well the OSSE captures the spectral variability of Earth?s climate system at the beginning of the 21st century relative to SCIAMACHY measurements. These results showed that the OSSE and SCIAMACHY data sets share over 99% of their total variance in 2004. Using the PCs and the temporally distributed reflectance spectra projected onto the PCs (PC scores), we can study the temporal variability of the observed and simulated reflectance spectra. Multivariate time series analysis of the PC scores using techniques such as Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) and Multichannel SSA will provide information about the temporal variability of the dominant variables. Quantitative comparison techniques can evaluate how well the OSSE reproduces the temporal variability observed by SCIAMACHY spectral reflectance measurements during the first decade of the 21st century. PCA of OSSE-simulated reflectance can also be used to study how the dominant spectral variables change on centennial scales for forced and unforced climate change scenarios. To have confidence in OSSE predictions of the spectral variability of hyperspectral reflectance, it is first necessary for us to evaluate the degree to which the OSSE simulations are able to reproduce the Earth?s present-day spectral variability.

Improvements to the Ontology-based Metadata Portal for Unified Semantics (OlyMPUS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linsinbigler, M. A.; Gleason, J. L.; Huffer, E.

2016-12-01

The Ontology-based Metadata Portal for Unified Semantics (OlyMPUS), funded by the NASA Earth Science Technology Office Advanced Information Systems Technology program, is an end-to-end system designed to support Earth Science data consumers and data providers, enabling the latter to register data sets and provision them with the semantically rich metadata that drives the Ontology-Driven Interactive Search Environment for Earth Sciences (ODISEES). OlyMPUS complements the ODISEES' data discovery system with an intelligent tool to enable data producers to auto-generate semantically enhanced metadata and upload it to the metadata repository that drives ODISEES. Like ODISEES, the OlyMPUS metadata provisioning tool leverages robust semantics, a NoSQL database and query engine, an automated reasoning engine that performs first- and second-order deductive inferencing, and uses a controlled vocabulary to support data interoperability and automated analytics. The ODISEES data discovery portal leverages this metadata to provide a seamless data discovery and access experience for data consumers who are interested in comparing and contrasting the multiple Earth science data products available across NASA data centers. Olympus will support scientists' services and tools for performing complex analyses and identifying correlations and non-obvious relationships across all types of Earth System phenomena using the full spectrum of NASA Earth Science data available. By providing an intelligent discovery portal that supplies users - both human users and machines - with detailed information about data products, their contents and their structure, ODISEES will reduce the level of effort required to identify and prepare large volumes of data for analysis. This poster will explain how OlyMPUS leverages deductive reasoning and other technologies to create an integrated environment for generating and exploiting semantically rich metadata.

The Status of Spacecraft Bus and Platform Technology Development under the NASA ISPT Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, David J.; Munk, Michelle M.; Pencil, Eric; Dankanich, John; Glaab, Louis; Peterson, Todd

2013-01-01

The In-Space Propulsion Technology (ISPT) program is developing spacecraft bus and platform technologies that will enable or enhance NASA robotic science missions. The ISPT program is currently developing technology in four areas that include Propulsion System Technologies (electric and chemical), Entry Vehicle Technologies (aerocapture and Earth entry vehicles), Spacecraft Bus and Sample Return Propulsion Technologies (components and ascent vehicles), and Systems/Mission Analysis. Three technologies are ready for near-term flight infusion: 1) the high-temperature Advanced Material Bipropellant Rocket (AMBR) engine providing higher performance; 2) NASA s Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) ion propulsion system, a 0.6-7 kW throttle-able gridded ion system; and 3) Aerocapture technology development with investments in a family of thermal protection system (TPS) materials and structures; guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) models of blunt-body rigid aeroshells; and aerothermal effect models. Two component technologies being developed with flight infusion in mind are the Advanced Xenon Flow Control System and ultralightweight propellant tank technologies. Future directions for ISPT are technologies that relate to sample return missions and other spacecraft bus technology needs like: 1) Mars Ascent Vehicles (MAV); 2) multi-mission technologies for Earth Entry Vehicles (MMEEV); and 3) electric propulsion. These technologies are more vehicles and mission-focused, and present a different set of technology development and infusion steps beyond those previously implemented. The Systems/Mission Analysis area is focused on developing tools and assessing the application of propulsion and spacecraft bus technologies to a wide variety of mission concepts. These inspace propulsion technologies are applicable, and potentially enabling for future NASA Discovery, New Frontiers, and sample return missions currently under consideration, as well as having broad applicability to potential Flagship missions. This paper provides a brief overview of the ISPT program, describing the development status and technology infusion readiness of in-space propulsion technologies in the areas of electric propulsion, Aerocapture, Earth entry vehicles, propulsion components, Mars ascent vehicle, and mission/systems analysis.

The status of spacecraft bus and platform technology development under the NASA ISPT program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, D. J.; Munk, M. M.; Pencil, E.; Dankanich, J.; Glaab, L.; Peterson, T.

The In-Space Propulsion Technology (ISPT) program is developing spacecraft bus and platform technologies that will enable or enhance NASA robotic science missions. The ISPT program is currently developing technology in four areas that include Propulsion System Technologies (electric and chemical), Entry Vehicle Technologies (aerocapture and Earth entry vehicles), Spacecraft Bus and Sample Return Propulsion Technologies (components and ascent vehicles), and Systems/Mission Analysis. Three technologies are ready for near-term flight infusion: 1) the high-temperature Advanced Material Bipropellant Rocket (AMBR) engine providing higher performance; 2) NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) ion propulsion system, a 0.6-7 kW throttle-able gridded ion system; and 3) Aerocapture technology development with investments in a family of thermal protection system (TPS) materials and structures; guidance, navigation, and control (GN& C) models of blunt-body rigid aeroshells; and aerothermal effect models. Two component technologies being developed with flight infusion in mind are the Advanced Xenon Flow Control System and ultra-lightweight propellant tank technologies. Future directions for ISPT are technologies that relate to sample return missions and other spacecraft bus technology needs like: 1) Mars Ascent Vehicles (MAV); 2) multi-mission technologies for Earth Entry Vehicles (MMEEV); and 3) electric propulsion. These technologies are more vehicles and mission-focused, and present a different set of technology development and infusion steps beyond those previously implemented. The Systems/Mission Analysis area is focused on developing tools and assessing the application of propulsion and spacecraft bus technologies to a wide variety of mission concepts. These in-space propulsion technologies are applicable, and potentially enabling for future NASA Discovery, New Frontiers, and sample return missions currently under consideration, as well as having broad applicabilit- to potential Flagship missions. This paper provides a brief overview of the ISPT program, describing the development status and technology infusion readiness of in-space propulsion technologies in the areas of electric propulsion, Aerocapture, Earth entry vehicles, propulsion components, Mars ascent vehicle, and mission/systems analysis.

NASA In-Space Propulsion Technologies and Their Infusion Potential

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, David J.; Pencil,Eric J.; Peterson, Todd; Vento, Daniel; Munk, Michelle M.; Glaab, Louis J.; Dankanich, John W.

2012-01-01

The In-Space Propulsion Technology (ISPT) program has been developing in-space propulsion technologies that will enable or enhance NASA robotic science missions. The ISPT program is currently developing technology in four areas that include Propulsion System Technologies (Electric and Chemical), Entry Vehicle Technologies (Aerocapture and Earth entry vehicles), Spacecraft Bus and Sample Return Propulsion Technologies (components and ascent vehicles), and Systems/Mission Analysis. Three technologies are ready for flight infusion: 1) the high-temperature Advanced Material Bipropellant Rocket (AMBR) engine providing higher performance; 2) NASA s Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) ion propulsion system, a 0.6-7 kW throttle-able gridded ion system; and 3) Aerocapture technology development with investments in a family of thermal protection system (TPS) materials and structures; guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) models of blunt-body rigid aeroshells; and aerothermal effect models. Two component technologies that will be ready for flight infusion in the near future will be Advanced Xenon Flow Control System, and ultra-lightweight propellant tank technologies. Future focuses for ISPT are sample return missions and other spacecraft bus technologies like: 1) Mars Ascent Vehicles (MAV); 2) multi-mission technologies for Earth Entry Vehicles (MMEEV) for sample return missions; and 3) electric propulsion for sample return and low cost missions. These technologies are more vehicle-focused, and present a different set of technology infusion challenges. While the Systems/Mission Analysis area is focused on developing tools and assessing the application of propulsion technologies to a wide variety of mission concepts. These in-space propulsion technologies are applicable, and potentially enabling for future NASA Discovery, New Frontiers, and sample return missions currently under consideration, as well as having broad applicability to potential Flagship missions. This paper provides a brief overview of the ISPT program, describing the development status and technology infusion readiness of in-space propulsion technologies in the areas of electric propulsion, aerocapture, Earth entry vehicles, propulsion components, Mars ascent vehicle, and mission/systems analysis.

The Status of Spacecraft Bus and Platform Technology Development Under the NASA ISPT Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, David J.; Munk, Michelle M.; Pencil, Eric J.; Dankanich, John; Glaab, Louis J.

2013-01-01

The In-Space Propulsion Technology (ISPT) program is developing spacecraft bus and platform technologies that will enable or enhance NASA robotic science missions. The ISPT program is currently developing technology in four areas that include Propulsion System Technologies (electric and chemical), Entry Vehicle Technologies (aerocapture and Earth entry vehicles), Spacecraft Bus and Sample Return Propulsion Technologies (components and ascent vehicles), and Systems/Mission Analysis. Three technologies are ready for near-term flight infusion: 1) the high-temperature Advanced Material Bipropellant Rocket (AMBR) engine providing higher performance 2) NASAs Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) ion propulsion system, a 0.6-7 kW throttle-able gridded ion system and 3) Aerocapture technology development with investments in a family of thermal protection system (TPS) materials and structures guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) models of blunt-body rigid aeroshells and aerothermal effect models. Two component technologies being developed with flight infusion in mind are the Advanced Xenon Flow Control System, and ultra-lightweight propellant tank technologies. Future direction for ISPT are technologies that relate to sample return missions and other spacecraft bus technology needs like: 1) Mars Ascent Vehicles (MAV) 2) multi-mission technologies for Earth Entry Vehicles (MMEEV) and 3) electric propulsion. These technologies are more vehicle and mission-focused, and present a different set of technology development and infusion steps beyond those previously implemented. The Systems/Mission Analysis area is focused on developing tools and assessing the application of propulsion and spacecraft bus technologies to a wide variety of mission concepts. These in-space propulsion technologies are applicable, and potentially enabling for future NASA Discovery, New Frontiers, and sample return missions currently under consideration, as well as having broad applicability to potential Flagship missions. This paper provides a brief overview of the ISPT program, describing the development status and technology infusion readiness of in-space propulsion technologies in the areas of electric propulsion, Aerocapture, Earth entry vehicles, propulsion components, Mars ascent vehicle, and mission/systems analysis.

A Web-Based Earth-Systems Knowledge Portal and Collaboration Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Agnese, F. A.; Turner, A. K.

2010-12-01

In support of complex water-resource sustainability projects in the Great Basin region of the United States, Earth Knowledge, Inc. has developed several web-based data management and analysis platforms that have been used by its scientists, clients, and public to facilitate information exchanges, collaborations, and decision making. These platforms support accurate water-resource decision-making by combining second-generation internet (Web 2.0) technologies with traditional 2D GIS and web-based 2D and 3D mapping systems such as Google Maps, and Google Earth. Most data management and analysis systems use traditional software systems to address the data needs and usage behavior of the scientific community. In contrast, these platforms employ more accessible open-source and “off-the-shelf” consumer-oriented, hosted web-services. They exploit familiar software tools using industry standard protocols, formats, and APIs to discover, process, fuse, and visualize earth, engineering, and social science datasets. Thus, they respond to the information needs and web-interface expectations of both subject-matter experts and the public. Because the platforms continue to gather and store all the contributions of their broad-spectrum of users, each new assessment leverages the data, information, and expertise derived from previous investigations. In the last year, Earth Knowledge completed a conceptual system design and feasibility study for a platform, which has a Knowledge Portal providing access to users wishing to retrieve information or knowledge developed by the science enterprise and a Collaboration Environment Module, a framework that links the user-access functions to a Technical Core supporting technical and scientific analyses including Data Management, Analysis and Modeling, and Decision Management, and to essential system administrative functions within an Administrative Module. The over-riding technical challenge is the design and development of a single technical platform that is accessed through a flexible series of knowledge portal and collaboration environment styles reflecting the information needs and user expectations of a diverse community of users. Recent investigations have defined the information needs and expectations of the major end-users and also have reviewed and assessed a wide variety of modern web-based technologies. Combining these efforts produced design specifications and recommendations for the selection and integration of web- and client-based tools. When fully developed, the resulting platform will: -Support new, advanced information systems and decision environments that take full advantage of multiple data sources and platforms; -Provide a distribution network tailored to the timely delivery of products to a broad range of users that are needed to support applications in disaster management, resource management, energy, and urban sustainability; -Establish new integrated multiple-user requirements and knowledge databases that support researchers and promote infusion of successful technologies into existing processes; and -Develop new decision support strategies and presentation methodologies for applied earth science applications to reduce risk, cost, and time.

AEOSS runtime manual for system analysis on Advanced Earth-Orbital Spacecraft Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Hwa-Ping

1990-01-01

Advanced earth orbital spacecraft system (AEOSS) enables users to project the required power, weight, and cost for a generic earth-orbital spacecraft system. These variables are calculated on the component and subsystem levels, and then the system level. The included six subsystems are electric power, thermal control, structure, auxiliary propulsion, attitude control, and communication, command, and data handling. The costs are computed using statistically determined models that were derived from the flown spacecraft in the past and were categorized into classes according to their functions and structural complexity. Selected design and performance analyses for essential components and subsystems are also provided. AEOSS has the feature permitting a user to enter known values of these parameters, totally and partially, at all levels. All information is of vital importance to project managers of subsystems or a spacecraft system. AEOSS is a specially tailored software coded from the relational database program of the Acius' 4th Dimension with a Macintosh version. Because of the licensing agreements, two versions of the AEOSS documents were prepared. This version, AEOSS Runtime Manual, is permitted to be distributed with a finite number of the restrictive 4D Runtime version. It can perform all contained applications without any programming alterations.

Hydrothermal systems as environments for the emergence of life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shock, E. L.

1996-01-01

Analysis of the chemical disequilibrium provided by the mixing of hydrothermal fluids and seawater in present-day systems indicates that organic synthesis from CO2 or carbonic acid is thermodynamically favoured in the conditions in which hyperthermophilic microorganisms are known to live. These organisms lower the Gibbs free energy of the chemical mixture by synthesizing many of the components of their cells. Primary productivity is enormous in hydrothermal systems because it depends only on catalysis of thermodynamically favourable, exergonic reactions. It follows that hydrothermal systems may be the most favourable environments for life on Earth. This fact makes hydrothermal systems logical candidates for the location of the emergence of life, a speculation that is supported by genetic evidence that modern hyperthermophilic organisms are closer to a common ancestor than any other forms of life. The presence of hydrothermal systems on the early Earth would correspond to the presence of liquid water. Evidence that hydrothermal systems existed early in the history of Mars raises the possibility that life may have emerged on Mars as well. Redox reactions between water and rock establish the potential for organic synthesis in and around hydrothermal systems. Therefore, the single most important parameter for modelling the geochemical emergence of life on the early Earth or Mars is the composition of the rock which hosts the hydrothermal system.

An Efficient Approach for Mars Sample Return Using Emerging Commercial Capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gonzales, Andrew A.; Stoker, Carol R.

2016-01-01

Mars Sample Return is the highest priority science mission for the next decade as recommended by the 2011 Decadal Survey of Planetary Science. This article presents the results of a feasibility study for a Mars Sample Return mission that efficiently uses emerging commercial capabilities expected to be available in the near future. The motivation of our study was the recognition that emerging commercial capabilities might be used to perform Mars Sample Return with an Earth-direct architecture, and that this may offer a desirable simpler and lower cost approach. The objective of the study was to determine whether these capabilities can be used to optimize the number of mission systems and launches required to return the samples, with the goal of achieving the desired simplicity. All of the major element required for the Mars Sample Return mission are described. Mission system elements were analyzed with either direct techniques or by using parametric mass estimating relationships. The analysis shows the feasibility of a complete and closed Mars Sample Return mission design based on the following scenario: A SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch vehicle places a modified version of a SpaceX Dragon capsule, referred to as "Red Dragon", onto a Trans Mars Injection trajectory. The capsule carries all the hardware needed to return to Earth Orbit samples collected by a prior mission, such as the planned NASA Mars 2020 sample collection rover. The payload includes a fully fueled Mars Ascent Vehicle; a fueled Earth Return Vehicle, support equipment, and a mechanism to transfer samples from the sample cache system onboard the rover to the Earth Return Vehicle. The Red Dragon descends to land on the surface of Mars using Supersonic Retropropulsion. After collected samples are transferred to the Earth Return Vehicle, the single-stage Mars Ascent Vehicle launches the Earth Return Vehicle from the surface of Mars to a Mars phasing orbit. After a brief phasing period, the Earth Return Vehicle performs a Trans Earth Injection burn. Once near Earth, the Earth Return Vehicle performs Earth and lunar swing-bys and is placed into a Lunar Trailing Orbit - an Earth orbit, at lunar distance. A retrieval mission then performs a rendezvous with the Earth Return Vehicle, retrieves the sample container, and breaks the chain of contact with Mars by transferring the sample into a sterile and secure container. With the sample contained, the retrieving spacecraft makes a controlled Earth re-entry preventing any unintended release of Martian materials into the Earth's biosphere. The mission can start in any one of three Earth to Mars launch opportunities, beginning in 2022.

Long term evolution of distant retrograde orbits in the Earth-Moon system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bezrouk, Collin; Parker, Jeffrey S.

2017-09-01

This work studies the evolution of several Distant Retrograde Orbits (DROs) of varying size in the Earth-Moon system over durations up to tens of millennia. This analysis is relevant for missions requiring a completely hands off, long duration quarantine orbit, such as a Mars Sample Return mission or the Asteroid Redirect Mission. Four DROs are selected from four stable size regions and are propagated for up to 30,000 years with an integrator that uses extended precision arithmetic techniques and a high fidelity dynamical model. The evolution of the orbit's size, shape, orientation, period, out-of-plane amplitude, and Jacobi constant are tracked. It has been found that small DROs, with minor axis amplitudes of approximately 45,000 km or less decay in size and period largely due to the Moon's solid tides. Larger DROs (62,000 km and up) are more influenced by the gravity of bodies external to the Earth-Moon system, and remain bound to the Moon for significantly less time.

Research Review: I. Lunar Geology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobsen, Sally

1972-01-01

An interview with a scientist associated with the lunar rock analysis program in which discoveries concerning the moon and their contribution to the understanding of the origins of the earth-moon system are discussed. (Author/AL)

Quantitative analysis of Earth's field NMR spectra of strongly-coupled heteronuclear systems.

PubMed

Halse, Meghan E; Callaghan, Paul T; Feland, Brett C; Wasylishen, Roderick E

2009-09-01

In the Earth's magnetic field, it is possible to observe spin systems consisting of unlike spins that exhibit strongly coupled second-order NMR spectra. Such spectra result when the J-coupling between two unlike spins is of the same order of magnitude as the difference in their Larmor precession frequencies. Although the analysis of second-order spectra involving only spin-(1/2) nuclei has been discussed since the early days of NMR spectroscopy, NMR spectra involving spin-(1/2) nuclei and quadrupolar (I>(1/2)) nuclei have rarely been treated. Two examples are presented here, the tetrahydroborate anion, BH4-, and the ammonium cation, NH4+. For the tetrahydroborate anion, (1)J((11)B,(1)H)=80.9Hz, and in an Earth's field of 53.3microT, nu((1)H)=2269Hz and nu((11)B)=728Hz. The (1)H NMR spectra exhibit features that both first- and second-order perturbation theory are unable to reproduce. On the other hand, second-order perturbation theory adequately describes (1)H NMR spectra of the ammonium anion, (14)NH4+, where (1)J((14)N,(1)H)=52.75Hz when nu((1)H)=2269Hz and nu((14)N)=164Hz. Contrary to an early report, we find that the (1)H NMR spectra are independent of the sign of (1)J((14)N,(1)H). Exact analysis of two-spin systems consisting of quadrupolar nuclei and spin-(1/2) nuclei are also discussed.

Data Visualization and Analysis for Climate Studies using NASA Giovanni Online System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rui, Hualan; Leptoukh, Gregory; Lloyd, Steven

2008-01-01

With many global earth observation systems and missions focused on climate systems and the associated large volumes of observational data available for exploring and explaining how climate is changing and why, there is an urgent need for climate services. Giovanni, the NASA GES DISC Interactive Online Visualization ANd ANalysis Infrastructure, is a simple to use yet powerful tool for analysing these data for research on global warming and climate change, as well as for applications to weather. air quality, agriculture, and water resources,

Reliability Analysis of the MSC System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Young-Soo; Lee, Do-Kyoung; Lee, Chang-Ho; Woo, Sun-Hee

2003-09-01

MSC (Multi-Spectral Camera) is the payload of KOMPSAT-2, which is being developed for earth imaging in optical and near-infrared region. The design of the MSC is completed and its reliability has been assessed from part level to the MSC system level. The reliability was analyzed in worst case and the analysis results showed that the value complies the required value of 0.9. In this paper, a calculation method of reliability for the MSC system is described, and assessment result is presented and discussed.

An overview of the web-based Google Earth coincident imaging tool

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chander, Gyanesh; Kilough, B.; Gowda, S.

2010-01-01

The Committee on Earth Observing Satellites (CEOS) Visualization Environment (COVE) tool is a browser-based application that leverages Google Earth web to display satellite sensor coverage areas. The analysis tool can also be used to identify near simultaneous surface observation locations for two or more satellites. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) CEOS System Engineering Office (SEO) worked with the CEOS Working Group on Calibration and Validation (WGCV) to develop the COVE tool. The CEOS member organizations are currently operating and planning hundreds of Earth Observation (EO) satellites. Standard cross-comparison exercises between multiple sensors to compare near-simultaneous surface observations and to identify corresponding image pairs are time-consuming and labor-intensive. COVE is a suite of tools that have been developed to make such tasks easier.

Earth Science Data Analytics: Bridging Tools and Techniques with the Co-Analysis of Large, Heterogeneous Datasets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kempler, Steve; Mathews, Tiffany

2016-01-01

The continuum of ever-evolving data management systems affords great opportunities to the enhancement of knowledge and facilitation of science research. To take advantage of these opportunities, it is essential to understand and develop methods that enable data relationships to be examined and the information to be manipulated. This presentation describes the efforts of the Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) Federation Earth Science Data Analytics (ESDA) Cluster to understand, define, and facilitate the implementation of ESDA to advance science research. As a result of the void of Earth science data analytics publication material, the cluster has defined ESDA along with 10 goals to set the framework for a common understanding of tools and techniques that are available and still needed to support ESDA.

