Solar Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure of South African Marathon Runners During Competition Marathon Runs and Training Sessions: A Feasibility Study.

PubMed

Nurse, Victoria; Wright, Caradee Y; Allen, Martin; McKenzie, Richard L

2015-01-01

Marathon runners spend considerable time in outdoor training for and participating in marathons. Outdoor runners may experience high solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure. South Africa, where running is popular, experiences high ambient solar UVR levels that may be associated with adverse health effects. This feasibility study explores the use of personal dosimeters to determine solar UVR exposure patterns and possible related acute health risks of four marathon runners during marathons and training sessions in Cape Town and Pretoria. Runners running marathons that started early in the day, and that did not exceed 4 hours, yielded low total solar UVR exposure doses (mean 0.093 SED per exposure period run, median 0.088 SED, range 0.062-0.136 SED; average of 16.54% of ambient solar UVR). Training sessions run during early morning and late afternoon presented similar results. Several challenges hindered analysis including accounting for anatomical position of personal dosimeter and natural shade. To assess health risks, hazard quotients (HQs) were calculated using a hypothetical runner's schedule. Cumulative, annual solar UVR exposure-calculated acute health risks were low (HQ = 0.024) for training sessions and moderate (HQ = 4.922) for marathon runs. While these data and calculations are based on 18 person-days, one can measure marathon runners' personal solar UVR exposure although several challenges must be overcome. © 2015 The American Society of Photobiology.

42 CFR 410.15 - Annual wellness visits providing Personalized Prevention Plan Services: Conditions for and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... professional (including a health educator, a registered dietitian, or nutrition professional, or other licensed... but not limited to, tobacco use, physical activity, nutrition and oral health, alcohol consumption... 42 Public Health 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Annual wellness visits providing Personalized...

42 CFR 410.15 - Annual wellness visits providing Personalized Prevention Plan Services: Conditions for and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Annual wellness visits providing Personalized Prevention Plan Services: Conditions for and limitations on coverage. 410.15 Section 410.15 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES MEDICARE PROGRAM...

Spring-fall asymmetry of substorm strength, geomagnetic activity and solar wind: Implications for semiannual variation and solar hemispheric asymmetry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marsula, K.; Tanskanen, E.; Love, J.J.

2011-01-01

We study the seasonal variation of substorms, geomagnetic activity and their solar wind drivers in 1993–2008. The number of substorms and substorm mean duration depict an annual variation with maxima in Winter and Summer, respectively, reflecting the annual change of the local ionosphere. In contradiction, substorm mean amplitude, substorm total efficiency and global geomagnetic activity show a dominant annual variation, with equinoctial maxima alternating between Spring in solar cycle 22 and Fall in cycle 23. The largest annual variations were found in 1994 and 2003, in the declining phase of the two cycles when high-speed streams dominate the solar wind. A similar, large annual variation is found in the solar wind driver of substorms and geomagnetic activity, which implies that the annual variation of substorm strength, substorm efficiency and geomagnetic activity is not due to ionospheric conditions but to a hemispherically asymmetric distribution of solar wind which varies from one cycle to another. Our results imply that the overall semiannual variation in global geomagnetic activity has been seriously overestimated, and is largely an artifact of the dominant annual variation with maxima alternating between Spring and Fall. The results also suggest an intimate connection between the asymmetry of solar magnetic fields and some of the largest geomagnetic disturbances, offering interesting new pathways for forecasting disturbances with a longer lead time to the future.

Spring-fall asymmetry of substorm strength, geomagnetic activity and solar wind: Implications for semiannual variation and solar hemispheric asymmetry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mursula, K.; Tanskanen, E.; Love, J.J.

2011-01-01

We study the seasonal variation of substorms, geomagnetic activity and their solar wind drivers in 1993-2008. The number of substorms and substorm mean duration depict an annual variation with maxima in Winter and Summer, respectively, reflecting the annual change of the local ionosphere. In contradiction, substorm mean amplitude, substorm total efficiency and global geomagnetic activity show a dominant annual variation, with equinoctial maxima alternating between Spring in solar cycle 22 and Fall in cycle 23. The largest annual variations were found in 1994 and 2003, in the declining phase of the two cycles when high-speed streams dominate the solar wind. A similar, large annual variation is found in the solar wind driver of substorms and geomagnetic activity, which implies that the annual variation of substorm strength, substorm efficiency and geomagnetic activity is not due to ionospheric conditions but to a hemispherically asymmetric distribution of solar wind which varies from one cycle to another. Our results imply that the overall semiannual variation in global geomagnetic activity has been seriously overestimated, and is largely an artifact of the dominant annual variation with maxima alternating between Spring and Fall. The results also suggest an intimate connection between the asymmetry of solar magnetic fields and some of the largest geomagnetic disturbances, offering interesting new pathways for forecasting disturbances with a longer lead time to the future. Copyright ?? 2011 by the American Geophysical Union.

Solar modulation of flood frequency in Central Europe during spring and summer on inter-annual to millennial time-scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czymzik, M.; Muscheler, R.; Brauer, A.

2015-10-01

Solar influences on climate variability are one of the most controversially discussed topics in climate research. We analyze solar forcing of flood frequency in Central Europe on inter-annual to millennial time-scales using daily discharge data of River Ammer (southern Germany) back to AD 1926 and revisiting the 5500 year flood layer time-series from varved sediments of the downstream Lake Ammersee. Flood frequency in the discharge record is significantly correlated to changes in solar activity during solar cycles 16-23 (r = -0.47, p < 0.0001, n = 73). Flood layer frequency (n = 1501) in the sediment record depicts distinct multi-decadal variability and significant correlations to 10Be fluxes from a Greenland ice core (r = 0.45, p < 0.0001) and 14C production rates (r =0.36, p < 0.0001), proxy records of solar activity. Flood frequency is higher when solar activity is reduced. These correlations between flood frequency and solar activity might provide empirical support for the solar top-down mechanism expected to modify the mid-latitude storm tracks over Europe by model studies. A lag of flood frequency responses in the Ammer discharge record to changes in solar activity of about one to three years could be explained by a modelled ocean-atmosphere feedback delaying the atmospheric reaction to solar activity variations up to a few years.

Solar Field Optical Characterization at Stillwater Geothermal/Solar Hybrid Plant

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

Zhu, Guangdong; Turchi, Craig

Concentrating solar power (CSP) can provide additional thermal energy to boost geothermal plant power generation. For a newly constructed solar field at a geothermal power plant site, it is critical to properly characterize its performance so that the prediction of thermal power generation can be derived to develop an optimum operating strategy for a hybrid system. In the past, laboratory characterization of a solar collector has often extended into the solar field performance model and has been used to predict the actual solar field performance, disregarding realistic impacting factors. In this work, an extensive measurement on mirror slope error andmore » receiver position error has been performed in the field by using the optical characterization tool called Distant Observer (DO). Combining a solar reflectance sampling procedure, a newly developed solar characterization program called FirstOPTIC and public software for annual performance modeling called System Advisor Model (SAM), a comprehensive solar field optical characterization has been conducted, thus allowing for an informed prediction of solar field annual performance. The paper illustrates this detailed solar field optical characterization procedure and demonstrates how the results help to quantify an appropriate tracking-correction strategy to improve solar field performance. In particular, it is found that an appropriate tracking-offset algorithm can improve the solar field performance by about 15%. The work here provides a valuable reference for the growing CSP industry.« less

Solar Field Optical Characterization at Stillwater Geothermal/Solar Hybrid Plant

DOE PAGES

Zhu, Guangdong; Turchi, Craig

2017-01-27

Concentrating solar power (CSP) can provide additional thermal energy to boost geothermal plant power generation. For a newly constructed solar field at a geothermal power plant site, it is critical to properly characterize its performance so that the prediction of thermal power generation can be derived to develop an optimum operating strategy for a hybrid system. In the past, laboratory characterization of a solar collector has often extended into the solar field performance model and has been used to predict the actual solar field performance, disregarding realistic impacting factors. In this work, an extensive measurement on mirror slope error andmore » receiver position error has been performed in the field by using the optical characterization tool called Distant Observer (DO). Combining a solar reflectance sampling procedure, a newly developed solar characterization program called FirstOPTIC and public software for annual performance modeling called System Advisor Model (SAM), a comprehensive solar field optical characterization has been conducted, thus allowing for an informed prediction of solar field annual performance. The paper illustrates this detailed solar field optical characterization procedure and demonstrates how the results help to quantify an appropriate tracking-correction strategy to improve solar field performance. In particular, it is found that an appropriate tracking-offset algorithm can improve the solar field performance by about 15%. The work here provides a valuable reference for the growing CSP industry.« less

Solar cycles and depositional processes in annual 10Be from two varved lake sediment records

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czymzik, Markus; Muscheler, Raimund; Brauer, Achim; Adolphi, Florian; Ott, Florian; Kienel, Ulrike; Dräger, Nadine; Słowiński, Michał; Aldahan, Ala; Possnert, Göran

2015-10-01

Beryllium 10 concentrations (10Becon) were measured at annual resolution from varved sediment cores of Lakes Tiefer See (TSK) and Czechowskie (JC) for the period 1983-2009 (∼solar cycles 22 and 23). Calibrating the 10Becon time-series against complementing proxy records from the same archive as well as local precipitation and neutron monitor data, reflecting solar forced changes in atmospheric radionuclide production, allowed (i) identifying the main depositional processes and (ii) evaluating the potential for solar activity reconstruction. 10Becon in TSK and JC sediments are significantly correlated to varying neutron monitor counts (TSK: r = 0.5, p = 0.05, n = 16; JC: r = 0.46, p = 0.03, n = 22). However, the further correlations with changes in organic carbon contents in TSK as well as varying organic carbon and detrital matter contents in JC point to catchment specific biases in the 10Becon time-series. In an attempt to correct for these biases multiple regression analysis was applied to extract an atmospheric 10Be production signal (10Beatmosphere). To increase the signal to noise ratio a 10Be composite record (10Becomposite) was calculated from the TSK and JC 10Beatmosphere time-series. 10Becomposite is significantly correlated to variations in the neutron monitor record (r = 0.49, p = 0.01, n = 25) and matches the expected amplitude changes in 10Be production between solar cycle minima and maxima. This calibration study on 10Be from two sites indicates the large potential but also, partly site-specific, limitations of 10Be in varved lake sediments for solar activity reconstruction.

A methodology for probabilistic assessment of solar thermal power plants yield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández-Peruchena, Carlos M.; Lara-Faneho, Vicente; Ramírez, Lourdes; Zarzalejo, Luis F.; Silva, Manuel; Bermejo, Diego; Gastón, Martín; Moreno, Sara; Pulgar, Jesús; Pavon, Manuel; Macías, Sergio; Valenzuela, Rita X.

2017-06-01

A detailed knowledge of the solar resource is a critical point to perform an economic feasibility analysis of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plants. This knowledge must include its magnitude (how much solar energy is available at an area of interest over a long time period), and its variability over time. In particular, DNI inter-annual variations may be large, increasing the return of investment risk in CSP plant projects. This risk is typically evaluated by means of the simulation of the energy delivered by the CSP plant during years with low solar irradiation, which are typically characterized by annual solar radiation datasets with high probability of exceedance of their annual DNI values. In this context, this paper proposes the use meteorological years representative of a given probability of exceedance of annual DNI in order to realistically assess the inter-annual variability of energy yields. The performance of this approach is evaluated in the location of Burns station (University of Oregon Solar Radiation Monitoring Laboratory), where a 34-year (from 1980 to 2013) measured data set of solar irradiance and temperature is available.

What can the annual 10Be solar activity reconstructions tell us about historic space weather?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnard, Luke; McCracken, Ken G.; Owens, Mat J.; Lockwood, Mike

2018-04-01

Context: Cosmogenic isotopes provide useful estimates of past solar magnetic activity, constraining past space climate with reasonable uncertainty. Much less is known about past space weather conditions. Recent advances in the analysis of 10Be by McCracken & Beer (2015, Sol Phys 290: 305-3069) (MB15) suggest that annually resolved 10Be can be significantly affected by solar energetic particle (SEP) fluxes. This poses a problem, and presents an opportunity, as the accurate quantification of past solar magnetic activity requires the SEP effects to be determined and isolated, whilst doing so might provide a valuable record of past SEP fluxes. Aims: We compare the MB15 reconstruction of the heliospheric magnetic field (HMF), with two independent estimates of the HMF derived from sunspot records and geomagnetic variability. We aim to quantify the differences between the HMF reconstructions, and speculate on the origin of these differences. We test whether the differences between the reconstructions appear to depend on known significant space weather events. Methods: We analyse the distributions of the differences between the HMF reconstructions. We consider how the differences vary as a function of solar cycle phase, and, using a Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, we compare the distributions under the two conditions of whether or not large space weather events were known to have occurred. Results: We find that the MB15 reconstructions are generally marginally smaller in magnitude than the sunspot and geomagnetic HMF reconstructions. This bias varies as a function of solar cycle phase, and is largest in the declining phase of the solar cycle. We find that MB15's excision of the years with very large ground level enhancement (GLE) improves the agreement of the 10Be HMF estimate with the sunspot and geomagnetic reconstructions. We find no statistical evidence that GLEs, in general, affect the MB15 reconstruction, but this analysis is limited by having too few samples. We do find

Hornet peak flight activity is correlated with solar UV radiation: a multi-annual survey.

PubMed

Ishay, Jacob S; Pertsis, Vitaly

2002-01-01

This study deals with the effect which solar irradiation of short wavelength, particularly ultraviolet (UV), exerts on the activities of hornets. The findings are based on multi-annual observations carried out during the years 1985, 1989 and 1998 on hornet nests in the field. At the peak of UV radiation, which occurs at noon, hornet activity is greater by 1-2 orders of magnitude than that during the morning or evening hours. The main visible hornet activity appears to be the removal of soil particles from the nest so as to enlarge its volume, enable the building of additional combs and also increase the size of existing combs. Hornet flight during peak insolation hours is characterized by its briefness (5-20 seconds only) and brevity (to distances of 5-10 meters only) as compared to flights at other hours of the day. These prolonged, multi-annual observations lead to the conclusion that hornets are capable of converting the energy of UV radiation into a form amenable to metabolic usage. In this respect the hornet cuticle behaves as a thermophotovoltaic device, i.e., a semiconductor diode that converts photons radiating from the sunlight into electrical energy.

Environmental Influences in the Simulation of a Solar Space Heating System.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-01-01

this simulation an optimum collector size was determined from the energy requirements given by each model and a comparison made between the...Solar Collector Cross Section .. ............... 26 4. Solar System Schematic. .. .................. 31 5. Contributions to Annual Energy Cost...40 6. House Size I Annual Energy Cost. ....... ........ 46 7. House Size II Annual Energy Cost .. ..... ......... 47 8. House Size III Annual

Geostellar: Remote Solar Energy Assessments Personalized

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

2015-10-01

Geostellar has produced an online tool that generates a unique solar profile for homeowners to learn about the financial benefits to installing rooftop solar panels on their home. The website incorporates the physical building characteristics of the home, including shading, slope, and orientation of the roof, and applies electricity costs and incentives to determine the best solar energy estimated energy production values against actual installed rooftop photovoltaic systems. The validation conducted by NREL concluded that over three-quarters of Geostellar's potential size estimates are at least as large as the actual installed systems, indicating a correct assessment of roof availability. Inmore » addition, 87% of Geostellar's 25-year production estimates are within 90% of the actual PV Watts results.« less

Determination of incoming solar radiation in major tree species in Turkey.

PubMed

Yilmaz, Osman Yalcin; Sevgi, Orhan; Koc, Ayhan

2012-07-01

Light requirements and spatial distribution of major forest tree species in Turkey hasn't been analyzed yet. Continuous surface solar radiation data, especially at mountainous-forested areas, are needed to put forward this relationship between forest tree species and solar radiation. To achieve this, GIS-based modeling of solar radiation is one of the methods used in rangelands to estimate continuous surface solar radiation. Therefore, mean monthly and annual total global solar radiation maps of whole Turkey were computed spatially using GRASS GIS software "r.sun" model under clear-sky (cloudless) conditions. 147498 pure forest stand point-based data were used in the study for calculating mean global solar radiation values of all the major forest tree species of Turkey. Beech had the lowest annual mean total global solar radiation value of 1654.87 kWh m(-2), whereas juniper had the highest value of 1928.89 kWh m(-2). The rank order of tree species according to the mean monthly and annual total global solar radiation values, using a confidence level of p < 0.05, was as follows: Beech < Spruce < Fir species < Oak species < Scotch pine < Red pine < Cedar < Juniper. The monthly and annual solar radiation values of sites and light requirements of forest trees ranked similarly.

Economics of installation of solar heating plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popel, O. S.; Frid, S. Y.; Shpiltayn, E. E.

1984-04-01

An engineering-economic analysis of solar heating plants for determination of their cost effectiveness involves calculating the maximum economically feasibile extra capital investment on their installation and calculating the fraction of the total heat demand covered by such a plant which makes replacement of conventional heating plant maximally economical. The annual economic effect of solar heating is calculated in terms of normalized cost differential, as criterion for its competitiveness with conventional heating. Plant performance characteristics, namely dependence of both the percent demand coverage and the annual cost differential on the area of solar radiation collectors is then considered. Analysis of the cost equation, assuming that the extra fixed cost is proportional to the collector area, reveals the necessary and sufficient condition for decrease of annual operating cost.

Annual and solar cycle dependencies of SuperDARN scatter occurrence and ionospheric convection measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lester, M.; Imber, S. M.; Milan, S. E.

2012-12-01

The Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) provides a long term data series which enables investigations of the coupled magnetosphere-ionosphere system. The network has been in existence essentially since 1995 when 6 radars were operational in the northern hemisphere and 4 in the southern hemisphere. We have been involved in an analysis of the data over the lifetime of the project and present results here from two key studies. In the first study we calculated the amount of ionospheric scatter which is observed by the radars and see clear annual and solar cycle variations in both hemispheres. The recent extended solar minimum also produces a significant effect in the scatter occurrence. In the second study, we have determined the latitude of the Heppner-Maynard Boundary (HMB) using the northern hemisphere SuperDARN radars. The HMB represents the equatorward extent of ionospheric convection for the interval 1996 - 2011. We find that the average latitude of the HMB at midnight is 61° magnetic latitude during solar the maximum of 2003, but it moves significantly poleward during solar minimum, averaging 64° latitude during 1996, and 68° during 2010. This poleward motion is observed despite the increasing number of low latitude radars built in recent years as part of the StormDARN network, and so is not an artefact of data coverage. We believe that the recent extreme solar minimum led to an average HMB location that was further poleward than the previous solar cycle. We have also calculated the Open-Closed field line Boundary (OCB) from auroral images during a subset of the interval (2000 - 2002) and find that on average the HMB is located equatorward of the OCB by ~7o. We suggest that the HMB may be a useful proxy for the OCB when global images are not available. The work presented in this paper has been undertaken as part of the European Cluster Assimilation Technology (ECLAT) project which is funded through the EU FP7 programme and involves groups at

Solar maximum: Solar array degradation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, T.

1985-01-01

The 5-year in-orbit power degradation of the silicon solar array aboard the Solar Maximum Satellite was evaluated. This was the first spacecraft to use Teflon R FEP as a coverglass adhesive, thus avoiding the necessity of an ultraviolet filter. The peak power tracking mode of the power regulator unit was employed to ensure consistent maximum power comparisons. Telemetry was normalized to account for the effects of illumination intensity, charged particle irradiation dosage, and solar array temperature. Reference conditions of 1.0 solar constant at air mass zero and 301 K (28 C) were used as a basis for normalization. Beginning-of-life array power was 2230 watts. Currently, the array output is 1830 watts. This corresponds to a 16 percent loss in array performance over 5 years. Comparison of Solar Maximum Telemetry and predicted power levels indicate that array output is 2 percent less than predictions based on an annual 1.0 MeV equivalent election fluence of 2.34 x ten to the 13th power square centimeters space environment.

Solar Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The solar collectors shown are elements of domestic solar hot water systems produced by Solar One Ltd., Virginia Beach, Virginia. Design of these systems benefited from technical expertise provided Solar One by NASA's Langley Research Center. The company obtained a NASA technical support package describing the d e sign and operation of solar heating equipment in NASA's Tech House, a demonstration project in which aerospace and commercial building technology are combined in an energy- efficient home. Solar One received further assistance through personal contact with Langley solar experts. The company reports that the technical information provided by NASA influenced Solar One's panel design, its selection of a long-life panel coating which increases solar collection efficiency, and the method adopted for protecting solar collectors from freezing conditions.

Solar-energy-system performance evaluation, October 1980-August 1981

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

Wetzel, P.E.

The solar site is an Animal Quarantine Center in Upton, New York, using 2484 ft/sup 2/ of flat-plate collectors and 5300 gallons of solar hot water storage located outside and above ground. The system was designed to provide 20% of the annual heating load and 100% of the annual domestic hot water load. The solar system actually provided 5% of the total system load. Many control and mechanical malfunctions contributed to the poor performance. (MHR)

A menu with prices: Annual per person costs of programs addressing community integration.