Characteristics of Planetary Candidates Observed by Kepler. II. Analysis of the First Four Months of Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borucki, William J.; Koch, David G.; Basri, Gibor; Batalha, Natalie; Brown, Timothy M.; Bryson, Stephen T.; Caldwell, Douglas; Christensen-Dalsgaard, Jørgen; Cochran, William D.; DeVore, Edna; Dunham, Edward W.; Gautier, Thomas N., III; Geary, John C.; Gilliland, Ronald; Gould, Alan; Howell, Steve B.; Jenkins, Jon M.; Latham, David W.; Lissauer, Jack J.; Marcy, Geoffrey W.; Rowe, Jason; Sasselov, Dimitar; Boss, Alan; Charbonneau, David; Ciardi, David; Doyle, Laurance; Dupree, Andrea K.; Ford, Eric B.; Fortney, Jonathan; Holman, Matthew J.; Seager, Sara; Steffen, Jason H.; Tarter, Jill; Welsh, William F.; Allen, Christopher; Buchhave, Lars A.; Christiansen, Jessie L.; Clarke, Bruce D.; Das, Santanu; Désert, Jean-Michel; Endl, Michael; Fabrycky, Daniel; Fressin, Francois; Haas, Michael; Horch, Elliott; Howard, Andrew; Isaacson, Howard; Kjeldsen, Hans; Kolodziejczak, Jeffery; Kulesa, Craig; Li, Jie; Lucas, Philip W.; Machalek, Pavel; McCarthy, Donald; MacQueen, Phillip; Meibom, Søren; Miquel, Thibaut; Prsa, Andrej; Quinn, Samuel N.; Quintana, Elisa V.; Ragozzine, Darin; Sherry, William; Shporer, Avi; Tenenbaum, Peter; Torres, Guillermo; Twicken, Joseph D.; Van Cleve, Jeffrey; Walkowicz, Lucianne; Witteborn, Fred C.; Still, Martin

2011-07-01

On 2011 February 1 the Kepler mission released data for 156,453 stars observed from the beginning of the science observations on 2009 May 2 through September 16. There are 1235 planetary candidates with transit-like signatures detected in this period. These are associated with 997 host stars. Distributions of the characteristics of the planetary candidates are separated into five class sizes: 68 candidates of approximately Earth-size (R p < 1.25 R ⊕), 288 super-Earth-size (1.25 R ⊕ <= R p < 2 R ⊕), 662 Neptune-size (2 R ⊕ <= R p < 6 R ⊕), 165 Jupiter-size (6 R ⊕ <= R p < 15 R ⊕), and 19 up to twice the size of Jupiter (15 R ⊕ <= R p < 22 R ⊕). In the temperature range appropriate for the habitable zone, 54 candidates are found with sizes ranging from Earth-size to larger than that of Jupiter. Six are less than twice the size of the Earth. Over 74% of the planetary candidates are smaller than Neptune. The observed number versus size distribution of planetary candidates increases to a peak at two to three times the Earth-size and then declines inversely proportional to the area of the candidate. Our current best estimates of the intrinsic frequencies of planetary candidates, after correcting for geometric and sensitivity biases, are 5% for Earth-size candidates, 8% for super-Earth-size candidates, 18% for Neptune-size candidates, 2% for Jupiter-size candidates, and 0.1% for very large candidates; a total of 0.34 candidates per star. Multi-candidate, transiting systems are frequent; 17% of the host stars have multi-candidate systems, and 34% of all the candidates are part of multi-candidate systems.

Recent Results From The Nasa Earth Science Terra Mission and Future Possibilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salomonson, Vincent V.

2000-01-01

The NASA Earth Sciences Enterprise has made some remarkable strides in recent times in using developing, implementing, and utilizing spaceborne observations to better understand how the Earth works as a coupled, interactive system of the land, ocean, and atmosphere. Notable examples include the Upper Atmosphere Research (UARS) Satellite, the Topology Ocean Experiment (TOPEX) mission, Landsat-7, SeaWiFS, the Tropical Rainfall Monitoring Mission (TRMM), Quickscatt, the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), and, quite recently, the Terra'/Earth Observing System-1 mission. The Terra mission, for example, represents a major step forward in providing sensors that offer considerable advantages and progress over heritage instruments. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS), the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR), the Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT), the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emissions and Reflections (ASTER) radiometer, and the Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) radiometer are the instruments involved. Early indications in March indicate that each of these instruments are working well and will be augmenting data bases from heritage instruments as well as producing new, unprecedented observations of land, ocean, and atmosphere features. Several missions will follow the Terra mission as the Earth Observing mission systems complete development and go into operation. These missions include EOS PM-1/'Aqua', Icesat, Vegetation Canopy Lidar (VCL), Jason/TOPEX Follow-on, the Chemistry mission, etc. As the Earth Observing systems completes its first phase in about 2004 a wealth of data enabling better understanding of the Earth and the management of its resources will have been provided. Considerable thought is beginning to be placed on what advances in technology can be implemented that will enable further advances in the early part of the 21st century; e.g., in the time from of 2020. Concepts such as 'constellation' missions or 'formation flying' with 'sensorcraft', 'sensor webs', autonomous operation of satellites, more on-board processing and delivery to individual users, data synthesis and analysis in real-time, etc. are being considered. With the data now having been and soon to be received plus the very real possibilities of further advances in use and applicability of data the potential for very significant gains in knowledge for Earth studies and applications looks quite high in the next decade or two.

GeoBrain for Facilitating Earth Science Education in Higher-Education Institutes--Experience and Lessons-learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, M.; di, L.

2007-12-01

Data integration and analysis are the foundation for the scientific investigation in Earth science. In the past several decades, huge amounts of Earth science data have been collected mainly through remote sensing. Those data have become the treasure for Earth science research. Training students how to discover and use the huge volume of Earth science data in research become one of the most important trainings for making a student a qualified scientist. Being developed by a NASA funded project, the GeoBrain system has adopted and implemented the latest Web services and knowledge management technologies for providing innovative methods in publishing, accessing, visualizing, and analyzing geospatial data and in building/sharing geoscience knowledge. It provides a data-rich online learning and research environment enabled by wealthy data and information available at NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) Data and Information System (EOSDIS). Students, faculty members, and researchers from institutes worldwide can easily access, analyze, and model with the huge amount of NASA EOS data just like they possess such vast resources locally at their desktops. Although still in development, the GeoBrain system has been operational since 2005. A number of education materials have been developed for facilitating the use of GeoBrain as a powerful education tool for Earth science education at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Thousands of online higher-education users worldwide have used GeoBrain services. A number of faculty members in multiple universities have been funded as GeoBrain education partners to explore the use of GeoBrain in the classroom teaching and student research. By summarizing and analyzing the feedbacks from the online users and the education partners, this presentation presents the user experiences on using GeoBrain in Earth science teaching and research. The feedbacks on classroom use of GeoBrain have demonstrated that GeoBrain is very useful for facilitating the transition of both undergraduate and graduate students from learners to investigators. They feedbacks have also shown the system can improve teaching effectiveness, refine student's learning habit, and inspire students" interests in pursuing Earth sciences as their career. The interaction with the education users of GeoBrain provides much needed guidance and lessens-learned for future development and promotion of GeoBrain.

Earth Observatory Satellite system definition study. Report 6: Space shuttle interfaces/utilization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

An analysis was conducted to determine the compatibility of the Earth Observatory Satellite (EOS) with the space shuttle. The mechanical interfaces and provisions required for a launch or retrieval of the EOS by the space shuttle are summarized. The space shuttle flight support equipment required for the operation is defined. Diagrams of the space shuttle in various configurations are provised to show the mission capability with the EOS. The subjects considered are as follows: (1) structural and mechanical interfaces, (2) spacecraft retention and deployment, (3) spacecraft retrieval, (4) electrical interfaces, (5) payload shuttle operations, (6) shuttle mode cost analysis, (7) shuttle orbit trades, and (8) safety considerations.

Orbit Modification of Earth-Crossing Asteroids/Comets Using Rendezvous Spacecraft and Laser Ablation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Sang-Young; Mazanek, Daniel D.

2005-01-01

This report describes the approach and results of an end-to-end simulation to deflect a long-period comet (LPC) by using a rapid rendezvous spacecraft and laser ablation system. The laser energy required for providing sufficient deflection DELTA V and an analysis of possible intercept/rendezvous spacecraft trajectories are studied in this analysis. These problems minimize a weighted sum of the flight time and required propellant by using an advanced propulsion system. The optimal thrust-vector history and propellant mass to use are found in order to transfer a spacecraft from the Earth to a targeted celestial object. One goal of this analysis is to formulate an optimization problem for intercept/rendezvous spacecraft trajectories. One approach to alter the trajectory of the object in a highly controlled manner is to use pulsed laser ablative propulsion. A sufficiently intense laser pulse ablates the surface of a near-Earth object (NEO) by causing plasma blowoff. The momentum change from a single laser pulse is very small. However, the cumulative effect is very effective because the laser can interact with the object over long periods of time. The laser ablation technique can overcome the mass penalties associated with other nondisruptive approaches because no propellant is required to generate the DELTA V (the material of the celestial object is the propellant source). Additionally, laser ablation is effective against a wide range of surface materials and does not require any landing or physical attachment to the object. For diverting distant asteroids and comets, the power and optical requirements of a laser ablation system on or near the Earth may be too extreme to contemplate in the next few decades. A hybrid solution would be for a spacecraft to carry a laser as a payload to a particular celestial body. The spacecraft would require an advanced propulsion system capable of rapid rendezvous with the object and an extremely powerful electrical generator, which is likely needed for the propulsion system as well. The spacecraft would station-keep with the object at a small standoff distance while the laser ablation is performed.

Surveillance of medium and high Earth orbits using large baseline stereovision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danescu, Radu; Ciurte, Anca; Oniga, Florin; Cristea, Octavian; Dolea, Paul; Dascal, Vlad; Turcu, Vlad; Mircea, Liviu; Moldovan, Dan

2014-11-01

The Earth is surrounded by a swarm of satellites and associated debris known as Resident Space Objects (RSOs). All RSOs will orbit the Earth until they reentry into Earth's atmosphere. There are three main RSO categories: Low Earth Orbit (LEO), when the satellite orbits at an altitude below 1 500 km; a Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) for Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) at an altitude of around 20 000 km, and a Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) (also sometimes called the Clarke orbit), for geostationary satellites, at an altitude of 36 000 km. The Geostationary Earth Orbits and the orbits of higher altitude are also known as High Earth Orbits (HEO). Crucial for keeping an eye on RSOs, the Surveillance of Space (SofS) comprises detection, tracking, propagation of orbital parameters, cataloguing and analysis of these objects. This paper presents a large baseline stereovision based approach for detection and ranging of RSO orbiting at medium to high altitudes. Two identical observation systems, consisting of camera, telescope, control computer and GPS receiver are located 37 km apart, and set to observe the same region of the sky. The telescopes are placed on equatorial mounts able to compensate for the Earth's rotation, so that the stars appear stationary in the acquired images, and the satellites will appear as linear streaks. The two cameras are triggered simultaneously. The satellite streaks are detected in each image of the stereo pair using its streak-like appearance against point-like stars, the motion of the streaks between successive frames, and the stereo disparity. The detected satellite pixels are then put into correspondence using the epipolar geometry, and the 3D position of the satellite in the Earth Center, Earth Fixed (ECEF) reference frame is computed using stereo triangulation. Preliminary tests have been performed, for both MEO and HEO orbits. The preliminary results indicate a very high detection rate for MEO orbits, and good detection rate for HEO orbits, dependent on the satellite's rotation.

Workshop on Cometary Dust in Astrophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

The paper include contribution of each Lunar and Planetary Institute. Contents include the following: Mass flux in the ancient Earth-Moon system and benign implications for the origin of life on Earth. In-situ analysis of complex organic matter in cometary dust by ion microprobe. Pristine presolar silicon carbide. Infrared spectra of melilite solid solution. Comet observations with SIRTF. Ice and carbon chemistry in comets. The nature in interstellar dust. Modeling the infrared emission from protoplanetary dust disks.

A Juridical Analysis of Directed-Energy Weapons in the Earth-Space Arena

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-09-30

The one thing which all these definitions of weapons of mass destruction appear to share is a notion that the method and level of destruction is a...First, in what is admittedly a very narrow constructionistic argument, the language of Article IV(1) proscribes placement "in orbit around the Earth...prohibited with regard to near space is only the delivery system and not the weapon itself. This constructionistic argument is based upon the internal

Ultra Lightweight Ballutes for Return to Earth from the Moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Masciarelli, James P.; Lin, John K. H.; Ware, Joanne S.; Rohrschneider, Reuben R.; Braun, Robert D.; Bartels, Robert E.; Moses, Robert W.; Hall, Jeffery L.

2006-01-01

Ultra lightweight ballutes offer revolutionary mass and cost benefits along with flexibility in flight system design compared to traditional entry system technologies. Under funding provided by NASA s Exploration Systems Research & Technology program, our team was able to make progress in developing this technology through systems analysis and design, evaluation of materials and construction methods, and development of critical analysis tools. Results show that once this technology is mature, significant launch mass savings, operational simplicity, and mission robustness will be available to help carry out NASA s Vision for Space Exploration.

Near Earth Asteroid Solar Sail Engineering Development Unit Test Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lockett, Tiffany Russell; Few, Alexander; Wilson, Richard

2017-01-01

The Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout project is a 30x20x10cm (6U) cubesat reconnaissance mission to investigate a near Earth asteroid utilizing an 86m2 solar sail as the primary propulsion system. This will be the largest solar sail NASA will launch to date. NEA Scout is a secondary payload currently manifested on the maiden voyage of the Space Launch System in 2018. In development of the solar sail subsystem, design challenges were identified and investigated for packaging within a 6U form factor and deployment in cis-lunar space. Analysis furthered understanding of thermal, stress, and dynamics of the stowed system and matured an integrated sail membrane model for deployed flight dynamics. This paper will address design, fabrication, and lessons learned from the NEA Scout solar sail subsystem engineering development unit. From optical properties of the sail material to folding and spooling the single 86m2 sail, the team has developed a robust deployment system for the solar sail. This paper will also address expected and received test results from ascent vent, random vibration, and deployment tests.

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

Fischer, M. L.; Sweeney, C.

The vertical distributions of CO 2, CH 4, and other gases provide important constraints when determining terrestrial and ocean sources and sinks of carbon and other biogeochemical processes in the Earth system. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Biological and Environmental Research and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Earth System Research Laboratory to quantify the vertically resolved distribution of atmospheric carbon-cycle gases(CO 2, CH 4 ) within approximately 99% of the atmospheric column at the DOE ’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Southern Great Plains (SGP) site in Oklahoma . During the 2012 to 2014 campaign period, 12 successfulmore » Air C ore flights were conducted from the SGP site . In addition to providing critical data for evaluating remote sensing and earth system models, valuable lessons were learned that motivate improvements to the sampling and recovery systems and campaign logistics . With the launch of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory - 2 (OCO - 2) and Greenhouse gases Observing Satellite ( GOSAT ) satellites, we look forward to proposing additional sampling and analysis efforts at the SGP site and at other sites to characterize the vertical distribution of CO 2, CH 4 over time and space.« less

On-Board Propulsion System Analysis of High Density Propellants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, Steven J.

1998-01-01

The impact of the performance and density of on-board propellants on science payload mass of Discovery Program class missions is evaluated. A propulsion system dry mass model, anchored on flight-weight system data from the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous mission is used. This model is used to evaluate the performance of liquid oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxylammonium nitrate, and oxygen difluoride oxidizers with hydrocarbon and metal hydride fuels. Results for the propellants evaluated indicate that the state-of-art, Earth Storable propellants with high performance rhenium engine technology in both the axial and attitude control systems has performance capabilities that can only be exceeded by liquid oxygen/hydrazine, liquid oxygen/diborane and oxygen difluoride/diborane propellant combinations. Potentially lower ground operations costs is the incentive for working with nontoxic propellant combinations.

Modeling Sustainability: Population, Inequality, Consumption, and Bidirectional Coupling of the Earth and Human Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Motesharrei, Safa; Rivas, Jorge; Kalnay, Eugenia; Asrar, Ghassem R.; Busalacchi, Antonio J.; Cahalan, Robert F.; Cane, Mark A.; Colwell, Rita R.; Feng, Kuishuang; Franklin, Rachel S.;

Observing the earth radiation budget from satellites - Past, present, and a look to the future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

House, F. B.

1985-01-01

Satellite measurements of the radiative exchange between the planet earth and space have been the objective of many experiments since the beginning of the space age in the late 1950's. The on-going mission of the Earth Radiation Budget (ERB) experiments has been and will be to consider flight hardware, data handling and scientific analysis methods in a single design strategy. Research and development on observational data has produced an analysis model of errors associated with ERB measurement systems on polar satellites. Results show that the variability of reflected solar radiation from changing meteorology dominates measurement uncertainties. As an application, model calculations demonstrate that measurement requirements for the verification of climate models may be satisfied with observations from one polar satellite, provided there is information on diurnal variations of the radiation budget from the ERBE mission.

NASA Earth Sciences Data Support System and Services for the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leptoukh, Gregory

2006-01-01

The presentation describes the recently awarded ACCESS project to provide data management of NASA remote sensing data for the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI). The project targets integration of remote sensing data from MODIS, and other NASA instruments on board US-satellites (with potential expansion to data from non-US satellites), customized data products from climatology data sets (e.g., ISCCP, ISLSCP) and model data (e.g., NCEP/NCAR) into a single, well-architected data management system. It will utilize two existing components developed by the Goddard Earth Sciences Data & Information Services Center (GES DISC) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center: (1) online archiving and distribution system, that allows collection, processing and ingest of data from various sources into the online archive, and (2) user-friendly intelligent web-based online visualization and analysis system, also known as Giovanni. The former includes various kinds of data preparation for seamless interoperability between measurements by different instruments. The latter provides convenient access to various geophysical parameters measured in the Northern Eurasia region without any need to learn complicated remote sensing data formats, or retrieve and process large volumes of NASA data. Initial implementation of this data management system will concentrate on atmospheric data and surface data aggregated to coarse resolution to support collaborative environment and climate change studies and modeling, while at later stages, data from NASA and non-NASA satellites at higher resolution will be integrated into the system.

Development and analysis of SCR requirements tables for system scenarios

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Callahan, John R.; Morrison, Jeffery L.

1995-01-01

We describe the use of scenarios to develop and refine requirement tables for parts of the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS). The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is developing EOSDIS as part of its Mission-To-Planet-Earth (MTPE) project to accept instrument/platform observation requests from end-user scientists, schedule and perform requested observations of the Earth from space, collect and process the observed data, and distribute data to scientists and archives. Current requirements for the system are managed with tools that allow developers to trace the relationships between requirements and other development artifacts, including other requirements. In addition, the user community (e.g., earth and atmospheric scientists), in conjunction with NASA, has generated scenarios describing the actions of EOSDIS subsystems in response to user requests and other system activities. As part of a research effort in verification and validation techniques, this paper describes our efforts to develop requirements tables from these scenarios for the EOSDIS Core System (ECS). The tables specify event-driven mode transitions based on techniques developed by the Naval Research Lab's (NRL) Software Cost Reduction (SCR) project. The SCR approach has proven effective in specifying requirements for large systems in an unambiguous, terse format that enhance identification of incomplete and inconsistent requirements. We describe development of SCR tables from user scenarios and identify the strengths and weaknesses of our approach in contrast to the requirements tracing approach. We also evaluate the capabilities of both approach to respond to the volatility of requirements in large, complex systems.

Landscape of the EU-US Research Infrastructures and actors: Moving towards international interoperability of earth system data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asmi, Ari; Powers, Lindsay

2015-04-01

Research Infrastructures (RIs) are major long-term investments supporting innovative, bottom-up research activities. In the environmental research, they range from high atmosphere radars, to field observation networks and coordinated laboratory facilities. The Earth system is highly interactive and each part of the system interconnected across the spatial and disciplinary borders. However, due practical and historical reasons, the RIs are built from disciplinary points-of-view and separately in different parts of the world, with differing standards, policies, methods and research cultures. This heterogeneity provides necessary diversity to study the complex Earth system, but makes cross-disciplinary and/or global interoperability a challenge. Global actions towards better interoperability are surfacing, especially with EU and US. For example, recent mandates within the US government prioritize open data for federal agencies and federally funded science, and encourage collaboration among agencies to reduce duplication of efforts and increase efficient use of resources. There are several existing initiatives working toward these goals (e.g., COOPEUS, EarthCube, RDA, ICSU-WDS, DataOne, ESIP, USGEO, GEO). However, there is no cohesive framework to coordinate efforts among these, and other, entities. COOPEUS and EarthCube have now begun to map the landscape of interoperability efforts across earth science domains. The COOPEUS mapping effort describes the EU and US landscape of environmental research infrastructures to accomplish the following: identify gaps in services (data provision) necessary to address societal priorities; provide guidance for development of future research infrastructures; and identify opportunities for Research Infrastructures (RIs) to collaborate on issues of common interest. EarthCube mapping effort identifies opportunities to engage a broader community by identifying scientific domain organizations and entities. We present the current situation of the landscape analysis to create a sustainable effort towards removing barriers to interoperability on a global scale.

Program on Earth Observation Data Management Systems (EODMS), appendixes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eastwood, L. F., Jr.; Gohagan, J. K.; Hill, C. T.; Morgan, R. P.; Bay, S. M.; Foutch, T. K.; Hays, T. R.; Ballard, R. J.; Makin, K. P.; Power, M. A.

1976-01-01

The needs of state, regional, and local agencies involved in natural resources management in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin are investigated to determine the design of satellite remotely sensed derivable information products. It is concluded that an operational Earth Observation Data Management System (EODMS) will be most beneficial if it provides a full range of services - from raw data acquisition to interpretation and dissemination of final information products. Included is a cost and performance analysis of alternative processing centers, and an assessment of the impacts of policy, regulation, and government structure on implementing large scale use of remote sensing technology in this community of users.

Reusing Information Management Services for Recommended Decadal Study Missions That Facilitate Aerosol and Cloud Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alcott, G.; Kempler, S.; Lynnes, C.; Leptoukh, G.; Vollmer, B.; Berrick, S.

2008-12-01

NASA Earth Sciences Division (ESD), and its preceding Earth science organizations, has made great investments in the development and maintenance of data management systems, as well as information technologies, for the purpose of maximizing the use and usefulness of NASA generated Earth science data. Earth science information systems, evolving with the maturation and implementation of advancing technologies, reside at NASA data centers, known as Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs). With information management system infrastructure in place, and system data and user services already developed and operational, only very small delta costs are required to fully support data archival, processing, and data support services required by the recommended Decadal Study missions. This presentation describes the services and capabilities of the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) (one of NASAs DAACs) and their potential reuse for these future missions. After 14 years working with instrument teams and the broader science community, GES DISC personnel expertise in atmospheric, water cycle, and atmospheric modeling data and information services, as well as Earth science missions, information system engineering, operations, and user services have developed a series of modular, reusable data management components currently is use in several projects. The knowledge and experience gained at the GES DISC lend themselves to providing science driven information systems in the areas of aerosols, clouds, and atmospheric chemicals to be measured by recommended Decadal Survey missions. Available reusable capabilities include data archive and distribution (Simple, Scalable, Script-based, Science [S4] Product Archive aka S4PA), data processing (S4 Processor for Measurements aka S4PM), data search (Mirador), data browse, visualization, and analysis (Giovanni), and data mining services. In addition, recent enhancements, such as Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC), Inc. interoperability implementations and data fusion prototypes, will be described. As a result of the information management systems developed by NASAs GES DISC, not only are large cost savings realized through system reuse, but maintenance costs are also minimized due to the simplicity of their implementations.

Approaches for Improving Earth System Science Education in Middle Schools and High Schools in the United States (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, P. E.

2009-12-01

Earth system science is an often neglected subject in the US science curriculum. The state of Kansas State Department of Education, for example, has provided teachers with a curriculum guide for incorporating earth system science as an ancillary topic within the subjects of physics, chemistry, and the biological sciences. While this does provide a means to have earth system science within the curriculum, it relegates earth system science topics to a secondary status. In practice, earth system science topics are considered optional or only taught if there is time within an already an overly crowded curriculum. Given the importance of developing an educated citizenry that is capable of understanding, coping, and deciding how to live in a world where climate change is a reality requires a deeper understanding of earth system science. The de-emphasis of earth system science in favor of other science disciplines makes it imperative to seek opportunities to provide teachers, whose primary subject is not earth system science, with professional development opportunities to develop content knowledge understanding of earth system science, and pedagogical content knowledge (i.e. effective strategies for teaching earth system science). This is a noble goal, but there is no single method. At Fort Hays State University we have developed multiple strategies from face-to-face workshops, on-line coursework, and academic year virtual and face-to-face consultations with in-service and pre-service teachers. A review of the techniques and measures of effectiveness (based on teacher and student performance), and strengths and limitations of each method will be presented as an aid to other institutions and programs seeking to improve the teaching and learning of earth system science in their region.