PubMed

Leff, H Stephen; Cichocki, Ben; Chow, Clifton; Salzer, Mark; Wieman, Dow

2016-02-01

Information on costs of programs addressing community integration for persons with serious mental illness in the United States, essential for program planning and evaluation, is largely lacking. To address this knowledge gap, community integration programs identified through directories and snowball sampling were sent an online survey addressing program costs and organizational attributes. 64 Responses were received for which annual per person costs (APPC) could be computed. Programs were categorized by type of services provided. Program types differed in median APPCs, though median APPCs identified were consistent with the ranges identified in the limited literature available. Multiple regression was used to identify organizational variables underlying APPCs such as psychosocial rehabilitation program type, provision of EBPs, number of volunteers, and percentage of budget spent on direct care staff, though effects sizes were moderate at best. This study adds tentative prices to the menu of community integration programs, and the implications of these findings for choosing, designing and evaluating programs addressing community integration are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Solar variability datalogger

DOE PAGES

Lave, Matthew; Stein, Joshua; Smith, Ryan

2016-07-28

To address the lack of knowledge of local solar variability, we have developed and deployed a low-cost solar variability datalogger (SVD). While most currently used solar irradiance sensors are expensive pyranometers with high accuracy (relevant for annual energy estimates), low-cost sensors display similar precision (relevant for solar variability) as high-cost pyranometers, even if they are not as accurate. In this work, we present evaluation of various low-cost irradiance sensor types, describe the SVD, and present validation and comparison of the SVD collected data. In conclusion, the low cost and ease of use of the SVD will enable a greater understandingmore » of local solar variability, which will reduce developer and utility uncertainty about the impact of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations and thus will encourage greater penetrations of solar energy.« less

Genomics in personalized cancer medicine and its impact on early drug development in China: report from the 6th Annual Meeting of the US Chinese Anti-Cancer Association (USCACA) at the 50th ASCO Annual Meeting.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei; Cheng, Shi-Yuan; Hou, Li-Fang; Yan, Li; Tong, Yun-Guang

2014-08-01

The 6th Annual Meeting of the United States Chinese Anti-Cancer Association (USCACA) was held in conjunction with the 50th Annual Meeting of American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) on May 30, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois, the United States of America. With a focus on personalized medicine, the conference featured novel approaches to investigate genomic aberrations in cancer cells and innovative clinical trial designs to expedite cancer drug development in biomarker-defined patient populations. A panel discussion further provided in-depth advice on advancing development of personalized cancer medicines in China. The conference also summarized USCACA key initiatives and accomplishments, including two awards designated to recognize young investigators from China for their achievements and to support their training in the United States. As an effort to promote international collaboration, USCACA will team up with Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) to host a joint session on "Breakthrough Cancer Medicines" at the upcoming CSCO Annual Meeting on September 20th, 2014 in Xiamen, China.

Solar cooking

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Over two billion people face fuel wood shortages, causing tremendous personal and environmental stress. Over 4 million people die prematurely from indoor air pollution. Solar cooking can reduce fuel wood consumption and indoor air pollution. Solar cooking has been practiced and published since th...

Average Annual Rainfall Over the Globe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agrawal, D. C.

2013-12-01

The atmospheric recycling of water is a very important phenomenon on the globe because it not only refreshes the water but it also redistributes it over land and oceans/rivers/lakes throughout the globe. This is made possible by the solar energy intercepted by the Earth. The half of the globe facing the Sun, on the average, intercepts 1.74×1017 J of solar radiation per second and it is divided over various channels as given in Table 1. It keeps our planet warm and maintains its average temperature2 of 288 K with the help of the atmosphere in such a way that life can survive. It also recycles the water in the oceans/rivers/ lakes by initial evaporation and subsequent precipitation; the average annual rainfall over the globe is around one meter. According to M. King Hubbert the amount of solar power going into the evaporation and precipitation channel is 4.0×1016 W. Students can verify the value of average annual rainfall over the globe by utilizing this part of solar energy. This activity is described in the next section.

Heritage plaza parking lots improvement project- Solar PV installation

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

Hooks, Todd

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians (ACBCI or the “Tribe”) installed a 79.95 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) system to offset the energy usage costs of the Tribal Education and Family Services offices located at the Tribe's Heritage Plaza office building, 90I Tahquitz Way, Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (the "Project"). The installation of the Solar PV system was part of the larger Heritage Plaza Parking Lot Improvements Project and mounted on the two southern carport shade structures. The solar PV system will offset 99% of the approximately 115,000 kWh in electricity delivered annually by Southern California Edison (SCE) to themore » Tribal Education and Family Services offices at Heritage Plaza, reducing their annual energy costs from approximately $22,000 annually to approximately $200. The total cost of the proposed solar PV system is $240,000.« less

STDAC: Solar thermal design assistance center annual report fiscal year 1994

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

The Solar Thermal Design Assistance Center (STDAC) at Sandia is a resource provided by the DOE Solar Thermal Program. The STDAC's major objective is to accelerate the use of solar thermal systems by providing direct technical assistance to users in industry, government, and foreign countries; cooperating with industry to test, evaluate, and develop renewable energy systems and components; and educating public and private professionals, administrators, and decision makers. This FY94 report highlights the activities and accomplishments of the STDAC. In 1994, the STDAC continued to provide significant direct technical assistance to domestic and international organizations in industry, government, and education, Applying solar thermal technology to solve energy problems is a vital element of direct technical assistance. The STDAC provides information on the status of new, existing, and developing solar technologies; helps users screen applications; predicts the performance of components and systems; and incorporates the experience of Sandia's solar energy personnel and facilities to provide expert guidance. The STDAC directly enhances the US solar industry's ability to successfully bring improved systems to the marketplace. By collaborating with Sandia's Photovoltaic Design Assistance Center and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory the STDAC is able to offer each customer complete service in applying solar thermal technology. At the National Solar Thermal Test Facility the STDAC tests and evaluates new and innovative solar thermal technologies. Evaluations are conducted in dose cooperation with manufacturers, and the results are used to improve the product and/or quantify its performance characteristics. Manufacturers, in turn, benefit from the improved design, economic performance, and operation of their solar thermal technology. The STDAC provides cost sharing and in-kind service to manufacturers in the development and improvement of solar technology.

International energy annual 1997

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

NONE

The International Energy Annual presents an overview of key international energy trends for production, consumption, imports, and exports of primary energy commodities in over 220 countries, dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty. Also included are population and gross domestic product data, as well as prices for crude oil and petroleum products in selected countries. Renewable energy reported in the International Energy Annual includes hydroelectric power and geothermal, solar, and wind electric power. Also included are biomass electric power for Brazil and the US, and biomass, geothermal, and solar energy produced in the US and not used for electricity generation. Thismore » report is published to keep the public and other interested parties fully informed of primary energy supplies on a global basis. The data presented have been largely derived from published sources. The data have been converted to units of measurement and thermal values (Appendices E and F) familiar to the American public. 93 tabs.« less

Annual cycle of Scots pine photosynthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hari, Pertti; Kerminen, Veli-Matti; Kulmala, Liisa; Kulmala, Markku; Noe, Steffen; Petäjä, Tuukka; Vanhatalo, Anni; Bäck, Jaana

2017-12-01

Photosynthesis, i.e. the assimilation of atmospheric carbon to organic molecules with the help of solar energy, is a fundamental and well-understood process. Here, we connect theoretically the fundamental concepts affecting C3 photosynthesis with the main environmental drivers (ambient temperature and solar light intensity), using six axioms based on physiological and physical knowledge, and yield straightforward and simple mathematical equations. The light and carbon reactions in photosynthesis are based on the coherent operation of the photosynthetic machinery, which is formed of a complicated chain of enzymes, membrane pumps and pigments. A powerful biochemical regulation system has emerged through evolution to match photosynthesis with the annual cycle of solar light and temperature. The action of the biochemical regulation system generates the annual cycle of photosynthesis and emergent properties, the state of the photosynthetic machinery and the efficiency of photosynthesis. The state and the efficiency of the photosynthetic machinery is dynamically changing due to biosynthesis and decomposition of the molecules. The mathematical analysis of the system, defined by the very fundamental concepts and axioms, resulted in exact predictions of the behaviour of daily and annual patterns in photosynthesis. We tested the predictions with extensive field measurements of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) photosynthesis on a branch scale in northern Finland. Our theory gained strong support through rigorous testing.

Guidebook for solar process-heat applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fazzolare, R.; Mignon, G.; Campoy, L.; Luttmann, F.

1981-01-01

The potential for solar process heat in Arizona and some of the general technical aspects of solar, such as insolation, siting, and process analysis are explored. Major aspects of a solar plant design are presented. Collectors, storage, and heat exchange are discussed. Reducing hardware costs to annual dollar benefits is also discussed. Rate of return, cash flow, and payback are discussed as they relate to solar systems. Design analysis procedures are presented. The design cost optimization techniques using a yearly computer simulation of a solar process operation is demonstrated.

Low-cost production of solar-cell panels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bickler, D. B.; Gallagher, B. D.; Sanchez, L. E.

1980-01-01

Large-scale production model combines most modern manufacturing techniques to produce silicon-solar-cell panels of low costs by 1982. Model proposes facility capable of operating around the clock with annual production capacity of 20 W of solar cell panels.

Solar UV exposure among outdoor workers in Denmark measured with personal UV-B dosimeters: technical and practical feasibility.

PubMed

Grandahl, Kasper; Mortensen, Ole Steen; Sherman, David Zim; Køster, Brian; Lund, Paul-Anker; Ibler, Kristina Sophie; Eriksen, Paul

2017-10-10

Exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation is a well-known cause of skin cancer. This is problematic for outdoor workers. In Denmark alone, occupational skin cancer poses a significant health and safety risk for around 400,000 outdoor workers. Objective measures of solar ultraviolet radiation exposure are needed to help resolve this problem. This can be done using personal ultraviolet radiation dosimeters. We consider technical and practical feasibility of measuring individual solar ultraviolet exposure at work and leisure in professions with different á priori temporal high-level outdoor worktime, using aluminium gallium nitride (AlGaN) photodiode detector based personal UV-B dosimeters. Essential technical specifications including the spectral and angular responsivity of the dosimeters are described and pre-campaign dosimeter calibration applicability is verified. The scale and conduct of dosimeter deployment and campaign in-field measurements including failures and shortcomings affecting overall data collection are presented. Nationwide measurements for more than three hundred and fifty workers from several different professions were collected in the summer of 2016. On average, each worker's exposure was measured for a 2-week period, which included both work and leisure. Data samples of exposure at work during a Midsummer day show differences across professions. A construction worker received high-level occupational UV exposure most of the working day, except during lunch hour, accumulating to 5.1 SED. A postal service worker was exposed intermittently around noon and in the afternoon, preceded by no exposure forenoon when packing mail, accumulating to 1.6 SED. A crane fitter was exposed only during lunch hour, accumulating to 0.7 SED. These findings are in line with our specialist knowledge as occupational physicians. Large-scale use of personal UV-B dosimeters for measurement of solar ultraviolet radiation exposure at work and leisure in Denmark is indeed

Annual evaporite deposition at the acme of the Messinian salinity crisis: evidence for solar-lunar climate forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manzi, Vinicio; Gennari, Rocco; Lugli, Stefano; Roveri, Marco; Scafetta, Nicola; Schreiber, B. Charlotte

2013-04-01

We studied two evaporite successions (one halite and the other gypsum) consisting of annual varves in order to reconstruct the paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental conditions existing during the acme of the Messinian salinity crisis (MSC; ≈5.5 Ma), when huge volumes of evaporites accumulated on the floor of the Mediterranean basin. The spectral analyses of these varved evaporitic successions reveal significant peaks in periodicity at around 3-5, 9, 11-13, 20-27 and 50-100 yr. The deposition of varved sedimentary deposits is usually controlled by climate conditions. A comparison with modern precipitation data in the western Mediterranean shows that during the acme of the MSC the climate was not in a permanent evaporitic stage, but in a dynamic state where evaporite deposition was controlled by quasi-periodic climate oscillations similar to modern analogs including Quasi-Biennial Oscillation, El Niño Southern Oscillation, and decadal to secular lunar- and solar-induced cycles. Particularly, we found a significant quasi-decadal oscillation with a prominent 9-year peak that is also common in modern temperature records and is present in both the contemporary Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) index and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) index. These cyclical patterns are common to both ancient and modern climate records because they can be associated with solar and solar-lunar tidal cycles. During the Messinian, the Mediterranean basin as well as the global ocean, were characterized by somewhat different continent distribution, ocean size, geography, hydrological connections, and ice-sheet volume with respect to the modern configuration. The recognition of modern-style climate oscillations during the Messinian, however, suggests that, although local geographic factors acted as pre-conditioning factors turning the Mediterranean Sea into a giant brine pool, external climate forcing, regulated by solar-lunar cycles and largely independent of those local geographic

Solar induced inter-annual variability of ozone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fytterer, Tilo; Nieder, Holger; Perot, Kristell; Sinnhuber, Miriam; Stiller, Gabriele; Urban, Joachim

2014-05-01

Measurements by the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding instrument on board the ENVIromental SATellite from 2005 - 2011 are used to investigate the impact of solar and geomagnetic activity on O3 in the stratosphere and mesosphere inside the Antarctic polar vortex. It is known from observations that energetic particles, mainly originating from the sun, precipitate in the Earth atmosphere and produce odd nitrogen NOx (N + NO + NO2) in the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere, which is transported downwards into the stratosphere during polar winter. Results from global chemistry-transport models suggest that this leads to a depletion of O3 down to ~30 km at high latitudes during winter. Therefore it appears promising to search for a link between high energetic particles and O3 in actual data sets. Thus in this study, correlation analysis between a 26 days average centred around 1 Apr, 1 May and 1 Jun of several solar/geomagnetic indices (Ap index, F10.7 cm solar radio flux, Lyman-alpha, 2 MeV electrons flux) and 26 day running means from 1 Apr - 1 Nov of O3 in the altitude range from 20 - 70 km were performed. The results reveal negative correlation coefficients propagating downwards throughout the polar winter, at least for the Ap index and the 2 MeV electrons flux. Comparisons with TIMED/SABER and Odin/SMR O3 data are in moderate agreement, also showing a descending negative signal in either indices, but only for the correlation with 1 Apr.

Miniature personal UV solar dosimeter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, R. R.; Macconochie, I. O.; Poole, B. D., Jr.

1981-01-01

Small light-powered meter measures accumulated radiation in ultraviolet or other selected regions. Practical advantages are device's low cost, small size, accuracy, and adaptability to specific wave-band measurements. Medical applications include detection of skin cancer, vitamin D production, and jaundice. Dosimeter also measures sunlight for solar energy designs, agriculture and meteorology, and monitors stability of materials and environmental and occupational lighting.

Radiation exposure of German aircraft crews under the impact of solar cycle 23 and airline business factors.

PubMed

Frasch, Gerhard; Kammerer, Lothar; Karofsky, Ralf; Schlosser, Andrea; Stegemann, Ralf

2014-12-01

The exposure of German aircraft crews to cosmic radiation varies both with solar activity and operational factors of airline business. Data come from the German central dose registry and cover monthly exposures of up to 37,000 German aircraft crewmembers that were under official monitoring. During the years 2004 to 2009 of solar cycle 23 (i.e., in the decreasing phase of solar activity), the annual doses of German aircraft crews increased by an average of 20%. Decreasing solar activity allows more galactic radiation to reach the atmosphere, increasing high-altitude doses. The rise results mainly from the less effective protection from the solar wind but also from airline business factors. Both cockpit and cabin personnel differ in age-dependent professional and social status. This status determines substantially the annual effective dose: younger cabin personnel and the elder pilots generally receive higher annual doses than their counterparts. They also receive larger increases in their annual dose when the solar activity decreases. The doses under this combined influence of solar activity and airline business factors result in a maximum of exposure for German aircrews for this solar cycle. With the increasing solar activity of the current solar cycle 24, the doses are expected to decrease again.

Solar Activity, Ultraviolet Radiation and Consequences in Birds in Mexico City, 2001- 2002

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valdes, M.; Velasco, V.

2008-12-01

Anomalous behavior in commercial and pet birds in Mexico City was reported during 2002 by veterinarians at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. This was attributed to variations in the surrounding luminosity. The solar components, direct, diffuse, global, ultraviolet band A and B, as well as some meteorological parameters, temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation, were then analyzed at the Solar Radiation Laboratory. Although the total annual radiance of the previously mentioned radiation components did not show important changes, ultraviolet Band-B solar radiation did vary significantly. During 2001 the total annual irradiance , 61.05 Hjcm² to 58.32 Hjcm², was 1.6 standard deviations lower than one year later, in 2002 and increased above the mean total annual irradiance, to 65.75 Hjcm², 2.04 standard deviations, giving a total of 3.73 standard deviations for 2001-2002. Since these differences did not show up clearly in the other solar radiation components, daily extra-atmosphere irradiance was analyzed and used to calculate the total annual extra-atmosphere irradiance, which showed a descent for 2001. Our conclusions imply that Ultraviolet Band-B solar radiation is representative of solar activity and has an important impact on commercial activity related with birds.

Solar Schematic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The home shown at right is specially designed to accommodate solar heating units; it has roof planes in four directions, allowing placement of solar collectors for best exposure to the sun. Plans (bottom) and complete working blueprints for the solar-heated house are being marketed by Home Building Plan Service, Portland, Oregon. The company also offers an inexpensive schematic (center) showing how a homeowner only moderately skilled in the use of tools can build his own solar energy system, applicable to new or existing structures. The schematic is based upon the design of a low-cost solar home heating system built and tested by NASA's Langley Research Center; used to supplement a warm-air heating system, it can save the homeowner about 40 percent of his annual heating bill for a modest investment in materials and components. Home Building Plan Service saved considerable research time by obtaining a NASA technical report which details the Langley work. The resulting schematic includes construction plans and simplified explanations of solar heat collection, collectors and other components, passive heat factors, domestic hot water supply and how to work with local heating engineers.

Aerosols attenuating the solar radiation collected by solar tower plants: The horizontal pathway at surface level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elias, Thierry; Ramon, Didier; Dubus, Laurent; Bourdil, Charles; Cuevas-Agulló, Emilio; Zaidouni, Taoufik; Formenti, Paola

2016-05-01

Aerosols attenuate the solar radiation collected by solar tower plants (STP), along two pathways: 1) the atmospheric column pathway, between the top of the atmosphere and the heliostats, resulting in Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) changes; 2) the grazing pathway close to surface level, between the heliostats and the optical receiver. The attenuation along the surface-level grazing pathway has been less studied than the aerosol impact on changes of DNI, while it becomes significant in STP of 100 MW or more. Indeed aerosols mostly lay within the surface atmospheric layer, called the boundary layer, and the attenuation increases with the distance covered by the solar radiation in the boundary layer. In STP of 100 MW or more, the distance between the heliostats and the optical receiver becomes large enough to produce a significant attenuation by aerosols. We used measured aerosol optical thickness and computed boundary layer height to estimate the attenuation of the solar radiation at surface level at Ouarzazate (Morocco). High variabilities in aerosol amount and in vertical layering generated a significant magnitude in the annual cycle and significant inter-annual changes. Indeed the annual mean of the attenuation caused by aerosols over a 1-km heliostat-receiver distance was 3.7% in 2013, and 5.4% in 2014 because of a longest desert dust season. The monthly minimum attenuation of less than 3% was observed in winter and the maximum of more than 7% was observed in summer.

Solar Parabolic Dish Annual Technology Evaluation Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

The activities of the JPL Solar Thermal Power Systems Parabolic Dish Project for FY 1982 are summarized. Included are discussions on designs of module development including their concentrator, receiver, and power conversion subsystems. Analyses and test results, along with progress on field tests, Small Community Experiment System development, and tests at the Parabolic Dish Test Site are also included.

Solar-assisted gas-energy water-heating feasibility for apartments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, E. S.

1975-01-01

Studies of residential energy use, solar-energy technology for buildings, and the requirements for implementing technology in the housing industry led to a project to develop a solar water heater for apartments. A design study for a specific apartment was used to establish a solar water-heater cost model which is based on plumbing contractor bids and manufacturer estimates. The cost model was used to size the system to minimize the annualized cost of hot water. The annualized cost of solar-assisted gas-energy water heating is found to be less expensive than electric water heating but more expensive than gas water heating. The feasibility of a natural gas utility supplying the auxiliary fuel is evaluated. It is estimated that gas-utilizing companies will find it profitable to offer solar water heating as part of a total energy service option or on a lease basis when the price of new base-load supplies of natural gas reaches $2.50-$3.00 per million Btu.

Does the Nile reflect solar variability?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruzmaikin, Alexander; Feynman, Joan; Yung, Yuk

Historical records of the Nile water level provide a unique opportunity to investigate the possibility that solar variability influences the Earth's climate. Particularly important are the annual records of the water level, which are uninterrupted for the years 622-1470 A.D. These records are non-stationary, so that standard spectral analyses cannot adequately characterize them. Here the Empirical Mode Decomposition technique, which is designed to deal with non-stationary, nonlinear time series, becomes useful. It allows the identification of two characteristic time scales in the water level data that can be linked to solar variability: the 88 year period and a time scale of about 200 years. These time scales are also present in the concurrent aurora data. Auroras are driven by coronal mass ejections and the rate of auroras is an excellent proxy for solar variabiliy. Analysis of auroral data contemporaneous with the Nile data shows peaks at 88 years and about 200 years. This suggests a physical link between solar variability and the low-frequency variations of the Nile water level. The link involves the influence of solar variability on the North Annual Mode of atmospheric variability and its North Atlantic and Indian Oceans patterns that affect rainfall over Eastren Equatorial Africa where the Nile originates.

Predictions of Solar Cycle 24: How are We Doing?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pesnell, William D.

2016-01-01

Predictions of solar activity are an essential part of our Space Weather forecast capability. Users are requiring usable predictions of an upcoming solar cycle to be delivered several years before solar minimum. A set of predictions of the amplitude of Solar Cycle 24 accumulated in 2008 ranged from zero to unprecedented levels of solar activity. The predictions formed an almost normal distribution, centered on the average amplitude of all preceding solar cycles. The average of the current compilation of 105 predictions of the annual-average sunspot number is 106 +/- 31, slightly lower than earlier compilations but still with a wide distribution. Solar Cycle 24 is on track to have a below-average amplitude, peaking at an annual sunspot number of about 80. Our need for solar activity predictions and our desire for those predictions to be made ever earlier in the preceding solar cycle will be discussed. Solar Cycle 24 has been a below-average sunspot cycle. There were peaks in the daily and monthly averaged sunspot number in the Northern Hemisphere in 2011 and in the Southern Hemisphere in 2014. With the rapid increase in solar data and capability of numerical models of the solar convection zone we are developing the ability to forecast the level of the next sunspot cycle. But predictions based only on the statistics of the sunspot number are not adequate for predicting the next solar maximum. I will describe how we did in predicting the amplitude of Solar Cycle 24 and describe how solar polar field predictions could be made more accurate in the future.