GES DISC Data Recipes in Jupyter Notebooks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, A.; Banavige, B.; Garimella, K.; Rice, J.; Shen, S.; Liu, Z.

2017-12-01

The Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) Project manages twelve Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs) which are geographically dispersed across the United States. The DAACs are responsible for ingesting, processing, archiving, and distributing Earth science data produced from various sources (satellites, aircraft, field measurements, etc.). In response to projections of an exponential increase in data production, there has been a recent effort to prototype various DAAC activities in the cloud computing environment. This, in turn, led to the creation of an initiative, called the Cloud Analysis Toolkit to Enable Earth Science (CATEES), to develop a Python software package in order to transition Earth science data processing to the cloud. This project, in particular, supports CATEES and has two primary goals. One, transition data recipes created by the Goddard Earth Science Data and Information Service Center (GES DISC) DAAC into an interactive and educational environment using Jupyter Notebooks. Two, acclimate Earth scientists to cloud computing. To accomplish these goals, we create Jupyter Notebooks to compartmentalize the different steps of data analysis and help users obtain and parse data from the command line. We also develop a Docker container, comprised of Jupyter Notebooks, Python library dependencies, and command line tools, and configure it into an easy to deploy package. The end result is an end-to-end product that simulates the use case of end users working in the cloud computing environment.

Supporting Greenhouse Gas Management Strategies with Observations and Analysis - Challenges and Opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butler, J. H.; Tarasova, O. A.

2014-12-01

Climate-change challenges facing society in the 21st century require an improved understanding of the global carbon-cycle and of the impacts and feedbacks of past, present, and future emissions of carbon-cycle gases. Global society faces a major challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to virtually zero, most notably those of CO2, while at the same time facing variable and potentially overwhelming Earth System feedbacks. How it goes about this will depend upon the nature of impending international agreements, national laws, regional strategies, and social and economic forces. The challenge to those making observations to support, inform, or verify these reduction efforts, or to address potential Earth System feedbacks, lies in harmonizing a diverse array of observations and observing systems. Doing so is not trivial. Providing coherent, regional-scale information from these observations also requires improved modelling and ensemble reanalysis, but in the end such information must be relevant and reasonably certain. The challenge to us is to ensure a globally coherent observing and analysis system to supply the information that society will need to succeed. Policy-makers, scientists, government agencies, and businesses will need the best information available for decision-making and any observing and analysis system ultimately must be able to provide a coherent story over decades.

Development and application of earth system models.

PubMed

Prinn, Ronald G

2013-02-26

The global environment is a complex and dynamic system. Earth system modeling is needed to help understand changes in interacting subsystems, elucidate the influence of human activities, and explore possible future changes. Integrated assessment of environment and human development is arguably the most difficult and most important "systems" problem faced. To illustrate this approach, we present results from the integrated global system model (IGSM), which consists of coupled submodels addressing economic development, atmospheric chemistry, climate dynamics, and ecosystem processes. An uncertainty analysis implies that without mitigation policies, the global average surface temperature may rise between 3.5 °C and 7.4 °C from 1981-2000 to 2091-2100 (90% confidence limits). Polar temperatures, absent policy, are projected to rise from about 6.4 °C to 14 °C (90% confidence limits). Similar analysis of four increasingly stringent climate mitigation policy cases involving stabilization of greenhouse gases at various levels indicates that the greatest effect of these policies is to lower the probability of extreme changes. The IGSM is also used to elucidate potential unintended environmental consequences of renewable energy at large scales. There are significant reasons for attention to climate adaptation in addition to climate mitigation that earth system models can help inform. These models can also be applied to evaluate whether "climate engineering" is a viable option or a dangerous diversion. We must prepare young people to address this issue: The problem of preserving a habitable planet will engage present and future generations. Scientists must improve communication if research is to inform the public and policy makers better.

NASA's Earth Science Data Systems - Lessons Learned and Future Directions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramapriyan, Hampapuram K.

2010-01-01

In order to meet the increasing demand for Earth Science data, NASA has significantly improved the Earth Science Data Systems over the last two decades. This improvement is reviewed in this slide presentation. Many Earth Science disciplines have been able to access the data that is held in the Earth Observing System (EOS) Data and Information System (EOSDIS) at the Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs) that forms the core of the data system.

Science Alert Demonstration with a Rover Traverse Science Data Analysis System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Castano, R.; Estlin, T.; Gaines, D.; Castano, A.; Bornstein, B.; Anderson, R. C.; Judd, M.; Stough, T.; Wagstaff, K.

2005-01-01

The Onboard Autonomous Science Investigation System (OASIS) evaluates geologic data gathered by a planetary rover. This analysis is used to prioritize the data for transmission, so that the data with the highest science value is transmitted to Earth. In addition, the onboard analysis results are used to identify science opportunities. A planning and scheduling component of the system enables the rover to take advantage of the identified science opportunity. OASIS is a NASA-funded research project that is currently being tested on the FIDO rover at JPL for the use on future missions.

Orbit and size distributions for asteroids temporarily captured by the Earth-Moon system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedorets, Grigori; Granvik, Mikael; Jedicke, Robert

2017-03-01

As a continuation of the work by Granvik et al. (2012), we expand the statistical treatment of Earth's temporarily-captured natural satellites from temporarily-captured orbiters (TCOs, i.e., objects which make at least one orbit around the Earth) to the newly redefined subpopulation of temporarily-captured flybys (TCFs). TCFs are objects that while being gravitationally bound fail to make a complete orbit around the Earth while on a geocentric orbit, but nevertheless approach the Earth within its Hill radius. We follow the trajectories of massless test asteroids through the Earth-Moon system and record the orbital characteristics of those that are temporarily captured. We then carry out a steady-state analysis utilizing the novel NEO population model by Granvik et al. (2016). We also investigate how an quadratic distribution at very small values of e⊙ and i⊙ affects the predicted population statistics of Earth's temporarily-captured natural satellites. The steady-state population in both cases (constant and quadratic number distributions inside the e and i bins) is predicted to contain a slightly reduced number of meter-sized asteroids compared to the values of the previous paper. For the combined TCO/TCF population, we find the largest body constantly present on a geocentric orbit to be on the order of 80 cm in diameter. In the phase space, where the capture is possible, the capture efficiency of TCOs and TCFs is O(10-6 -10-4) . We also find that kilometer-scale asteroids are captured once every 10 Myr.

Earth observing system. Output data products and input requirements, version 2.0. Volume 2: Analysis of IDS input requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lu, Yun-Chi; Chang, Hyo Duck; Krupp, Brian; Kumar, Ravindra; Swaroop, Anand

1992-01-01

On 18 Jan. 1991, NASA confirmed 29 Inter-Disciplinary Science (IDS) teams, each involving a group of investigators, to conduct interdisciplinary research using data products from Earth Observing System (EOS) instruments. These studies are multi-disciplinary and require output data products from multiple EOS instruments, including both FI and PI instruments. The purpose of this volume is to provide information on output products expected from IDS investigators, required input data, and retrieval algorithms. Also included in this volume is the revised analysis of the 'best' and 'alternative' match data products for IDS input requirements. The original analysis presented in the August 1991 release of the SPSO Report was revised to incorporate the restructuring of the EOS platform. As a result of the reduced EOS payload, some of EOS instruments were deselected and their data products would not be available for IDS research. Information on these data products is also presented.

Archive Management of NASA Earth Observation Data to Support Cloud Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lynnes, Christopher; Baynes, Kathleen; McInerney, Mark

2017-01-01

NASA collects, processes and distributes petabytes of Earth Observation (EO) data from satellites, aircraft, in situ instruments and model output, with an order of magnitude increase expected by 2024. Cloud-based web object storage (WOS) of these data can simplify the execution of such an increase. More importantly, it can also facilitate user analysis of those volumes by making the data available to the massively parallel computing power in the cloud. However, storing EO data in cloud WOS has a ripple effect throughout the NASA archive system with unexpected challenges and opportunities. One challenge is modifying data servicing software (such as Web Coverage Service servers) to access and subset data that are no longer on a directly accessible file system, but rather in cloud WOS. Opportunities include refactoring of the archive software to a cloud-native architecture; virtualizing data products by computing on demand; and reorganizing data to be more analysis-friendly. Reviewed by Mark McInerney ESDIS Deputy Project Manager.

Noise analysis of the seismic system employed in the northern and southern California seismic nets

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eaton, J.P.

1984-01-01

The seismic networks have been designed and operated to support recording on Develocorders (less than 40db dynamic range) and analog magnetic tape (about 50 db dynamic range). The principal analysis of the records has been based on Develocorder films; and background earth noise levels have been adjusted to be about 1 to 2 mm p-p on the film readers. Since the traces are separated by only 10 to 12 mm on the reader screen, they become hopelessly tangled when signal amplitudes on several adjacent traces exceed 10 to 20 mm p-p. Thus, the background noise level is hardly more than 20 db below the level of largest readable signals. The situation is somewhat better on tape playbacks, but the high level of background noise set to accomodate processing from film records effectively limits the range of maximum-signal to background-earth-noise on high gain channels to a little more than 30 db. Introduction of the PDP 11/44 seismic data acquisition system has increased the potential dynamic range of recorded network signals to more than 60 db. To make use of this increased dynamic range we must evaluate the characteristics and performance of the seismic system. In particular, we must determine whether the electronic noise in the system is or can be made sufficiently low so that background earth noise levels can be lowered significantly to take advantage of the increased dynamic range of the digital recording system. To come to grips with the complex problem of system noise, we have carried out a number of measurements and experiments to evaluate critical components of the system as well as to determine the noise characteristics of the system as a whole.

Interacting with Petabytes of Earth Science Data using Jupyter Notebooks, IPython Widgets and Google Earth Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erickson, T. A.; Granger, B.; Grout, J.; Corlay, S.

2017-12-01

The volume of Earth science data gathered from satellites, aircraft, drones, and field instruments continues to increase. For many scientific questions in the Earth sciences, managing this large volume of data is a barrier to progress, as it is difficult to explore and analyze large volumes of data using the traditional paradigm of downloading datasets to a local computer for analysis. Furthermore, methods for communicating Earth science algorithms that operate on large datasets in an easily understandable and reproducible way are needed. Here we describe a system for developing, interacting, and sharing well-documented Earth Science algorithms that combines existing software components: Jupyter Notebook: An open-source, web-based environment that supports documents that combine code and computational results with text narrative, mathematics, images, and other media. These notebooks provide an environment for interactive exploration of data and development of well documented algorithms. Jupyter Widgets / ipyleaflet: An architecture for creating interactive user interface controls (such as sliders, text boxes, etc.) in Jupyter Notebooks that communicate with Python code. This architecture includes a default set of UI controls (sliders, dropboxes, etc.) as well as APIs for building custom UI controls. The ipyleaflet project is one example that offers a custom interactive map control that allows a user to display and manipulate geographic data within the Jupyter Notebook. Google Earth Engine: A cloud-based geospatial analysis platform that provides access to petabytes of Earth science data via a Python API. The combination of Jupyter Notebooks, Jupyter Widgets, ipyleaflet, and Google Earth Engine makes it possible to explore and analyze massive Earth science datasets via a web browser, in an environment suitable for interactive exploration, teaching, and sharing. Using these environments can make Earth science analyses easier to understand and reproducible, which may increase the rate of scientific discoveries and the transition of discoveries into real-world impacts.

Advanced platform technologies for Earth science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemmerman, Loren; Raymond, Carol; Shotwell, Robert; Chase, James; Bhasin, Kul; Connerton, Robert

2005-01-01

Historically, Earth science investigations have been independent and highly focused. However, the Earth's environment is a very dynamic and interrelated system and to understand it, significant improvements in spatial and temporal observations will be required. Science needs to document the need for constellations to achieve desired spatial and temporal observations. A key element envisioned for accomplishing these difficult challenges is the idea of a distributed, heterogeneous, and adaptive observing system or sensor web. This paper focuses on one possible approach based on a LEO constellation composed of 100 spacecraft. A cost analysis has been done to indicate the financial pressures of each mission phase and conclusions are drawn suggesting that new technology investments are needed, directed toward lowering production costs; that operations costs will need to be reduced through autonomy; and that, of the on-board subsystems considered, advanced power generation and management may be the most enabling of new technologies.

Critical Thresholds in Earth-System Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rothman, D.

2017-12-01

The history of the Earth system is a story of change. Some changesare gradual and benign, but others, especially those associated withcatastrophic mass extinction, are relatively abrupt and destructive.What sets one group apart from the other? Here I hypothesize thatperturbations of Earth's carbon cycle lead to mass extinction if theyexceed either a critical rate at long time scales or a critical sizeat short time scales. By analyzing 31 carbon-isotopic events duringthe last 542 million years, I identify the critical rate with a limitimposed by mass conservation. Further analysis identifies thecrossover timescale separating fast from slow events with thetimescale of the ocean's homeostatic response to a change in pH. Theproduct of the critical rate and the crossover timescale then yieldsthe critical size. The modern critical size for the marine carboncycle is roughly similar to the mass of carbon that human activitieswill likely have added to the oceans by the year 2100.

Millimeter wavelength propagation studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hodge, D. B.

1974-01-01

The investigations conducted for the Millimeter Wavelength Propagation Studies during the period December, 1966, to June 1974 are reported. These efforts included the preparation for the ATS-5 Millimeter Wavelength Propagation Experiment and the subsequent data acquisition and data analysis. The emphasis of the OSU participation in this experiment was placed on the determination of reliability improvement resulting from the use of space diversity on a millimeter wavelength earth-space communication link. Related measurements included the determination of the correlation between radiometric temperature and attenuation along the earth-space propagation path. Along with this experimental effort a theoretical model was developed for the prediction of attenuation statistics on single and spatially separated earth space propagation paths. A High Resolution Radar/Radiometer System and Low Resolution Radar System were developed and implemented for the study of intense rain cells in preparation for the ATS-6 Millimeter Wavelength Propagation Experiment.

The orbits of the uranian satellites and rings, the gravity field of the uranian system, and the orientation of the pole of Uranus

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

Jacobson, R. A., E-mail: robert.jacobson@jpl.nasa.gov

2014-11-01

French et al. determined the orbits of the Uranian rings, the orientation of the pole of Uranus, and the gravity harmonics of Uranus from Earth-based and Voyager ring occultations. Jacobson et al. determined the orbits of the Uranian satellites and the masses of Uranus and its satellites from Earth-based astrometry and observations acquired with the Voyager 2 spacecraft; they used the gravity harmonics and pole from French et al. Jacobson and Rush reconstructed the Voyager 2 trajectory and redetermined the Uranian system gravity parameters, satellite orbits, and ring orbits in a combined analysis of the data used previously augmented withmore » additional Earth-based astrometry. Here we report on an extension of that work that incorporates additional astrometry and ring occultations together with improved data processing techniques.« less

Space Operations Center system analysis study extension. Volume 4, book 1: SOC system analysis report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The Space Operations Center (SOC) orbital space station missions are analyzed. Telecommunications missions, space science, Earth sensing, and space testing missions, research and applications missions, defense missions, and satellite servicing missions are modeled and mission needs discussed. The satellite servicing missions are analyzed in detail, including construction and servicing equipment requirements, mission needs and benefits, differential drag characteristics of co-orbiting satellites, and satellite servicing transportation requirements.

A survey of geographical information systems applications for the Earth Science and Applications Division, Space Sciences Laboratory, Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rickman, D.; Butler, K. A.; Laymon, C. A.

1994-01-01

The purpose of this document is to introduce Geographical Information System (GIS) terminology and summarize interviews conducted with scientists in the Earth Science and Applications Division (ESAD). There is a growing need in ESAD for GIS technology. With many different data sources available to the scientists comes the need to be able to process and view these data in an efficient manner. Since most of these data are stored in vastly different formats, specialized software and hardware are needed. Several ESAD scientists have been using a GIS, specifically the Man-computer Interactive Data Access System (MCIDAS). MCIDAS can solve many of the research problems that arise, but there are areas of research that need more powerful tools; one such example is the multispectral image analysis which is described in this document. Given the strong need for GIS in ESAD, we recommend that a requirements analysis and implementation plan be developed using this document as a basis for further investigation.

The asteroid rendezvous spacecraft. An adaptation study of TIROS/DMSP technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The feasibility of using the TIROS/DMSP Earth orbiting meteorological satellite in application to a near Earth asteroid rendezvous mission. System and subsystems analysis was carried out to develop a configuration of the spacecraft suitable for this mission. Mission analysis studies were also done and maneuver/rendezvous scenarios developed for baseline missions to both Anteros and Eros. The fact that the Asteroid mission is the most complex of the Pioneer class missions currently under consideration notwithstanding, the basic conclusion very strongly supports the suitability of the basic TIROS bus for this mission in all systems and subsystems areas, including science accommodation. Further, the modifications which are required due to the unique mission are very low risk and can be accomplished readily. The key issue is that in virtually every key subsystem, the demands of the Asteroid mission are a subset of the basic meteorological satellite mission. This allows a relatively simple reconfiguration to be accomplished without a major system redesign.

Program on Earth Observation Data Management Systems (EODMS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eastwood, L. F., Jr.; Gohagan, J. K.; Hill, C. T.; Morgan, R. P.; Hays, T. R.; Ballard, R. J.; Crnkovick, G. R.; Schaeffer, M. A.

1976-01-01

An assessment was made of the needs of a group of potential users of satellite remotely sensed data (state, regional, and local agencies) involved in natural resources management in five states, and alternative data management systems to satisfy these needs are outlined. Tasks described include: (1) a comprehensive data needs analysis of state and local users; (2) the design of remote sensing-derivable information products that serve priority state and local data needs; (3) a cost and performance analysis of alternative processing centers for producing these products; (4) an assessment of the impacts of policy, regulation and government structure on implementing large-scale use of remote sensing technology in this community of users; and (5) the elaboration of alternative institutional arrangements for operational Earth Observation Data Management Systems (EODMS). It is concluded that an operational EODMS will be of most use to state, regional, and local agencies if it provides a full range of information services -- from raw data acquisition to interpretation and dissemination of final information products.

Earth Observatory Satellite system definition study. Report no. 3: Design/cost tradeoff studies. Appendix E: EOS program supporting system trade data. Part 2: System trade studies no. 9 - 19

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

The relative merits of several international data acquisition (IDA) alternatives for the Earth Observatory Satellite (EOS) are established and rated on a cost effectiveness basis. The primary alternatives under consideration are: (1) direct transmission to foreign ground stations, (2) a wideband video tape recorder system for collection of foreign data and processing and distribution from the United States, and (3) a tracking and data relay satellite (TDRS) system for the relay of foreign data to the United States for processing and distribution. A requirements model is established for the analysis on the basis of the heaviest concentration of agricultural areas around the world. The model, the orbit path and the constraints of EOS and data volume summaries are presented. Alternative system descriptions and costs are given in addition to cost-performance summaries.

Understanding our Changing Planet: NASA's Earth Science Enterprise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Forehand, Lon; Griner, Charlotte (Editor); Greenstone, Renny (Editor)

1999-01-01

NASA has been studying the Earth and its changing environment by observing the atmosphere, oceans, land, ice, and snow and their influence on climate and weather since the agency's creation. This study has lead to a new approach to understanding the interaction of the Earth's systems, Earth System Science. The Earth Science Enterprise, NASA's comprehensive program for Earth System Science, uses satellites and other tools to intensively study the Earth. The Earth Science Enterprise has three main components: (1) a series of Earth-observing satellites, (2) an advanced data system and (3) teams of scientist who study the data. Key areas of study include: (1) clouds, (2) water and energy cycles, (3) oceans, (4) chemistry of the atmosphere, (5) land surface, water and ecosystems processes; (6) glaciers and polar ice sheets, and (7) the solid earth.

Sustaining Human Presence on Mars Using ISRU and a Reusable Lander

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arney, Dale C.; Jones, Christopher A.; Klovstad, Jordan J.; Komar, D.R.; Earle, Kevin; Moses, Robert; Shyface, Hilary R.

2015-01-01

This paper presents an analysis of the impact of ISRU (In-Site Resource Utilization), reusability, and automation on sustaining a human presence on Mars, requiring a transition from Earth dependence to Earth independence. The study analyzes the surface and transportation architectures and compared campaigns that revealed the importance of ISRU and reusability. A reusable Mars lander, Hercules, eliminates the need to deliver a new descent and ascent stage with each cargo and crew delivery to Mars, reducing the mass delivered from Earth. As part of an evolvable transportation architecture, this investment is key to enabling continuous human presence on Mars. The extensive use of ISRU reduces the logistics supply chain from Earth in order to support population growth at Mars. Reliable and autonomous systems, in conjunction with robotics, are required to enable ISRU architectures as systems must operate and maintain themselves while the crew is not present. A comparison of Mars campaigns is presented to show the impact of adding these investments and their ability to contribute to sustaining a human presence on Mars.

Mantle convection and the state of the Earth's interior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hager, Bradford H.

1987-01-01

During 1983 to 1986 emphasis in the study of mantle convection shifted away from fluid mechanical analysis of simple systems with uniform material properties and simple geometries, toward analysis of the effects of more complicated, presumably more realistic models. The important processes related to mantle convection are considered. The developments in seismology are discussed.

Earth Exploration Toolbook Workshops: Helping Teachers and Students Analyze Web-based Scientific Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McAuliffe, C.; Ledley, T.; Dahlman, L.; Haddad, N.

2007-12-01

One of the challenges faced by Earth science teachers, particularly in K-12 settings, is that of connecting scientific research to classroom experiences. Helping teachers and students analyze Web-based scientific data is one way to bring scientific research to the classroom. The Earth Exploration Toolbook (EET) was developed as an online resource to accomplish precisely that. The EET consists of chapters containing step-by-step instructions for accessing Web-based scientific data and for using a software analysis tool to explore issues or concepts in science, technology, and mathematics. For example, in one EET chapter, users download Earthquake data from the USGS and bring it into a geographic information system (GIS), analyzing factors affecting the distribution of earthquakes. The goal of the EET Workshops project is to provide professional development that enables teachers to incorporate Web-based scientific data and analysis tools in ways that meet their curricular needs. In the EET Workshops project, Earth science teachers participate in a pair of workshops that are conducted in a combined teleconference and Web-conference format. In the first workshop, the EET Data Analysis Workshop, participants are introduced to the National Science Digital Library (NSDL) and the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE). They also walk through an Earth Exploration Toolbook (EET) chapter and discuss ways to use Earth science datasets and tools with their students. In a follow-up second workshop, the EET Implementation Workshop, teachers share how they used these materials in the classroom by describing the projects and activities that they carried out with students. The EET Workshops project offers unique and effective professional development. Participants work at their own Internet-connected computers, and dial into a toll-free group teleconference for step-by-step facilitation and interaction. They also receive support via Elluminate, a Web-conferencing software program. The software allows participants to see the facilitator's computer as the analysis techniques of an EET chapter are demonstrated. If needed, the facilitator can also view individual participant's computers, assisting with technical difficulties. In addition, it enables a large number of end users, often widely distributed, to engage in interactive, real-time instruction. In this presentation, we will describe the elements of an EET Workshop pair, highlighting the capabilities and use of Elluminate. We will share lessons learned through several years of conducting this type of professional development. We will also share findings from survey data gathered from teachers who have participated in our workshops.