Stability of the Martian climate system under the seasonal change condition of solar radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamura, Takasumi; Tajika, Eiichi

2002-11-01

Previous studies on stability of the Martian climate system used essentially zero-dimensional energy balance climate models (EBMs) under the condition of annual mean solar radiation income. However, areal extent of polar ice caps should affect the Martian climate through the energy balance and the CO2 budget, and results under the seasonal change condition of solar radiation will be different from those under the annual mean condition. We therefore construct a one-dimensional energy balance climate model with CO2-dependent outgoing radiation, seasonal changes of solar radiation income, changes of areal extent of CO2 ice caps, and adsorption of CO2 by regolith. We have investigated behaviors of the Martian climate system and, in particular, examined the effect of the seasonal changes of solar radiation by comparing the results of previous studies under the condition of annual mean solar radiation. One of the major discrepancies between them is the condition for multiple solutions of the Martian climate system. Although the Martian climate system always has multiple solutions under the annual mean condition, under the seasonal change condition, existence of multiple solutions depends on the present amounts of CO2 in the ice caps and the regolith.

Solar hydrogen production with cerium oxides thermochemical cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Binotti, Marco; Di Marcoberardino, Gioele; Biassoni, Mauro; Manzolini, Giampaolo

2017-06-01

This paper discusses the hydrogen production using a solar driven thermochemical cycle. The thermochemical cycle is based on nonstoichiometric cerium oxides redox and the solar concentration system is a solar dish. Detailed optical and redox models were developed to optimize the hydrogen production performance as function of several design parameters (i.e. concentration ratio, reactor pressures and temperatures) The efficiency of the considered technology is compared against two commercially available technologies namely PV + electrolyzer and Dish Stirling + electrolyzer. Results show that solar-to-fuel efficiency of 21.2% can be achieved at design condition assuming a concentration ratio around 5000, reduction and oxidation temperatures of 1500°C and 1275 °C. When moving to annual performance, the annual yield of the considered approach can be as high as 16.7% which is about 43% higher than the best competitive technology. The higher performance implies that higher installation costs around 40% can be accepted for the innovative concept to achieve the same cost of hydrogen.

Development of a Greek solar map based on solar model estimations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kambezidis, H. D.; Psiloglou, B. E.; Kavadias, K. A.; Paliatsos, A. G.; Bartzokas, A.

2016-05-01

The realization of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) for power generation as the only environmentally friendly solution, moved solar systems to the forefront of the energy market in the last decade. The capacity of the solar power doubles almost every two years in many European countries, including Greece. This rise has brought the need for reliable predictions of meteorological data that can easily be utilized for proper RES-site allocation. The absence of solar measurements has, therefore, raised the demand for deploying a suitable model in order to create a solar map. The generation of a solar map for Greece, could provide solid foundations on the prediction of the energy production of a solar power plant that is installed in the area, by providing an estimation of the solar energy acquired at each longitude and latitude of the map. In the present work, the well-known Meteorological Radiation Model (MRM), a broadband solar radiation model, is engaged. This model utilizes common meteorological data, such as air temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure and sunshine duration, in order to calculate solar radiation through MRM for areas where such data are not available. Hourly values of the above meteorological parameters are acquired from 39 meteorological stations, evenly dispersed around Greece; hourly values of solar radiation are calculated from MRM. Then, by using an integrated spatial interpolation method, a Greek solar energy map is generated, providing annual solar energy values all over Greece.

Wind and solar resource data sets: Wind and solar resource data sets

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

Clifton, Andrew; Hodge, Bri-Mathias; Draxl, Caroline

The range of resource data sets spans from static cartography showing the mean annual wind speed or solar irradiance across a region to high temporal and high spatial resolution products that provide detailed information at a potential wind or solar energy facility. These data sets are used to support continental-scale, national, or regional renewable energy development; facilitate prospecting by developers; and enable grid integration studies. This review first provides an introduction to the wind and solar resource data sets, then provides an overview of the common methods used for their creation and validation. A brief history of wind and solarmore » resource data sets is then presented, followed by areas for future research.« less

Optical performance effects of the misalignment of nonimaging optics solar collectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferry, Jonathan; Ricketts, Melissa; Winston, Roland

2017-09-01

The use of non-imaging optics in the application of high temperature solar thermal collectors can be extremely advantageous in eliminating the need to track the sun. The stationary nature of non-imaging optics collectors, commonly called compound parabolic concentrators (CPC's), present a unique design challenge when orienting them to collect sunlight. Many facilities throughout the world that adopt CPCs are not situated to orient the collectors in the ideal angle facing the sun. This East-West misalignment can adversely affect the optical and power performance of the CPC collector. To characterize how this misalignment effects CPCs, reverse raytracing simulations are conducted for varying offset angles of the collectors from solar South. Optical performance is analyzed for an ideal East-West oriented CPC with a 40-degree acceptance angle. Direction cosine plots are used to develop a ratio of annual solar collection by the CPC over the total annual solar input. From these simulations, average annual collector performance is given for offset angles ranging from 0 to 90 degrees for different Earth Latitudes in 10 degree increments.

Solar Energy Employment and Requirements, 1978-1985.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, Girard W.; Field, Jennifer

Based on data collected from a mailed survey of 2800 employers engaged in solar energy activities, a study identified the characteristics of establishments engaged in solar work and the number and occupational distribution of persons working in solar energy activities in 1978, and projected solar labor requirements through 1983. The scope of the…

International energy annual 1996

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

NONE

1998-02-01

The International Energy Annual presents an overview of key international energy trends for production, consumption, imports, and exports of primary energy commodities in over 220 countries, dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty. Also included are population and gross domestic product data, as well as prices for crude oil and petroleum products in selected countries. Renewable energy reported in the International Energy Annual includes hydroelectric power, geothermal, solar, and wind electric power, biofuels energy for the US, and biofuels electric power for Brazil. New in the 1996 edition are estimates of carbon dioxide emissions from the consumption of petroleum and coal,more » and the consumption and flaring of natural gas. 72 tabs.« less

NREL to Host Ninth Annual PV Reliability Workshop | News | NREL

Science.gov Websites

share research leading to more durable and reliable PV modules, thus reducing the cost of solar to Host Ninth Annual PV Reliability Workshop NREL to Host Ninth Annual PV Reliability Workshop their results during a poster session at the 2017 PV Reliability Workshop. 4 people consult two

Solar heating and cooling demonstration project at the Florida solar energy center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The retrofitted solar heating and cooling system installed at the Florida Solar Energy Center is described. The system was designed to supply approximately 70 percent of the annual cooling and 100 percent of the heating load. The project provides unique high temperature, nonimaging, nontracking, evacuated tube collectors. The design of the system was kept simple and employs five hydronic loops. They are energy collection, chilled water production, space cooling, space heating and energy rejection. Information is provided on the system's acceptance test results operation, controls, hardware and installation, including detailed drawings.

Annual report on carcinogens (5th)

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

Not Available

1989-01-01

The Fifth Annual Report on Carcinogens, prepared by the National Toxicology Program (NTP), U.S. Public Health Service, is issued by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), pursuant to Public Law 95-622 of November 9, 1978. This law requires the Secretary to publish an annual report that contains 'a list of all substances (i) which either are known to be carcinogens or which may reasonably be anticipated to be carcinogens and (ii) to which a significant number of persons residing in the United States are exposed;...' Annual Reports should also provide available information on the naturemore » of exposures, the estimated number of persons potentially exposed, and the extent to which the implementation of Federal regulations decreases the risk to public health from exposure to these substances.« less

Forecasting residential solar photovoltaic deployment in California

DOE PAGES

Dong, Changgui; Sigrin, Benjamin; Brinkman, Gregory

2016-12-06

Residential distributed photovoltaic (PV) deployment in the United States has experienced robust growth, and policy changes impacting the value of solar are likely to occur at the federal and state levels. To establish a credible baseline and evaluate impacts of potential new policies, this analysis employs multiple methods to forecast residential PV deployment in California, including a time-series forecasting model, a threshold heterogeneity diffusion model, a Bass diffusion model, and National Renewable Energy Laboratory's dSolar model. As a baseline, the residential PV market in California is modeled to peak in the early 2020s, with a peak annual installation of 1.5-2more » GW across models. We then use the baseline results from the dSolar model and the threshold model to gauge the impact of the recent federal investment tax credit (ITC) extension, the newly approved California net energy metering (NEM) policy, and a hypothetical value-of-solar (VOS) compensation scheme. We find that the recent ITC extension may increase annual PV installations by 12%-18% (roughly 500 MW, MW) for the California residential sector in 2019-2020. The new NEM policy only has a negligible effect in California due to the relatively small new charges (< 100 MW in 2019-2020). Moreover, impacts of the VOS compensation scheme (0.12 cents per kilowatt-hour) are larger, reducing annual PV adoption by 32% (or 900-1300 MW) in 2019-2020.« less

Forecasting residential solar photovoltaic deployment in California

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

Dong, Changgui; Sigrin, Benjamin; Brinkman, Gregory

Residential distributed photovoltaic (PV) deployment in the United States has experienced robust growth, and policy changes impacting the value of solar are likely to occur at the federal and state levels. To establish a credible baseline and evaluate impacts of potential new policies, this analysis employs multiple methods to forecast residential PV deployment in California, including a time-series forecasting model, a threshold heterogeneity diffusion model, a Bass diffusion model, and National Renewable Energy Laboratory's dSolar model. As a baseline, the residential PV market in California is modeled to peak in the early 2020s, with a peak annual installation of 1.5-2more » GW across models. We then use the baseline results from the dSolar model and the threshold model to gauge the impact of the recent federal investment tax credit (ITC) extension, the newly approved California net energy metering (NEM) policy, and a hypothetical value-of-solar (VOS) compensation scheme. We find that the recent ITC extension may increase annual PV installations by 12%-18% (roughly 500 MW, MW) for the California residential sector in 2019-2020. The new NEM policy only has a negligible effect in California due to the relatively small new charges (< 100 MW in 2019-2020). Moreover, impacts of the VOS compensation scheme (0.12 cents per kilowatt-hour) are larger, reducing annual PV adoption by 32% (or 900-1300 MW) in 2019-2020.« less

Solar collector manufacturing activity, 1988

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1989-11-01

This report was prepared by the Energy Information Administration, the independent statistical and analytical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy in cooperation with the Office of Conservation and Renewable Energy. The report presents data on producer shipments and end uses obtained from manufacturers and importers of solar thermal collectors and photovoltaic modules. It provides annual data necessary for the Department of Energy to execute its responsibility to: (1) monitor activities and trends in the solar collector manufacturing industry, (2) prepare the national energy strategy, and (3) provide information on the size and status of the industry to interested groups such as the U.S. Congress, government agencies, the Solar Energy Research institute, solar energy specialists, manufacturers, and the general public.

Midmarket Solar Policies in the United States | Solar Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

non-residential and non-utility segments. To help prospective solar customers understand and use the installations by sector for three sectors: residential, non-residential, and utility. The non-residential curve year on the chart, the non-residential curve shows the lowest annual rate of PV installations. U.S

Solar Maps | Geospatial Data Science | NREL

Science.gov Websites

April May June July August September October November December Concentrating Solar Power Radiation Annual January February March April May June July August September October November December The State

Point-Focusing Solar-Power Distributed Receivers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lucas, J. W.

1985-01-01

Two-volume annual report describes development work aimed at achieving large-scale production of modular, point-focusing distributed receivers (PFDR's) for solar-powered generation of electricity or thermal power for industrial use.

Annual DOE active solar heating and cooling contractors' review meeting. Premeeting proceedings and project summaries

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

None,

1981-09-01

Ninety-three project summaries are presented which discuss the following aspects of active solar heating and cooling: Rankine solar cooling systems; absorption solar cooling systems; desiccant solar cooling systems; solar heat pump systems; solar hot water systems; special projects (such as the National Solar Data Network, hybrid solar thermal/photovoltaic applications, and heat transfer and water migration in soils); administrative/management support; and solar collector, storage, controls, analysis, and materials technology. (LEW)

The New Solar Corona

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aschwanden, Markus J.; Poland, Arthur I.; Rabin, Douglas M.; Fisher, Richard R. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

We focus on new observational capabilities (Yohkoh, SoHO, TRACE) observations, modeling, approaches, and insights into physical processes of the solar corona. The most impressive new results and problems discussed in this article can be appreciated from the movies and available on the Annual Reviews web site.

Building-Integrated Solar Energy Devices based on Wavelength Selective Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ulavi, Tejas

A potentially attractive option for building integrated solar is to employ hybrid solar collectors which serve dual purposes, combining solar thermal technology with either thin film photovoltaics or daylighting. In this study, two hybrid concepts, a hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) collector and a hybrid 'solar window', are presented and analyzed to evaluate technical performance. In both concepts, a wavelength selective film is coupled with a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) to reflect and concentrate the infrared portion of the solar spectrum onto a tubular absorber. The visible portion of the spectrum is transmitted through the concentrator to either a thin film Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) solar panel for electricity generation or into the interior space for daylighting. Special attention is given to the design of the hybrid devices for aesthetic building integration. An adaptive concentrator design based on asymmetrical truncation of CPCs is presented for the hybrid solar window concept. The energetic and spectral split between the solar thermal module and the PV or daylighting module are functions of the optical properties of the wavelength selective film and the concentrator geometry, and are determined using a Monte Carlo Ray-Tracing (MCRT) model. Results obtained from the MCRT can be used in conjugation with meteorological data for specific applications to study the impact of CPC design parameters including the half-acceptance angle thetac, absorber diameter D and truncation on the annual thermal and PV/daylighting efficiencies. The hybrid PV/T system is analyzed for a rooftop application in Phoenix, AZ. Compared to a system of the same area with independent solar thermal and PV modules, the hybrid PV/T provides 20% more energy, annually. However, the increase in total delivered energy is due solely to the addition of the thermal module and is achieved at an expense of a decrease in the annual electrical efficiency from 8.8% to 5.8% due to shading by

Handheld solar light use, durability, and retention among women and girls in internally displaced persons camps in Haiti - 2013-2014.

PubMed

Dynes, Michelle; Rosenthal, Mariana; Hulland, Erin; Hardy, Colleen; Torre, Lisandro; Tomczyk, Barbara

2016-09-01

During conflict and disasters, women and girls are at increased risk of gender based violence. International humanitarian guidelines call for the distribution of individual lighting to meet women and girls' basic needs and to reduce risk of violence; however, little evidence exists to support these guidelines. This paper presents an evaluation of handheld solar light use, retention, and durability among women and girls living in two internally displaced persons camps in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Data was gathered prospectively via five household surveys from August 2013 to April 2014; a total of 754 females participated in the study. Women reported going outside at night more frequently at the end of the study than at the beginning. The handheld solar lights were the most common source of lighting at endline, whereas candle and gas lamp use declined significantly over time. Results from a Life-Table survival analysis estimated that households had an 83% probability of still owning a functioning light after seven months. Given the frequent use, acceptable durability, and retention of the lights, donors and humanitarian organizations should consider supporting light distribution to women and girls in internally displaced persons camps to help meet their basic needs.

Performance evaluation of the Solar Building Test Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jensen, R. N.

1981-01-01

The general performance of the NASA Solar Building Test Facility (SBTF) and its subsystems and components over a four year operational period is discussed, and data are provided for a typical one year period. The facility consists of a 4645 sq office building modified to accept solar heated water for operation of an absorption air conditioner and a baseboard heating system. An adjoining 1176 sq solar flat plate collector field with a 114 cu tank provides the solar heated water. The solar system provided 57 percent of the energy required for heating and cooling on an annual basis. The average efficiency of the solar collectors was 26 percent over a one year period.

Solar heating and hot water system installed at Listerhill, Alabama

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

The Solar system was installed into a new building and was designed to provide 79% of the estimated annual space heating load and 59% of the estimated annual potable hot water requirement. The collectors are flat plate, liquid manufactured by Reynolds Metals Company and cover a total area of 2344 square feet. The storage medium is water inhibited with NALCO 2755 and the container is an underground, unpressurized steel tank with a capacity of 5000 gallons. This report describes in considerable detail the solar heating facility and contains detailed drawings of the completed system.

2016 Annual Technology Baseline (ATB)

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

Cole, Wesley; Kurup, Parthiv; Hand, Maureen

Consistent cost and performance data for various electricity generation technologies can be difficult to find and may change frequently for certain technologies. With the Annual Technology Baseline (ATB), National Renewable Energy Laboratory provides an organized and centralized dataset that was reviewed by internal and external experts. It uses the best information from the Department of Energy laboratory's renewable energy analysts and Energy Information Administration information for conventional technologies. The ATB will be updated annually in order to provide an up-to-date repository of current and future cost and performance data. Going forward, we plan to revise and refine the values usingmore » best available information. The ATB includes both a presentation with notes (PDF) and an associated Excel Workbook. The ATB includes the following electricity generation technologies: land-based wind; offshore wind; utility-scale solar PV; concentrating solar power; geothermal power; hydropower plants (upgrades to existing facilities, powering non-powered dams, and new stream-reach development); conventional coal; coal with carbon capture and sequestration; integrated gasification combined cycle coal; natural gas combustion turbines; natural gas combined cycle; conventional biopower. Nuclear laboratory's renewable energy analysts and Energy Information Administration information for conventional technologies. The ATB will be updated annually in order to provide an up-to-date repository of current and future cost and performance data. Going forward, we plan to revise and refine the values using best available information.« less

Study of the Evolutions of the Universe, Stars and the Solar System ---Personal Retrospect and Prospect---

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayakawa, S.

The universe, stars and the solar system belong to different hierarchies but have been studied in Jpn. by a common group with close mutual contact. Collaborative effort is not restricted within theoretical astrophysics but is extended to a variety of fields of science. In the present article the author describes on the basis of his personal recollection how the collaborate research has stimulated new fields of observational astronomy using infrared radiation and X-rays. A fee-back from these observational studies has given several inputs to the theory of stellar evolution and will provide important means in the study of cosmology.

Hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) solar systems simulation with Simulink/Matlab

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

da Silva, R.M.; Fernandes, J.L.M.

The purpose of this work consists in thermodynamic modeling of hybrid photovoltaic-thermal (PV/T) solar systems, pursuing a modular strategy approach provided by Simulink/Matlab. PV/T solar systems are a recently emerging solar technology that allows for the simultaneous conversion of solar energy into both electricity and heat. This type of technology present some interesting advantages over the conventional ''side-by-side'' thermal and PV solar systems, such as higher combined electrical/thermal energy outputs per unit area, and a more uniform and aesthetical pleasant roof area. Despite the fact that early research on PV/T systems can be traced back to the seventies, only recentlymore » it has gained a renewed impetus. In this work, parametric studies and annual transient simulations of PV/T systems are undertaken in Simulink/Matlab. The obtained results show an average annual solar fraction of 67%, and a global overall efficiency of 24% (i.e. 15% thermal and 9% electrical), for a typical four-person single-family residence in Lisbon, with p-Si cells, and a collector area of 6 m{sup 2}. A sensitivity analysis performed on the PV/T collector suggests that the most important variable that should be addressed to improve thermal performance is the photovoltaic (PV) module emittance. Based on those results, some additional improvements are proposed, such as the use of vacuum, or a noble gas at low-pressure, to allow for the removal of PV cells encapsulation without air oxidation and degradation, and thus reducing the PV module emittance. Preliminary results show that this option allows for an 8% increase on optical thermal efficiency, and a substantial reduction of thermal losses, suggesting the possibility of working at higher fluid temperatures. The higher working temperatures negative effect in electrical efficiency was negligible, due to compensation by improved optical properties. The simulation results are compared with experimental data obtained from other

Abiotic Degradation and Toxicological Impacts of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) in Surface Waters: Roles of Mineral Sediments and Solar Radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rubasinghege, G. R. S.; Rijal, H.; Maldonado-Torres, S.; Gurung, R.; Rogelj, S.; Piyasena, M.

2017-12-01

The growing medical and personal needs of human populations have escalated release of pharmaceuticals and personal care products into surface waters. This work investigates abiotic degradation pathways of a particular PPCP, ibuprofen, in the presence of a major mineral component of sedimentation (kaolinite clay), as well as the health effects of the primary compound and its degradation products. Results from these studies showed that the rate and extent of ibuprofen degradation is greatly influenced by the presence of sedimentation particles and solar radiation. In the absence of solar radiation, the dominant reaction mechanism was observed to be the adsorption of ibuprofen onto sedimentation particle surface where surface silanol groups play a key role. In contrast, under solar radiation and in the presence of clay particles, ibuprofen breaks down to several fractions. The decay rates were at least 6-fold higher for irradiated samples compared to those of dark conditions. Toxicity of primary ibuprofen and its secondary residues were tested on three microorganisms: Bacillus megaterium, Pseudoaltermonas atlantica; and algae from the Chlorella genus. The results from the biological assays show that primary PPCP is more toxic than the mixture of secondary products. Overall, however, biological assays carried out using only 4-acetylbenzoic acid, the most abundant secondary product, show a higher toxic effect on algae compared to its parent compound.

Semiannual and annual variations in the height of the ionospheric F2-peak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rishbeth, H.; Sedgemore-Schulthess, K. J. F.; Ulich, T.

2000-03-01

Ionosonde data from sixteen stations are used to study the semiannual and annual variations in the height of the ionospheric F2-peak, hmF2. The semiannual variation, which peaks shortly after equinox, has an amplitude of about 8 km at an average level of solar activity (10.7 cm flux = 140 units), both at noon and midnight. The annual variation has an amplitude of about 11 km at northern midlatitudes, peaking in early summer; and is larger at southern stations, where it peaks in late summer. Both annual and semiannual amplitudes increase with increasing solar activity by day, but not at night. The semiannual variation in hmF2 is unrelated to the semiannual variation of the peak electron density NmF2, and is not reproduced by the CTIP and TIME-GCM computational models of the quiet-day thermosphere and ionosphere. The semiannual variation in hmF2 is approximately isobaric , in that its amplitude corresponds quite well to the semiannual variation in the height of fixed pressure-levels in the thermosphere, as represented by the MSIS empirical model. The annual variation is not isobaric . The annual mean of hmF2 increases with solar 10.7 cm flux, both by night and by day, on average by about 0.45 km/flux unit, rather smaller than the corresponding increase of height of constant pressure-levels in the MSIS model. The discrepancy may be due to solar-cycle variations of thermospheric winds. Although geomagnetic activity, which affects thermospheric density and temperature and therefore hmF2 also, is greatest at the equinoxes, this seems to account for less than half the semiannual variation of hmF2. The rest may be due to a semiannual variation of tidal and wave energy transmitted to the thermosphere from lower levels in the atmosphere.

Solar System Observations with JWST

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norwood, James; Hammel, Heidi; Milam, Stefanie; Stansberry, John; Lunine, Jonathan; Chanover, Nancy; Hines, Dean; Sonneborn, George; Tiscareno, Matthew; Brown, Michael;

Job Satisfaction and Personality: The Utility of the Five-Factor Model of Personality

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-03-01

represented by E, symbolizes the focus on the P-E interaction (Dawis, 1992). Even prior to Lewin, Parsons (1909) emphasized this same concept in the...Personality structure: Emergence of the five-factor model. Annual Review of Psychology. 41. 417-440. Ekehammar, B. (1974). Interactionism in personality

Insignificant solar-terrestrial triggering of earthquakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Love, Jeffrey J.; Thomas, Jeremy N.

2013-01-01

We examine the claim that solar-terrestrial interaction, as measured by sunspots, solar wind velocity, and geomagnetic activity, might play a role in triggering earthquakes. We count the number of earthquakes having magnitudes that exceed chosen thresholds in calendar years, months, and days, and we order these counts by the corresponding rank of annual, monthly, and daily averages of the solar-terrestrial variables. We measure the statistical significance of the difference between the earthquake-number distributions below and above the median of the solar-terrestrial averages by χ2 and Student's t tests. Across a range of earthquake magnitude thresholds, we find no consistent and statistically significant distributional differences. We also introduce time lags between the solar-terrestrial variables and the number of earthquakes, but again no statistically significant distributional difference is found. We cannot reject the null hypothesis of no solar-terrestrial triggering of earthquakes.

Exponentially increasing incidences of cutaneous malignant melanoma in Europe correlate with low personal annual UV doses and suggests 2 major risk factors.

PubMed

Merrill, Stephen J; Ashrafi, Samira; Subramanian, Madhan; Godar, Dianne E

2015-01-01

For several decades the incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) steadily increased in fair-skinned, indoor-working people around the world. Scientists think poor tanning ability resulting in sunburns initiate CMM, but they do not understand why the incidence continues to increase despite the increased use of sunscreens and formulations offering more protection. This paradox, along with lower incidences of CMM in outdoor workers, although they have significantly higher annual UV doses than indoor workers have, perplexes scientists. We found a temporal exponential increase in the CMM incidence indicating second-order reaction kinetics revealing the existence of 2 major risk factors. From epidemiology studies, we know one major risk factor for getting CMM is poor tanning ability and we now propose the other major risk factor may be the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) because clinicians find β HPVs in over half the biopsies. Moreover, we uncovered yet another paradox; the increasing CMM incidences significantly correlate with decreasing personal annual UV dose, a proxy for low vitamin D3 levels. We also discovered the incidence of CMM significantly increased with decreasing personal annual UV dose from 1960, when it was almost insignificant, to 2000. UV and other DNA-damaging agents can activate viruses, and UV-induced cytokines can hide HPV from immune surveillance, which may explain why CMM also occurs in anatomical locations where the sun does not shine. Thus, we propose the 2 major risk factors for getting CMM are intermittent UV exposures that result in low cutaneous levels of vitamin D3 and possibly viral infection.

Exponentially increasing incidences of cutaneous malignant melanoma in Europe correlate with low personal annual UV doses and suggests 2 major risk factors

PubMed Central

Merrill, Stephen J; Ashrafi, Samira; Subramanian, Madhan; Godar, Dianne E

2015-01-01

For several decades the incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) steadily increased in fair-skinned, indoor-working people around the world. Scientists think poor tanning ability resulting in sunburns initiate CMM, but they do not understand why the incidence continues to increase despite the increased use of sunscreens and formulations offering more protection. This paradox, along with lower incidences of CMM in outdoor workers, although they have significantly higher annual UV doses than indoor workers have, perplexes scientists. We found a temporal exponential increase in the CMM incidence indicating second-order reaction kinetics revealing the existence of 2 major risk factors. From epidemiology studies, we know one major risk factor for getting CMM is poor tanning ability and we now propose the other major risk factor may be the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) because clinicians find β HPVs in over half the biopsies. Moreover, we uncovered yet another paradox; the increasing CMM incidences significantly correlate with decreasing personal annual UV dose, a proxy for low vitamin D3 levels. We also discovered the incidence of CMM significantly increased with decreasing personal annual UV dose from 1960, when it was almost insignificant, to 2000. UV and other DNA-damaging agents can activate viruses, and UV-induced cytokines can hide HPV from immune surveillance, which may explain why CMM also occurs in anatomical locations where the sun does not shine. Thus, we propose the 2 major risk factors for getting CMM are intermittent UV exposures that result in low cutaneous levels of vitamin D3 and possibly viral infection. PMID:26413188

Solar hot-water system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Design data brochure describes domestic solar water system that uses direct-feed system designed to produce 80 gallons of 140 F hot water per day to meet needs of single family dwelling. Brochure also reviews annual movements of sun relative to earth and explains geographic considerations in collector orientation and sizing.

The solar abundance of Oxygen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grevesse, N.

2009-07-01

With Martin Asplund (Max Planck Institute of Astrophysics, Garching) and Jacques Sauval (Observatoire Royal de Belgique, Brussels) I recently published detailed reviews on the solar chemical composition ({Asplund et al. 2005}, {Grevesse et al. 2007}). A new one, with Pat Scott (Stockholm University) as additional co-author, will appear in Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics ({Asplund et al. 2009}). Here we briefly analyze recent works on the solar abundance of Oxygen and recommend a value of 8.70 in the usual astronomical scale.

Solar hot water systems application to the solar building test facility and the Tech House

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goble, R. L.; Jensen, R. N.; Basford, R. C.

1976-01-01

Projects which relate to the current national thrust toward demonstrating applied solar energy are discussed. The first project has as its primary objective the application of a system comprised of a flat plate collector field, an absorption air conditioning system, and a hot water heating system to satisfy most of the annual cooling and heating requirements of a large commercial office building. The other project addresses the application of solar collector technology to the heating and hot water requirements of a domestic residence. In this case, however, the solar system represents only one of several important technology items, the primary objective for the project being the application of space technology to the American home.

Residential solar-heating system uses pyramidal optics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Report describes reflective panels which optimize annual solar energy collection in attic installation. Subunits include collection, storage, distribution, and 4-mode control systems. Pyramid optical system heats single-family and multi-family dwellings.

46 CFR 11.709 - Annual physical examination requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Annual physical examination requirements. 11.709 Section... REQUIREMENTS FOR OFFICER ENDORSEMENTS Professional Requirements for Pilots § 11.709 Annual physical examination...) Every person holding a license or MMC endorsement as first-class pilot must have a thorough physical...

Celebrating the Eighth Annual International Observe the Moon Night and Supporting the 2017 Solar Eclipse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buxner, Sanlyn; Jones, Andrea; Bleacher, Lora; Shaner, Andy; Wenger, Matthew; Bakerman, Maya; Joseph, Emily; Day, Brian; White, Vivian; InOMN Coordinating Committee

2017-01-01

2017 marks the eighth International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN), which will be held on July 15, 2017. We will present findings from the first seven years, including the most recent figures from the October 2016 event, and provide an overview of the 2017 events which will support the Great American Eclipse which occurs about five weeks later, on August 21, 2017.InOMN is an annual worldwide public event that encourages observation, appreciation, and understanding of our Moon and its connection to NASA planetary science and exploration. This year InOMN’s event will support broad efforts to promote the eclipse by providing resources to help InOMN hosts highlight lunar science that will influence the eclipse, such as the topography of the Moon, which affects the edges of the eclipse path and the location and duration of Baily’s beads. The InOMN team will host webinars to discuss the Moon, lunar science, and lunar and solar eclipses.Each year, thousands of visitors take part in hundreds of events across the world. In the first seven years (2010 to 2016) over 3,700 events were registered worldwide and hosted by a variety of institutions including astronomy clubs, observatories, schools, and universities and held at a variety of public and private institutions all over the world including museums, planetaria, schools, universities, observatories, parks, and private businesses and homes. Evaluation of InOMN reveals that events are raising visitors’ awareness of lunar science and exploration, providing audiences with information about lunar science and exploration, and inspiring visitors to want to learn more about the Moon and providing connections to opportunities to do so.InOMN is sponsored by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), and the Lunar and Planetary Institute. Learn more and register to host an event at http://observethemoonnight.org/.

Is Solar Variability Reflected in the Nile River?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruzmaikin, Alexander; Feynman, Joan; Yung, Yuk L.

2006-01-01

We investigate the possibility that solar variability influences North African climate by using annual records of the water level of the Nile collected in 622-1470 A.D. The time series of these records are nonstationary, in that the amplitudes and frequencies of the quasi-periodic variations are time-dependent. We apply the Empirical Mode Decomposition technique especially designed to deal with such time series. We identify two characteristic timescales in the records that may be linked to solar variability: a period of about 88 years and one exceeding 200 years. We show that these timescales are present in the number of auroras reported per decade in the Northern Hemisphere at the same time. The 11-year cycle is seen in the Nile's high-water level variations, but it is damped in the low-water anomalies. We suggest a possible physical link between solar variability and the low-frequency variations of the Nile water level. This link involves the influence of solar variability on the atmospheric Northern Annual Mode and on its North Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean patterns that affect the rainfall over the sources of the Nile in eastern equatorial Africa.

Preparation of Nucleic Acid Libraries for Personalized Sequencing Systems Using an Integrated Microfluidic Hub Technology (Seventh Annual Sequencing, Finishing, Analysis in the Future (SFAF) Meeting 2012)

ScienceCinema

Patel, Kamlesh D.

2018-01-22

Kamlesh (Ken) Patel from Sandia National Laboratories (Livermore, California) presents "Preparation of Nucleic Acid Libraries for Personalized Sequencing Systems Using an Integrated Microfluidic Hub Technology " at the 7th Annual Sequencing, Finishing, Analysis in the Future (SFAF) Meeting held in June, 2012 in Santa Fe, NM.

Preparation of Nucleic Acid Libraries for Personalized Sequencing Systems Using an Integrated Microfluidic Hub Technology (Seventh Annual Sequencing, Finishing, Analysis in the Future (SFAF) Meeting 2012)

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

Patel, Kamlesh D.

2012-06-01

Kamlesh (Ken) Patel from Sandia National Laboratories (Livermore, California) presents "Preparation of Nucleic Acid Libraries for Personalized Sequencing Systems Using an Integrated Microfluidic Hub Technology " at the 7th Annual Sequencing, Finishing, Analysis in the Future (SFAF) Meeting held in June, 2012 in Santa Fe, NM.

Temporal variability patterns in solar radiation estimations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vindel, José M.; Navarro, Ana A.; Valenzuela, Rita X.; Zarzalejo, Luis F.

2016-06-01

In this work, solar radiation estimations obtained from a satellite and a numerical weather prediction model in mainland Spain have been compared. Similar comparisons have been formerly carried out, but in this case, the methodology used is different: the temporal variability of both sources of estimation has been compared with the annual evolution of the radiation associated to the different study climate zones. The methodology is based on obtaining behavior patterns, using a Principal Component Analysis, following the annual evolution of solar radiation estimations. Indeed, the adjustment degree to these patterns in each point (assessed from maps of correlation) may be associated with the annual radiation variation (assessed from the interquartile range), which is associated, in turn, to different climate zones. In addition, the goodness of each estimation source has been assessed comparing it with data obtained from the radiation measurements in ground by pyranometers. For the study, radiation data from Satellite Application Facilities and data corresponding to the reanalysis carried out by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts have been used.

Dynamic climate emulators for solar geoengineering

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

MacMartin, Douglas G.; Kravitz, Ben

2016-12-22

Climate emulators trained on existing simulations can be used to project project the climate effects that result from different possible future pathways of anthropogenic forcing, without further relying on general circulation model (GCM) simulations. We extend this idea to include different amounts of solar geoengineering in addition to different pathways of greenhouse gas concentrations, by training emulators from a multi-model ensemble of simulations from the Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project (GeoMIP). The emulator is trained on the abrupt 4 × CO 2 and a compensating solar reduction simulation (G1), and evaluated by comparing predictions against a simulated 1 % per yearmore » CO 2 increase and a similarly smaller solar reduction (G2). We find reasonable agreement in most models for predicting changes in temperature and precipitation (including regional effects), and annual-mean Northern Hemisphere sea ice extent, with the difference between simulation and prediction typically being smaller than natural variability. This verifies that the linearity assumption used in constructing the emulator is sufficient for these variables over the range of forcing considered. Annual-minimum Northern Hemisphere sea ice extent is less well predicted, indicating a limit to the linearity assumption.« less

The solar cycle variation of coronal mass ejections and the solar wind mass flux

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Webb, David F.; Howard, Russell A.

1994-01-01

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are an important aspect of coronal physics and a potentially significant contributor to perturbations of the solar wind, such as its mass flux. Sufficient data on CMEs are now available to permit study of their longer-term occurrency patterns. Here we present the results of a study of CME occurrence rates over more than a complete 11-year solar sunspot cycle and a comparison of these rates with those of other activity related to CMEs and with the solar wind particle flux at 1 AU. The study includes an evaluation of correlations to the CME rates, which include instrument duty cycles, visibility functions, mass detection thresholds, and geometrical considerations. The main results are as follows: (1) The frequency of occurrence of CMEs tends to track the solar activity cycle in both amplitude and phase; (2) the CME rates from different instruments, when corrected for both duty cycles and visibility functions, are reasonably consistent; (3) considering only longer-term averages, no one class of solar activity is better correlated with CME rate than any other; (4) the ratio of the annualized CME to solar wind mass flux tends to track the solar cycle; and (5) near solar maximum, CMEs can provide a significant fraction (i.e., approximately equals 15%) of the average mass flux to the near-ecliptic solar wind.

Fast correlation method for passive-solar design

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

Wray, W.O.; Biehl, F.A.; Kosiewicz, C.E.

1982-01-01

A passive-solar design manual for single-family detached residences and dormitory-type buildings is being developed. The design procedure employed in the manual is a simplification of the original monthly solar load ratio (SLR) method. The new SLR correlations involve a single constant for each system. The correlation constant appears as a scale factor permitting the use of a universal performance curve for all passive systems. Furthermore, by providing location-dependent correlations between the annual solar heating fraction (SHF) and the minimum monthly SHF, we have eliminated the need to perform an SLR calculation for each month of the heating season.

SolarTherm: A flexible Modelica-based simulator for CSP systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scott, Paul; Alonso, Alberto de la Calle; Hinkley, James T.; Pye, John

2017-06-01

Annual performance simulations provide a valuable tool for analysing the viability and overall impact of different concentrating solar power (CSP) component and system designs. However, existing tools work best with conventional systems and are difficult or impossible to adapt when novel components, configurations and operating strategies are of interest. SolarTherm is a new open source simulation tool that fulfils this need for the solar community. It includes a simulation framework and a library of flexible CSP components and control strategies that can be adapted or replaced with new designs to meet the special needs of end users. This paper provides an introduction to SolarTherm and a comparison of models for an energy-based trough system and a physical tower system to those in the well-established and widely-used simulator SAM. Differences were found in some components where the inner workings of SAM are undocumented or not well understood, while the other parts show strong agreement. These results help to validate the fundamentals of SolarTherm and demonstrate that, while at an early stage of development, it is already a useful tool for performing annual simulations.

29 CFR 1919.74 - Annual examination of derricks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 7 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Annual examination of derricks. 1919.74 Section 1919.74... § 1919.74 Annual examination of derricks. (a) In any year in which no quadrennial unit proof test is required, an examination shall be carried out by an accredited person or his authorized representative...

An Ecoinformatic Analysis of the Effect of Seasonal and Annual Variation in Temperature, Precipitation, and Solar Irradiance on Pollen Productivity in Two Neotropical Forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haselhorst, D. S.; Tcheng, D. K.; Moreno, J. E.; Punyasena, S. W.

2014-12-01

Observational data provide a powerful source of information for understanding the phenological response of tropical forests to a changing climate. Annual changes in mean temperature, precipitation, and solar irradiance, in part driven by ENSO cycles, provide a natural experiment. However, these time series are often relatively short (several years to several decades), the average climatic variability experienced in that timeframe is relatively small, and the corresponding response is therefore often very weak. As a result, standard statistical approaches may fail in detecting a biological response. We present an alternative ecoinformatic analysis that demonstrates the power of weak models in the discovery and interpretation of statistically significant signals in short, noisy, ecological time series. We developed a simple response prediction model that uses cross-validation to explore a landscape of models that correlate the phenological behavior of individual taxa (pollen production, flowering, fruiting) to seasonal and annual mean temperature, precipitation, and solar irradiance using multivariate linear regression. We use a sign slope sensitivity analysis of each linear model that tallies positive and negative slope counts of a taxon's phenological behavior to our environmental and null variables. We applied this analysis to pollen trap data collected from 1996 to 2006 from two lowland Panamanian forests, Barro Colorado Island and Parque National San Lorenzo. We also tested the performance of our predictive model using published data of annual flowering and fruiting from BCI to corroborate that our approach could reproduce previously published results on tropical phenology. Our results indicate that although the overall variation in temperature was 3.28 °C over the ten year period, pollen productivity at both sites was most consistently affected by changes in temperature. This result was replicated by the published BCI flower and fruit data, which also

Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute: Year Three Annual Report 2016

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pendleton, Yvonne; Schmidt, Greg; Kring, David; Horanyi, Mihaly; Heldmann, Jennifer; Glotch, Timothy; Rivkin, Andy; Farrell, William; Pieters, Carle; Bottke, William;

OCCURRENCE OF HIGH-SPEED SOLAR WIND STREAMS OVER THE GRAND MODERN MAXIMUM

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

Mursula, K.; Holappa, L.; Lukianova, R., E-mail: kalevi.mursula@oulu.fi

2015-03-01

In the declining phase of the solar cycle (SC), when the new-polarity fields of the solar poles are strengthened by the transport of same-signed magnetic flux from lower latitudes, the polar coronal holes expand and form non-axisymmetric extensions toward the solar equator. These extensions enhance the occurrence of high-speed solar wind (SW) streams (HSS) and related co-rotating interaction regions in the low-latitude heliosphere, and cause moderate, recurrent geomagnetic activity (GA) in the near-Earth space. Here, using a novel definition of GA at high (polar cap) latitudes and the longest record of magnetic observations at a polar cap station, we calculatemore » the annually averaged SW speeds as proxies for the effective annual occurrence of HSS over the whole Grand Modern Maximum (GMM) from 1920s onward. We find that a period of high annual speeds (frequent occurrence of HSS) occurs in the declining phase of each of SCs 16-23. For most cycles the HSS activity clearly reaches a maximum in one year, suggesting that typically only one strong activation leading to a coronal hole extension is responsible for the HSS maximum. We find that the most persistent HSS activity occurred in the declining phase of SC 18. This suggests that cycle 19, which marks the sunspot maximum period of the GMM, was preceded by exceptionally strong polar fields during the previous sunspot minimum. This gives interesting support for the validity of solar dynamo theory during this dramatic period of solar magnetism.« less

Measurement of solar radiation at the Earth's surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bartman, F. L.

1982-01-01

The characteristics of solar energy arriving at the surface of the Earth are defined and the history of solar measurements in the United States presented. Radiation and meteorological measurements being made at solar energy meteorological research and training sites and calibration procedures used there are outlined. Data illustrating the annual variation in daily solar radiation at Ann Arbor, Michigan and the diurnal variation in radiation at Albuquerque, New Mexico are presented. Direct normal solar radiation received at Albuquerque is contrasted with that received at Maynard, Massachusetts. Average measured global radiation for a period of one year for four locations under clear skies, 50% cloud cover, and 100% cloud cover is given and compared with the solar radiation at the top of the atmosphere. The May distribution of mean daily direct solar radiation and mean daily global solar radiation over the United States is presented. The effects of turbidity on the direct and circumsolar radiation are shown.

8 CFR 244.17 - Annual registration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Protected Status must register annually with the INS designated office having jurisdiction over their place... may be accomplished by mailing or submitting in person, depending on the practice in place at the INS...

Handheld solar light use, durability, and retention among women and girls in internally displaced persons camps in Haiti — 2013–2014

PubMed Central

Dynes, Michelle; Rosenthal, Mariana; Hulland, Erin; Hardy, Colleen; Torre, Lisandro; Tomczyk, Barbara

2016-01-01

During conflict and disasters, women and girls are at increased risk of gender based violence. International humanitarian guidelines call for the distribution of individual lighting to meet women and girls’ basic needs and to reduce risk of violence; however, little evidence exists to support these guidelines. This paper presents an evaluation of handheld solar light use, retention, and durability among women and girls living in two internally displaced persons camps in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Data was gathered prospectively via five household surveys from August 2013 to April 2014; a total of 754 females participated in the study. Women reported going outside at night more frequently at the end of the study than at the beginning. The handheld solar lights were the most common source of lighting at endline, whereas candle and gas lamp use declined significantly over time. Results from a Life-Table survival analysis estimated that households had an 83% probability of still owning a functioning light after seven months. Given the frequent use, acceptable durability, and retention of the lights, donors and humanitarian organizations should consider supporting light distribution to women and girls in internally displaced persons camps to help meet their basic needs. PMID:27482509

DOE/solar export opportunities workshop

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

None

1979-04-01

The workshop was conducted to bring together persons from government agencies and the US solar industry to initiate dialogue needed to create and implement programs facilitating the export of US solar technology, hardware, and services. A separate abstract was prepared for 23 individual presentations, all of which will appear in Energy Research abstracts (ERA) and Energy Abstracts for Policy Analysis (EAPA).

Solar System Educators Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knudsen, R.

2004-11-01

The Solar System Educators Program is a nationwide network of highly motivated teachers who lead workshops that show other teachers in their local communities how to successfully incorporate NASA materials and research into their classes. Currently there are 57 Solar System Educators in 37 states whose workshops are designed to assist their fellow teachers in understanding and including standards-based NASA materials into their classroom activities. Solar System Educators attend a training institute during their first year in the program and have the option of attending subsequent annual institutes. The volunteers in this program receive additional web-based mission-specific telecon trainings in conjunction with the Solar System Ambassadors. Resource and handout materials in the form of DVDs, posters, pamphlets, fact sheets, postcards and bookmarks are also provided. Scientists can get involved with this program by partnering with the Solar System Educators in their regions, presenting at their workshops and mentoring these outstanding volunteers. This formal education program helps optimize project funding set aside for education through the efforts of these volunteer master teachers. At the same time, teachers become familiar with NASA's educational materials with which to inspire students into pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

Effects of solar activity and galactic cosmic ray cycles on the modulation of the annual average temperature at two sites in southern Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frigo, Everton; Antonelli, Francesco; da Silva, Djeniffer S. S.; Lima, Pedro C. M.; Pacca, Igor I. G.; Bageston, José V.