Visualization and Analysis of Multi-scale Land Surface Products via Giovanni Portals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shen, Suhung; Kempler, Steven J.; Gerasimov, Irina V.

2013-01-01

Large volumes of MODIS land data products at multiple spatial resolutions have been integrated into the Giovanni online analysis system to support studies on land cover and land use changes,focused on the Northern Eurasia and Monsoon Asia regions through the LCLUC program. Giovanni (Goddard Interactive Online Visualization ANd aNalysis Infrastructure) is a Web-based application developed by the NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC), providing a simple and intuitive way to visualize, analyze, and access Earth science remotely-sensed and modeled data.Customized Giovanni Web portals (Giovanni-NEESPI andGiovanni-MAIRS) have been created to integrate land, atmospheric,cryospheric, and societal products, enabling researchers to do quick exploration and basic analyses of land surface changes, and their relationships to climate, at global and regional scales. This presentation shows a sample Giovanni portal page, lists selected data products in the system, and illustrates potential analyses with imagesand time-series at global and regional scales, focusing on climatology and anomaly analysis. More information is available at the GES DISCMAIRS data support project portal: http:disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.govmairs.

Final safety analysis report for the Ground Test Accelerator (GTA), Phase 2

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

NONE

1994-10-01

This document is the second volume of a 3 volume safety analysis report on the Ground Test Accelerator (GTA). The GTA program at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is the major element of the national Neutral Particle Beam (NPB) program, which is supported by the Strategic Defense Initiative Office (SDIO). A principal goal of the national NPB program is to assess the feasibility of using hydrogen and deuterium neutral particle beams outside the Earth`s atmosphere. The main effort of the NPB program at Los Alamos concentrates on developing the GTA. The GTA is classified as a low-hazard facility, exceptmore » for the cryogenic-cooling system, which is classified as a moderate-hazard facility. This volume consists of failure modes and effects analysis; accident analysis; operational safety requirements; quality assurance program; ES&H management program; environmental, safety, and health systems critical to safety; summary of waste-management program; environmental monitoring program; facility expansion, decontamination, and decommissioning; summary of emergency response plan; summary plan for employee training; summary plan for operating procedures; glossary; and appendices A and B.« less

Earth observing system: 1989 reference handbook

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

NASA is studying a coordinated effort called the Mission to Planet Earth to understand global change. The goals are to understand the Earth as a system, and to determine those processes that contribute to the environmental balance, as well as those that may result in changes. The Earth Observing System (Eos) is the centerpiece of the program. Eos will create an integrated scientific observing system that will enable multidisciplinary study of the Earth including the atmosphere, oceans, land surface, polar regions, and solid Earth. Science goals, the Eos data and information system, experiments, measuring instruments, and interdisciplinary investigations are described.

Forget the hype or reality. Big data presents new opportunities in Earth Science.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, T. J.

2015-12-01

Earth science is arguably one of the most mature science discipline which constantly acquires, curates, and utilizes a large volume of data with diverse variety. We deal with big data before there is big data. For example, while developing the EOS program in the 1980s, the EOS data and information system (EOSDIS) was developed to manage the vast amount of data acquired by the EOS fleet of satellites. EOSDIS continues to be a shining example of modern science data systems in the past two decades. With the explosion of internet, the usage of social media, and the provision of sensors everywhere, the big data era has bring new challenges. First, Goggle developed the search algorithm and a distributed data management system. The open source communities quickly followed up and developed Hadoop file system to facility the map reduce workloads. The internet continues to generate tens of petabytes of data every day. There is a significant shortage of algorithms and knowledgeable manpower to mine the data. In response, the federal government developed the big data programs that fund research and development projects and training programs to tackle these new challenges. Meanwhile, comparatively to the internet data explosion, Earth science big data problem has become quite small. Nevertheless, the big data era presents an opportunity for Earth science to evolve. We learned about the MapReduce algorithms, in memory data mining, machine learning, graph analysis, and semantic web technologies. How do we apply these new technologies to our discipline and bring the hype to Earth? In this talk, I will discuss how we might want to apply some of the big data technologies to our discipline and solve many of our challenging problems. More importantly, I will propose new Earth science data system architecture to enable new type of scientific inquires.

Human Performance in Simulated Reduced Gravity Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cowley, Matthew; Harvill, Lauren; Rajulu, Sudhakar

2014-01-01

NASA is currently designing a new space suit capable of working in deep space and on Mars. Designing a suit is very difficult and often requires trade-offs between performance, cost, mass, and system complexity. Our current understanding of human performance in reduced gravity in a planetary environment (the moon or Mars) is limited to lunar observations, studies from the Apollo program, and recent suit tests conducted at JSC using reduced gravity simulators. This study will look at our most recent reduced gravity simulations performed on the new Active Response Gravity Offload System (ARGOS) compared to the C-9 reduced gravity plane. Methods: Subjects ambulated in reduced gravity analogs to obtain a baseline for human performance. Subjects were tested in lunar gravity (1.6 m/sq s) and Earth gravity (9.8 m/sq s) in shirt-sleeves. Subjects ambulated over ground at prescribed speeds on the ARGOS, but ambulated at a self-selected speed on the C-9 due to time limitations. Subjects on the ARGOS were given over 3 minutes to acclimate to the different conditions before data was collected. Nine healthy subjects were tested in the ARGOS (6 males, 3 females, 79.5 +/- 15.7 kg), while six subjects were tested on the C-9 (6 males, 78.8 +/- 11.2 kg). Data was collected with an optical motion capture system (Vicon, Oxford, UK) and was analyzed using customized analysis scripts in BodyBuilder (Vicon, Oxford, UK) and MATLAB (MathWorks, Natick, MA, USA). Results: In all offloaded conditions, variation between subjects increased compared to 1-g. Kinematics in the ARGOS at lunar gravity resembled earth gravity ambulation more closely than the C-9 ambulation. Toe-off occurred 10% earlier in both reduced gravity environments compared to earth gravity, shortening the stance phase. Likewise, ankle, knee, and hip angles remained consistently flexed and had reduced peaks compared to earth gravity. Ground reaction forces in lunar gravity (normalized to Earth body weight) were 0.4 +/- 0.2 on the ARGOS, but only 0.2 +/- 0.1 on the C-9. Discussion: Gait analysis showed differences in joint kinematics and temporal-spatial parameters between the reduced gravity simulators and with respect to earth gravity. Although most of the subjects chose a somewhat unique ambulation style as a result of learning to ambulate in a new environment, all but two were consistent with keeping an Earth-like gait. Learning how reduced gravity affects ambulation will help NASA to determine optimal suit designs, influence mission planning, help train crew, and may shed light on the underlying methods the body uses to optimize gait for energetic efficiency. Conclusion: Kinematic and kinetic analysis demonstrated noteworthy differences between an offloaded environment and 1-g, as would be expected. The analysis showed a trend to change the ambulation style in an offloaded environment to a rolling-loping walk (resembling crosscountry skiing) with increased swing time. This ambulation modification, particularly in the ARGOS, indicated that the relative kinetic energy of the subject was increased, on average, per the static body weight compared to the 1-g condition. How much of this was influenced by the active offloading of the ARGOS system is unknown.

Implementing an International Consultation on Earth System Research Priorities Using Web 2.0 Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldfarb, L.; Yang, A.

2009-12-01

Leah Goldfarb, Paul Cutler, Andrew Yang*, Mustapha Mokrane, Jacinta Legg and Deliang Chen The scientific community has been engaged in developing an international strategy on Earth system research. The initial consultation in this “visioning” process focused on gathering suggestions for Earth system research priorities that are interdisciplinary and address the most pressing societal issues. It was implemented this through a website that utilized Web 2.0 capabilities. The website (http://www.icsu-visioning.org/) collected input from 15 July to 1 September 2009. This consultation was the first in which the international scientific community was asked to help shape the future of a research theme. The site attracted over 7000 visitors from 133 countries, more than 1000 of whom registered and took advantage of the site’s functionality to contribute research questions (~300 questions), comment on posts, and/or vote on questions. To facilitate analysis of results, the site captured a small set of voluntary information about each contributor and their contribution. A group of ~50 international experts were invited to analyze the inputs at a “Visioning Earth System Research” meeting held in September 2009. The outcome of this meeting—a prioritized list of research questions to be investigated over the next decade—was then posted on the visioning website for additional comment from the community through an online survey tool. In general, many lessons were learned in the development and implementation of this website, both in terms of the opportunities offered by Web 2.0 capabilities and the application of these capabilities. It is hoped that this process may serve as a model for other scientific communities. The International Council for Science (ICSU) in cooperation with the International Social Science Council (ISSC) is responsible for organizing this Earth system visioning process.

[Establishment of malaria early warning system in Jiangsu Province II application of digital earth system in malaria epidemic management and surveillance].

PubMed

Wang, Wei-Ming; Zhou, Hua-Yun; Liu, Yao-Bao; Li, Ju-Lin; Cao, Yuan-Yuan; Cao, Jun

2013-04-01

To explore a new mode of malaria elimination through the application of digital earth system in malaria epidemic management and surveillance. While we investigated the malaria cases and deal with the epidemic areas in Jiangsu Province in 2011, we used JISIBAO UniStrong G330 GIS data acquisition unit (GPS) to collect the latitude and longitude of the cases located, and then established a landmark library about early-warning areas and an image management system by using Google Earth Free 6.2 and its image processing software. A total of 374 malaria cases were reported in Jiangsu Province in 2011. Among them, there were 13 local vivax malaria cases, 11 imported vivax malaria cases from other provinces, 20 abroad imported vivax malaria cases, 309 abroad imported falciparum malaria cases, 7 abroad imported quartan malaria cases (Plasmodium malaria infection), and 14 abroad imported ovale malaria cases (P. ovale infection). Through the analysis of Google Earth Mapping system, these malaria cases showed a certain degree of aggregation except the abroad imported quartan malaria cases which were highly sporadic. The local vivax malaria cases mainly concentrated in Sihong County, the imported vivax malaria cases from other provinces mainly concentrated in Suzhou City and Wuxi City, the abroad imported vivax malaria cases concentrated in Nanjing City, the abroad imported falciparum malaria cases clustered in the middle parts of Jiangsu Province, and the abroad imported ovale malaria cases clustered in Liyang City. The operation of Google Earth Free 6.2 is simple, convenient and quick, which could help the public health authority to make the decision of malaria prevention and control, including the use of funds and other health resources.

Collateral transgression of planetary boundaries due to climate engineering by terrestrial carbon dioxide removal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heck, Vera; Donges, Jonathan F.; Lucht, Wolfgang

2016-10-01

The planetary boundaries framework provides guidelines for defining thresholds in environmental variables. Their transgression is likely to result in a shift in Earth system functioning away from the relatively stable Holocene state. As the climate system is approaching critical thresholds of atmospheric carbon, several climate engineering methods are discussed, aiming at a reduction of atmospheric carbon concentrations to control the Earth's energy balance. Terrestrial carbon dioxide removal (tCDR) via afforestation or bioenergy production with carbon capture and storage are part of most climate change mitigation scenarios that limit global warming to less than 2 °C. We analyse the co-evolutionary interaction of societal interventions via tCDR and the natural dynamics of the Earth's carbon cycle. Applying a conceptual modelling framework, we analyse how the degree of anticipation of the climate problem and the intensity of tCDR efforts with the aim of staying within a "safe" level of global warming might influence the state of the Earth system with respect to other carbon-related planetary boundaries. Within the scope of our approach, we show that societal management of atmospheric carbon via tCDR can lead to a collateral transgression of the planetary boundary of land system change. Our analysis indicates that the opportunities to remain in a desirable region within carbon-related planetary boundaries only exist for a small range of anticipation levels and depend critically on the underlying emission pathway. While tCDR has the potential to ensure the Earth system's persistence within a carbon-safe operating space under low-emission pathways, it is unlikely to succeed in a business-as-usual scenario.

SPITFIRE within the MPI Earth system model: Model development and evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lasslop, Gitta; Thonicke, Kirsten; Kloster, Silvia

2014-09-01

Quantification of the role of fire within the Earth system requires an adequate representation of fire as a climate-controlled process within an Earth system model. To be able to address questions on the interaction between fire and the Earth system, we implemented the mechanistic fire model SPITFIRE, in JSBACH, the land surface model of the MPI Earth system model. Here, we document the model implementation as well as model modifications. We evaluate our model results by comparing the simulation to the GFED version 3 satellite-based data set. In addition, we assess the sensitivity of the model to the meteorological forcing and to the spatial variability of a number of fire relevant model parameters. A first comparison of model results with burned area observations showed a strong correlation of the residuals with wind speed. Further analysis revealed that the response of the fire spread to wind speed was too strong for the application on global scale. Therefore, we developed an improved parametrization to account for this effect. The evaluation of the improved model shows that the model is able to capture the global gradients and the seasonality of burned area. Some areas of model-data mismatch can be explained by differences in vegetation cover compared to observations. We achieve benchmarking scores comparable to other state-of-the-art fire models. The global total burned area is sensitive to the meteorological forcing. Adjustment of parameters leads to similar model results for both forcing data sets with respect to spatial and seasonal patterns. This article was corrected on 29 SEP 2014. See the end of the full text for details.

Analysis of navigation performance for the Earth Observing System (EOS) using the TDRSS Onboard Navigation System (TONS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elrod, B.; Kapoor, A.; Folta, David C.; Liu, K.

1991-01-01

Use of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) Onboard Navigation System (TONS) was proposed as an alternative to the Global Positioning System (GPS) for supporting the Earth Observing System (EOS) mission. The results are presented of EOS navigation performance evaluation with respect to TONS based orbit, time, and frequency determination (OD/TD/FD). Two TONS modes are considered: one uses scheduled TDRSS forward link service to derive one way Doppler tracking data for OD/FD support (TONS-I); the other uses an unscheduled navigation beacon service (proposed for Advanced TDRSS) to obtain pseudorange and Doppler data for OD/TD/FD support (TONS-II). Key objectives of the analysis were to evaluate nominal performance and potential sensitivities, such as suboptimal tracking geometry, tracking contact scheduling, and modeling parameter selection. OD/TD/FD performance predictions are presented based on covariance and simulation analyses. EOS navigation scenarios and the contributions of principal error sources impacting performance are also described. The results indicate that a TONS mode can be configured to meet current and proposed EOS position accuracy requirements of 100 and 50 m, respectively.

Rare-earth Nanoparticle-induced Cytotoxicity on Spatial Cognition Memory of Mouse Brain.

PubMed

Lin, Cai-Hou; Liu, Gui-Fen; Chen, Jing; Chen, Yan; Lin, Ru-Hui; He, Hong-Xing; Chen, Jian-Ping

2017-11-20

Luminescent rare-earth-based nanoparticles have been increasingly used in nanomedicine due to their excellent physicochemical properties, such as biomedical imaging agents, drug carriers, and biomarkers. However, biological safety of the rare-earth-based nanomedicine is of great significance for future development in practical applications. In particular, biological effects of rare-earth nanoparticles on human's central nervous system are still unclear. This study aimed to investigate the potential toxicity of rare-earth nanoparticles in nervous system function in the case of continuous exposure. Adult ICR mice were randomly divided into seven groups, including control group (receiving 0.9% normal saline) and six experimental groups (10 mice in each group). Luminescent rare-earth-based nanoparticles were synthesized by a reported co-precipitation method. Two different sizes of the nanoparticles were obtained, and then exposed to ICR mice through caudal vein injection at 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mg/kg body weight in each day for 7 days. Next, a Morris water maze test was employed to evaluate impaired behaviors of their spatial recognition memory. Finally, histopathological examination was implemented to study how the nanoparticles can affect the brain tissue of the ICR mice. Two different sizes of rare-earth nanoparticles have been successfully obtained, and their physical properties including luminescence spectra and nanoparticle sizes have been characterized. In these experiments, the rare-earth nanoparticles were taken up in the mouse liver using the magnetic resonance imaging characterization. Most importantly, the experimental results of the Morris water maze tests and histopathological analysis clearly showed that rare-earth nanoparticles could induce toxicity on mouse brain and impair the behaviors of spatial recognition memory. Finally, the mechanism of adenosine triphosphate quenching by the rare-earth nanoparticles was provided to illustrate the toxicity on the mouse brain. This study suggested that long-term exposure of high-dose bare rare-earth nanoparticles caused an obvious damage on the spatial recognition memory in the mice.

Interoperability Outlook in the Big Data Future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, K. S.; Ramachandran, R.

2015-12-01

The establishment of distributed active archive centers (DAACs) as data warehouses and the standardization of file format by NASA's Earth Observing System Data Information System (EOSDIS) had doubtlessly propelled interoperability of NASA Earth science data to unprecedented heights in the 1990s. However, we obviously still feel wanting two decades later. We believe the inadequate interoperability we experience is a result of the the current practice that data are first packaged into files before distribution and only the metadata of these files are cataloged into databases and become searchable. Data therefore cannot be efficiently filtered. Any extensive study thus requires downloading large volumes of data files to a local system for processing and analysis.The need to download data not only creates duplication and inefficiency but also further impedes interoperability, because the analysis has to be performed locally by individual researchers in individual institutions. Each institution or researcher often has its/his/her own preference in the choice of data management practice as well as programming languages. Analysis results (derived data) so produced are thus subject to the differences of these practices, which later form formidable barriers to interoperability. A number of Big Data technologies are currently being examined and tested to address Big Earth Data issues. These technologies share one common characteristics: exploiting compute and storage affinity to more efficiently analyze large volumes and great varieties of data. Distributed active "archive" centers are likely to evolve into distributed active "analysis" centers, which not only archive data but also provide analysis service right where the data reside. "Analysis" will become the more visible function of these centers. It is thus reasonable to expect interoperability to improve because analysis, in addition to data, becomes more centralized. Within a "distributed active analysis center" interoperability is almost guaranteed because data, analysis, and results all can be readily shared and reused. Effectively, with the establishment of "distributed active analysis centers", interoperation turns from a many-to-many problem into a less complicated few-to-few problem and becomes easier to solve.

Exploiting Untapped Information Resources in Earth Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramachandran, R.; Fox, P. A.; Kempler, S.; Maskey, M.

2015-12-01

One of the continuing challenges in any Earth science investigation is the amount of time and effort required for data preparation before analysis can begin. Current Earth science data and information systems have their own shortcomings. For example, the current data search systems are designed with the assumption that researchers find data primarily by metadata searches on instrument or geophysical keywords, assuming that users have sufficient knowledge of the domain vocabulary to be able to effectively utilize the search catalogs. These systems lack support for new or interdisciplinary researchers who may be unfamiliar with the domain vocabulary or the breadth of relevant data available. There is clearly a need to innovate and evolve current data and information systems in order to improve data discovery and exploration capabilities to substantially reduce the data preparation time and effort. We assert that Earth science metadata assets are dark resources, information resources that organizations collect, process, and store for regular business or operational activities but fail to utilize for other purposes. The challenge for any organization is to recognize, identify and effectively utilize the dark data stores in their institutional repositories to better serve their stakeholders. NASA Earth science metadata catalogs contain dark resources consisting of structured information, free form descriptions of data and pre-generated images. With the addition of emerging semantic technologies, such catalogs can be fully utilized beyond their original design intent of supporting current search functionality. In this presentation, we will describe our approach of exploiting these information resources to provide novel data discovery and exploration pathways to science and education communities

Looking Down on the Earth: How Satellites Have Revolutionized Our Understanding of Our Home Planet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freilich, Michael

2017-04-01

Earth is a complex, dynamic system we do not yet fully understand. The Earth system, like the human body, comprises diverse components that interact in complex ways. We need to understand the Earth's atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, and biosphere as a single connected system. Our planet is changing on all spatial and temporal scales. This presentation will highlight how satellite observations are revolutionizing our understanding of and its response to natural or human-induced changes, and to improve prediction of climate, weather, and natural hazards. Bio: MICHAEL H. FREILICH, Director of the Earth Science Division, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. Prior to NASA, he was a Professor and Associate Dean in the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University. He received Ph.D. in Oceanography from Scripps Institution of Oceanography (Univ. of CA., San Diego) in 1982. Dr. Freilich's research focuses on the determination, validation, and geophysical analysis of ocean surface wind velocity measured by satellite-borne microwave radar and radiometer instruments. He has developed scatterometer and altimeter wind model functions, as well as innovative validation techniques for accurately quantifying the accuracy of spaceborne environmental measurements. Dr. Freilich has served on many NASA, National Research Council (NRC), and research community advisory and steering groups, including the WOCE Science Steering Committee, the NASA EOS Science Executive Committee, the NRC Ocean Studies Board, and several NASA data system review committees. Freilich's non-scientific passions include nature photography and soccer refereeing at the youth, high school, and adult levels.

Looking Down on the Earth: How Satellites Have Revolutionized Our Understanding of Our Home Planet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freilich, Michael

2016-04-01

Earth is a complex, dynamic system we do not yet fully understand. The Earth system, like the human body, comprises diverse components that interact in complex ways. We need to understand the Earth's atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, and biosphere as a single connected system. Our planet is changing on all spatial and temporal scales. This presentation will highlight how satellite observations are revolutionizing our understanding of and its response to natural or human-induced changes, and to improve prediction of climate, weather, and natural hazards. Bio: MICHAEL H. FREILICH, Director of the Earth Science Division, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. Prior to NASA, he was a Professor and Associate Dean in the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University. He received Ph.D. in Oceanography from Scripps Institution of Oceanography (Univ. of CA., San Diego) in 1982. Dr. Freilich's research focuses on the determination, validation, and geophysical analysis of ocean surface wind velocity measured by satellite-borne microwave radar and radiometer instruments. He has developed scatterometer and altimeter wind model functions, as well as innovative validation techniques for accurately quantifying the accuracy of spaceborne environmental measurements. Dr. Freilich has served on many NASA, National Research Council (NRC), and research community advisory and steering groups, including the WOCE Science Steering Committee, the NASA EOS Science Executive Committee, the NRC Ocean Studies Board, and several NASA data system review committees. Freilich's non-scientific passions include nature photography and soccer refereeing at the youth, high school, and adult levels.

Technology for organization of the onboard system for processing and storage of ERS data for ultrasmall spacecraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strotov, Valery V.; Taganov, Alexander I.; Konkin, Yuriy V.; Kolesenkov, Aleksandr N.

2017-10-01

Task of processing and analysis of obtained Earth remote sensing data on ultra-small spacecraft board is actual taking into consideration significant expenditures of energy for data transfer and low productivity of computers. Thereby, there is an issue of effective and reliable storage of the general information flow obtained from onboard systems of information collection, including Earth remote sensing data, into a specialized data base. The paper has considered peculiarities of database management system operation with the multilevel memory structure. For storage of data in data base the format has been developed that describes a data base physical structure which contains required parameters for information loading. Such structure allows reducing a memory size occupied by data base because it is not necessary to store values of keys separately. The paper has shown architecture of the relational database management system oriented into embedment into the onboard ultra-small spacecraft software. Data base for storage of different information, including Earth remote sensing data, can be developed by means of such database management system for its following processing. Suggested database management system architecture has low requirements to power of the computer systems and memory resources on the ultra-small spacecraft board. Data integrity is ensured under input and change of the structured information.

Stakeholder Alignment for Requirements in GEOValue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cutcher-Gershenfeld, J.; King, J. L.