2018-04-01

Quasi-periodic variations in solar activity and galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) on decadal and bidecadal timescales have been suggested as a climate forcing mechanism for many regions on Earth. One of these regions is southern Brazil, where the lowest values during the last century were observed for the total geomagnetic field intensity at the Earth's surface. These low values are due to the passage of the center of the South Atlantic Magnetic Anomaly (SAMA), which crosses the Brazilian territory from east to west following a latitude of ˜ 26°. In areas with low geomagnetic intensity, such as the SAMA, the incidence of GCRs is increased. Consequently, possible climatic effects related to the GCRs tend to be maximized in this region. In this work, we investigate the relationship between the ˜ 11-year and ˜ 22-year cycles that are related to solar activity and GCRs and the annual average temperature recorded between 1936 and 2014 at two weather stations, both located near a latitude of 26° S but at different longitudes. The first of these stations (Torres - TOR) is located in the coastal region, and the other (Iraí - IRA) is located in the interior, around 450 km from the Atlantic Ocean. Sunspot data and the solar modulation potential for cosmic rays were used as proxies for the solar activity and the GCRs, respectively. Our investigation of the influence of decadal and bidecadal cycles in temperature data was carried out using the wavelet transform coherence (WTC) spectrum. The results indicate that periodicities of 11 years may have continuously modulated the climate at TOR via a nonlinear mechanism, while at IRA, the effects of this 11-year modulation period were intermittent. Four temperature maxima, separated by around 20 years, were detected in the same years at both weather stations. These temperature maxima are almost coincident with the maxima of the odd solar cycles. Furthermore, these maxima occur after transitions from even to odd solar cycles, that is

GEOTHERMAL / SOLAR HYBRID DESIGNS: USE OF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR CSP FEEDWATER HEATING

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

Craig Turchi; Guangdong Zhu; Michael Wagner

2014-10-01

This paper examines a hybrid geothermal / solar thermal plant design that uses geothermal energy to provide feedwater heating in a conventional steam-Rankine power cycle deployed by a concentrating solar power (CSP) plant. The geothermal energy represents slightly over 10% of the total thermal input to the hybrid plant. The geothermal energy allows power output from the hybrid plant to increase by about 8% relative to a stand-alone CSP plant with the same solar-thermal input. Geothermal energy is converted to electricity at an efficiency of 1.7 to 2.5 times greater than would occur in a stand-alone, binary-cycle geothermal plant usingmore » the same geothermal resource. While the design exhibits a clear advantage during hybrid plant operation, the annual advantage of the hybrid versus two stand-alone power plants depends on the total annual operating hours of the hybrid plant. The annual results in this draft paper are preliminary, and further results are expected prior to submission of a final paper.« less

Personal Finance Calculations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Argo, Mark

1982-01-01

Contains explanations and examples of mathematical calculations for a secondary level course on personal finance. How to calculate total monetary cost of an item, monthly payments, different types of interest, annual percentage rates, and unit pricing is explained. (RM)

Solar energy system demonstration project at Wilmington Swim School, New Castle, Delaware

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1980-07-01

A solar energy system located at the Wilmington Swim School, New Castle, Delaware is described. The system was designed for a 40 percent heating and a 30 percent hot water solar contribution serving the heat loads in the following order: space heat - new addition, domestic water - entire facility, and pool heating - entire facility. On a cost basis for 2920 hours of operation, the heat reclaimed would cost $969.66 annually if provided by gas at 3.79 per million Btu's. At 5.5 centers per kwh, heat recovery costs of $481.80 percent a net savings of $487.86 annually.

Solar energy system demonstration project at Wilmington Swim School, New Castle, Delaware

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

A solar energy system located at the Wilmington Swim School, New Castle, Delaware is described. The system was designed for a 40 percent heating and a 30 percent hot water solar contribution serving the heat loads in the following order: space heat - new addition, domestic water - entire facility, and pool heating - entire facility. On a cost basis for 2920 hours of operation, the heat reclaimed would cost $969.66 annually if provided by gas at 3.79 per million Btu's. At 5.5 centers per kwh, heat recovery costs of $481.80 percent a net savings of $487.86 annually.

Estimation of height-dependent solar irradiation and application to the solar climate of Iran

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

Samimi, J.

1994-05-01

An explicitly height-dependent model has been used to estimate the solar irradiation over Iran which has a vast range of altitudes. The parameters of the model have been chosen on general grounds and not by parameters best fitting to any of the available measured irradiation data in Iran. The estimated global solar irradiation on the horizontal surface shows a very good agreement (4.1% deviation) with the 17-year long pyranometric measurements in Tehran, and also, is in good agreement with other, shorter available measured data. The entire data base of the Iranian meteorological stations have been used to establish a simplemore » relation between the sunshine duration records and the cloud cover reports which can be utilized in solar energy estimations for sites with no sunshine duration recorders. Clear sky maps of Iran for direct solar irradiation on tracking, horizontal, and south-facing vertical planes are presented. The global solar irradiation map for horizontal surface with cloudiness is zoned into four irradiation zones. In about four-fifths of the land in Iran, the annual-mean daily global solar irradiation on horizontal surface ranges from 4.5 to 5.4 kWh/m[sup 2].« less

The Regional Differences of Gpp Estimation by Solar Induced Fluorescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, X.; Lu, S.

2018-04-01

Estimating gross primary productivity (GPP) at large spatial scales is important for studying the global carbon cycle and global climate change. In this study, the relationship between solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) and GPP is analysed in different levels of annual average temperature and annual total precipitation respectively using simple linear regression analysis. The results showed high correlation between SIF and GPP, when the area satisfied annual average temperature in the range of -5 °C to 15 °C and the annual total precipitation is higher than 200 mm. These results can provide a basis for future estimation of GPP research.

Search for possible solar influences in Ra-226 decays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stancil, Daniel D.; Balci Yegen, Sümeyra; Dickey, David A.; Gould, Chris R.

Measurements of Ra-226 activity from eight HPGe gamma ray detectors at the NC State University PULSTAR Reactor were analyzed for evidence of periodic variations, with particular attention to annual variations. All measurements were made using the same reference source, and data sets were of varying length taken over the time period from September 1996 through August 2014. Clear evidence of annual variations was observed in data from four of the detectors. Short time periodograms from the data sets suggest temporal variability of both the amplitude and frequency of these variations. The annual variations in two of the data sets show peak values near the first of February, while surprisingly, the annual variations in the other two are roughly out of phase with the first two. Three of the four detectors exhibited annual variations over approximately the same time period. A joint statistic constructed by combining spectra from these three shows peaks approximating the frequencies of solar r-mode oscillations with νR = 11.74 cpy, m = 1, and l = 3, 5, 6. The fact that similar variations were not present in all detectors covering similar time periods rules out variations in activity as the cause, and points to differing sensitivities to unspecified environmental parameters instead. In addition to seasonal variations, the modulation of environmental parameters by solar processes remains a possible explanation of periodogram features, but without requiring new physics.

Cost Analysis of an Air Brayton Receiver for a Solar Thermal Electric Power System in Selected Annual Production Volumes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Pioneer Engineering and Manufacturing Company estimated the cost of manufacturing and Air Brayton Receiver for a Solar Thermal Electric Power System as designed by the AiResearch Division of the Garrett Corporation. Production costs were estimated at annual volumes of 100; 1,000; 5,000; 10,000; 50,000; 100,000 and 1,000,000 units. These costs included direct labor, direct material and manufacturing burden. A make or buy analysis was made of each part of each volume. At high volumes special fabrication concepts were used to reduce operation cycle times. All costs were estimated at an assumed 100% plant capacity. Economic feasibility determined the level of production at which special concepts were to be introduced. Estimated costs were based on the economics of the last half of 1980. Tooling and capital equipment costs were estimated for ach volume. Infrastructure and personnel requirements were also estimated.

Parabolic Dish Solar Thermal Power Annual Program Review Proceedings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lucas, J. W.

1982-01-01

The results of activities of the parabolic dish technology and applications development element of DOE's Solar Thermal Energy System Program are presented. Topics include the development and testing of concentrators, receivers, and power conversion units; system design and development for engineering experiments; economic analysis and marketing assessment; and advanced development activities. A panel discussion concerning industrial support sector requirements is also documented.

Solar energy facility at North Hampton Recreation Center, Dallas, Texas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The solar energy facility located at the North Hampton Park Recreation and Health Center, Dallas, Texas is presented. The solar energy system is installed in a single story (two heights), 16,000 sq ft building enclosing a gymnasium, locker area, and health care clinic surrounded by a recreational area and athletic field. The solar energy system is designed to provide 80 percent of the annual space heating, 48 percent of the annual space cooling, and 90 percent of the domestic hot water requirements. The system's operation modes and performance data acquisition system are described. The system's performance during the months of June, July, August, September, and October of 1979 are presented and show a negative savings of energy. Experience to date indicates however that the system concept has promise of acceptable performance. It is concluded that if proper control and sequencing components was maintained, then the system performance would improve to an acceptable level.

Kelvin wave coupling from TIMED and GOCE: Inter/intra-annual variability and solar activity effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasperini, Federico; Forbes, Jeffrey M.; Doornbos, Eelco N.; Bruinsma, Sean L.

2018-06-01

The primary mechanism through which energy and momentum are transferred from the lower atmosphere to the thermosphere is through the generation and propagation of atmospheric waves. It is becoming increasingly evident that a few waves from the tropical wave spectrum preferentially propagate into the thermosphere and contribute to modify satellite drag. Two of the more prominent and well-established tropical waves are Kelvin waves: the eastward-propagating 3-day ultra-fast Kelvin wave (UFKW) and the eastward-propagating diurnal tide with zonal wave number 3 (DE3). In this work, Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) temperatures at 110 km and Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) neutral densities and cross-track winds near 260 km are used to demonstrate vertical coupling in this height regime due to the UFKW and DE3. Significant inter- and intra-annual variability is found in DE3 and the UFKW, with evidence of latitudinal broadening and filtering of the latitude structures with height due to the effect of dissipation and mean winds. Additionally, anti-correlation between the vertical penetration of these waves to the middle thermosphere and solar activity level is established and explained through the effect of molecular dissipation.

Application of solar max ACRIM data to analyze solar-driven climatic variability on Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffert, M. I.

1986-01-01

Terrestrial climatic effects associated with solar variability have been proposed for at least a century, but could not be assessed quantitatively owing to observational uncertainities in solar flux variations. Measurements from 1980 to 1984 by the Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor (ACRIM), capable of resolving fluctuations above the sensible atmosphere less than 0.1% of the solar constant, permit direct albeit preliminary assessments of solar forcing effects on global temperatures during this period. The global temperature response to ACRIM-measured fluctuations was computed from 1980 to 1985 using the NYU transient climate model including thermal inertia effects of the world ocean; and compared the results with observations of recent temperature trends. Monthly mean ACRIM-driven global surface temperature fluctuations computed with the climate model are an order of magnitude smaller, of order 0.01 C. In constrast, global mean surface temperature observations indicate an approx. 0.1 C increase during this period. Solar variability is therefore likely to have been a minor factor in global climate change during this period compared with variations in atmospheric albedo, greenhouse gases and internal self-inducedoscillations. It was not possible to extend the applicability of the measured flux variations to longer periods since a possible correlation of luminosity with solar annual activity is not supported by statistical analysis. The continuous monitoring of solar flux by satellite-based instruments over timescales of 20 years or more comparable to timescales for thermal relaxation of the oceans and of the solar cycle itself is needed to resolve the question of long-term solar variation effects on climate.

Annual Collection and Storage of Solar Energy for the Heating of Buildings, Report No. 3. Semi-Annual Progress Report, August 1977 - January 1978.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beard, J. Taylor; And Others

This report is part of a series from the Department of Energy on the use of solar energy in heating buildings. Described here is a new system for year around collection and storage of solar energy. This system has been operated at the University of Virginia for over a year. Composed of an underground hot water storage system and solar collection,…

Solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Treble, F. C.

1980-11-01

The history, state of the art, and future prospects of solar cells are reviewed. Solar cells are already competitive in a wide range of low-power applications, and during the 1980's they are expected to become cheaper to run than diesel or gasoline generators, the present mainstay of isolated communities. At this stage they will become attractive for water pumping, irrigation, and rural electrification, particularly in developing countries. With further cost reduction, they may be used to augment grid supplies in domestic, commercial, institutional, and industrial premises. Cost reduction to the stage where photovoltaics becomes economic for large-scale power generation in central stations depends on a technological breakthrough in the development of thin-film cells. DOE aims to reach this goal by 1990, so that by the end of the century about 20% of the estimated annual additions to their electrical generating capacity will be photovoltaic.

Examination of the Armagh Observatory Annual Mean Temperature Record, 1844-2004

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Robert M.; Hathaway, David H.

2006-01-01

The long-term annual mean temperature record (1844-2004) of the Armagh Observatory (Armagh, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom) is examined for evidence of systematic variation, in particular, as related to solar/geomagnetic forcing and secular variation. Indeed, both are apparent in the temperature record. Moving averages for 10 years of temperature are found to highly correlate against both 10-year moving averages of the aa-geomagnetic index and sunspot number, having correlation coefficients of approx. 0.7, inferring that nearly half the variance in the 10-year moving average of temperature can be explained by solar/geomagnetic forcing. The residuals appear episodic in nature, with cooling seen in the 1880s and again near 1980. Seven of the last 10 years of the temperature record has exceeded 10 C, unprecedented in the overall record. Variation of sunspot cyclic averages and 2-cycle moving averages of temperature strongly associate with similar averages for the solar/geomagnetic cycle, with the residuals displaying an apparent 9-cycle variation and a steep rise in temperature associated with cycle 23. Hale cycle averages of temperature for even-odd pairs of sunspot cycles correlate against similar averages for the solar/geomagnetic cycle and, especially, against the length of the Hale cycle. Indications are that annual mean temperature will likely exceed 10 C over the next decade.

A 'two-tank' seasonal storage concept for solar space heating of buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cha, B. K.; Connor, D. W.; Mueller, R. O.

This paper presents an analysis of a novel 'two-tank' water storage system, consisting of a large primary water tank for seasonal storage of solar energy plus a much smaller secondary water tank for storage of solar energy collected during the heating season. The system offers the advantages of high collection efficiency during the early stages of the heating season, a period when the temperature of the primary tank is generally high. By preferentially drawing energy from the small secondary tank to meet load, its temperature can be kept well below that of the larger primary tank, thereby providing a lower-temperature source for collector inlet fluid. The resulting improvement in annual system efficiency through the addition of a small secondary tank is found to be substantial - for the site considered in the paper (Madison, Wisconsin), the relative percentage gain in annual performance is in the range of 10 to 20%. A simple computer model permits accurate hour-by-hour transient simulation of thermal performance over a yearly cycle. The paper presents results of detailed simulations of collectors and storage sizing and design trade-offs for solar energy systems supplying 90% to 100% of annual heating load requirements.

Design, development and fabrication of a Solar Experiment Alignment Sensor (SEAS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bancroft, J. R.; Fain, M. Z.; Johnson, D. F.

1971-01-01

The design, development and testing of a laboratory SEAS (Solar Experiment Alignment Sensor) system are presented. The system is capable of overcoming traditional alignment and calibration problems to permit pointing anywhere on the solar disc to an accuracy of five arc seconds. The concept, development and laboratory testing phases of the program are discussed, and particular attention has been given to specific problems associated with selection of materials, and components. The conclusions summarize performance capability and discuss areas for further study including the effects of solar limb darkening and effects of annual variations in the apparent solar diameter.

Simulation and optimization study of a solar seasonal storage district heating system: the Fox River Valley case study

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

Michaels, A.I.; Sillman, S.; Baylin, F.

1983-05-01

A central solar-heating plant with seasonal heat storage in a deep underground aquifer is designed by means of a solar-seasonal-storage-system simulation code based on the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) code for Solar Annual Storage Simulation (SASS). This Solar Seasonal Storage Plant is designed to supply close to 100% of the annual heating and domestic-hot-water (DHW) load of a hypothetical new community, the Fox River Valley Project, for a location in Madison, Wisconsin. Some analyses are also carried out for Boston, Massachusetts and Copenhagen, Denmark, as an indication of weather and insolation effects. Analyses are conducted for five different typesmore » of solar collectors, and for an alternate system utilizing seasonal storage in a large water tank. Predicted seasonal performance and system and storage costs are calculated. To provide some validation of the SASS results, a simulation of the solar system with seasonal storage in a large water tank is also carried out with a modified version of the Swedish Solar Seasonal Storage Code MINSUN.« less

Passive-solar design manual for the United States Navy

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

Wray, W.O.; Biehl, F.A.; Kosiewicz, C.R.

1982-01-01

A passive solar design manual for single-family detached residences and dormitory-type buildings is being developed. The design procedure employed in the manual is a simplification of the original monthly solar load ratio (SLR) method. The new SLR correlations involve a single constant for each system. The correlation constant appears as a scale factor permitting the use of a universal performance curve for all passive systems. Furthermore, by providing location-dependent correlations between the annual solar heating fraction (SHF)* and the minimum monthly SHF, we have eliminated the need to perform an SLR calculation for each month of the heating season.

Proceedings of the Fifth Parabolic Dish Solar Thermal Power Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lucas, J. W. (Editor)

1984-01-01

The proceedings of the Fifth Parabolic Dish Solar Thermal Power Program Annual Review are presented. The results of activities within the Parabolic Dish Technology and Module/Systems Development element of the Department of Energy's Solar Thermal Energy Systems Program were emphasized. Among the topics discussed were: overall Project and Program aspects, Stirling and Brayton module development, concentrator and engine/receiver development along with associated hardware and test results; distributed systems operating experience; international parabolic dish development activities; and non-DOE-sponsored domestic dish activities. Solar electric generation was also addressed.

Ocean Color and the Equatorial Annual Cycle in the Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammann, A. C.; Gnanadesikan, A.

2012-12-01

The presence of chlorophyll, colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and other scatterers in ocean surface waters affect the flux divergence of solar radiation and thus the vertical distribution of radiant heating of the ocean. While this may directly alter the local mixed-layer depth and temperature (Martin 1985; Strutton & Chavez 2004), non-local changes are propagated through advection (Manizza et al. 2005; Murtugudde et al. 2002; Nakamoto et al. 2001; Sweeny et al. 2005). In and coupled feedbacks (Lengaigne et al. 2007; Marzeion & Timmermann 2005). Anderson et al. (2007), Anderson et al. (2009) and Gnanadesikan & Anderson (2009) have performed a series of experiments with a fully coupled climate model which parameterizes the e-folding depth of solar irradiance in terms of surface chlorophyll-a concentration. The results have so far been discussed with respect to the climatic mean state and ENSO variability in the tropical Pacific. We extend the discussion here to the Pacific equatorial annual cycle. The focus of the coupled experiments has been the sensitivity of the coupled system to regional differences in chlorophyll concentration. While runs have been completed with realistic SeaWiFS-derived monthly composite chlorophyll ('green') and with a globally chlorophyll-free ocean ('blue'), the concentrations in two additional runs have been selectively set to zero in specific regions: the oligotrophic subtropical gyres ('gyre') in one case and the mesotrophic gyre margins ('margin') in the other. The annual cycle of ocean temperatures exhibits distinctly reduced amplitudes in the 'blue' and 'margin' experiments, and a slight reduction in 'gyre' (while ENSO variability almost vanishes in 'blue' and 'gyre', but amplifies in 'margin' - thus the frequently quoted inverse correlation between ENSO and annual amplitudes holds only for the 'green' / 'margin' comparison). It is well-known that on annual time scales, the anomalous divergence of surface currents and vertical

Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude: U.S. Naval Observatory Observations of Solar Eclipses 1869 to the Present

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chizek Frouard, Malynda R.; Towne, Linda; Kaplan, George H.

2017-01-01

In anticipation of the 2017 August 21 total solar eclipse over the continental United States, the history of U.S. Naval Observatory eclipse observations illustrates the changes in science, technology, and policy over the past 148 years.USNO eclipse observations began in 1869, when staff traveled to Des Moines, Iowa and the Bering Strait to look for intra-mercurial planets and to observe the solar corona. During the golden age of eclipse expeditions, the USNO officially participated in a dozen expeditions between 1869 and 1929. Seven of these expeditions were to US locations: 1869 in Iowa; 1878 in Colorado, Wyoming, and Texas; 1880 in California; 1900 in Georgia and North Carolina; 1918 in Oregon; 1923 in California; and 1925 in New York. A total solar eclipse has not traced a path across the width of the continental US since 1918 although several eclipses have passed over parts of the US since then.A few official expeditions occurred later in the 20th century to measure the solar diameter, including a total eclipse in the northwest US in 1979 and an annular eclipse across the southeast in 1984. However, observations began transitioning to mostly personal adventures as individual astronomers arranged unofficial trips.Historians can use the USNO Multi-year Interactive Computer Almanac (MICA) to compute local circumstances for solar eclipses world-wide starting with the annual eclipse of 1800 April 24, which was visible from Alaska. Those looking to make history in 2017 may consult the USNO 2017 August 21 Solar Eclipse Resource page (http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/Eclipse2017.php).

Annual variations in the Martian bow shock location as observed by the Mars Express mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, B. E. S.; Lester, M.; Sánchez-Cano, B.; Nichols, J. D.; Andrews, D. J.; Edberg, N. J. T.; Opgenoorth, H. J.; Fränz, M.; Holmström, M.; Ramstad, R.; Witasse, O.; Cartacci, M.; Cicchetti, A.; Noschese, R.; Orosei, R.

2016-11-01

The Martian bow shock distance has previously been shown to be anticorrelated with solar wind dynamic pressure but correlated with solar extreme ultraviolet (EUV) irradiance. Since both of these solar parameters reduce with the square of the distance from the Sun, and Mars' orbit about the Sun increases by ˜0.3 AU from perihelion to aphelion, it is not clear how the bow shock location will respond to variations in these solar parameters, if at all, throughout its orbit. In order to characterize such a response, we use more than 5 Martian years of Mars Express Analyser of Space Plasma and EneRgetic Atoms (ASPERA-3) Electron Spectrometer measurements to automatically identify 11,861 bow shock crossings. We have discovered that the bow shock distance as a function of solar longitude has a minimum of 2.39RM around aphelion and proceeds to a maximum of 2.65RM around perihelion, presenting an overall variation of ˜11% throughout the Martian orbit. We have verified previous findings that the bow shock in southern hemisphere is on average located farther away from Mars than in the northern hemisphere. However, this hemispherical asymmetry is small (total distance variation of ˜2.4%), and the same annual variations occur irrespective of the hemisphere. We have identified that the bow shock location is more sensitive to variations in the solar EUV irradiance than to solar wind dynamic pressure variations. We have proposed possible interaction mechanisms between the solar EUV flux and Martian plasma environment that could explain this annual variation in bow shock location.

The feasibility of solar energy usage on Red River Army Depot. Final report

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

Crowder, G.W.

This feasibility study considers the usage of solar energy to heat and cool the main office buildings on the Red River Army Depot, Texarkana Texas. Solar energy costs are compared with the present heating and cooling system costs with an economic analysis using the annual worth and present worth methods. (GRA)

Formulation of cosmic-ray solar daily variation and its seasonal variation, produced from generalized stationary anisotropy of solar origin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tatsuoka, R.; Nagashima, K.

1985-01-01

In previous papers, a formulation was presented of cosmic ray daily variations produced from solar anisotropies stationary through a year, and also of their annual (or seasonal) modulation caused by the annual variation of the rotation axis of the Earth relative to that of the Sun. These anisotropies are symmetric for an arbitrary rotation around an axis. From observations of the tri-diurnal variation, it has been suggested that solar anisotropies also contain some axis-asymmetric term of the third order with respect to the IMF-axis. This suggestion has recently found support in a theoretical study by Munakata and Nagashima. According to their results, the terms of axis-asymmetry with respect to IMF-axis appear also in the 2nd order anisotropy, together with some different kinds of axis-symmetric terms. The contribution of these anisotropies to the daily variation is different from that of those discussed previously. The above mentioned formulation is extended to a case of a generalized anisotropy.

47 CFR 1.981 - Reports, annual and semiannual.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Random Selection Wireless Radio Services Applications and Proceedings Reports to Be Filed with the... agreements with other persons for the cooperative use of radio station facilities must submit annually an...

Solar hot water demonstration project at Red Star Industrial Laundry, Fresno, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The performance of a Solar Hot Water System at a laundry in Fresno, California is described. The system features an integrated wastewater heat recovery subsystem and a solar preheating system designed to supply a part of the hot water requirements. Performance data for a six month period are projected to an annual savings of $18,703.

Solar activity and myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Szczeklik, E; Mergentaler, J; Kotlarek-Haus, S; Kuliszkiewicz-Janus, M; Kucharczyk, J; Janus, W

1983-01-01

The correlation between the incidence of myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac death, the solar activity and geomagnetism in the period 1969-1976 was studied, basing on Wrocław hospitals material registered according to WHO standards; sudden death was assumed when a person died within 24 hours after the onset of the disease. The highest number of infarctions and sudden deaths was detected for 1975, which coincided with the lowest solar activity, and the lowest one for the years 1969-1970 coinciding with the highest solar activity. Such an inverse, statistically significant correlation was not found to exist between the studied biological phenomena and geomagnetism.

Solar response in the temperature over the equatorial middle atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beig, G.; Fadnavis, S.

2009-09-01

One of the longest temperature records available for the equatorial region is provided by Rocketsonde from Thumba (8°N, 77°E), India during the period 1971-1993. In recent times, these data sets are reanalyzed using the up-to-date regression models, which take care of several corrections and parameters, not accounted for in earlier analyses and hence affecting the conclusions. In this paper, annual mean solar response in this data set along with the seasonal solar coefficient is quantitatively estimated now with improved confidence. A negative solar response in the stratosphere (1-2 K/100 solar flux unit, sfu) and a positive response for the mesosphere (0.5-3 K/100 sfu) are found. The negative stratospheric solar response is in contrast to the solar coefficient reported for low latitudes by earlier workers for other stations.

Pals, problems, and personality: the moderating role of personality in the longitudinal association between adolescents' and best friends' delinquency.

PubMed

Yu, Rongqin; Branje, Susan; Keijsers, Loes; Koot, Hans M; Meeus, Wim

2013-10-01

We examined the potential moderating role of Block's personality types (i.e., overcontrollers, undercontrollers, and resilients) on the longitudinal associations between adolescents' and their best friends' delinquency. Across three annual waves, 497 Dutch adolescents (283 boys, M(Age) = 13 years at Wave 1) and their best friends reported on their delinquent behaviors. Adolescents' three personality types were obtained by latent class growth analysis on their annual reports on Big Five personality. A three-group cross-lagged panel analysis was performed on three waves of data. Delinquency of overcontrollers was predicted by their best friends' delinquency, whereas delinquency of undercontrollers and resilients was not. Delinquency of undercontrollers and resilients predicted their best friends' delinquency, but overcontrollers' delinquency did not. These findings suggest that personality may play an important role in adolescents' susceptibility to the influence of friends' delinquency, as well as in youths' ability to influence friends through their own delinquency. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Research Program in Computer Technology. 1987 Annual Technical Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-07-01

TITLE (Indcle Security Clanificstion) 1987 Annual Technical Report: *A Research Program in Computer Technology (Unclassified) 12. PERSONAL AUTHOR(S) IS...distributed processing, survivable networks 17. NCE: distributed processing, local networks, personal computers, workstation environment 18. SC Dev...are the auw’iors and should not be Interpreted as representIng the official opinion or policy of DARPA, the U.S. Government, or any person or agency

Florida | Midmarket Solar Policies in the United States | Solar Research |

Science.gov Websites

exempts 80% of the personal property tax and assessment of real property taxes for commercial properties output sold by the taxpayer to an unrelated party is an eligible basis for the credit. Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing Local authorities PACE allows property owners to repay loans for solar PV

Tour Opens Doors, Minds to Solar Energy

Science.gov Websites

., Oct. 5, 1998 — The third annual Tour of Solar Homes will open the doors to hundreds of passive and Conifer, will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. NREL's Visitors Center will open at 9 a.m. The Boulder tour, which

Building Design Guidelines for Solar Energy Technologies

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Givoni, B.

1989-01-01

There are two main objectives to this publication. The first is to find out the communalities in the experience gained in previous studies and in actual applications of solar technologies in buildings, residential as well as nonresidential. The second objective is to review innovative concepts and products which may have an impact on future developments and applications of solar technologies in buildings. The available information and common lessons were collated and presented in a form which, hopefully, is useful for architects and solar engineers, as well as for teachers of "solar architecture" and students in Architectural Schools. The publication is based mainly on the collection and analysis of relevant information. The information included previous studies in which the performance of solar buildings was evaluated, as well as the personal experience of the Author and the research consultants. The state of the art, as indicated by these studies and personal experience, was summarized and has served as basis for the development of the Design Guidelines. In addition to the summary of the state of the art, as was already applied in solar buildings, an account was given of innovative concepts and products. Such innovations have occurred in the areas of thermal storage by Phase Change Materials (PCM) and in glazing with specialized or changeable properties. Interesting concepts were also developed for light transfer, which may enable to transfer sunlight to the core areas of large multi story nonresidential buildings. These innovations may have a significant impact on future developments of solar technologies and their applications in buildings.

A review of the Nimbus-7 ERB solar dataset

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kyle, H. L.; Hoyt, D. V.; Hickey, J. R.

1994-01-01

Fourteen years (November 16, 1978 through January 24, 1993) of Nimbus-7 total solar irradiance measurements have been made. The measured mean annual solar energy just outside of the Earth's atmosphere was about 0.1% (1.4 W per sq m) higher in the peak years of 1979 (cycle 21) and 1991 (cycle 22) than in the quiet Sun years of 1985/86. Comparison with shorter independent solar measurement sets and with empirical models qualitatively confirms the Nimbus-7 results. But these comparisons also raise questions of detail for future studies: in which years did the peaks actually occur and just how accurate are the models and the measurements?

A passive-solar design manual for the United States Navy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wray, W. O.; Biehl, F. A.; Kosiewicz, C. E.; Miles, C. E.; Durlak, E. R.

1982-06-01

A passive solar design manual for single-family detached residences and dormitory-type buildings is developed. The design procedure employed in the manual is a simplification of the original monthly solar load ratio (SLR) method. The new SLR correlations involve a single constant for each system. The correlation constant appears as a scale factor permitting the use of a universal performance curve for all passive systems. Furthermore, by providing location-dependent correlations between the annual solar heating fraction (SHF) and the minimum monthly SHF, the need to perform an SLR calculation for each month of the heating season is eliminated.

16 CFR 801.11 - Annual net sales and total assets.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Annual net sales and total assets. 801.11 Section 801.11 Commercial Practices FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION RULES, REGULATIONS, STATEMENTS AND... person; and (2) The total assets of a person shall be as stated on the last regularly prepared balance...

Solar System Observations with the James Webb Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norwood, James; Hammel, Heidi; Milam, Stefanie; Stansberry, John; Lunine, Jonathan; Chanover, Nancy; Hines, Dean; Sonneborn, George; Tiscareno, Matthew; Brown, Michael;

Fitness consequences of avian personalities in a fluctuating environment.

PubMed Central

Dingemanse, Niels J.; Both, Christiaan; Drent, Piet J.; Tinbergen, Joost M.

2004-01-01

Individual animals differ in the way they cope with challenges in their environment, comparable with variation in human personalities. The proximate basis of variation in personality traits has received considerable attention, and one general finding is that personality traits have a substantial genetic basis. This poses the question of how variation in personality is maintained in natural populations. We show that selection on a personality trait with high heritability fluctuates across years within a natural bird population. Annual adult survival was related to this personality trait (behaviour in novel environments) but the effects were always opposite for males and females, and reversed between years. The number of offspring surviving to breeding was also related to their parents' personalities, and again selection changed between years. The observed annual changes in selection pressures coincided with changes in environmental conditions (masting of beeches) that affect the competitive regimes of the birds. We expect that the observed fluctuations in environmental factors lead to fluctuations in competition for space and food, and these, in association with variations in population density, lead to a variation in selection pressure, which maintains genetic variation in personalities. PMID:15255104

32 CFR 806.25 - Annual report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 6 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Annual report. 806.25 Section 806.25 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE ADMINISTRATION AIR FORCE FREEDOM OF... memory or oral communication; and personal records of an individual not subject to agency creation or...

Practice of Meteorological Services in Turpan Solar Eco-City in China (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Y.; Chang, R.; He, X.; Jiang, Y.; Zhao, D.; Ma, J.

2013-12-01

Turpan Solar Eco-City is located in Gobi in Northwest China, which is one of the National New Energy Demonstration Urban. The city was planed and designed from October of 2008 and constructed from May of 2010, and the first phase of the project has been completed by October of 2013. Energy supply in Turpan Solar Eco-City is mainly from PV power, which is installed in all of the roof and the total capacity is 13.4MW. During the planning and designing of the city, and the running of the smart grid, meteorological services have played an important role. 1) Solar Energy Resource Assessment during Planning Phase. According to the observed data from meteorological stations in recent 30 years, solar energy resource was assessed and available PV power generation capacity was calculated. The results showed that PV power generation capacity is 1.3 times the power consumption, that is, solar energy resource in Turpan is rich. 2) Key Meteorological Parameters Determination for Architectural Design. A professional solar energy resource station was constructed and the observational items included Global Horizontal Irradiance, Inclined Total Solar Irradiance at 30 degree, Inclined Total Solar Irradiance at local latitude, and so on. According these measured data, the optical inclined angle for PV array was determined, that is, 30 degree. The results indicated that the annual irradiation on inclined plane with optimal angle is 1.4% higher than the inclined surface with latitude angle, and 23.16% higher than the horizontal plane. The diffuse ratio and annual variation of the solar elevation angle are two major factors that influence the irradiation on inclined plane. 3) Solar Energy Resource Forecast for Smart Grid. Weather Research Forecast (WRF) model was used to forecast the hourly solar radiation of future 72 hours and the measured irradiance data was used to forecast the minutely solar radiation of future 4 hours. The forecast results were submitted to smart grid and used to

Dynamical diagnostics of the SST annual cycle in the eastern equatorial Pacific: part I a linear coupled framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ying-Ying; Jin, Fei-Fei

2018-03-01

The eastern equatorial Pacific has a pronounced westward propagating SST annual cycle resulting from ocean-atmosphere interactions with equatorial semiannual solar forcing and off-equatorial annual solar forcing conveyed to the equator. In this two-part paper, a simple linear coupled framework is proposed to quantify the internal dynamics and external forcing for a better understanding of the linear part of the dynamics annual cycle. It is shown that an essential internal dynamical factor is the SST damping rate which measures the coupled stability in a similar way as the Bjerknes instability index for the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. It comprises three major negative terms (dynamic damping due to the Ekman pumping feedback, mean circulation advection, and thermodynamic feedback) and two positive terms (thermocline feedback and zonal advection). Another dynamical factor is the westward-propagation speed that is mainly determined by the thermodynamic feedback, the Ekman pumping feedback, and the mean circulation. The external forcing is measured by the annual and semiannual forcing factors. These linear internal and external factors, which can be estimated from data, determine the amplitude of the annual cycle.

NREL'S Carlisle Earns Solar Service Award

Science.gov Websites

professional life to promoting solar energy applications. The award recognizes those who have helped the and personal life. At NREL, she has demonstrated determination in developing projects and promoting

Annual Properties of Transverse Waves in the Corona over most of Solar Cycle 24

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weberg, M. J.; Morton, R. J.; McLaughlin, J. A.

2017-12-01

Waves are an omnipresent feature in heliophysical plasmas. In particular, transverse (or "Alfvénic") waves have been observed at a wide range of spatial and temporal scales within the corona and solar wind. These waves play a key role in transporting energy through the solar atmosphere and are also thought to contribute to the heating and acceleration of the solar wind. Previous studies of low-frequency (< 10 mHz) transverse waves in coronal loops and polar plumes have provided tantalizing glimpses at specific time periods, however few, if any, systematic studies have been performed spanning long time scales. In this study, we combine recent advancements in the automated detection and measurement of low-frequency transverse waves with over 7 years of SDO / AIA data to provide a detailed picture of coronal transverse waves in polar plumes and, for the first time, begin to examine their long-term behaviour. We measure waves at three different heights in each of eight, four-hour periods spanning May 2010 - May 2017. We find that the bulk wave parameters within these 24 regions are largely consistent over most of a solar cycle. However, there is some evidence for smaller-scale variations both with height and over time periods of a few years. We also discuss total energy flux estimations based on the full wave power spectra, which yields a more nuanced picture than previous values based on summary statistics. Overall, this work expands our view of wave processes in the corona and is relevant to both theoretical and modelling considerations of energy transport within the solar atmosphere. Crucially, these initial results suggest that the energy flux provided by the low-frequency transverse waves varies little over the solar cycle, potentially indicating that the waves provide a consistent source of energy to the corona and beyond.

Addressing forecast uncertainty impact on CSP annual performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferretti, Fabio; Hogendijk, Christopher; Aga, Vipluv; Ehrsam, Andreas

2017-06-01

This work analyzes the impact of weather forecast uncertainty on the annual performance of a Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant. Forecast time series has been produced by a commercial forecast provider using the technique of hindcasting for the full year 2011 in hourly resolution for Ouarzazate, Morocco. Impact of forecast uncertainty has been measured on three case studies, representing typical tariff schemes observed in recent CSP projects plus a spot market price scenario. The analysis has been carried out using an annual performance model and a standard dispatch optimization algorithm based on dynamic programming. The dispatch optimizer has been demonstrated to be a key requisite to maximize the annual revenues depending on the price scenario, harvesting the maximum potential out of the CSP plant. Forecasting uncertainty affects the revenue enhancement outcome of a dispatch optimizer depending on the error level and the price function. Results show that forecasting accuracy of direct solar irradiance (DNI) is important to make best use of an optimized dispatch but also that a higher number of calculation updates can partially compensate this uncertainty. Improvement in revenues can be significant depending on the price profile and the optimal operation strategy. Pathways to achieve better performance are presented by having more updates both by repeatedly generating new optimized trajectories but also more often updating weather forecasts. This study shows the importance of working on DNI weather forecasting for revenue enhancement as well as selecting weather services that can provide multiple updates a day and probabilistic forecast information.

Evidence for Solar Cycle Influence on the Infrared Energy Budget and Radiative Cooling of the Thermosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mlynczak, Martin G.; Martin-Torres, F. Javier; Marshall, B. Thomas; Thompson, R. Earl; Williams, Joshua; Turpin, TImothy; Kratz, D. P.; Russell, James M.; Woods, Tom; Gordley, Larry L.

2007-01-01

We present direct observational evidence for solar cycle influence on the infrared energy budget and radiative cooling of the thermosphere. By analyzing nearly five years of data from the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument, we show that the annual mean infrared power radiated by the nitric oxide (NO) molecule at 5.3 m has decreased by a factor of 2.9. This decrease is correlated (r = 0.96) with the decrease in the annual mean F10.7 solar index. Despite the sharp decrease in radiated power (which is equivalent to a decrease in the vertical integrated radiative cooling rate), the variability of the power as given in the standard deviation of the annual means remains approximately constant. A simple relationship is shown to exist between the infrared power radiated by NO and the F10.7 index, thus providing a fundamental relationship between solar activity and the thermospheric cooling rate for use in thermospheric models. The change in NO radiated power is also consistent with changes in absorbed ultraviolet radiation over the same time period.

Decline in tuberculosis among Mexico-born persons in the United States, 2000-2010.

PubMed

Baker, Brian J; Jeffries, Carla D; Moonan, Patrick K

2014-05-01

In 2010, Mexico was the most common (22.9%) country of origin for foreign-born persons with tuberculosis in the United States, and overall trends in tuberculosis morbidity are substantially influenced by the Mexico-born population. To determine the risk of tuberculosis disease among Mexico-born persons living in the United States. Using data from the U.S. National Tuberculosis Surveillance System and the American Community Survey, we examined tuberculosis case counts and case rates stratified by years since entry into the United States and geographic proximity to the United States-Mexico border. We calculated trends in case rates over time measured by average annual percent change. The total tuberculosis case count (-14.5%) and annual tuberculosis case rate (average annual percent change -5.1%) declined among Mexico-born persons. Among those diagnosed with tuberculosis less than 1 year since entry into the United States (newly arrived persons), there was a decrease in tuberculosis cases (-60.4%), no change in tuberculosis case rate (average annual percent change of 0.0%), and a decrease in population (-60.7%). Among those living in the United States for more than 5 years (non-recently arrived persons), there was an increase in tuberculosis cases (+3.4%), a decrease in tuberculosis case rate (average annual percent change of -4.9%), and an increase in population (+62.7%). In 2010, 66.7% of Mexico-born cases were among non-recently arrived persons, compared with 51.1% in 2000. Although border states reported the highest proportions (>15%) of tuberculosis cases that were Mexico-born, the highest Mexico-born-specific tuberculosis case rates (>20/100,000 population) were in states in the eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. The decline in tuberculosis morbidity among Mexico-born persons may be attributed to fewer newly arrived persons from Mexico and lower tuberculosis case rates among non-recently arrived Mexico-born persons. The extent of the decline

Evaluation of the solar conditions for the acquisitions of energy from renewable sources on the base of Sosnowiec city (Poland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarapata, Sonia

2014-09-01

The country's energy security risk, as well as a desire to protect the environment from the pollution and degradation which are the results of conventional fuels acquisition - these was a motivation for intensive researches on the use of renewable energy sources in eco - innovative installations. Solar radiation is one of the self - renewable energy sources which can be used both as a source of electricity and heat. The area of research is Sosnowiec city located in the south of Poland in the eastern part of Silesia voivodeship. The solar radiation data covering the years 2003 to 2013 was used. The intra - annual variability of daily averaged solar radiation hesitated in a wide range from 0.6 kWh/m2 (December) to 5.2 kWh/m2 (June). Day duration varies on average from 10 hours in January, November and December to 17 hours in May, June and July. Day occupies 56% of the 8767 hours in year. On average the largest amount of energy reached the analyzed area in July: 157 kWh/m2 (15% of the annual average), while the smallest in December: 18 kWh/m2 (less than 2% of the annual average). The 75% of the average annual total of energy falls on the period from 1st March to 31th August (spring - summer). The range of the annual solar radiation was determined by the minimum of 980 kWh/m2 and the maximum of 1094 kWh/m2. In Sosnowiec the average annual irradiation total on the horizontal surface amounts to 1052 kWh/m2 (2003 - 2013)

Assessing the PACE of California residential solar deployment: Impacts of Property Assessed Clean Energy programs on residential solar photovoltaic deployment in California, 2010-2015

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

Deason, Jeff; Murphy, Sean

A new study by Berkeley Lab found that residential Property Assessed Clean Energy (R-PACE) programs increased deployment of residential solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in California, raising it by about 7-12% in cities that adopt these programs. R-PACE is a financing mechanism that uses a voluntary property tax assessment, paid off over time, to facilitate energy improvements and, in some jurisdictions, water and resilience measures. While previous studies demonstrated that early, regional R-PACE programs increased solar PV deployment, this new analysis is the first to demonstrate these impacts from the large, statewide R-PACE programs dominating the California market today, which usemore » private capital to fund the upfront costs of the improvements. Berkeley Lab estimated the impacts using econometric techniques on two samples: -Large cities only, allowing annual demographic and economic data as control variables -All California cities, without these annual data Analysis of both samples controls for several factors other than R-PACE that would be expected to drive solar PV deployment. We infer that on average, cities with R-PACE programs were associated with greater solar PV deployment in our study period (2010-2015). In the large cities sample, solar PV deployment in jurisdictions with R-PACE programs was higher by 1.1 watts per owner-occupied household per month, or 12%. Across all cities, solar PV deployment in jurisdictions with R-PACE programs was higher by 0.6 watts per owner-occupied household per month, or 7%. The large cities results are statistically significant at conventional levels; the all-cities results are not. The estimates imply that the majority of solar PV deployment financed by R-PACE programs would likely not have occurred in their absence. Results suggest that R-PACE programs have increased PV deployment in California even in relatively recent years, as R-PACE programs have grown in market share and as alternate approaches for financing

Solar buildings program contract summary, calendar year 1999

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

NONE

2000-06-07

The mission of the US Department of Energy's Solar Buildings Program is to advance the development and widespread deployment of competitive solar thermal technologies for use in buildings. The long-term goal of the Program is to combine solar energy technologies with energy-efficient construction techniques and create cost-effective buildings that have a zero net need for fossil fuel energy on an annual basis. The Solar Buildings Program conducts research and development on solar technologies that can deliver heat, light, and hot water to residential and commercial buildings. By working closely with manufacturers in both the buildings and solar energy industries andmore » by supporting research at universities and national laboratories, the Solar Buildings Program brings together the diverse players developing reliable and affordable solar technologies for building applications. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado, and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) in Albuquerque, New Mexico, jointly participate in the Solar Buildings Program. These two national laboratories work closely with industry researching new concepts, developing technology improvements, reducing manufacturing costs, monitoring system performance, promoting quality assurance, and identifying potential new markets. In calendar year 1999, the Solar Buildings Program focused primarily on solar hot water system research and development (R and D), US industry manufacturing assistance, and US market assistance. The Program also completed a number of other projects that were begun in earlier years. This Contract Summary describes the Program's contracted activities that were active during 1999.« less

Evaluation of the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB) Using Ground-Based Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Y.; Sengupta, M.; Habte, A.; Lopez, A.