2016-12-01

Observation systems that collect information on environmental parameters relevant to biological and physical earth resources provide value. This has been demonstrated so many times in so many ways that it is not worth deliberating. Earlier projects for research (whether it is possible to do this or that), or for "dual use," typically involving defense, have been successful. Wealthy parties have built their own systems. Less wealthy parties seek to sustain the systems they have built. The history of systems suggests that "requirements" will be the next step. The objective is to maximize the "return" on the substantial investment required for construction, deployment, maintenance and renewal of observation systems. Stakeholders and their interests are assessed to construct the requirements from which specifications are built. Specifications drive procurement, and procurement produces built systems. Complicated (e.g. space-based) systems have long times between requirements analysis and deployment. It all depends on getting the requirements right, which depends on understanding stakeholders and requirements. And this is where things get complicated. Stakeholders and interests change, sometimes rapidly, as what is possible is altered. It becomes increasingly difficult to achieve stakeholder alignment required for effective management of constituent politics at the heart of any expensive endeavor. This paper presents results from a major study of stakeholder alignment in the Earth Sciences, focused especially on EarthCube.

First decadal lunar results from the Moon and Earth Radiation Budget Experiment.

PubMed

Matthews, Grant

2018-03-01

A need to gain more confidence in computer model predictions of coming climate change has resulted in greater analysis of the quality of orbital Earth radiation budget (ERB) measurements being used today to constrain, validate, and hence improve such simulations. These studies conclude from time series analysis that for around a quarter of a century, no existing satellite ERB climate data record is of a sufficient standard to partition changes to the Earth from those of un-tracked and changing artificial instrumentation effects. This led to the creation of the Moon and Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (MERBE), which instead takes existing decades old climate data to a higher calibration standard using thousands of scans of Earth's Moon. The Terra and Aqua satellite ERB climate records have been completely regenerated using signal-processing improvements, combined with a substantial increase in precision from more comprehensive in-flight spectral characterization techniques. This study now builds on previous Optical Society of America work by describing new Moon measurements derived using accurate analytical mapping of telescope spatial response. That then allows a factor of three reduction in measurement noise along with an order of magnitude increase in the number of retrieved independent lunar results. Given decadal length device longevity and the use of solar and thermal lunar radiance models to normalize the improved ERB results to the International System of Units traceable radiance scale of the "MERBE Watt," the same established environmental time series analysis techniques are applied to MERBE data. They evaluate it to perhaps be of sufficient quality to immediately begin narrowing the largest of climate prediction uncertainties. It also shows that if such Terra/Aqua ERB devices can operate into the 2020s, it could become possible to halve these same uncertainties decades sooner than would be possible with existing or even planned new observing systems.

Response of well aquifer systems to Earth tides: Problem revisited

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hsieh, Paul A.; Bredehoeft, John D.; Rojstaczer, Stuart

1988-01-01

Two recent works cause us to reexamine Bredehoeft's (1967) analysis of earthtide response of water wells. Narasimhan et al. (1984) raise several questions regarding Bredehoeft's (1967) analysis and suggest that the analysis is internally inconsistent. They argue that one cannot directly estimate the specific storage, which characterizes the drained behavior of a porous medium, from earth tide response, which is an undrained phenomenon. We resolve the questions raised by Narasimhan et al. (1984) and show that Bredehoeft's analysis is internally consistent. In addition, we show that it is possible to determine the specific storage from undrained loading. While Bredehoeft's analysis is somewhat heuristic and neglects grain compressibility, Van der Kamp and Gale (1983) present a more rigorous analysis that is based on Biot's (1941) constitutive relationships and accounts for grain compressibility. However, their results reduce to Bredehoeft's results when grains are assumed incompressible. This suggests that Bredehoeft's analysis has incorporated all the essential features of Biot's relationships except for grain compressibility. Upon reexamining Bredehoeft's analysis we find that this is indeed the case.

Analysis of the Pointing Accuracy of a 6U CubeSat Mission for Proximity Operations and Resident Space Object Imaging

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-29

not necessarily express the views of and should not be attributed to ESA. 1 and visual navigation to maneuver autonomously to reduce the size of the...successful orbit and three-dimensional imaging of an RSO, using passive visual -only navigation and real-time near-optimal guidance. The mission design...Kit ( STK ) in the Earth-centered Earth-fixed (ECF) co- ordinate system, loaded to Simulink and transformed to the BFF for calculation of the SRP

Acquisition of Earth Science Remote Sensing Observations from Commercial Sources: Lessons Learned from the Space Imaging IKONOS Example

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goward, Samuel N.; Townshend, John R.; Zanoni, Vicki; Policelli, Fritz; Stanley, Tom; Ryan, Robert; Holekamp, Kara; Underwood, Lauren; Pagnutti, Mary; Fletcher, Rose

2003-01-01

In an effort to more full explore the potential of commercial remotely sensed land data sources, the NASA Earth Science Enterprise (ESE) implemented an experimental Scientific Data Purchase (SDP) that solicited bids from the private sector to meet ESE-user data needs. The images from the Space Imaging IKONOS system provided a particularly good match to the current ESE missions such as Terra and Landsat 7 and therefore serve as a focal point in this analysis.

Effect of general relativity on a near-Earth satellite in the geocentric and barycentric reference frames

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ries, J. C.; Huang, C.; Watkins, M. M.

1988-01-01

Whether one uses a solar-system barycentric frame or a geocentric frame when including the general theory of relativity in orbit determinations for near-Earth satellites, the results should be equivalent to some limiting accuracy. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the effects of relativity in each frame and to demonstrate their equivalence through the analysis of real laser-tracking data. A correction to the conventional barycentric equations of motion is shown to be required.

Earth Observatory Satellite system definition study. Report 4: Low cost management approach and recommendations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

An analysis of low cost management approaches for the development of the Earth Observatory Satellite (EOS) is presented. The factors of the program which tend to increase costs are identified. The NASA/Industry interface is stressed to show how the interface can be improved to produce reduced program costs. Techniques and examples of cost reduction which can be applied to the EOS program are tabulated. Specific recommendations for actions to be taken to reduce costs in prescribed areas are submitted.

Earth Observatory Satellite system definition study. Report no. 3: Design/cost tradeoff studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

The key issues in the Earth Observatory Satellite (EOS) program which are subject to configuration study and tradeoff are identified. The issue of a combined operational and research and development program is considered. It is stated that cost and spacecraft weight are the key design variables and design options are proposed in terms of these parameters. A cost analysis of the EOS program is provided. Diagrams of the satellite configuration and subsystem components are included.

SLIVISU, an Interactive Visualisation Framework for Analysis of Geological Sea-Level Indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klemann, V.; Schulte, S.; Unger, A.; Dransch, D.

2011-12-01

Flanking data analysis in earth system sciences by advanced visualisation tools is a striking feature due to rising complexity, amount and variety of available data. With respect to sea-level indicators (SLIs), their analysis in earth-system applications, such as modelling and simulation on regional or global scales, demands the consideration of large amounts of data - we talk about thousands of SLIs - and, so, to go ahead of analysing single sea-level curves. On the other hand, a gross analysis by means of statistical methods is hindered by the often heterogeneous and individual character of the single SLIs, i.e., the spatio-temporal context and often heterogenous information is difficult to handle or to represent in an objective way. Therefore a concept of integrating automated analysis and visualisation is mandatory. This is provided by visual analytics. As an implementation of this concept, we present the visualisation framework SLIVISU, developed at GFZ, which bases on multiple linked views and provides a synoptic analysis of observational data, model configurations, model outputs and results of automated analysis in glacial isostatic adjustment. Starting as a visualisation tool for an existing database of SLIs, it now serves as an analysis tool for the evaluation of model simulations in studies of glacial-isostatic adjustment.

Atmospheric Models for Aerocapture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Justus, C. G.; Duval, Aleta; Keller, Vernon W.

2003-01-01

There are eight destinations in the Solar System with sufficient atmosphere for aerocapture to be a viable aeroassist option - Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and its moon Titan, Uranus, and Neptune. Engineering-level atmospheric models for four of these targets (Earth, Mars, Titan, and Neptune) have been developed for NASA to support systems analysis studies of potential future aerocapture missions. Development of a similar atmospheric model for Venus has recently commenced. An important capability of all of these models is their ability to simulate quasi-random density perturbations for Monte Carlo analyses in developing guidance, navigation and control algorithms, and for thermal systems design. Similarities and differences among these atmospheric models are presented, with emphasis on the recently developed Neptune model and on planned characteristics of the Venus model. Example applications for aerocapture are also presented and illustrated. Recent updates to the Titan atmospheric model, in anticipation of applications for trajectory and atmospheric reconstruct of Huygens Robe entry at Titan, are discussed. Recent updates to the Mars atmospheric model, in support of ongoing Mars aerocapture systems analysis studies, are also presented.

Bacterial community analysis of Tatsoi cultivated by hydroponics.

PubMed

Koo, Ok K; Kim, Hun; Kim, Hyun J; Baker, Christopher A; Ricke, Steven C

2016-07-02

Tatsoi (Brassica narinosa) is a popular Asian salad green that is mostly consumed as a source of fresh produce. The purpose of this study was to assess the microbial diversity of Tatsoi cultivated in a hydroponic system and of its ecosystem. Tatsoi leaves, nutrient solution, and perlite/earth samples from a trickle feed system (TFS) and an ebb-and-flow system (EFS) were collected and their microbial communities were analyzed by pyrosequencing analysis. The results showed that most bacteria in the leaves from the TFS contained genus Sporosarcina (99.6%), while Rhizobium (60.4%) was dominant in the leaves from the EFS. Genus Paucibacter (18.21%) and Pelomonas (12.37%) were the most abundant microbiota in the nutrient solution samples of the TFS. In the EFS, the nutrient solution samples contained mostly genus Rhodococcus and Acinetobacter. Potential microbial transfer between the leaves and the ecosystem was observed in the EFS, while samples in the TFS were found to share only one species between the leaves, nutrient solution, and earth. Together, these results show that the bacterial populations in Tatsoi and in its ecosystem are highly diverse based on the cultivation system.

NASA's future Earth observation plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neeck, Steven P.; Paules, Granville E.; McCuistion Ramesh, J. D.

2004-11-01

NASA's Science Mission Directorate, working with its domestic and international partners, provides accurate, objective scientific data and analysis to advance our understanding of Earth system processes. Learning more about these processes will enable improved prediction capability for climate, weather, and natural hazards. Earth interactions occur on a continuum of spatial and temporal scales ranging from short-term weather to long-term climate, and from local and regional to global. Quantitatively describing these changes means precisely measuring from space scores of biological and geophysical parameters globally. New missions that SMD will launch in the coming decade will complement the first series of the Earth Observing System. These next generation systematic measurement missions are being planned to extend or enhance the record of science-quality data necessary for understanding and predicting global change. These missions include the NPOESS Preparatory Project, Ocean Surface Topography Mission, Global Precipitation Measurement, Landsat Data Continuity Mission, and an aerosol polarimetry mission called Glory. New small explorer missions will make first of a kind Earth observations. The Orbiting Carbon Observatory will measure sources and sinks of carbon to help the Nation and the world formulate effective strategies to constrain the amount of this greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. Aquarius will measure ocean surface salinity which is key to ocean circulation in the North Atlantic that produces the current era's mild climate in northern Europe. HYDROS will measure soil moisture globally. Soil moisture is critical to agriculture and to managing fresh water resources. NASA continues to design, develop and launch the Nation's civilian operational environmental satellites, in both polar and geostationary orbits, by agreement with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NASA plans to develop an advanced atmospheric sounder, GIFTS, for geostationary orbit to facilitate continuous measurements of weather-related phenomena, improve "nowcasting" of extreme weather events, and measure important atmospheric gases. NASA is currently developing with its partners the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) and the next-generation geostationary system, GOES-R. Future missions will migrate today's capabilities in low Earth orbit to higher orbits such as L1 and L2 to enable more continuous monitoring of changes in the Earth system with a smaller number of satellites.

Data management and analysis for the Earth System Grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, D. N.; Ananthakrishnan, R.; Bernholdt, D. E.; Bharathi, S.; Brown, D.; Chen, M.; Chervenak, A. L.; Cinquini, L.; Drach, R.; Foster, I. T.; Fox, P.; Hankin, S.; Henson, V. E.; Jones, P.; Middleton, D. E.; Schwidder, J.; Schweitzer, R.; Schuler, R.; Shoshani, A.; Siebenlist, F.; Sim, A.; Strand, W. G.; Wilhelmi, N.; Su, M.

2008-07-01

The international climate community is expected to generate hundreds of petabytes of simulation data within the next five to seven years. This data must be accessed and analyzed by thousands of analysts worldwide in order to provide accurate and timely estimates of the likely impact of climate change on physical, biological, and human systems. Climate change is thus not only a scientific challenge of the first order but also a major technological challenge. In order to address this technological challenge, the Earth System Grid Center for Enabling Technologies (ESG-CET) has been established within the U.S. Department of Energy's Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC)-2 program, with support from the offices of Advanced Scientific Computing Research and Biological and Environmental Research. ESG-CET's mission is to provide climate researchers worldwide with access to the data, information, models, analysis tools, and computational capabilities required to make sense of enormous climate simulation datasets. Its specific goals are to (1) make data more useful to climate researchers by developing Grid technology that enhances data usability; (2) meet specific distributed database, data access, and data movement needs of national and international climate projects; (3) provide a universal and secure web-based data access portal for broad multi-model data collections; and (4) provide a wide-range of Grid-enabled climate data analysis tools and diagnostic methods to international climate centers and U.S. government agencies. Building on the successes of the previous Earth System Grid (ESG) project, which has enabled thousands of researchers to access tens of terabytes of data from a small number of ESG sites, ESG-CET is working to integrate a far larger number of distributed data providers, high-bandwidth wide-area networks, and remote computers in a highly collaborative problem-solving environment.

CAWSES (Climate and Weather of the Sun-Earth System) Science: Progress thus far and the next steps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pallamraju, D.; Kozyra, J.; Basu, S.

Climate and Weather of the Sun Earth System CAWSES is the current program of Scientific Committee for Solar Terrestrial Physics SCOSTEP for 2004 - 2008 The main aim of CAWSES is to bring together scientists from various nations to address the coupled and global nature of the Sun-Earth System phenomena Towards that end CAWSES provides a platform for international cooperation in observations data analysis theory and modeling There has been active international participation thus far with endorsement of the national CAWSES programs in some countries and many scientists around the globe actively volunteering their time in this effort The CAWSES Science Steering Group has organized the CAWSES program into five Themes for better execution of its science Solar Influence on Climate Space Weather Science and Applications Atmospheric Coupling Processes Space Climatology and Capacity Building and Education CAWSES will cooperate with International programs that focus on the Sun-Earth system science and at the same time compliment the work of programs whose scope is beyond the realm of CAWSES This talk will briefly review the science goals of CAWSES provide salient results from different Themes with emphasis on those from the Space Weather Theme This talk will also indicate the next steps that are being planned in this program and solicit inputs from the community for the science efforts to be carried out in the future

Computational Environments and Analysis methods available on the NCI High Performance Computing (HPC) and High Performance Data (HPD) Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, B. J. K.; Foster, C.; Minchin, S. A.; Pugh, T.; Lewis, A.; Wyborn, L. A.; Evans, B. J.; Uhlherr, A.

2014-12-01

The National Computational Infrastructure (NCI) has established a powerful in-situ computational environment to enable both high performance computing and data-intensive science across a wide spectrum of national environmental data collections - in particular climate, observational data and geoscientific assets. This paper examines 1) the computational environments that supports the modelling and data processing pipelines, 2) the analysis environments and methods to support data analysis, and 3) the progress in addressing harmonisation of the underlying data collections for future transdisciplinary research that enable accurate climate projections. NCI makes available 10+ PB major data collections from both the government and research sectors based on six themes: 1) weather, climate, and earth system science model simulations, 2) marine and earth observations, 3) geosciences, 4) terrestrial ecosystems, 5) water and hydrology, and 6) astronomy, social and biosciences. Collectively they span the lithosphere, crust, biosphere, hydrosphere, troposphere, and stratosphere. The data is largely sourced from NCI's partners (which include the custodians of many of the national scientific records), major research communities, and collaborating overseas organisations. The data is accessible within an integrated HPC-HPD environment - a 1.2 PFlop supercomputer (Raijin), a HPC class 3000 core OpenStack cloud system and several highly connected large scale and high-bandwidth Lustre filesystems. This computational environment supports a catalogue of integrated reusable software and workflows from earth system and ecosystem modelling, weather research, satellite and other observed data processing and analysis. To enable transdisciplinary research on this scale, data needs to be harmonised so that researchers can readily apply techniques and software across the corpus of data available and not be constrained to work within artificial disciplinary boundaries. Future challenges will involve the further integration and analysis of this data across the social sciences to facilitate the impacts across the societal domain, including timely analysis to more accurately predict and forecast future climate and environmental state.

Geomorphology from space: A global overview of regional landforms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Short, Nicholas M. (Editor); Blair, Robert W., Jr. (Editor)

1986-01-01

This book, Geomorphology from Space: A Global Overview of Regional Landforms, was published by NASA STIF as a successor to the two earlier works on the same subject: Mission to Earth: LANDSAT views the Earth, and ERTS-1: A New Window on Our Planet. The purpose of the book is threefold: first, to serve as a stimulant in rekindling interest in descriptive geomorphology and landforms analysis at the regional scale; second, to introduce the community of geologists, geographers, and others who analyze the Earth's surficial forms to the practical value of space-acquired remotely sensed data in carrying out their research and applications; and third, to foster more scientific collaboration between geomorphologists who are studying the Earth's landforms and astrogeologists who analyze landforms on other planets and moons in the solar system, thereby strengthening the growing field of comparative planetology.

Contingency Trajectory Design for a Lunar Orbit Insertion Maneuver Failure by the LADEE Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Genova, A. L.

2014-01-01

This paper presents results from a contingency trajectory analysis performed for the Lunar Atmosphere & Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission in the event of a missed lunar-orbit insertion (LOI) maneuver by the LADEE spacecraft. The effects of varying solar perturbations in the vicinity of the weak stability boundary (WSB) in the Sun-Earth system on the trajectory design are analyzed and discussed. It is shown that geocentric recovery trajectory options existed for the LADEE spacecraft, depending on the spacecraft's recovery time to perform an Earth escape-prevention maneuver after the hypothetical LOI maneuver failure and subsequent path traveled through the Sun-Earth WSB. If Earth-escape occurred, a heliocentric recovery option existed, but with reduced science capacapability for the spacecraft in an eccentric, not circular near-equatorial retrograde lunar orbit.

Earth orbit navigation study. Volume 2: System evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

An overall systems evaluation was made of five candidate navigation systems in support of earth orbit missions. The five systems were horizon sensor system, unkown landmark tracking system, ground transponder system, manned space flight network, and tracking and data relay satellite system. Two reference missions were chosen: a low earth orbit mission and a transfer trajectory mission from low earth orbit to geosynchronous orbit. The specific areas addressed in the evaluation were performance, multifunction utilization, system mechanization, and cost.

Laboratory Earth: Connecting Everything to Everything Else Online for Pre-college Educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gosselin, D.; Bonnstetter, R.; Yendra, S.; Slater, T.

2007-12-01

The Laboratory Earth professional development series, which has been funded by NASA, consists of three, three- credit hour, graduate level, distance-delivered, online courses designed for K- 8 (and above) educators. Currently, we have delivered two module-based courses, Laboratory Earth I: Earth and its Systems and Laboratory Earth II: Earth's Natural Resource Systems. A third course tentatively titled, Laboratory Earth: Earth's Changing Environments, is under development. Our objectives are to deliver a high quality professional development experience, improve participant's ability to understand and apply Earth system science concepts in their classroom, and to increase teacher's sense of belonging to a community. Each course consists of four modules that engage students using multiple strategies to meet a variety of learning styles. To document learning, content questions are used to focus the student on the concepts they will be learning throughout the course. These questions are also used to assess the progress the student has made toward learning the concepts from the beginning to the end of the course. Analysis of the responses to the content questions from Lab Earth I demonstrates significant knowledge gains from the beginning to the end of the course. Preliminary data also suggests that the extent of learning is higher in the 8-week version than it is in the 16-week version of the course. An implicit goal of the courses is to help participants focus on learning, not grades. Unfortunately, grades have to be issued. Our grading strategy has evolved to a system that uses the ability of students to master course content along with active participation and the on-time, quality completion of the grading elements in the course. Course content mastery can be demonstrated in a variety of ways and it is up to the student to choose the method that they would like to use. Methods include writing essays, creating presentations, preparing an oral journal, and developing concept maps. If tasks that a student submits are not complete, they are asked to revisit the assignment. The goal is for the student to be intrinsically motivated to learn the material and reduce the need for grades as a motivator and distract from their learning. We want everyone to work until they have the required concept knowledge and understanding. The combined results from STEBI-A (teacher efficacy for teaching science scale), LEO, (scale to assess teacher's sense of community within the course), and BES (Beliefs About Earth Science to assess the degree to which teachers enjoy teaching science) demonstrate statistically significant growth in teachers' sense of cohesion of the course and the value they place on teaching Earth science. The Laboratory Earth series is a key component of an initiative to create a collaborative online, distance delivered, masters degree program at UNL.

Skylab experiments. Volume 5: Astronomy and space physics. [Skylab observations of galactic radiation, solar energy, and interplanetary composition for high school level education

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The astronomy and space physics investigations conducted in the Skylab program include over 20 experiments in four categories to explore space phenomena that cannot be observed from earth. The categories of space research are as follows: (1) phenomena within the solar system, such as the effect of solar energy on Earth's atmosphere, the composition of interplanetary space, the possibility of an inner planet, and the X-ray radiation from Jupiter, (2) analysis of energetic particles such as cosmic rays and neutrons in the near-earth space, (3) stellar and galactic astronomy, and (4) self-induced environment surrounding the Skylab spacecraft.

An Overview of the EOS Data Dissemination Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramapriyan, H.K.; Pfister, Robin; Weinstein, Beth

2008-01-01

The Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) is the primary data system serving the broad-scope of NASA s Earth Observing System (EOS) program and a significant portion of the "heritage" Earth science data. EOSDIS was designed to support the Earth sciences within NASA s Science Mission Directorate (previously the Earth Science Enterprise (ESE) and Mission to Planet Earth). The EOS Program was NASA s contribution to the United States Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) enacted by Congress in 1990 as part of the Global Change Act. ESE s objective was to launch a series of missions to help answer fundamental global change questions such as "How is Earth changing?" and "What are the consequences for life on Earth?" resulting support of this objective, EOSDIS distributes a wide variety of data to a diverse community.

Formation Flying of Tethered and Nontethered Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quadrelli, Marco B.

2005-01-01

A paper discusses the effect of the dynamic interaction taking place within a formation composed of a rigid and a deformable vehicle, and presents the concept of two or more tethered spacecraft flying in formation with one or more separated free-flying spacecraft. Although progress toward formation flight of nontethered spacecraft has already been achieved, the document cites potential advantages of tethering, including less consumption of fuel to maintain formation, very high dynamic stability of a rotating tethered formation, and intrinsically passive gravity-gradient stabilization. The document presents a theoretical analysis of the dynamics of a system comprising one free-flying spacecraft and two tethered spacecraft in orbit, as a prototype of more complex systems. The spacecraft are modeled as rigid bodies and the tether as a mass-less spring with structural viscous damping. Included in the analysis is a study of the feasibility of a centralized control system for maintaining a required formation in low Earth orbit. A numerical simulation of a retargeting maneuver is reported to show that even if the additional internal dynamics of the system caused by flexibility is considered, high pointing precision can be achieved if a fictitious rigid frame is used to track the tethered system, and it should be possible to position the spacecraft with centimeter accuracy and to orient the formation within arc seconds of the desired direction also in the presence of low Earth orbit environmental perturbations. The results of the study demonstrate that the concept is feasible in Earth orbit and point the way to further study of these hybrid tethered and free-flying systems for related applications in orbit around other Solar System bodies.