2017-12-01

Solar resource is essential for a wide spectrum of applications including renewable energy, climate studies, and solar forecasting. Solar resource information can be obtained from ground-based measurement stations and/or from modeled data sets. While measurements provide data for the development and validation of solar resource models and other applications modeled data expands the ability to address the needs for increased accuracy and spatial and temporal resolution. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has developed and regular updates modeled solar resource through the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB). The recent NSRDB dataset was developed using the physics-based Physical Solar Model (PSM) and provides gridded solar irradiance (global horizontal irradiance (GHI), direct normal irradiance (DNI), and diffuse horizontal irradiance) at a 4-km by 4-km spatial and half-hourly temporal resolution covering 18 years from 1998-2015. A comprehensive validation of the performance of the NSRDB (1998-2015) was conducted to quantify the accuracy of the spatial and temporal variability of the solar radiation data. Further, the study assessed the ability of NSRDB (1998-2015) to accurately capture inter-annual variability, which is essential information for solar energy conversion projects and grid integration studies. Comparisons of the NSRDB (1998-2015) with nine selected ground-measured data were conducted under both clear- and cloudy-sky conditions. These locations provide a high quality data covering a variety of geographical locations and climates. The comparison of the NSRDB to the ground-based data demonstrated that biases were within +/- 5% for GHI and +/-10% for DNI. A comprehensive uncertainty estimation methodology was established to analyze the performance of the gridded NSRDB and includes all sources of uncertainty at various time-averaged periods, a method that is not often used in model evaluation. Further, the study analyzed the inter-annual

When are solar refrigerators less costly than on-grid refrigerators: A simulation modeling study☆

PubMed Central

Haidari, Leila A.; Brown, Shawn T.; Wedlock, Patrick; Connor, Diana L.; Spiker, Marie; Lee, Bruce Y.

2017-01-01

Background Gavi recommends solar refrigerators for vaccine storage in areas with less than eight hours of electricity per day, and WHO guidelines are more conservative. The question remains: Can solar refrigerators provide value where electrical outages are less frequent? Methods Using a HERMES-generated computational model of the Mozambique routine immunization supply chain, we simulated the use of solar versus electric mains-powered refrigerators (hereafter referred to as “electric refrigerators”) at different locations in the supply chain under various circumstances. Results At their current price premium, the annual cost of each solar refrigerator is 132% more than each electric refrigerator at the district level and 241% more at health facilities. Solar refrigerators provided savings over electric refrigerators when one-day electrical outages occurred more than five times per year at either the district level or the health facilities, even when the electric refrigerator holdover time exceeded the duration of the outage. Two-day outages occurring more than three times per year at the district level or more than twice per year at the health facilities also caused solar refrigerators to be cost saving. Lowering the annual cost of a solar refrigerator to 75% more than an electric refrigerator allowed solar refrigerators to be cost saving at either level when one-day outages occurred more than once per year, or when two-day outages occurred more than once per year at the district level or even once per year at the health facilities. Conclusion Our study supports WHO and Gavi guidelines. In fact, solar refrigerators may provide savings in total cost per dose administered over electrical refrigerators when electrical outages are less frequent. Our study identified the frequency and duration at which electrical outages need to occur for solar refrigerators to provide savings in total cost per dose administered over electric refrigerators at different solar

When are solar refrigerators less costly than on-grid refrigerators: A simulation modeling study.

PubMed

Haidari, Leila A; Brown, Shawn T; Wedlock, Patrick; Connor, Diana L; Spiker, Marie; Lee, Bruce Y

2017-04-19

Gavi recommends solar refrigerators for vaccine storage in areas with less than eight hours of electricity per day, and WHO guidelines are more conservative. The question remains: Can solar refrigerators provide value where electrical outages are less frequent? Using a HERMES-generated computational model of the Mozambique routine immunization supply chain, we simulated the use of solar versus electric mains-powered refrigerators (hereafter referred to as "electric refrigerators") at different locations in the supply chain under various circumstances. At their current price premium, the annual cost of each solar refrigerator is 132% more than each electric refrigerator at the district level and 241% more at health facilities. Solar refrigerators provided savings over electric refrigerators when one-day electrical outages occurred more than five times per year at either the district level or the health facilities, even when the electric refrigerator holdover time exceeded the duration of the outage. Two-day outages occurring more than three times per year at the district level or more than twice per year at the health facilities also caused solar refrigerators to be cost saving. Lowering the annual cost of a solar refrigerator to 75% more than an electric refrigerator allowed solar refrigerators to be cost saving at either level when one-day outages occurred more than once per year, or when two-day outages occurred more than once per year at the district level or even once per year at the health facilities. Our study supports WHO and Gavi guidelines. In fact, solar refrigerators may provide savings in total cost per dose administered over electrical refrigerators when electrical outages are less frequent. Our study identified the frequency and duration at which electrical outages need to occur for solar refrigerators to provide savings in total cost per dose administered over electric refrigerators at different solar refrigerator prices. Copyright © 2017. Published

Solar-heating and cooling system design package

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

Package of information includes design data, performance specifications, drawings, hazard analysis, and spare parts list for commercially produced system installed in single-family dwelling in Akron, Ohio. System uses air flat-plate collectors, 12000 kg rock storage and backup heat pump. Solar portion requires 0.7 kW, and provides 35% of average total heating load including hot water. Information aids persons considering installing solar home-heating systems.

The Bradford Papers Annual, Volume III, 1988.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robb, Gary M., Ed.

This annual collection promotes scholarly writing, applied research findings, and innovative programs and activities in experiential education. Topics of the 1988 papers include (1) "Gender Issues in Outdoor Adventure Programming" (Natalie L. Bartley and Daniel R. Williams) about the effects of outdoor leaders' gender, personality, soft skills…

Analysis of satellite-derived solar irradiance over the Netherlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dirksen, Marieke; Fokke Meirink, Jan; Sluiter, Raymond

2017-04-01

Measurements from geostationary satellites allow the retrieval of surface solar irradiance homogeneously over large areas, thereby providing essential information for the solar energy sector. In this paper, the SICCS solar irradiance data record derived from 12 years of Meteosat Second Generation satellite measurements is analysed with a focus on the Netherlands, where the spatial resolution is about 6 by 3 km2. Extensive validation of the SICCS data with pyranometer observations is performed, indicating a bias of approximately 3 W/m2 and RMSE of 11 W/m2 for daily data. Long term averages and seasonal variations of solar irradiance show regional patterns related to the surface type (e.g., coastal waters, forests, cities). The inter-annual variability over the time frame of the data record is quantified. Methods to merge satellite and surface observations into an optimized data record are explored.

Solar Energy Meteorological Research and Training Site: Region 5. Annual report, 30 September 1977-29 September 1978

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

Rao, C.R.N.; Hewson, E.W.

The primary facility which is to be a benchmark site for the acquisition of research quality solar radiation and solar energy related meteorological data has been set up and will be fully operational in the near future. The training program has been established with the introduction of two, two-quarter courses on solar radiation and meteorological measurements and on atmospheric radiative processes. Also, as part of the training program, a week-long workshop on solar energy measurement and instrumentation was conducted during the summer of '78 and a series of seminars on solar energy related topics, catering to both professionals and non-professionals,more » was arranged during the 1977-78 academic year. A meeting of solar radiation scientists from the five states of the region was held in Corvallis (August '78) to explore the feasibility of setting up a regional network of stations to acquire research quality solar radiation and meteorological data. Useful global irradiance measurements have been made at the five sites, making up the general quality network in Oregon, over the greater part of the year.« less

Geomagnetic activity: Dependence on solar wind parameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Svalgaard, L.

1977-01-01

Current ideas about the interaction between the solar wind and the earth's magnetosphere are reviewed. The solar wind dynamic pressure as well as the influx of interplanetary magnetic field lines are both important for the generation of geomagnetic activity. The influence of the geometry of the situation as well as the variability of the interplanetary magnetic field are both found to be important factors. Semi-annual and universal time variations are discussed as well as the 22-year cycle in geomagnetic activity. All three are found to be explainable by the varying geometry of the interaction. Long term changes in geomagnetic activity are examined.

Best Practices of Uncertainty Estimation for the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB 1998-2015): Preprint

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

Habte, Aron M; Sengupta, Manajit

It is essential to apply a traceable and standard approach to determine the uncertainty of solar resource data. Solar resource data are used for all phases of solar energy conversion projects, from the conceptual phase to routine solar power plant operation, and to determine performance guarantees of solar energy conversion systems. These guarantees are based on the available solar resource derived from a measurement station or modeled data set such as the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB). Therefore, quantifying the uncertainty of these data sets provides confidence to financiers, developers, and site operators of solar energy conversion systems and ultimatelymore » reduces deployment costs. In this study, we implemented the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM) 1 to quantify the overall uncertainty of the NSRDB data. First, we start with quantifying measurement uncertainty, then we determine each uncertainty statistic of the NSRDB data, and we combine them using the root-sum-of-the-squares method. The statistics were derived by comparing the NSRDB data to the seven measurement stations from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Surface Radiation Budget Network, National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Solar Radiation Research Laboratory, and the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program's Southern Great Plains Central Facility, in Billings, Oklahoma. The evaluation was conducted for hourly values, daily totals, monthly mean daily totals, and annual mean monthly mean daily totals. Varying time averages assist to capture the temporal uncertainty of the specific modeled solar resource data required for each phase of a solar energy project; some phases require higher temporal resolution than others. Overall, by including the uncertainty of measurements of solar radiation made at ground stations, bias, and root mean square error, the NSRDB data demonstrated expanded uncertainty of 17 percent - 29 percent on hourly and an

A REVISED SOLAR TRANSFORMITY FOR TIDAL ENERGY RECEIVED BY THE EARTH AND DISSIPATED GLOBALLY: IMPLICATIONS FOR EMERGY ANALYSIS

EPA Science Inventory

Solar transformities for the tidal energy received by the earth and the tidal energy dissipated globally can be calculated because both solar energy and the gravitational attraction of the sun and moon drive independent processes that produce an annual flux of geopotential energy...

Rescreening of persons with a negative colonoscopy result: results from a microsimulation model.

PubMed

Knudsen, Amy B; Hur, Chin; Gazelle, G Scott; Schrag, Deborah; McFarland, Elizabeth G; Kuntz, Karen M

2012-11-06

Persons with a negative result on screening colonoscopy are recommended to repeat the procedure in 10 years. To assess the effectiveness and costs of colonoscopy versus other rescreening strategies after an initial negative colonoscopy result. Microsimulation model. Literature and data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program. Persons aged 50 years who had no adenomas or cancer detected on screening colonoscopy. Lifetime. Societal. No further screening or rescreening starting at age 60 years with colonoscopy every 10 years, annual highly sensitive guaiac fecal occult blood testing (HSFOBT), annual fecal immunochemical testing (FIT), or computed tomographic colonography (CTC) every 5 years. Lifetime cases of colorectal cancer, life expectancy, and lifetime costs per 1000 persons, assuming either perfect or imperfect adherence. Rescreening with any method substantially reduced the risk for colorectal cancer compared with no further screening (range, 7.7 to 12.6 lifetime cases per 1000 persons [perfect adherence] and 17.7 to 20.9 lifetime cases per 1000 persons [imperfect adherence] vs. 31.3 lifetime cases per 1000 persons with no further screening). In both adherence scenarios, the differences in life-years across rescreening strategies were small (range, 30 893 to 30 902 life-years per 1000 persons [perfect adherence] vs. 30 865 to 30 869 life-years per 1000 persons [imperfect adherence]). Rescreening with HSFOBT, FIT, or CTC had fewer complications and was less costly than continuing colonoscopy. Results were sensitive to test-specific adherence rates. Data on adherence to rescreening were limited. Compared with the currently recommended strategy of continuing colonoscopy every 10 years after an initial negative examination, rescreening at age 60 years with annual HSFOBT, annual FIT, or CTC every 5 years provides approximately the same benefit in life-years with fewer complications at a lower cost. Therefore, it is reasonable to use other

Design considerations for a Mars solar energy system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atkinson, David H.; Gwynne, Owen

1992-01-01

The supply, collection and demand for solar power needed for a ten person base on Mars are examined. A detailed discussion is presented for the estimation of the amount of usable solar energy than can reach the surface of Mars. The irradiance is determined for high, middle and low latitudes. In general it was found that the variation of dust in the Martian atmosphere affected the optimal choice for solar power collection mechanisms. Sun tracking systems worked best under clearer conditions and basic horizontal collectors performed best under cloud/hazy conditions.

Actividad solar del ciclo 23. Predicción del máximo y fase decreciente utilizando redes neuronales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parodi, M. A.; Ceccatto, H. A.; Piacentini, R. D.; García, P. J.

Different methods have been proposed in order to predict the maximum amplitude of solar cycles, either as a consequence of the intrinsic importance of this event and because of its relation with solar storms and possible effects upon satellites, communication systems, etc. In this work, a neural network solar activity prediction is presented, measured through the sunspot number (SSN). The 16-units neural network, with a 12:3:1 architecture, was trained in a ``feed-forward" propagation way and learning by the so called ``back propagation rule". The annual mean SSN data in the 1700-1975 and 1987-1998 periods were used as the training set. The solar cycle 21 (1976-1986) was taken as the cross-validation data set. After performing the network training we obtained a prediction of the maximum annual mean for the current solar cycle 23, SSNmax= 135 ±17 at the year 2000, which is 13% smaller than the International Consensus Commitee's mean maximum prediction obtained through ``precursor techniques". On the other hand, our prediction is only about 4% smaller than the Consensus's neural network mean prediction. A ``multiple step" prediction technique was also performed and SSN annual mean predicted values for the near-maximum (from the present year 1999 to beyond the maximum) and the declining activity of solar cycle 23 are presented in this work. The sensibility of predictions is also tested. To do so, we changed the interval width and comparated our results with those of a previous neural network prediction and those of others authors using differents methods.

Disinfection of Contaminated Water by Using Solar Irradiation

PubMed Central

Caslake, Laurie F.; Connolly, Daniel J.; Menon, Vilas; Duncanson, Catriona M.; Rojas, Ricardo; Tavakoli, Javad

2004-01-01

Contaminated water causes an estimated 6 to 60 billion cases of gastrointestinal illness annually. The majority of these cases occur in rural areas of developing nations where the water supply remains polluted and adequate sanitation is unavailable. A portable, low-cost, and low-maintenance solar unit to disinfect unpotable water has been designed and tested. The solar disinfection unit was tested with both river water and partially processed water from two wastewater treatment plants. In less than 30 min in midday sunlight, the unit eradicated more than 4 log10 U (99.99%) of bacteria contained in highly contaminated water samples. The solar disinfection unit has been field tested by Centro Panamericano de Ingenieria Sanitaria y Ciencias del Ambiente in Lima, Peru. At moderate light intensity, the solar disinfection unit was capable of reducing the bacterial load in a controlled contaminated water sample by 4 log10 U and disinfected approximately 1 liter of water in 30 min. PMID:14766599

Disinfection of contaminated water by using solar irradiation.

PubMed

Caslake, Laurie F; Connolly, Daniel J; Menon, Vilas; Duncanson, Catriona M; Rojas, Ricardo; Tavakoli, Javad

2004-02-01

Contaminated water causes an estimated 6 to 60 billion cases of gastrointestinal illness annually. The majority of these cases occur in rural areas of developing nations where the water supply remains polluted and adequate sanitation is unavailable. A portable, low-cost, and low-maintenance solar unit to disinfect unpotable water has been designed and tested. The solar disinfection unit was tested with both river water and partially processed water from two wastewater treatment plants. In less than 30 min in midday sunlight, the unit eradicated more than 4 log10 U (99.99%) of bacteria contained in highly contaminated water samples. The solar disinfection unit has been field tested by Centro Panamericano de Ingenieria Sanitaria y Ciencias del Ambiente in Lima, Peru. At moderate light intensity, the solar disinfection unit was capable of reducing the bacterial load in a controlled contaminated water sample by 4 log10 U and disinfected approximately 1 liter of water in 30 min.

Recent developments for realistic solar models

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

Serenelli, Aldo M.

2014-05-02

The 'solar abundance problem' has triggered a renewed interest in revising the concept of SSM from different perspectives: 1) constituent microphysics: equation of state, nuclear rates, radiative opacities; 2) constituent macrophysics: the physical processes impact the evolution of the Sun and its present-day structure, e.g. dynamical processes induced by rotation, presence of magnetic fields; 3) challenge the hypothesis that the young Sun was chemically homogeneous: the possible interaction of the young Sun with its protoplanetary disk. Here, I briefly review and then present a (personal) view on recent advances and developments on solar modeling, part of them carried out asmore » attempts to solve the solar abundance problem.« less

Best Practices Handbook for the Collection and Use of Solar Resource Data for Solar Energy Applications: Second Edition

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

Sengupta, Manajit; Habte, Aron; Gueymard, Christian

As the world looks for low-carbon sources of energy, solar power stands out as the single most abundant energy resource on Earth. Harnessing this energy is the challenge for this century. Photovoltaics, solar heating and cooling, and concentrating solar power (CSP) are primary forms of energy applications using sunlight. These solar energy systems use different technologies, collect different fractions of the solar resource, and have different siting requirements and production capabilities. Reliable information about the solar resource is required for every solar energy application. This holds true for small installations on a rooftop as well as for large solar powermore » plants; however, solar resource information is of particular interest for large installations, because they require substantial investment, sometimes exceeding 1 billion dollars in construction costs. Before such a project is undertaken, the best possible information about the quality and reliability of the fuel source must be made available. That is, project developers need reliable data about the solar resource available at specific locations, including historic trends with seasonal, daily, hourly, and (preferably) subhourly variability to predict the daily and annual performance of a proposed power plant. Without this data, an accurate financial analysis is not possible. Additionally, with the deployment of large amounts of distributed photovoltaics, there is an urgent need to integrate this source of generation to ensure the reliability and stability of the grid. Forecasting generation from the various sources will allow for larger penetrations of these generation sources because utilities and system operators can then ensure stable grid operations. Developed by the foremost experts in the field who have come together under the umbrella of the International Energy Agency's Solar Heating and Cooling Task 46, this handbook summarizes state-of-the-art information about all the above topics.« less

Luminescent Solar Concentrator Daylighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bornstein, Jonathan G.

1984-11-01

Various systems that offer potential solutions to the problem of interior daylighting have been discussed in the literature. Virtually all of these systems rely on some method of tracking the sun along its azimuth and elevation, i.e., direct imaging of the solar disk. A simpler approach, however, involves a nontracking nonimaging device that effectively eliminates moving parts and accepts both the diffuse and direct components of solar radiation. Such an approach is based on a system that combines in a common luminaire the light emitted by luminescent solar concentrators (LSC), of the three primary colors, with a highly efficient artificial point source (HID metal halide) that automatically compensates for fluctuations in the LSC array via a daylight sensor and dimming ballast. A preliminary analysis suggests that this system could supply 90% of the lighting requirement, over the course of an 8 hour day, strictly from the daylight component under typical insolation con-ditions in the Southwest United States. In office buildings alone, the total aggregate energy savings may approach a half a quad annually. This indicates a very good potential for the realization of substantial savings in building electric energy consumption.

Synchronized Northern Hemisphere climate change and solar magnetic cycles during the Maunder Minimum.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Yasuhiko T; Yokoyama, Yusuke; Miyahara, Hiroko; Sho, Kenjiro; Nakatsuka, Takeshi

2010-11-30

The Maunder Minimum (A.D. 1645-1715) is a useful period to investigate possible sun-climate linkages as sunspots became exceedingly rare and the characteristics of solar cycles were different from those of today. Here, we report annual variations in the oxygen isotopic composition (δ(18)O) of tree-ring cellulose in central Japan during the Maunder Minimum. We were able to explore possible sun-climate connections through high-temporal resolution solar activity (radiocarbon contents; Δ(14)C) and climate (δ(18)O) isotope records derived from annual tree rings. The tree-ring δ(18)O record in Japan shows distinct negative δ(18)O spikes (wetter rainy seasons) coinciding with rapid cooling in Greenland and with decreases in Northern Hemisphere mean temperature at around minima of decadal solar cycles. We have determined that the climate signals in all three records strongly correlate with changes in the polarity of solar dipole magnetic field, suggesting a causal link to galactic cosmic rays (GCRs). These findings are further supported by a comparison between the interannual patterns of tree-ring δ(18)O record and the GCR flux reconstructed by an ice-core (10)Be record. Therefore, the variation of GCR flux associated with the multidecadal cycles of solar magnetic field seem to be causally related to the significant and widespread climate changes at least during the Maunder Minimum.