Asteroid impacts on terrestrial planets: the effects of super-Earths and the role of the ν6 resonance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smallwood, Jeremy L.; Martin, Rebecca G.; Lepp, Stephen; Livio, Mario

2018-01-01

With N-body simulations of a planetary system with an asteroid belt, we investigate how the asteroid impact rate on the Earth is affected by the architecture of the planetary system. We find that the ν6 secular resonance plays an important role in the asteroid collision rate with the Earth. Compared to exoplanetary systems, the Solar system is somewhat special in its lack of a super-Earth mass planet in the inner Solar system. We therefore first consider the effects of the presence of a super-Earth in the terrestrial planet region. We find a significant effect for super-Earths with a mass of around 10 M⊕ and a separation greater than about 0.7 au. For a super-Earth which is interior to the Earth's orbit, the number of asteroids colliding with Earth increases the closer the super-Earth is to the Earth's orbit. This is the result of multiple secular resonance locations causing more asteroids to be perturbed on to Earth-crossing orbits. When the super-Earth is placed exterior to Earth's orbit, the collision rate decreases substantially because the ν6 resonance no longer exists in the asteroid belt region. We also find that changing the semimajor axis of Saturn leads to a significant decrease in the asteroid collision rate, though increasing its mass increases the collision rate. These results may have implications for the habitability of exoplanetary systems.

Image pattern recognition supporting interactive analysis and graphical visualization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coggins, James M.

1992-01-01

Image Pattern Recognition attempts to infer properties of the world from image data. Such capabilities are crucial for making measurements from satellite or telescope images related to Earth and space science problems. Such measurements can be the required product itself, or the measurements can be used as input to a computer graphics system for visualization purposes. At present, the field of image pattern recognition lacks a unified scientific structure for developing and evaluating image pattern recognition applications. The overall goal of this project is to begin developing such a structure. This report summarizes results of a 3-year research effort in image pattern recognition addressing the following three principal aims: (1) to create a software foundation for the research and identify image pattern recognition problems in Earth and space science; (2) to develop image measurement operations based on Artificial Visual Systems; and (3) to develop multiscale image descriptions for use in interactive image analysis.

GLOBAL REFERENCE ATMOSPHERIC MODELS FOR AEROASSIST APPLICATIONS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duvall, Aleta; Justus, C. G.; Keller, Vernon W.

2005-01-01

Aeroassist is a broad category of advanced transportation technology encompassing aerocapture, aerobraking, aeroentry, precision landing, hazard detection and avoidance, and aerogravity assist. The eight destinations in the Solar System with sufficient atmosphere to enable aeroassist technology are Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn's moon Titan. Engineering-level atmospheric models for five of these targets - Earth, Mars, Titan, Neptune, and Venus - have been developed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. These models are useful as tools in mission planning and systems analysis studies associated with aeroassist applications. The series of models is collectively named the Global Reference Atmospheric Model or GRAM series. An important capability of all the models in the GRAM series is their ability to simulate quasi-random perturbations for Monte Carlo analysis in developing guidance, navigation and control algorithms, for aerothermal design, and for other applications sensitive to atmospheric variability. Recent example applications are discussed.

Calculation of coal resources using ARC/INFO and Earth Vision; methodology for the National Coal Resource Assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roberts, L.N.; Biewick, L.R.

1999-01-01

This report documents a comparison of two methods of resource calculation that are being used in the National Coal Resource Assessment project of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Tewalt (1998) discusses the history of using computer software packages such as GARNET (Graphic Analysis of Resources using Numerical Evaluation Techniques), GRASS (Geographic Resource Analysis Support System), and the vector-based geographic information system (GIS) ARC/INFO (ESRI, 1998) to calculate coal resources within the USGS. The study discussed here, compares resource calculations using ARC/INFO* (ESRI, 1998) and EarthVision (EV)* (Dynamic Graphics, Inc. 1997) for the coal-bearing John Henry Member of the Straight Cliffs Formation of Late Cretaceous age in the Kaiparowits Plateau of southern Utah. Coal resource estimates in the Kaiparowits Plateau using ARC/INFO are reported in Hettinger, and others, 1996.

Realizing "2001: A Space Odyssey": Piloted Spherical Torus Nuclear Fusion Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Craig H.; Dudzinski, Leonard A.; Borowski, Stanley K.; Juhasz, Albert J.

2005-01-01

A conceptual vehicle design enabling fast, piloted outer solar system travel was created predicated on a small aspect ratio spherical torus nuclear fusion reactor. The initial requirements were satisfied by the vehicle concept, which could deliver a 172 mt crew payload from Earth to Jupiter rendezvous in 118 days, with an initial mass in low Earth orbit of 1,690 mt. Engineering conceptual design, analysis, and assessment was performed on all major systems including artificial gravity payload, central truss, nuclear fusion reactor, power conversion, magnetic nozzle, fast wave plasma heating, tankage, fuel pellet injector, startup/re-start fission reactor and battery bank, refrigeration, reaction control, communications, mission design, and space operations. Detailed fusion reactor design included analysis of plasma characteristics, power balance/utilization, first wall, toroidal field coils, heat transfer, and neutron/x-ray radiation. Technical comparisons are made between the vehicle concept and the interplanetary spacecraft depicted in the motion picture 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Catalog of US GeoData

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1990-01-01

The development of geographic information systems (GIS) is a rapidly growing industry that supports natural resources, studies, land management, environmental analysis, and urban and transporation planning. The increasing use of computers for storing and analyzing earth science information has greatly expanded the demand for digital cartographic and geographic data. Digital cartography involves the collection, storage, processing, analysis, and display of map data with the aid of computers. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Nation's largest earth science research agency, through its National Mapping Program, has expanded digital cartography operations to include the collection of elevation, planimetric, land use and land cover, and geographic names information in digital form. This digital information is available on 9-track magnetic tapes and, in the case of 1:2,000,000-scale planimetric digital line graph data, in Compact Disc Read Only Memory (CD-ROM) format. Digital information can be used with all types of geographic and land information systems.

Gaia Theory in Brazilian High School Biology Textbooks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Do Carmo, Ricardo Santos; Nunes-Neto, Nei Freitas; El-Hani, Charbel Niño

2009-04-01

Gaia theory proposes that a cybernetic system including the biota and the physicochemical environment regulates environmental variables at a global scale, keeping them within a range that makes Earth inhabitable by living beings. One can argue that this theory can play an important role in school science, since it bears upon current environmental problems, contributes to cross-disciplinary learning, and may help students understand the nature of science. Nevertheless, discourses about Gaia include both scientific and non-scientific ideas, and, consequently, this theory has been seen as pseudoscience, or even antiscience, as an unwarranted view, entangled with mysticism. But an informed view about the contributions and risks associated with Gaia as part of science education depends on a general analysis about the treatment of this theory in school knowledge. Here, we offer the first analysis of this sort, critically evaluating how Gaia is addressed in a representative sample of Brazilian textbooks ( n = 18). We present data about the presence or not of Gaia theory among the contents covered by the textbooks, the presence of the claim that Earth is living, whether and how they use analogies to justify this claim, the discussion of evidence for and against Gaia, and the treatment of its relevance to current issues. Gaia theory is explicitly addressed in ca. 39% of the analyzed textbooks. There is a general script that the textbooks that explicitly name the theory follow when discussing Gaia. First, they argue that life affects the environment, and support this argument by means of examples, then, explain what the Gaia theory proposes, discuss evidence in favor either of the idea that Earth is living or Gaia theory in general, introduce one or more analogies to justify the claim of a living Earth, and, finally, offer remarks on the current importance of Gaia. Three analogies used by Lovelock himself were found in the analyzed textbooks, Gaia as a superorganism, the analogy between Gaia and a redwood tree, and between Gaia and the Greek goddess of Earth. The most frequent was the superorganism analogy. The idea of a control system including the biota and the physicochemical environment and any discussion about theoretical and empirical advances resulting from Gaia theory were absent from most analyzed textbooks, which focused mainly on the claim of a living Earth. Although Gaia can contribute to the understanding of environmental issues, the treatment found in most of the analyzed schoolbooks puts so much emphasis on the idea that Earth is living and is so close to an animistic understanding of the Earth system that it is likely that it will bring no true contribution to the development of adequate conceptions about that system and the connections between human activities and the environmental crisis.

Multidimensional analysis and probabilistic model of volcanic and seismic activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedorov, V.

2009-04-01

A search for space and time regularities in volcanic and seismic events for the purpose of forecast method development seems to be of current concern, both scientifically and practically. The seismic and volcanic processes take place in the Earth's field of gravity which in turn is closely related to gravitational fields of the Moon, the Sun, and the planets of the Solar System. It is mostly gravity and tidal forces that exercise control over the Earth's configuration and relief. Dynamic gravitational interaction between the Earth and other celestial bodies makes itself evident in tidal phenomena and other effects in the geospheres (including the Earth's crust). Dynamics of the tidal and attractive forces is responsible for periodical changes in gravity force, both in value and direction [Darwin, 1965], in the rate of rotation and orbital speed; that implies related changes in the endogenic activity of the Earth. The Earth's rotation in the alternating gravitational field accounts to a considerable extent for regular pattern of crustal deformations and dislocations; it is among principal factors that control the Earth's form and structure, distribution of oceans and continents and, probably, continental drift [Peive, 1969; Khain, 1973; Kosygin, 1983]. The energy of gravitational interaction is transmitted through the tidal energy to planetary spheres and feeds various processes there, including volcanic and seismic ones. To determine degree, character and special features of tidal force contribution to the volcanic and seismic processes is of primary importance for understanding of genetic and dynamic aspects of volcanism and seismicity. Both volcanic and seismic processes are involved in evolution of celestial bodies; they are operative on the planets of the Earth group and many satellites [Essays…, 1981; Lukashov, 1996]. From this standpoint, studies of those processes are essential with a view to development of scenarios of the Earth's evolution as a celestial body, as well as to forecast of changes in its relief. As the volcanic and seismic processes are of cosmic nature and occurrence, it seems logical to investigate their chronological structure in terms of astronomical time reference system or in parameters of the Earth orbital movement. Gravitational interaction of the Earth with the moon, the Sun and planets of the Solar system forms the physical basis of this multidimensional system; it manifests itself in tidal deformations of the Earth's lithosphere and in periodical changes in the planet rotation and orbital speed. A search for chronological correlation between the Earth's volcanism and seismicity on one hand and the orbital parameters dynamic on the other shows a certain promise in relation to prognostic decisions. It should be kept in mind that the calculation of astronomical characteristics (Ephemerides), which is one of the main lines in theoretical astronomy, spans many years both in the past and in future. It seems appropriate therefore to apply the astronomical time reference system to investigations of chronological structure of volcanic and seismic processes from the methodical viewpoint, as well as for retrospective and prognostic analyses. To investigate temporal pattern of the volcanic and seismic processes and to find a degree of their dependence on tidal forces, we used the astronomical time reference system as related to the Earth's orbital movement. The system is based on substitution of calendar dates of eruption and earthquakes for corresponding values of known astronomical characteristics, such as the Earth to Sun and Earth to Moon distances, ecliptic latitude of the Moon, etc. In coordinates of astronomical parameters (JPL Planetary and Lunar Efemerides, 1997, as compiled by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, on the basis of DE 406 block developed by NASA), we analyzed massifs of information, both volcanological (Catalogue of the World volcanic eruptions by I.I. Gushchenko, 1979) and seismological (database of USGS/NEIC Significant Worldwide Earthquakes, 2150 B.C.- 1994 A.D.) information which displays dynamics of endogenic relief-forming processes over a period of 1900 to 1994. In the course of the analysis, a substitution of calendar variable by a corresponding astronomical one has been performed and the epoch superposition method was applied. In essence, the method consists in that the massifs of information on volcanic eruptions (over a period of 1900 to 1977) and seismic events (1900-1994) are differentiated with respect to value of astronomical parameters which correspond to the calendar dates of the known eruptions and earthquakes, regardless of the calendar year. The obtained spectra of volcanic eruptions and violent earthquake distribution in the fields of the Earth orbital movement parameters were used as a basis for calculation of frequency spectra and diurnal probability of volcanic and seismic activity. The objective of the proposed investigations is a probabilistic model development of the volcanic and seismic events, as well as GIS designing for monitoring and forecast of volcanic and seismic activities. In accordance with the stated objective, three probability parameters have been found in the course of preliminary studies; they form the basis for GIS-monitoring and forecast development. 1. A multidimensional analysis of volcanic eruption and earthquakes (of magnitude 7) have been performed in terms of the Earth orbital movement. Probability characteristics of volcanism and seismicity have been defined for the Earth as a whole. Time intervals have been identified with a diurnal probability twice as great as the mean value. Diurnal probability of volcanic and seismic events has been calculated up to 2020. 2. A regularity is found in duration of dormant (repose) periods has been established. A relationship has been found between the distribution of the repose period probability density and duration of the period. 3. Features of spatial distribution of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes of magnitude 7 were analyzed, and those related to the Earth rotation identified. Frequencies of their spatial distribution are calculated. Using those parameters as the base, a scheme (algorithm) of probabilistic monitoring (long-range forecast) has been developed for volcanic and seismic events. Refereces (in Russian): 1. Fedorov V.M. Gravitational factors and astronomy-based chronology of processes in geospheres. Moscow University Publishing House, 2000. 368 p. 2. Fedorov V.M. Comparison between chronology of the Earth volcanic activity and characteristics of its orbital motion // Vulkanologiya i seismologiya, № 5, 2001, p. 65-67. 3. Fedorov V.M. Specific features of latitudinal distribution of volcanic eruptions// Vulkanologiya i seismologiya, № 4, 2002, p.39-43. 4. Fedorov V.M. Specific features of latitudinal distribution of endogenic relief-forming processes and the rotation of the Earth // Geomorphologiya, № 1, 2003, p.3-9. 5. Fedorov V.M. Comparison between chronology of the Earth volcanic and seismic activity and characteristics of its orbital motion // Izvestiya RAS. Ser. Geogr. № 5, 2003, p.16-20. 6. Fedorov V.M. Chronological structure and probability of volcanic events as related to tidal deformation of lithosphere // Vulkanologiya i seismologiya, № 1, 2005, p.44-50. 7. Fedorov V.M. Multidimensional analysis and a probabilistic model of the activity of endogenic relief-forming processes // Geomorphology, № 2, 2007, p. 37 - 48. 8. Fedorov V.M. Multidimensional analysis - is a spatiotemporal structure of the geodynamic activity of Earth// Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta; Ser. 4. Geology, № 4, 2007, p. 24-31.

ATLAS: Big Data in a Small Package?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denneau, Larry

2016-01-01

For even small astronomy projects, the petabyte scale is now upon us. The Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (Tonry 2011) will survey the entire visible sky from Hawaii multiple times per night to search for near-Earth asteroids on impact trajectories. While the ATLAS optical system is modest by modern astronomical standards - two 0.5 m F/2.0 telescopes - each night the ATLAS system will measure nearly 109 astronomical sources to a photometric accuracy of <5%, totaling 1012 individual observations over its initial 3-year mission. This ever-growing dataset must be searched in real-time for moving objects and transients then archived for further analysis, and alerts for newly discovered near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) disseminated within tens of minutes from detection. ATLAS's all-sky coverage ensures it will discover many `rifle shot' near-misses moving rapidly on the sky as they shoot past the Earth, so the system will need software to automatically detect highly-trailed sources and discriminate them from the thousands of low-Earth orbit (LEO) and geosynchronous orbit (GEO) satellites ATLAS will see each night. Additional interrogation will identify interesting phenomena from millions of transient sources per night beyond the solar system. The data processing and storage requirements for ATLAS demand a `big data' approach typical of commercial internet enterprises. We describe our experience in deploying a nimble, scalable and reliable data processing infrastructure, and suggest ATLAS as steppingstone to data processing capability needed as we enter the era of LSST.

Analysis of model output and science data in the Virtual Model Repository (VMR).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Zeeuw, D.; Ridley, A. J.

2014-12-01

Big scientific data not only includes large repositories of data from scientific platforms like satelites and ground observation, but also the vast output of numerical models. The Virtual Model Repository (VMR) provides scientific analysis and visualization tools for a many numerical models of the Earth-Sun system. Individual runs can be analyzed in the VMR and compared to relevant data through relevant metadata, but larger collections of runs can also now be studied and statistics generated on the accuracy and tendancies of model output. The vast model repository at the CCMC with over 1000 simulations of the Earth's magnetosphere was used to look at overall trends in accuracy when compared to satelites such as GOES, Geotail, and Cluster. Methodology for this analysis as well as case studies will be presented.

Towards the creation of a European Network of Earth Observation Networks within GEO. The ConnectinGEO project.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masó, Joan; Serral, Ivette; Menard, Lionel; Wald, Lucien; Nativi, Stefano; Plag, Hans-Peter; Jules-Plag, Shelley; Nüst, Daniel; Jirka, Simon; Pearlman, Jay; De Maziere, Martine

2015-04-01

ConnectinGEO (Coordinating an Observation Network of Networks EnCompassing saTellite and IN-situ to fill the Gaps in European Observations" is a new H2020 Coordination and Support Action with the primary goal of linking existing Earth Observation networks with science and technology (S&T) communities, the industry sector, the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), and Copernicus. ConnectinGEO aims to facilitate a broader and more accessible knowledge base to support the needs of GEO, its Societal Benefit Areas (SBAs) and the users of the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS). A broad range of subjects from climate, natural resources and raw materials, to the emerging UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be addressed. The project will generate a prioritized list of critical gaps within available observation data and models to translate observations into practice-relevant knowledge, based on stakeholder consultation and systematic analysis. Ultimately, it will increase coherency of European observation networks, increase the use of Earth observations for assessments and forecasts and inform the planning for future observation systems. ConnectinGEO will initiate a European Network of Earth Observation Networks (ENEON) that will encompass space-based, airborne and in-situ observations networks. ENEON will be composed by project partners representing thematic observation networks along with the GEOSS Science and Technology Stakeholder Network, GEO Communities of Practices, Copernicus services, Sentinel missions and in-situ support data representatives, representatives of the space-based, airborne and in-situ observations European networks (e.g. EPOS, EMSO and GROOM, etc), representatives of the industry sector and European and national funding agencies, in particular those participating in the future ERA-PlaNET. At the beginning, the ENEON will be created and managed by the project. Then the management will be transferred to the network itself to ensure its future continuity. ConnectinGEO's main goal in ENEON is to mature a consultation complemented by a systematic analysis of available data and metadata, which will draw for the first time a coherent picture of the variety of used data interfaces, policies and indicators. This way, the project will stimulate a harmonized and coherent coverage of the European EO networks, reemphasizing the political strategic targets, create opportunities for SMEs to develop products based on the current networks, and open avenue for industry to participate in investments addressing the identified high-priority gaps. The project starts in February 2015 and will last two years. We will present the five threads of the project for gap analysis in the Earth observation networks: global requirements and goals, international research programs, consultation process, systematic analysis of existing data platforsm and industry challenges. The presentation will provide both an overview of the network concepts and approaches and discuss participation of the broader scientific community of data providers and users.

Rings Research in the Next Decade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiscareno, Matthew S.; Albers, N.; Brahic, A.; Brooks, S. M.; Burns, J. A.; Chavez, C.; Colwell, J. E.; Cuzzi, J. N.; de Pater, I.; Dones, L.; Durisen, R. H.; Filacchione, G.; Giuliatti Winter, S. M.; Gordon, M. K.; Graps, A.; Hamilton, D. P.; Hedman, M. M.; Horanyi, M.; Kempf, S.; Krueger, H.; Lewis, M. C.; Lissauer, J. J.; Murray, C. D.; Nicholson, P. D.; Olkin, C. B.; Pappalardo, R. T.; Salo, H.; Schmidt, J.; Showalter, M. R.; Spahn, F.; Spilker, L. J.; Srama, R.; Sremcevic, M.; Stewart, G. R.; Yanamandra-Fisher, P.

2009-12-01

The study of planetary ring systems is a key component of planetary science for several reasons: 1) The evolution and current states of planets and their satellites are affected in many ways by rings, while 2) conversely, properties of planets and moons and other solar system populations are revealed by their effects on rings; 3) highly structured and apparently delicate ring systems may be bellwethers, constraining various theories of the origin and evolution of their entire planetary system; and finally, 4) planetary rings provide an easily observable analogue to other astrophysical disk systems, enabling real "ground truth” results applicable to disks much more remote in space and/or time, including proto-planetary disks, circum-stellar disks, and even galaxies. Significant advances have been made in rings science in the past decade. The highest-priority rings research recommendations of the last Planetary Science Decadal Survey were to operate and extend the Cassini orbiter mission at Saturn; this has been done with tremendous success, accounting for much of the progress made on key science questions, as we will describe. Important progress in understanding the rings of Saturn and other planets has also come from Earth-based observational and theoretical work, again as prioritized by the last Decadal Survey. However, much important work remains to be done. At Saturn, the Cassini Solstice Mission must be brought to a successful completion. Priority should also be placed on sending spacecraft to Neptune and/or Uranus, now unvisited for more than 20 years. At Jupiter and Pluto, opportunities afforded by visiting spacecraft capable of studying rings should be exploited. On Earth, the need for continued research and analysis remains strong, including in-depth analysis of rings data already obtained, numerical and theoretical modeling work, laboratory analysis of materials and processes analogous to those found in the outer solar system, and continued Earth-based observations.

Trajectory Design for the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dichmann, Donald J.; Parker, Joel J. K.; Williams, Trevor W.; Mendelsohn, Chad R.

2014-01-01

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) mission, scheduled to be launched in 2017. TESS will travel in a highly eccentric orbit around Earth, with initial perigee radius near 17 Earth radii (Re) and apogee radius near 59 Re. The orbit period is near 2:1 resonance with the Moon, with apogee nearly 90 degrees out-of-phase with the Moon, in a configuration that has been shown to be operationally stable. TESS will execute phasing loops followed by a lunar flyby, with a final maneuver to achieve 2:1 resonance with the Moon. The goals of a resonant orbit with long-term stability, short eclipses and limited oscillations of perigee present significant challenges to the trajectory design. To rapidly assess launch opportunities, we adapted the Schematics Window Methodology (SWM76) launch window analysis tool to assess the TESS mission constraints. To understand the long-term dynamics of such a resonant orbit in the Earth-Moon system we employed Dynamical Systems Theory in the Circular Restricted 3-Body Problem (CR3BP). For precise trajectory analysis we use a high-fidelity model and multiple shooting in the General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT) to optimize the maneuver delta-V and meet mission constraints. Finally we describe how the techniques we have developed can be applied to missions with similar requirements. Keywords: resonant orbit, stability, lunar flyby, phasing loops, trajectory optimization

Spacecraft Autonomy and Automation: A Comparative Analysis of Strategies for Cost Effective Mission Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, Nathaniel, Jr.

2000-01-01

The evolution of satellite operations over the last 40 years has drastically changed. October 4, 1957 (during the cold war) the Soviet Union launched the world's first spacecraft into orbit. The Sputnik satellite orbited Earth for three months and catapulted the United States into a race for dominance in space. A year after Sputnik, President Dwight Eisenhower formed the National Space and Aeronautics Administration (NASA). With a team of scientists and engineers, NASA successfully launched Explorer 1, the first US satellite to orbit Earth. During these early years, massive amounts of ground support equipment and operators were required to successfully operate spacecraft vehicles. Today, budget reductions and technological advances have forced new approaches to spacecraft operations. These approaches require increasingly complex, on board spacecraft systems, that enable autonomous operations, resulting in more cost-effective mission operations. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, considered world class in satellite development and operations, has developed and operated over 200 satellites during its 40 years of existence. NASA Goddard is adopting several new millennium initiatives that lower operational costs through the spacecraft autonomy and automation. This paper examines NASA's approach to spacecraft autonomy and ground system automation through a comparative analysis of satellite missions for Hubble Space Telescope-HST, Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous-NEAR, and Solar Heliospheric Observatory-SoHO, with emphasis on cost reduction methods, risk analysis and anomalies and strategies employed for mitigating risk.

The Value of Metrics for Science Data Center Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moses, J.; Behnke, J.; Watts, T. H.; Lu, Y.

2005-12-01

The Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) has been collecting and analyzing records of science data archive, processing and product distribution for more than 10 years. The types of information collected and the analysis performed has matured and progressed to become an integral and necessary part of the system management and planning functions. Science data center managers are realizing the importance that metrics can play in influencing and validating their business model. New efforts focus on better understanding of users and their methods. Examples include tracking user web site interactions and conducting user surveys such as the government authorized American Customer Satisfaction Index survey. This paper discusses the metrics methodology, processes and applications that are growing in EOSDIS, the driving requirements and compelling events, and the future envisioned for metrics as an integral part of earth science data systems.

Spacecraft design project: Low Earth orbit communications satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moroney, Dave; Lashbrook, Dave; Mckibben, Barry; Gardener, Nigel; Rivers, Thane; Nottingham, Greg; Golden, Bill; Barfield, Bill; Bruening, Joe; Wood, Dave

1991-01-01

This is the final product of the spacecraft design project completed to fulfill the academic requirements of the Spacecraft Design and Integration 2 course (AE-4871) taught at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. The Spacecraft Design and Integration 2 course is intended to provide students detailed design experience in selection and design of both satellite system and subsystem components, and their location and integration into a final spacecraft configuration. The design team pursued a design to support a Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) communications system (GLOBALSTAR) currently under development by the Loral Cellular Systems Corporation. Each of the 14 team members was assigned both primary and secondary duties in program management or system design. Hardware selection, spacecraft component design, analysis, and integration were accomplished within the constraints imposed by the 11 week academic schedule and the available design facilities.

Design study for LANDSAT-D attitude control system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iwens, R. P.; Bernier, G. E.; Hofstadter, R. F.; Mayo, R. A.; Nakano, H.

1977-01-01

The gimballed Ku-band antenna system for communication with TDRS was studied. By means of an error analysis it was demonstrated that the antenna cannot be open loop pointed to TDRS by an onboard programmer, but that an autotrack system was required. After some tradeoffs, a two-axis, azimuth-elevation type gimbal configuration was recommended for the antenna. It is shown that gimbal lock only occurs when LANDSAT-D is over water where a temporary loss of the communication link to TDRS is of no consequence. A preliminary gimbal control system design is also presented. A digital computer program was written that computes antenna gimbal angle profiles, assesses percent antenna beam interference with the solar array, and determines whether the spacecraft is over land or water, a lighted earth or a dark earth, and whether the spacecraft is in eclipse.

Language time series analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosmidis, Kosmas; Kalampokis, Alkiviadis; Argyrakis, Panos

2006-10-01

We use the detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) and the Grassberger-Proccacia analysis (GP) methods in order to study language characteristics. Despite that we construct our signals using only word lengths or word frequencies, excluding in this way huge amount of information from language, the application of GP analysis indicates that linguistic signals may be considered as the manifestation of a complex system of high dimensionality, different from random signals or systems of low dimensionality such as the Earth climate. The DFA method is additionally able to distinguish a natural language signal from a computer code signal. This last result may be useful in the field of cryptography.

Jupyter meets Earth: Creating Comprehensible and Reproducible Scientific Workflows with Jupyter Notebooks and Google Earth Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erickson, T.

2016-12-01

Deriving actionable information from Earth observation data obtained from sensors or models can be quite complicated, and sharing those insights with others in a form that they can understand, reproduce, and improve upon is equally difficult. Journal articles, even if digital, commonly present just a summary of an analysis that cannot be understood in depth or reproduced without major effort on the part of the reader. Here we show a method of improving scientific literacy by pairing a recently developed scientific presentation technology (Jupyter Notebooks) with a petabyte-scale platform for accessing and analyzing Earth observation and model data (Google Earth Engine). Jupyter Notebooks are interactive web documents that mix live code with annotations such as rich-text markup, equations, images, videos, hyperlinks and dynamic output. Notebooks were first introduced as part of the IPython project in 2011, and have since gained wide acceptance in the scientific programming community, initially among Python programmers but later by a wide range of scientific programming languages. While Jupyter Notebooks have been widely adopted for general data analysis, data visualization, and machine learning, to date there have been relatively few examples of using Jupyter Notebooks to analyze geospatial datasets. Google Earth Engine is cloud-based platform for analyzing geospatial data, such as satellite remote sensing imagery and/or Earth system model output. Through its Python API, Earth Engine makes petabytes of Earth observation data accessible, and provides hundreds of algorithmic building blocks that can be chained together to produce high-level algorithms and outputs in real-time. We anticipate that this technology pairing will facilitate a better way of creating, documenting, and sharing complex analyses that derive information on our Earth that can be used to promote broader understanding of the complex issues that it faces. http://jupyter.orghttps://earthengine.google.com

Effect of 3-D heterogeneous-earth on rheology inference of postseismic model following the 2012 Indian Ocean earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratama, C.; Ito, T.; Sasajima, R.; Tabei, T.; Kimata, F.; Gunawan, E.; Ohta, Y.; Yamashina, T.; Ismail, N.; Muksin, U.; Maulida, P.; Meilano, I.; Nurdin, I.; Sugiyanto, D.; Efendi, J.

2017-12-01

Postseismic deformation following the 2012 Indian Ocean earthquake has been modeled by several studies (Han et al. 2015, Hu et al. 2016, Masuti et al. 2016). Although each study used different method and dataset, the previous studies constructed a significant difference of earth structure. Han et al. (2015) ignored subducting slab beneath Sumatra while Masuti et al. (2016) neglect sphericity of the earth. Hu et al. (2016) incorporated elastic slab and spherical earth but used uniform rigidity in each layer of the model. As a result, Han et al. (2015) model estimated one order higher Maxwell viscosity than the Hu et al. (2016) and half order lower Kelvin viscosity than the Masuti et al. (2016) model predicted. In the present study, we conduct a quantitative analysis of each heterogeneous geometry and parameter effect on rheology inference. We develop heterogeneous three-dimensional spherical-earth finite element models. We investigate the effect of subducting slab, spherical earth, and three-dimensional earth rigidity on estimated lithosphere-asthenosphere rheology beneath the Indian Ocean. A wide range of viscosity structure from time constant rheology to time dependent rheology was chosen as previous studies have been modeled. In order to evaluate actual displacement, we compared the model to the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observation. We incorporate the GNSS data from previous studies and introduce new GNSS site as a part of the Indonesian Continuously Operating Reference Stations (InaCORS) located in Sumatra that has not been used in the last analysis. As a preliminary result, we obtained the effect of the spherical earth and elastic slab when we assumed burgers rheology. The model that incorporates the sphericity of the earth needs a one third order lower viscosity than the model that neglects earth curvature. The model that includes elastic slab needs half order lower viscosity than the model that excluding the elastic slab.

Results of scatterometer systems analysis for NASA/MSC Earth observation sensor evaluation program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krishen, K.; Vlahos, N.; Brandt, O.; Graybeal, G.

1970-01-01

A systems evaluation of the 13.3 GHz scatterometer system is presented. The effects of phase error between the scatterometer channels, antenna pattern deviations, aircraft attitude deviations, environmental changes, and other related factors such as processing errors, system repeatability, and propeller modulation, are established. Furthermore, the reduction in system errors and calibration improvement is investigated by taking into account these parameter deviations. Typical scatterometer data samples are presented.

The analysis of behavior in orbit GSS two series of US early-warning system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sukhov, P. P.; Epishev, V. P.; Sukhov, K. P.; Motrunych, I. I.

2016-09-01

Satellites Early Warning System Series class SBIRS US Air Force must replace on GEO early series DSP Series. During 2014-2016 the authors received more than 30 light curves "DSP-18 and "Sbirs-Geo 2". The analysis of the behavior of these satellites in orbit by a coordinate and photometric data. It is shown that for the monitoring of the Earth's surface is enough to place GEO 4 unit SBIRS across 90 deg.

An efficient approach for Mars Sample Return using emerging commercial capabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzales, Andrew A.; Stoker, Carol R.

2016-06-01

Mars Sample Return is the highest priority science mission for the next decade as recommended by the 2011 Decadal Survey of Planetary Science (Squyres, 2011 [1]). This article presents the results of a feasibility study for a Mars Sample Return mission that efficiently uses emerging commercial capabilities expected to be available in the near future. The motivation of our study was the recognition that emerging commercial capabilities might be used to perform Mars Sample Return with an Earth-direct architecture, and that this may offer a desirable simpler and lower cost approach. The objective of the study was to determine whether these capabilities can be used to optimize the number of mission systems and launches required to return the samples, with the goal of achieving the desired simplicity. All of the major element required for the Mars Sample Return mission are described. Mission system elements were analyzed with either direct techniques or by using parametric mass estimating relationships. The analysis shows the feasibility of a complete and closed Mars Sample Return mission design based on the following scenario: A SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch vehicle places a modified version of a SpaceX Dragon capsule, referred to as ;Red Dragon;, onto a Trans Mars Injection trajectory. The capsule carries all the hardware needed to return to Earth Orbit samples collected by a prior mission, such as the planned NASA Mars 2020 sample collection rover. The payload includes a fully fueled Mars Ascent Vehicle; a fueled Earth Return Vehicle, support equipment, and a mechanism to transfer samples from the sample cache system onboard the rover to the Earth Return Vehicle. The Red Dragon descends to land on the surface of Mars using Supersonic Retropropulsion. After collected samples are transferred to the Earth Return Vehicle, the single-stage Mars Ascent Vehicle launches the Earth Return Vehicle from the surface of Mars to a Mars phasing orbit. After a brief phasing period, the Earth Return Vehicle performs a Trans Earth Injection burn. Once near Earth, the Earth Return Vehicle performs Earth and lunar swing-bys and is placed into a Lunar Trailing Orbit-an Earth orbit, at lunar distance. A retrieval mission then performs a rendezvous with the Earth Return Vehicle, retrieves the sample container, and breaks the chain of contact with Mars by transferring the sample into a sterile and secure container. With the sample contained, the retrieving spacecraft makes a controlled Earth re-entry preventing any unintended release of Martian materials into the Earth's biosphere. The mission can start in any one of three Earth to Mars launch opportunities, beginning in 2022.

An Efficient Approach for Mars Sample Return Using Emerging Commercial Capabilities.

PubMed

Gonzales, Andrew A; Stoker, Carol R

2016-06-01

Mars Sample Return is the highest priority science mission for the next decade as recommended by the 2011 Decadal Survey of Planetary Science [1]. This article presents the results of a feasibility study for a Mars Sample Return mission that efficiently uses emerging commercial capabilities expected to be available in the near future. The motivation of our study was the recognition that emerging commercial capabilities might be used to perform Mars Sample Return with an Earth-direct architecture, and that this may offer a desirable simpler and lower cost approach. The objective of the study was to determine whether these capabilities can be used to optimize the number of mission systems and launches required to return the samples, with the goal of achieving the desired simplicity. All of the major element required for the Mars Sample Return mission are described. Mission system elements were analyzed with either direct techniques or by using parametric mass estimating relationships. The analysis shows the feasibility of a complete and closed Mars Sample Return mission design based on the following scenario: A SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch vehicle places a modified version of a SpaceX Dragon capsule, referred to as "Red Dragon", onto a Trans Mars Injection trajectory. The capsule carries all the hardware needed to return to Earth Orbit samples collected by a prior mission, such as the planned NASA Mars 2020 sample collection rover. The payload includes a fully fueled Mars Ascent Vehicle; a fueled Earth Return Vehicle, support equipment, and a mechanism to transfer samples from the sample cache system onboard the rover to the Earth Return Vehicle. The Red Dragon descends to land on the surface of Mars using Supersonic Retropropulsion. After collected samples are transferred to the Earth Return Vehicle, the single-stage Mars Ascent Vehicle launches the Earth Return Vehicle from the surface of Mars to a Mars phasing orbit. After a brief phasing period, the Earth Return Vehicle performs a Trans Earth Injection burn. Once near Earth, the Earth Return Vehicle performs Earth and lunar swing-bys and is placed into a Lunar Trailing Orbit - an Earth orbit, at lunar distance. A retrieval mission then performs a rendezvous with the Earth Return Vehicle, retrieves the sample container, and breaks the chain of contact with Mars by transferring the sample into a sterile and secure container. With the sample contained, the retrieving spacecraft makes a controlled Earth re-entry preventing any unintended release of Martian materials into the Earth's biosphere. The mission can start in any one of three Earth to Mars launch opportunities, beginning in 2022.

The MERRA-2 Aerosol Reanalysis, 1980 - onward, Part I: System Description and Data Assimilation Evaluation.

PubMed

Randles, C A; Da Silva, A M; Buchard, V; Colarco, P R; Darmenov, A; Govindaraju, R; Smirnov, A; Holben, B; Ferrare, R; Hair, J; Shinozuka, Y; Flynn, C J

2017-09-01

The Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2) updates NASA's previous satellite era (1980 - onward) reanalysis system to include additional observations and improvements to the Goddard Earth Observing System, Version 5 (GEOS-5) Earth system model. As a major step towards a full Integrated Earth Systems Analysis (IESA), in addition to meteorological observations, MERRA-2 now includes assimilation of aerosol optical depth (AOD) from various ground- and space-based remote sensing platforms. Here, in the first of a pair of studies, we document the MERRA-2 aerosol assimilation, including a description of the prognostic model (GEOS-5 coupled to the GOCART aerosol module), aerosol emissions, and the quality control of ingested observations. We provide initial validation and evaluation of the analyzed AOD fields using independent observations from ground, aircraft, and shipborne instruments. We demonstrate the positive impact of the AOD assimilation on simulated aerosols by comparing MERRA-2 aerosol fields to an identical control simulation that does not include AOD assimilation. Having shown the AOD evaluation, we take a first look at aerosol-climate interactions by examining the shortwave, clear-sky aerosol direct radiative effect. In our companion paper, we evaluate and validate available MERRA-2 aerosol properties not directly impacted by the AOD assimilation (e.g. aerosol vertical distribution and absorption). Importantly, while highlighting the skill of the MERRA-2 aerosol assimilation products, both studies point out caveats that must be considered when using this new reanalysis product for future studies of aerosols and their interactions with weather and climate.

Development and Application of the Transit Timing Planet Detection Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steffen, J. H.; Agol, E.

2005-12-01

We present the development and application of a new planet detection technique that uses the transit timing of a known, transiting planet. The transits of a solitary planet orbiting a star occur at equally spaced intervals in time. If a second planet is present, then dynamical interactions within the system will cause the time interval between transits to vary. These transit time variations (TTV) can be used to infer the orbital elements and mass of the unseen, perturbing planet. In some cases, particularly near mean-motion resonances, this technique could detect planets with masses less than the mass of the Earth---a capability not yet achieved by other planet detection schemes. We present an analysis of the set of transit times of the TrES-1 system given by Charbonneau et al. (2005). While no convincing evidence for a second planet in the TrES-1 system was found from that data, we constrain the mass that a perturbing planet could have as a function of the semi-major axis ratio of the two planets and the eccentricity of the perturbing planet. Near low-order, mean-motion resonances (within about 1% fractional deviation), we find that a secondary planet must generally have a mass comparable to or less than the mass of the Earth--showing that this data is the first to have sensitivity to sub Earth-mass planets. We present results from our studies that use simulated data and from an ongoing analysis of the HD209458 system. These results show that TTV will be an important tool in the detection and characterization of extrasolar planetary systems.

Development and application of earth system models

PubMed Central

Prinn, Ronald G.

2013-01-01

The global environment is a complex and dynamic system. Earth system modeling is needed to help understand changes in interacting subsystems, elucidate the influence of human activities, and explore possible future changes. Integrated assessment of environment and human development is arguably the most difficult and most important “systems” problem faced. To illustrate this approach, we present results from the integrated global system model (IGSM), which consists of coupled submodels addressing economic development, atmospheric chemistry, climate dynamics, and ecosystem processes. An uncertainty analysis implies that without mitigation policies, the global average surface temperature may rise between 3.5 °C and 7.4 °C from 1981–2000 to 2091–2100 (90% confidence limits). Polar temperatures, absent policy, are projected to rise from about 6.4 °C to 14 °C (90% confidence limits). Similar analysis of four increasingly stringent climate mitigation policy cases involving stabilization of greenhouse gases at various levels indicates that the greatest effect of these policies is to lower the probability of extreme changes. The IGSM is also used to elucidate potential unintended environmental consequences of renewable energy at large scales. There are significant reasons for attention to climate adaptation in addition to climate mitigation that earth system models can help inform. These models can also be applied to evaluate whether “climate engineering” is a viable option or a dangerous diversion. We must prepare young people to address this issue: The problem of preserving a habitable planet will engage present and future generations. Scientists must improve communication if research is to inform the public and policy makers better. PMID:22706645

Tube dynamics and low energy Earth-Moon transfers in the 4-body system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onozaki, Kaori; Yoshimura, Hiroaki; Ross, Shane D.

2017-11-01

In this paper, we show a low energy Earth-Moon transfer in the context of the Sun-Earth-Moon-spacecraft 4-body system. We consider the 4-body system as the coupled system of the Sun-Earth-spacecraft 3-body system perturbed by the Moon (which we call the Moon-perturbed system) and the Earth-Moon-spacecraft 3-body system perturbed by the Sun (which we call the Sun-perturbed system). In both perturbed systems, analogs of the stable and unstable manifolds are computed numerically by using the notion of Lagrangian coherent structures, wherein the stable and unstable manifolds play the role of separating orbits into transit and non-transit orbits. We obtain a family of non-transit orbits departing from a low Earth orbit in the Moon-perturbed system, and a family of transit orbits arriving into a low lunar orbit in the Sun-perturbed system. Finally, we show that we can construct a low energy transfer from the Earth to the Moon by choosing appropriate trajectories from both families and patching these trajectories with a maneuver.

The Moon's orbit history and inferences on its origin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conway, B. A.

1984-01-01

A frequency dependent model of tidal friction was used to determine the evolution of the Earth-Moon system. The analysis considers the lunar orbit eccentricity and inclination, the solar tide on the Earth, Earth oblateness, and higher order terms in the tidal potential. A solution of the equations governing the precession of the Earth's rotational angular momentum and the lunar ascending node is found. The history is consistent with a capture origin for the Moon. It rules out the origin of the Moon by fission. Results are shown for a range of assumed values for the lunar tidal dissipation. Tidal dissipation within the Moon, during what would be the immediate postcapture period, is shown to be capable of significantly heating the Moon. The immediate postcapture orbit has a periapsis within the Earth's Roche limit. Capture into resonance with the Earth's gravitational field as this orbit tidally evolves is suggested to be a mechanism to prevent so close, an approach. It is shown that the probability of such capture is negligibly small and alternative hypotheses for the survival of the Roche limit passage is offered.

Design of optimal impulse transfers from the Sun-Earth libration point to asteroid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yamin; Qiao, Dong; Cui, Pingyuan

2015-07-01

The lunar probe, Chang'E-2, is the first one to successfully achieve both the transfer to Sun-Earth libration point orbit and the flyby of near-Earth asteroid Toutatis. This paper, taking the Chang'E-2's asteroid flyby mission as an example, provides a method to design low-energy transfers from the libration point orbit to an asteroid. The method includes the analysis of transfer families and the design of optimal impulse transfers. Firstly, the one-impulse transfers are constructed by correcting the initial guesses, which are obtained by perturbing in the direction of unstable eigenvector. Secondly, the optimality of one-impulse transfers is analyzed and the optimal impulse transfers are built by using the primer vector theory. After optimization, the transfer families, including the slow and the fast transfers, are refined to be continuous and lower-cost transfers. The method proposed in this paper can be also used for designing transfers from an arbitrary Sun-Earth libration point orbit to a near-Earth asteroid in the Sun-Earth-Moon system.

Earth Observatory Satellite system definition study. Report 5: System design and specifications. Volume 1: Baseline system description

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

A system baseline design oriented to the requirements of the next generation of Earth Observatory Satellite missions is presented. The first mission (EOS-A) is envisioned as a two-fold mission which (1) provides a continuum of data of the type being supplied by ERTS for the emerging operational applications and also (2) expands the research and development activities for future instrumentation and analysis techniques. The baseline system specifically satisfies the requirements of this first mission. However, EOS-A is expected to be the first of a series of earth observation missions. Thus the baseline design has been developed so as to accommodate these latter missions effectively as the transition is made from conventional, expendable launch vehicles and spacecraft to the Shuttle Space Transportation System era. Further, a subset of alternative missions requirements including Seasat, SEOS, SMM and MSS-5 have been analyzed to verify that the spacecraft design to serve a multi-mission role is economically sound. A key feature of the baseline system design is the concept of a modular observatory system whose elements are compatible with varying levels of launch vehicle capability. The design configuration can be used with either the Delta or Titan launch vehicles and will adapt readily to the space shuttle when that system becomes available in the early 1980's.

Making Earth Science Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs) Projects Data and Services at the GES DISC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vollmer, Bruce E.; Ostrenga, D.; Savtchenko, A.; Johnson, J.; Wei, J.; Teng, W.; Gerasimov, I.

2011-01-01

NASA's Earth Science Program is dedicated to advancing Earth remote sensing and pioneering the scientific use of satellite measurements to improve human understanding of our home planet. Through the MEaSUREs Program, NASA is continuing its commitment to expand understanding of the Earth system using consistent data records. Emphasis is on linking together multiple data sources to form coherent time-series, and facilitating the use of extensive data in the development of comprehensive Earth system models. A primary focus of the MEaSUREs Program is the creation of Earth System Data Records (ESDRs). An ESDR is defined as a unified and coherent set of observations of a given parameter of the Earth system, which is optimized to meet specific requirements for addressing science questions. These records are critical for understanding Earth System processes; for the assessment of variability, long-term trends, and change in the Earth System; and for providing input and validation means to modeling efforts. Seven MEaSUREs projects will be archived and distributed through services at the Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC).

Climate Reanalysis: Progress and Future Prospects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gelaro, Ron

2018-01-01

Reanalysis is the process whereby an unchanging data assimilation system is used to provide a consistent reprocessing of observations, typically spanning an extended segment of the historical data record. The process relies on an underlying model to combine often-disparate observations in a physically consistent manner, enabling production of gridded data sets for a broad range of applications including the study of historical weather events, preparation of climatologies, business sector development and, more recently, climate monitoring. Over the last few decades, several generations of reanalyses of the global atmosphere have been produced by various operational and research centers, focusing more or less on the period of regular conventional and satellite observations beginning in the mid to late twentieth century. There have also been successful efforts to extend atmospheric reanalyses back to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, using mostly surface observations. Much progress has resulted from (and contributed to) advancements in numerical weather prediction, especially improved models and data assimilation techniques, increased computing capacity, the availability of new observation types and efforts to recover and improve the quality of historical ones. The recent extension of forecast systems that allow integrated modeling of meteorological, oceanic, land surface, and chemical variables provide the basic elements for coupled data assimilation. This has opened the door to the development of a new generation of coupled reanalyses of the Earth system, or integrated Earth system analyses (IESA). Evidence so far suggests that this approach can improve the analysis of currently uncoupled components of the Earth system, especially at their interface, and lead to increased predictability. However, extensive analysis coupling as envisioned for IESA, while progressing, still presents significant challenges. These include model biases that can be exacerbated when coupled, component systems with different physical characteristics and different spatial and temporal scales, and component observations in different media with different spatial and temporal frequencies and different latencies. Quantification of uncertainty in reanalyses is also a critical challenge and is important for expanding their utility as a tool for climate change assessment. This talk provides a brief overview of the progress of reanalysis development during recent decades, and describes remaining challenges in the progression toward coupled Earth system reanalyses.

GEOSS interoperability for Weather, Ocean and Water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, David; Nyenhuis, Michael; Zsoter, Ervin; Pappenberger, Florian

2013-04-01

"Understanding the Earth system — its weather, climate, oceans, atmosphere, water, land, geodynamics, natural resources, ecosystems, and natural and human-induced hazards — is crucial to enhancing human health, safety and welfare, alleviating human suffering including poverty, protecting the global environment, reducing disaster losses, and achieving sustainable development. Observations of the Earth system constitute critical input for advancing this understanding." With this in mind, the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) started implementing the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). GEOWOW, short for "GEOSS interoperability for Weather, Ocean and Water", is supporting this objective. GEOWOW's main challenge is to improve Earth observation data discovery, accessibility and exploitability, and to evolve GEOSS in terms of interoperability, standardization and functionality. One of the main goals behind the GEOWOW project is to demonstrate the value of the TIGGE archive in interdisciplinary applications, providing a vast amount of useful and easily accessible information to the users through the GEO Common Infrastructure (GCI). GEOWOW aims at developing funcionalities that will allow easy discovery, access and use of TIGGE archive data and of in-situ observations, e.g. from the Global Runoff Data Centre (GRDC), to support applications such as river discharge forecasting.TIGGE (THORPEX Interactive Grand Global Ensemble) is a key component of THORPEX: a World Weather Research Programme to accelerate the improvements in the accuracy of 1-day to 2 week high-impact weather forecasts for the benefit of humanity. The TIGGE archive consists of ensemble weather forecast data from ten global NWP centres, starting from October 2006, which has been made available for scientific research. The TIGGE archive has been used to analyse hydro-meteorological forecasts of flooding in Europe as well as in China. In general the analysis has been favourable in terms of forecast skill and concluded that the use of a multi-model forecast is beneficial. Long term analysis of individual centres, such as the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), has been conducted in the past. However, no long term and large scale study has been performed so far with inclusion of different global numerical models. Here we present some initial results from such a study.

The Australian Computational Earth Systems Simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mora, P.; Muhlhaus, H.; Lister, G.; Dyskin, A.; Place, D.; Appelbe, B.; Nimmervoll, N.; Abramson, D.

2001-12-01

Numerical simulation of the physics and dynamics of the entire earth system offers an outstanding opportunity for advancing earth system science and technology but represents a major challenge due to the range of scales and physical processes involved, as well as the magnitude of the software engineering effort required. However, new simulation and computer technologies are bringing this objective within reach. Under a special competitive national funding scheme to establish new Major National Research Facilities (MNRF), the Australian government together with a consortium of Universities and research institutions have funded construction of the Australian Computational Earth Systems Simulator (ACcESS). The Simulator or computational virtual earth will provide the research infrastructure to the Australian earth systems science community required for simulations of dynamical earth processes at scales ranging from microscopic to global. It will consist of thematic supercomputer infrastructure and an earth systems simulation software system. The Simulator models and software will be constructed over a five year period by a multi-disciplinary team of computational scientists, mathematicians, earth scientists, civil engineers and software engineers. The construction team will integrate numerical simulation models (3D discrete elements/lattice solid model, particle-in-cell large deformation finite-element method, stress reconstruction models, multi-scale continuum models etc) with geophysical, geological and tectonic models, through advanced software engineering and visualization technologies. When fully constructed, the Simulator aims to provide the software and hardware infrastructure needed to model solid earth phenomena including global scale dynamics and mineralisation processes, crustal scale processes including plate tectonics, mountain building, interacting fault system dynamics, and micro-scale processes that control the geological, physical and dynamic behaviour of earth systems. ACcESS represents a part of Australia's contribution to the APEC Cooperation for Earthquake Simulation (ACES) international initiative. Together with other national earth systems science initiatives including the Japanese Earth Simulator and US General Earthquake Model projects, ACcESS aims to provide a driver for scientific advancement and technological breakthroughs including: quantum leaps in understanding of earth evolution at global, crustal, regional and microscopic scales; new knowledge of the physics of crustal fault systems required to underpin the grand challenge of earthquake prediction; new understanding and predictive capabilities of geological processes such as tectonics and mineralisation.

New space sensor and mesoscale data analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hickey, John S.

1987-01-01

The developed Earth Science and Application Division (ESAD) system/software provides the research scientist with the following capabilities: an extensive data base management capibility to convert various experiment data types into a standard format; and interactive analysis and display package (AVE80); an interactive imaging/color graphics capability utilizing the Apple III and IBM PC workstations integrated into the ESAD computer system; and local and remote smart-terminal capability which provides color video, graphics, and Laserjet output. Recommendations for updating and enhancing the performance of the ESAD computer system are listed.

A statistical inference approach for the retrieval of the atmospheric ozone profile from simulated satellite measurements of solar backscattered ultraviolet radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bonavito, N. L.; Gordon, C. L.; Inguva, R.; Serafino, G. N.; Barnes, R. A.

1994-01-01

NASA's Mission to Planet Earth (MTPE) will address important interdisciplinary and environmental issues such as global warming, ozone depletion, deforestation, acid rain, and the like with its long term satellite observations of the Earth and with its comprehensive Data and Information System. Extensive sets of satellite observations supporting MTPE will be provided by the Earth Observing System (EOS), while more specific process related observations will be provided by smaller Earth Probes. MTPE will use data from ground and airborne scientific investigations to supplement and validate the global observations obtained from satellite imagery, while the EOS satellites will support interdisciplinary research and model development. This is important for understanding the processes that control the global environment and for improving the prediction of events. In this paper we illustrate the potential for powerful artificial intelligence (AI) techniques when used in the analysis of the formidable problems that exist in the NASA Earth Science programs and of those to be encountered in the future MTPE and EOS programs. These techniques, based on the logical and probabilistic reasoning aspects of plausible inference, strongly emphasize the synergetic relation between data and information. As such, they are ideally suited for the analysis of the massive data streams to be provided by both MTPE and EOS. To demonstrate this, we address both the satellite imagery and model enhancement issues for the problem of ozone profile retrieval through a method based on plausible scientific inferencing. Since in the retrieval problem, the atmospheric ozone profile that is consistent with a given set of measured radiances may not be unique, an optimum statistical method is used to estimate a 'best' profile solution from the radiances and from additional a priori information.

Hall Thruster Technology for NASA Science Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manzella, David; Oh, David; Aadland, Randall

2005-01-01

The performance of a prototype Hall thruster designed for Discovery-class NASA science mission applications was evaluated at input powers ranging from 0.2 to 2.9 kilowatts. These data were used to construct a throttle profile for a projected Hall thruster system based on this prototype thruster. The suitability of such a Hall thruster system to perform robotic exploration missions was evaluated through the analysis of a near Earth asteroid sample return mission. This analysis demonstrated that a propulsion system based on the prototype Hall thruster offers mission benefits compared to a propulsion system based on an existing ion thruster.

Network Analysis of Earth's Co-Evolving Geosphere and Biosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hazen, R. M.; Eleish, A.; Liu, C.; Morrison, S. M.; Meyer, M.; Consortium, K. D.

2017-12-01

A fundamental goal of Earth science is the deep understanding of Earth's dynamic, co-evolving geosphere and biosphere through deep time. Network analysis of geo- and bio- `big data' provides an interactive, quantitative, and predictive visualization framework to explore complex and otherwise hidden high-dimension features of diversity, distribution, and change in the evolution of Earth's geochemistry, mineralogy, paleobiology, and biochemistry [1]. Networks also facilitate quantitative comparison of different geological time periods, tectonic settings, and geographical regions, as well as different planets and moons, through network metrics, including density, centralization, diameter, and transitivity.We render networks by employing data related to geographical, paragenetic, environmental, or structural relationships among minerals, fossils, proteins, and microbial taxa. An important recent finding is that the topography of many networks reflects parameters not explicitly incorporated in constructing the network. For example, networks for minerals, fossils, and protein structures reveal embedded qualitative time axes, with additional network geometries possibly related to extinction and/or other punctuation events (see Figure). Other axes related to chemical activities and volatile fugacities, as well as pressure and/or depth of formation, may also emerge from network analysis. These patterns provide new insights into the way planets evolve, especially Earth's co-evolving geosphere and biosphere. 1. Morrison, S.M. et al. (2017) Network analysis of mineralogical systems. American Mineralogist 102, in press. Figure Caption: A network of Phanerozoic Era fossil animals from the past 540 million years includes blue, red, and black circles (nodes) representing family-level taxa and grey lines (links) between coexisting families. Age information was not used in the construction of this network; nevertheless an intrinsic timeline is embedded in the network topology. In addition, two mass extinction events appear as "pinch points" in the network.

Fractal analysis of GPS time series for early detection of disastrous seismic events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filatov, Denis M.; Lyubushin, Alexey A.

2017-03-01

A new method of fractal analysis of time series for estimating the chaoticity of behaviour of open stochastic dynamical systems is developed. The method is a modification of the conventional detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) technique. We start from analysing both methods from the physical point of view and demonstrate the difference between them which results in a higher accuracy of the new method compared to the conventional DFA. Then, applying the developed method to estimate the measure of chaoticity of a real dynamical system - the Earth's crust, we reveal that the latter exhibits two distinct mechanisms of transition to a critical state: while the first mechanism has already been known due to numerous studies of other dynamical systems, the second one is new and has not previously been described. Using GPS time series, we demonstrate efficiency of the developed method in identification of critical states of the Earth's crust. Finally we employ the method to solve a practically important task: we show how the developed measure of chaoticity can be used for early detection of disastrous seismic events and provide a detailed discussion of the numerical results, which are shown to be consistent with outcomes of other researches on the topic.

Constellation Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA): Design Consideration for the Crew Exploration Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prassinos, Peter G.; Stamatelatos, Michael G.; Young, Jonathan; Smith, Curtis

2010-01-01

Managed by NASA's Office of Safety and Mission Assurance, a pilot probabilistic risk analysis (PRA) of the NASA Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) was performed in early 2006. The PRA methods used follow the general guidance provided in the NASA PRA Procedures Guide for NASA Managers and Practitioners'. Phased-mission based event trees and fault trees are used to model a lunar sortie mission of the CEV - involving the following phases: launch of a cargo vessel and a crew vessel; rendezvous of these two vessels in low Earth orbit; transit to th$: moon; lunar surface activities; ascension &om the lunar surface; and return to Earth. The analysis is based upon assumptions, preliminary system diagrams, and failure data that may involve large uncertainties or may lack formal validation. Furthermore, some of the data used were based upon expert judgment or extrapolated from similar componentssystemsT. his paper includes a discussion of the system-level models and provides an overview of the analysis results used to identify insights into CEV risk drivers, and trade and sensitivity studies. Lastly, the PRA model was used to determine changes in risk as the system configurations or key parameters are modified.

The IVS data input to ITRF2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nothnagel, Axel; Alef, Walter; Amagai, Jun; Andersen, Per Helge; Andreeva, Tatiana; Artz, Thomas; Bachmann, Sabine; Barache, Christophe; Baudry, Alain; Bauernfeind, Erhard; Baver, Karen; Beaudoin, Christopher; Behrend, Dirk; Bellanger, Antoine; Berdnikov, Anton; Bergman, Per; Bernhart, Simone; Bertarini, Alessandra; Bianco, Giuseppe; Bielmaier, Ewald; Boboltz, David; Böhm, Johannes; Böhm, Sigrid; Boer, Armin; Bolotin, Sergei; Bougeard, Mireille; Bourda, Geraldine; Buttaccio, Salvo; Cannizzaro, Letizia; Cappallo, Roger; Carlson, Brent; Carter, Merri Sue; Charlot, Patrick; Chen, Chenyu; Chen, Maozheng; Cho, Jungho; Clark, Thomas; Collioud, Arnaud; Colomer, Francisco; Colucci, Giuseppe; Combrinck, Ludwig; Conway, John; Corey, Brian; Curtis, Ronald; Dassing, Reiner; Davis, Maria; de-Vicente, Pablo; De Witt, Aletha; Diakov, Alexey; Dickey, John; Diegel, Irv; Doi, Koichiro; Drewes, Hermann; Dube, Maurice; Elgered, Gunnar; Engelhardt, Gerald; Evangelista, Mark; Fan, Qingyuan; Fedotov, Leonid; Fey, Alan; Figueroa, Ricardo; Fukuzaki, Yoshihiro; Gambis, Daniel; Garcia-Espada, Susana; Gaume, Ralph; Gaylard, Michael; Geiger, Nicole; Gipson, John; Gomez, Frank; Gomez-Gonzalez, Jesus; Gordon, David; Govind, Ramesh; Gubanov, Vadim; Gulyaev, Sergei; Haas, Ruediger; Hall, David; Halsig, Sebastian; Hammargren, Roger; Hase, Hayo; Heinkelmann, Robert; Helldner, Leif; Herrera, Cristian; Himwich, Ed; Hobiger, Thomas; Holst, Christoph; Hong, Xiaoyu; Honma, Mareki; Huang, Xinyong; Hugentobler, Urs; Ichikawa, Ryuichi; Iddink, Andreas; Ihde, Johannes; Ilijin, Gennadiy; Ipatov, Alexander; Ipatova, Irina; Ishihara, Misao; Ivanov, D. V.; Jacobs, Chris; Jike, Takaaki; Johansson, Karl-Ake; Johnson, Heidi; Johnston, Kenneth; Ju, Hyunhee; Karasawa, Masao; Kaufmann, Pierre; Kawabata, Ryoji; Kawaguchi, Noriyuki; Kawai, Eiji; Kaydanovsky, Michael; Kharinov, Mikhail; Kobayashi, Hideyuki; Kokado, Kensuke; Kondo, Tetsuro; Korkin, Edward; Koyama, Yasuhiro; Krasna, Hana; Kronschnabl, Gerhard; Kurdubov, Sergey; Kurihara, Shinobu; Kuroda, Jiro; Kwak, Younghee; La Porta, Laura; Labelle, Ruth; Lamb, Doug; Lambert, Sébastien; Langkaas, Line; Lanotte, Roberto; Lavrov, Alexey; Le Bail, Karine; Leek, Judith; Li, Bing; Li, Huihua; Li, Jinling; Liang, Shiguang; Lindqvist, Michael; Liu, Xiang; Loesler, Michael; Long, Jim; Lonsdale, Colin; Lovell, Jim; Lowe, Stephen; Lucena, Antonio; Luzum, Brian; Ma, Chopo; Ma, Jun; Maccaferri, Giuseppe; Machida, Morito; MacMillan, Dan; Madzak, Matthias; Malkin, Zinovy; Manabe, Seiji; Mantovani, Franco; Mardyshkin, Vyacheslav; Marshalov, Dmitry; Mathiassen, Geir; Matsuzaka, Shigeru; McCarthy, Dennis; Melnikov, Alexey; Michailov, Andrey; Miller, Natalia; Mitchell, Donald; Mora-Diaz, Julian Andres; Mueskens, Arno; Mukai, Yasuko; Nanni, Mauro; Natusch, Tim; Negusini, Monia; Neidhardt, Alexander; Nickola, Marisa; Nicolson, George; Niell, Arthur; Nikitin, Pavel; Nilsson, Tobias; Ning, Tong; Nishikawa, Takashi; Noll, Carey; Nozawa, Kentarou; Ogaja, Clement; Oh, Hongjong; Olofsson, Hans; Opseth, Per Erik; Orfei, Sandro; Pacione, Rosa; Pazamickas, Katherine; Petrachenko, William; Pettersson, Lars; Pino, Pedro; Plank, Lucia; Ploetz, Christian; Poirier, Michael; Poutanen, Markku; Qian, Zhihan; Quick, Jonathan; Rahimov, Ismail; Redmond, Jay; Reid, Brett; Reynolds, John; Richter, Bernd; Rioja, Maria; Romero-Wolf, Andres; Ruszczyk, Chester; Salnikov, Alexander; Sarti, Pierguido; Schatz, Raimund; Scherneck, Hans-Georg; Schiavone, Francesco; Schreiber, Ulrich; Schuh, Harald; Schwarz, Walter; Sciarretta, Cecilia; Searle, Anthony; Sekido, Mamoru; Seitz, Manuela; Shao, Minghui; Shibuya, Kazuo; Shu, Fengchun; Sieber, Moritz; Skjaeveland, Asmund; Skurikhina, Elena; Smolentsev, Sergey; Smythe, Dan; Sousa, Don; Sovers, Ojars; Stanford, Laura; Stanghellini, Carlo; Steppe, Alan; Strand, Rich; Sun, Jing; Surkis, Igor; Takashima, Kazuhiro; Takefuji, Kazuhiro; Takiguchi, Hiroshi; Tamura, Yoshiaki; Tanabe, Tadashi; Tanir, Emine; Tao, An; Tateyama, Claudio; Teke, Kamil; Thomas, Cynthia; Thorandt, Volkmar; Thornton, Bruce; Tierno Ros, Claudia; Titov, Oleg; Titus, Mike; Tomasi, Paolo; Tornatore, Vincenza; Trigilio, Corrado; Trofimov, Dmitriy; Tsutsumi, Masanori; Tuccari, Gino; Tzioumis, Tasso; Ujihara, Hideki; Ullrich, Dieter; Uunila, Minttu; Venturi, Tiziana; Vespe, Francesco; Vityazev, Veniamin; Volvach, Alexandr; Vytnov, Alexander; Wang, Guangli; Wang, Jinqing; Wang, Lingling; Wang, Na; Wang, Shiqiang; Wei, Wenren; Weston, Stuart; Whitney, Alan; Wojdziak, Reiner; Yatskiv, Yaroslav; Yang, Wenjun; Ye, Shuhua; Yi, Sangoh; Yusup, Aili; Zapata, Octavio; Zeitlhoefler, Reinhard; Zhang, Hua; Zhang, Ming; Zhang, Xiuzhong; Zhao, Rongbing; Zheng, Weimin; Zhou, Ruixian; Zubko, Nataliya

2015-01-01

Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) is a primary space-geodetic technique for determining precise coordinates on the Earth, for monitoring the variable Earth rotation and orientation with highest precision, and for deriving many other parameters of the Earth system. The International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS, http://ivscc.gsfc.nasa.gov/) is a service of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) and the International Astronomical Union (IAU). The datasets published here are the results of individual Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) sessions in the form of normal equations in SINEX 2.0 format (http://www.iers.org/IERS/EN/Organization/AnalysisCoordinator/SinexFormat/sinex.html, the SINEX 2.0 description is attached as pdf) provided by IVS as the input for the next release of the International Terrestrial Reference System (ITRF): ITRF2014. This is a new version of the ITRF2008 release (Bockmann et al., 2009). For each session/ file, the normal equation systems contain elements for the coordinate components of all stations having participated in the respective session as well as for the Earth orientation parameters (x-pole, y-pole, UT1 and its time derivatives plus offset to the IAU2006 precession-nutation components dX, dY (https://www.iau.org/static/resolutions/IAU2006_Resol1.pdf). The terrestrial part is free of datum. The data sets are the result of a weighted combination of the input of several IVS Analysis Centers. The IVS contribution for ITRF2014 is described in Bachmann et al (2015), Schuh and Behrend (2012) provide a general overview on the VLBI method, details on the internal data handling can be found at Behrend (2013).

Student Learning of Complex Earth Systems: Conceptual Frameworks of Earth Systems and Instructional Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scherer, Hannah H.; Holder, Lauren; Herbert, Bruce

2017-01-01

Engaging students in authentic problem solving concerning environmental issues in near-surface complex Earth systems involves both developing student conceptualization of Earth as a system and applying that scientific knowledge using techniques that model those used by professionals. In this first paper of a two-part series, we review the state of…

Building A Cloud Based Distributed Active Data Archive Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramachandran, Rahul; Baynes, Katie; Murphy, Kevin

2017-01-01

NASA's Earth Science Data System (ESDS) Program facilitates the implementation of NASA's Earth Science strategic plan, which is committed to the full and open sharing of Earth science data obtained from NASA instruments to all users. The Earth Science Data information System (ESDIS) project manages the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS). Data within EOSDIS are held at Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs). One of the key responsibilities of the ESDS Program is to continuously evolve the entire data and information system to maximize returns on the collected NASA data.

Thermal Protection System Mass Estimating Relationships for Blunt-Body, Earth Entry Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sepka, Steven A.; Samareh, Jamshid A.

2015-01-01

System analysis and design of any entry system must balance the level fidelity for each discipline against the project timeline. One way to inject high fidelity analysis earlier in the design effort is to develop surrogate models for the high-fidelity disciplines. Surrogate models for the Thermal Protection System (TPS) are formulated as Mass Estimating Relationships (MERs). The TPS MERs are presented that predict the amount of TPS necessary for safe Earth entry for blunt-body spacecraft using simple correlations that closely match estimates from NASA's high-fidelity ablation modeling tool, the Fully Implicit Ablation and Thermal Analysis Program (FIAT). These MERs provide a first order estimate for rapid feasibility studies. There are 840 different trajectories considered in this study, and each TPS MER has a peak heating limit. MERs for the vehicle forebody include the ablators Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA) and Carbon Phenolic atop Advanced Carbon-Carbon. For the aftbody, the materials are Silicone Impregnated Reusable Ceramic Ablator (SIRCA), Acusil II, SLA-561V, and LI-900. The MERs are accurate to within 14% (at one standard deviation) of FIAT prediction, and the most any MER under predicts FIAT TPS thickness is 18.7%. This work focuses on the development of these MERs, the resulting equations, model limitations, and model accuracy.

Design/cost tradeoff studies. Appendix A. Supporting analyses and tradeoffs, book 1. Earth Observatory Satellite system definition study (EOS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

A listing of the Earth Observatory Satellite (EOS) candidate missions is presented for use as a baseline in describing the EOS payloads. The missions are identified in terms of first, second, and third generation payloads. The specific applications of the EOS satellites are defined. The subjects considered are: (1) orbit analysis, (2) space shuttle interfaces, (3) thematic mapping subsystem, (4) high resolution pointable imager subsystem, (5) the data collection system, (6) the synthetic aperture radar, (7) the passive multichannel microwave radiometer, and (8) the wideband communications and handling equipment. Illustrations of the satellite and launch vehicle configurations are provided. Block diagrams of the electronic circuits are included.

Mission specification for three generic mission classes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Mission specifications for three generic mission classes are generated to provide a baseline for definition and analysis of data acquisition platform system concepts. The mission specifications define compatible groupings of sensors that satisfy specific earth resources and environmental mission objectives. The driving force behind the definition of sensor groupings is mission need; platform and space transportation system constraints are of secondary importance. The three generic mission classes are: (1) low earth orbit sun-synchronous; (2) geosynchronous; and (3) non-sun-synchronous, nongeosynchronous. These missions are chosen to provide a variety of sensor complements and implementation concepts. Each mission specification relates mission categories, mission objectives, measured parameters, and candidate sensors to orbits and coverage, operations compatibility, and platform fleet size.

The QuakeSim Project: Numerical Simulations for Active Tectonic Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donnellan, Andrea; Parker, Jay; Lyzenga, Greg; Granat, Robert; Fox, Geoffrey; Pierce, Marlon; Rundle, John; McLeod, Dennis; Grant, Lisa; Tullis, Terry

2004-01-01

In order to develop a solid earth science framework for understanding and studying of active tectonic and earthquake processes, this task develops simulation and analysis tools to study the physics of earthquakes using state-of-the art modeling, data manipulation, and pattern recognition technologies. We develop clearly defined accessible data formats and code protocols as inputs to the simulations. these are adapted to high-performance computers because the solid earth system is extremely complex and nonlinear resulting in computationally intensive problems with millions of unknowns. With these tools it will be possible to construct the more complex models and simulations necessary to develop hazard assessment systems critical for reducing future losses from major earthquakes.