Synchronized Northern Hemisphere climate change and solar magnetic cycles during the Maunder Minimum

PubMed Central

Yamaguchi, Yasuhiko T.; Yokoyama, Yusuke; Miyahara, Hiroko; Sho, Kenjiro; Nakatsuka, Takeshi

2010-01-01

The Maunder Minimum (A.D. 1645–1715) is a useful period to investigate possible sun–climate linkages as sunspots became exceedingly rare and the characteristics of solar cycles were different from those of today. Here, we report annual variations in the oxygen isotopic composition (δ18O) of tree-ring cellulose in central Japan during the Maunder Minimum. We were able to explore possible sun–climate connections through high-temporal resolution solar activity (radiocarbon contents; Δ14C) and climate (δ18O) isotope records derived from annual tree rings. The tree-ring δ18O record in Japan shows distinct negative δ18O spikes (wetter rainy seasons) coinciding with rapid cooling in Greenland and with decreases in Northern Hemisphere mean temperature at around minima of decadal solar cycles. We have determined that the climate signals in all three records strongly correlate with changes in the polarity of solar dipole magnetic field, suggesting a causal link to galactic cosmic rays (GCRs). These findings are further supported by a comparison between the interannual patterns of tree-ring δ18O record and the GCR flux reconstructed by an ice-core 10Be record. Therefore, the variation of GCR flux associated with the multidecadal cycles of solar magnetic field seem to be causally related to the significant and widespread climate changes at least during the Maunder Minimum. PMID:21076031

Seasonal variations of the atmospheric temperature response in mesosphere and lower thermosphere on solar activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semenov, A. I.; Shefov, N. N.

2003-04-01

On the basis of the measurement data of temperature by rocket and ground-based spectrophotometric (nightglow emissions of hydroxyl,sodium and atomic oxygen of 557.7 nm) methods obtained during 21 and 22 cycles of solar activity, the distributions with height of mean monthly temperature of an atmosphere for region of altitudes Z from 60 to 100 km have been constructed. The periods of maxima and minima of solar activity (1980 and 1991, F10.7=198 and 208; 1976 and 1986, F10.7=73 and 75) were considered. On the basis of these distributions with height of the seasonal variations of dependence of temperature from solar activity S = deltaT(Z)/deltaF, K/100 sfu have been analyzed. It was revealed, that character of seasonal variations essentially changes with growth of height. Mean annual solar response S at heights lower than 70 km is negative, and at higher heights is positive. This solar response S in mesopause region reaches 3 (sigma=1). Such character of influence of solar activity on temperature of the upper atmosphere is caused by features of mean annual and seasonal variations of its distributions with height. The distributions with height of amplitudes and phases of three harmonics of seasonal variations S are presented. This work was supported by the Grant N 2274 of ISTC.

77 FR 53935 - Sunshine Act Cancellation Notice-OPIC's September 6, 2012 Annual Public Hearing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-04

... OVERSEAS PRIVATE INVESTMENT CORPORATION Sunshine Act Cancellation Notice--OPIC's September 6, 2012 Annual Public Hearing OPIC's Sunshine Act notice of its Annual Public Hearing was published in the... scheduled for 2 p.m., September 6, 2012 has been cancelled. CONTACT PERSON FOR INFORMATION: Information on...

Solar for Your Present Home. San Francisco Bay Area Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnaby, Charles S.; And Others

This publication provides information about present uses of solar energy for space, water, and swimming pool heating that are practical for the San Francisco Bay area. It attempts to provide interested persons with the information needed to make decisions regarding installations of solar heating systems. The point of view taken is that any…

Meteoritical Society Annual Meeting, 57th, Prague, Czech Republic, July 25-29, 1994. [Abstracts only

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

Ranging in size from mere grains and palm-size stones to boulders and many-mile- wide hunks of rock, meteorites hold many secrets of our solar system, and indeed of our universe. The 57th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society discussed many aspects of this fascinating 'chunk' of the evolution of the Solar System. Topics covered included: chemical composition, meteorite types, meteorite age determination, meteorite origins, and find locations, as well as a multitude of other important subjects.

Cognitive Decline in Older Persons Initiating Anticholinergic Medications

PubMed Central

Shah, Raj C.; Janos, Alicia L.; Kline, Julia E.; Yu, Lei; Leurgans, Sue E.; Wilson, Robert S.; Wei, Peter; Bennett, David A.; Heilman, Kenneth M.; Tsao, Jack W.

2013-01-01

Background This study examines the effect of initiating medications with anticholinergic activity on the cognitive functions of older persons. Methods Participants were 896 older community-dwelling, Catholic clergy without baseline dementia. Medication data was collected annually. The Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden Scale was utilized to identify use of a medication with probable or definite anticholinergic activity. Participants had at least two annual cognitive evaluations. Results Over a mean follow-up of 10 years, the annual rate of global cognitive function decline for never users, prevalent users, and incident users was −0.062 (SE = 0.005), −0.081(SE = 0.011), and −0.096 (SE = 0.007) z-score units/year, respectively. Compared to never users, incident users had a more rapid decline (difference = −0.034 z-score units/year, SE = 0.008, p<0.001) while prevalent users did not have a significantly more rapid decline (p = 0.1). Conclusions Older persons initiating a medication with anticholinergic activity have a steeper annual decline in cognitive functioning than those who are not taking these medications. PMID:23741303

Annual Research Review: Building a science of personalized intervention for youth mental health.

PubMed

Ng, Mei Yi; Weisz, John R

2016-03-01

Within the past decade, health care service and research priorities have shifted from evidence-based medicine to personalized medicine. In mental health care, a similar shift to personalized intervention may boost the effectiveness and clinical utility of empirically supported therapies (ESTs). The emerging science of personalized intervention will need to encompass evidence-based methods for determining which problems to target and in which order, selecting treatments and deciding whether and how to combine them, and informing ongoing clinical decision-making through monitoring of treatment response throughout episodes of care. We review efforts to develop these methods, drawing primarily from psychotherapy research with youths. Then we propose strategies for building a science of personalized intervention in youth mental health. The growing evidence base for personalizing interventions includes research on therapies adapted for specific subgroups; treatments targeting youths' environments; modular therapies; sequential, multiple assignment, randomized trials; measurement feedback systems; meta-analyses comparing treatments for specific patient characteristics; data-mining decision trees; and individualized metrics. The science of personalized intervention presents questions that can be addressed in several ways. First, to evaluate and organize personalized interventions, we propose modifying the system used to evaluate and organize ESTs. Second, to help personalizing research keep pace with practice needs, we propose exploiting existing randomized trial data to inform personalizing approaches, prioritizing the personalizing approaches likely to have the greatest impact, conducting more idiographic research, and studying tailoring strategies in usual care. Third, to encourage clinicians' use of personalized intervention research to inform their practice, we propose expanding outlets for research summaries and case studies, developing heuristic frameworks that

A model to determine financial indicators for organic solar cells

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

Powell, Colin; Bender, Timothy; Lawryshyn, Yuri

2009-11-15

Organic solar cells are an emerging photovoltaic technology that is inexpensive and easy to manufacture, despite low efficiency and stability. A model, named TEEOS (Technical and Economic Evaluator for Organic Solar), is presented that evaluates organic solar cells for various solar energy applications in different geographic locations, in terms of two financial indicators, payback period and net present value (NPV). TEEOS uses SMARTS2 software to estimate broadband (280-4000 nm) spectral irradiance data and with the use of a cloud modification factor, predicts hourly irradiation in the absence of actual broadband irradiance data, which is scarce for most urban locations. Bymore » using the avoided cost of electricity, annual savings are calculated which produce the financial indicators. It is hoped that these financial indicators can help guide certain technical decisions regarding the direction of research for organic solar cells, for example, increasing efficiency or increasing the absorptive wavelength range. A sample calculation using solar hats is shown to be uneconomical, but a good example of large-scale organic PV production. (author)« less

Solar Decathlon 2015 - Indigo Pine

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

Blouin, Vincent

The Solar Decathlon competition challenges students across the country to design and build a net-zero, market ready solar powered home. The bi-annual competition consists of ten contests that seek to balance the home on a scale of innovation. The ten contests were selected by to organizers to address all aspects of housing, including architecture, market appeal, engineering, communication, affordability, comfort, appliances, home life, commuting, and energy balance. Along with the criteria associated with the contests, the competition includes several design constraints that mirror those found in practical housing applications: including (but certainly not limited to) lot lines, building height, andmore » ADA accessibility. The Solar Decathlon 2015 was held at the Orange Country Great Park in Irvine, CA. The 2015 competition was Clemson University’s first entry into the Solar Decathlon and was a notable milestone in the continued development of a home, called Indigo Pine. From the beginning, the team reconsidered the notion of sustainability as related to both the design of a home and the competition itself. The designing and building process for the home reflects a process which seamlessly moves between thinking and making to develop a comprehensive design with a method and innovations that challenge the conventions of residential construction. This report is a summary of the activities of the Clemson University team during the two-year duration of the project leading to the participation in the 2015 Solar Decathlon competition in Irvine California.« less

Solar wind velocity and daily variation of cosmic rays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahluwalia, H. S.; Riker, J. F.

1985-01-01

Recently parameters applicable to the solar wind and the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) have become much better defined. Superior quality of data bases that are now available, particularly for post-1971 period, make it possible to believe the long-term trends in the data. These data are correlated with the secular changes observed in the diurnal variation parameters obtained from neutron monitor data at Deep River and underground muon telescope data at Embudo (30 MEW) and Socorro (82 MWE). The annual mean amplitudes appear to have large values during the epochs of high speed solar wind streams. Results are discussed.

Advancing solar energy forecasting through the underlying physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, H.; Ghonima, M. S.; Zhong, X.; Ozge, B.; Kurtz, B.; Wu, E.; Mejia, F. A.; Zamora, M.; Wang, G.; Clemesha, R.; Norris, J. R.; Heus, T.; Kleissl, J. P.

2017-12-01

As solar power comprises an increasingly large portion of the energy generation mix, the ability to accurately forecast solar photovoltaic generation becomes increasingly important. Due to the variability of solar power caused by cloud cover, knowledge of both the magnitude and timing of expected solar power production ahead of time facilitates the integration of solar power onto the electric grid by reducing electricity generation from traditional ancillary generators such as gas and oil power plants, as well as decreasing the ramping of all generators, reducing start and shutdown costs, and minimizing solar power curtailment, thereby providing annual economic value. The time scales involved in both the energy markets and solar variability range from intra-hour to several days ahead. This wide range of time horizons led to the development of a multitude of techniques, with each offering unique advantages in specific applications. For example, sky imagery provides site-specific forecasts on the minute-scale. Statistical techniques including machine learning algorithms are commonly used in the intra-day forecast horizon for regional applications, while numerical weather prediction models can provide mesoscale forecasts on both the intra-day and days-ahead time scale. This talk will provide an overview of the challenges unique to each technique and highlight the advances in their ongoing development which come alongside advances in the fundamental physics underneath.

Experiences in solar cooling systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, D. S.

The results of performance evaluations for nine solar cooling systems are presented, and reasons fow low or high net energy balances are discussed. Six of the nine systems are noted to have performed unfavorably compared to standard cooling systems due to thermal storage losses, excessive system electrical demands, inappropriate control strategies, poor system-to-load matching, and poor chiller performance. A reduction in heat losses in one residential unit increased the total system efficiency by 2.5%, while eliminating heat losses to the building interior increased the efficiency by 3.3%. The best system incorporated a lithium bromide absorption chiller and a Rankine cycle compression unit for a commercial application. Improvements in the cooling tower and fan configurations to increase the solar cooling system efficiency are indicated. Best performances are expected to occur in climates inducing high annual cooling loads.

Probing the Solar System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkinson, John

2013-01-01

Humans have always had the vision to one day live on other planets. This vision existed even before the first person was put into orbit. Since the early space missions of putting humans into orbit around Earth, many advances have been made in space technology. We have now sent many space probes deep into the Solar system to explore the planets and…

Decline in Tuberculosis among Mexico-Born Persons in the United States, 2000–2010

PubMed Central

Baker, Brian J.; Jeffries, Carla D.; Moonan, Patrick K.

2016-01-01

Background In 2010, Mexico was the most common (22.9%) country of origin for foreign-born persons with tuberculosis in the United States, and overall trends in tuberculosis morbidity are substantially influenced by the Mexico-born population. Objectives To determine the risk of tuberculosis disease among Mexico-born persons living in the United States. Methods Using data from the U.S. National Tuberculosis Surveillance System and the American Community Survey, we examined tuberculosis case counts and case rates stratified by years since entry into the United States and geographic proximity to the United States–Mexico border. We calculated trends in case rates over time measured by average annual percent change. Results The total tuberculosis case count (−14.5%) and annual tuberculosis case rate (average annual percent change −5.1%) declined among Mexico-born persons. Among those diagnosed with tuberculosis less than 1 year since entry into the United States (newly arrived persons), there was a decrease in tuberculosis cases (−60.4%), no change in tuberculosis case rate (average annual percent change of 0.0%), and a decrease in population (−60.7%). Among those living in the United States for more than 5 years (non-recently arrived persons), there was an increase in tuberculosis cases (+3.4%), a decrease in tuberculosis case rate (average annual percent change of −4.9%), and an increase in population (+62.7%). In 2010, 66.7% of Mexico-born cases were among non–recently arrived persons, compared with 51.1% in 2000. Although border states reported the highest proportions (>15%) of tuberculosis cases that were Mexico-born, the highest Mexico-born–specific tuberculosis case rates (>20/100,000 population) were in states in the eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. Conclusions The decline in tuberculosis morbidity among Mexico-born persons may be attributed to fewer newly arrived persons from Mexico and lower tuberculosis case rates among

41 CFR 102-192.90 - What must we include in our annual mail management report to GSA?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... our annual mail management report to GSA? 102-192.90 Section 102-192.90 Public Contracts and Property... annual mail management report to GSA? Your annual report must— (a) Identify your agency mail manager; in... person serving in this role. (b) State the total amounts paid to each service provider during the...

Statistical analysis of global horizontal solar irradiation GHI in Fez city, Morocco

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bounoua, Z.; Mechaqrane, A.

2018-05-01

An accurate knowledge of the solar energy reaching the ground is necessary for sizing and optimizing the performances of solar installations. This paper describes a statistical analysis of the global horizontal solar irradiation (GHI) at Fez city, Morocco. For better reliability, we have first applied a set of check procedures to test the quality of hourly GHI measurements. We then eliminate the erroneous values which are generally due to measurement or the cosine effect errors. Statistical analysis show that the annual mean daily values of GHI is of approximately 5 kWh/m²/day. Daily monthly mean values and other parameter are also calculated.

Personalized Education in Southside School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spaulding, Robert L.

1970-01-01

This article is based on remarks presented at the annual convention of the National Society for Programmed Instruction, Sheraton Park Hotel, Wash., D.C., Apr 10, 1969. Urges personalized (not just individualized) instruction, in which relevancy is achieved by having the students themselves participate in decision making and daily programming. (MH)

Paradigm transitions in solar-terrestrial physics from 1900: my personal view

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akasofu, S.-I.

2015-04-01

Solar-terrestrial physics, like any other scientific field, has evolved and developed by replacing older theories with newer theories. Unfortunately, each generation of young researchers tends to learn naturally only the latest, and perhaps the most popular theory and believes that it is the only useful one to pursue. Therefore, they do not necessarily realize that in the past the theory they chose had struggled to reach its presently acceptable state, and that eventually it might be replaced with a new theory. Two generations of scientists or in some subjects even more generations tend to be guided by one particular idea or theory. Thus, among us (namely, one or two generations) a high degree of agreement occurs, both on the theoretical assumptions and on the problem to be solved within the framework provided by the theory. Such an idea or theory was termed paradigm by Kuhn (1970). The purpose of this article is to describe several examples of the transition of paradigms and ideas in the subjects of solar-terrestrial physics. The examples are subjects that experienced a paradigm change after prevailing in the field for a few generations and also some that are perhaps on the verge of the transition. The chosen subjects are (1) Stormer's single particle theory to Chapman's plasma theory (1907-1963), (2) the auroral zone to the auroral oval (1860-1971), (3) the closed to open magnetosphere (1931-1971), (4) the current system controversies (1918-1963) and (1964-present), (5) the fixed pattern concept to the concept of auroral/magnetospheric substorms (1935-1982), (6) the importance of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) in the development of geomagnetic storms (1905-1966), (7) the ring current: solar wind protons to oxygen ions from the ionosphere (1933-1977), (8) the storm-substorm controversy (1963-present), (9) substorm onset (1964-present), (10) solar flares (1958-present) and (11) sunspots (1961-present).

Potential for a Danish power system using wind energy generators, solar cells and storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blegaa, S.; Christiansen, G.

1981-10-01

Performance characteristics of a combined solar/wind power system equipped with storage and an unspecified back-up power source are studied on the basis of meteorological data in Denmark from 1959-1972. A model for annual production and storage from wind/solar installations is presented, assuming 12% efficiency for the solar cells and various power coefficients of the windmills, in addition to long and short-term storage. Noting that no correlation between wind and solar energy availability was found, and a constant ratio of 60% wind/40% solar was determined to be the optimum mix for large scale power production without taking into consideration the variations among years. It is concluded that 80-90% of the total Danish electrical load can be covered by solar/wind systems, and 100% may be possible with the addition of pumped hydroelectric storage.

Development of an innovative solar absorber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodchild, Gavin

Solar thermal systems have great potential to replace or reduce the dependence of conventional fossil fuel based heating technologies required for space and water heating. Specifically solar domestic hot water systems can contribute 50-75% of the annual thermal load. To date residential users have been slow to purchase and install systems, primarily due to the large monetary investment required to purchase and install a system. Recent innovations in materials design and manufacturing techniques, offer opportunities for the development of absorber plate designs that have the potential to reduce cost, increase efficiency and reduce payback periods. Consequently, this design study was conducted in conjunction with industrial partners to develop an improved absorber based on roll bond manufacturing that can be produced at reduced cost with comparable or greater thermal efficiency.

29 CFR 403.6 - Personal responsibility of signatories of reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... LABOR LABOR-MANAGEMENT STANDARDS LABOR ORGANIZATION ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORTS § 403.6 Personal responsibility of signatories of reports. Each individual required to sign a report under section 201(b) of the... 29 Labor 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Personal responsibility of signatories of reports. 403.6...

The response of the temperature of cold-point mesopause to solar activity based on SABER data set

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Chaoli; Liu, Dong; Wei, Heli; Wang, Yingjian; Dai, Congming; Wu, Pengfei; Zhu, Wenyue; Rao, Ruizhong

2016-07-01

The thermal structure and energy balance of upper atmosphere are dominated by solar activity. The response of cold-point mesopause (CPM) to solar activity is an important form. This article presents the response of the temperature of CPM (T-CPM) to solar activity using 14 year Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry data series over 80°S-80°N regions. These regions are divided into 16 latitude zones with 10° interval, and the spatial areas of 80°S-80°N, 180°W-180°E are divided into 96 lattices with 10°(latitude) × 60°(longitude) grid. The annual-mean values of T-CPM and F10.7 are calculated. The least squares regression method and correlation analysis are applied to these annual-mean series. First, the results show that the global T-CPM is significantly correlated to solar activity at the 0.05 level of significance with correlation coefficient of 0.90. The global solar response of T-CPM is 4.89 ± 0.67 K/100 solar flux unit. Then, for each latitude zone, the solar response of T-CPM and its fluctuation are obtained. The solar response of T-CPM becomes stronger with increasing latitude. The fluctuation ranges of solar response at middle-latitude regions are smaller than those of the equator and high-latitude regions, and the global distribution takes on W shape. The corelationship analysis shows that the T-CPM is significantly correlated to solar activity at the 0.05 level of significance for each latitude zone. The correlation coefficients at middle-latitude regions are higher than those of the equator and high-latitude regions, and the global distribution takes on M shape. At last, for each grid cell, the response of T-CPM to solar activity and their correlation coefficient are presented.

Solar urticaria: Epidemiology and clinical phenotypes in a Spanish series of 224 patients.

PubMed

Pérez-Ferriols, A; Barnadas, M; Gardeazábal, J; de Argila, D; Carrascosa, J M; Aguilera, P; Giménez-Arnau, A; Rodríguez-Granados, T; de Gálvez, M V; Aguilera, J

2017-03-01

Solar urticaria is a chronic inducible urticaria also classified as an idiopathic dermatosis. The objective of this paper is to define the phenotypic characteristics of solar urticaria and to evaluate its incidence. This was a retrospective multicenter study in which data were gathered on the epidemiology and clinical, photobiologic, laboratory, and therapeutic characteristics of solar urticaria. A total of 224 patients (141 women and 83 men) were included from 9 photobiology units. The mean age of the patients was 37.9 years (range, 3-73 years). A history of atopy was detected in 26.7%, and the most common presentation was allergic rhinitis (16.5%). Clinical signs were limited to sun-exposed areas in 75.9% of patients. The light spectrum most commonly implicated was visible light only (31.7%), and in 21% of cases it was only possible to trigger solar urticaria with natural light. The treatments most widely used by photobiology experts were oral antihistamines (65.46%), followed by different forms of phototherapy (34%). Complete resolution was observed most often in patients with solar urticaria triggered exclusively by visible or natural light, with statistically significant differences with respect to other wavelengths (P<.05). No increase in the annual incidence of solar urticaria was observed. We have presented the largest series of solar urticaria published to date. The epidemiological, clinical, and photobiologic findings confirm previously reported data, although there was a particularly high rate of negative phototests in our series. Reactivity exclusively to visible or natural light was associated with a higher probability of resolution. No increasing trend was observed in the annual incidence. Copyright © 2016 AEDV. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Drivers of solar radiation variability in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

USGS Publications Warehouse

Obryk, Maciej; Fountain, Andrew G.; Doran, Peter; Lyons, Berry; Eastman, Ryan

2018-01-01

Annually averaged solar radiation in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica has varied by over 20 W m−2 during the past three decades; however, the drivers of this variability are unknown. Because small differences in radiation are important to water availability and ecosystem functioning in polar deserts, determining the causes are important to predictions of future desert processes. We examine the potential drivers of solar variability and systematically eliminate all but stratospheric sulfur dioxide. We argue that increases in stratospheric sulfur dioxide increase stratospheric aerosol optical depth and decrease solar intensity. Because of the polar location of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (77–78°S) and relatively long solar ray path through the stratosphere, terrestrial solar intensity is sensitive to small differences in stratospheric transmissivity. Important sources of sulfur dioxide include natural (wildfires and volcanic eruptions) and anthropogenic emission.

Solar-Energy System for a Commercial Building--Topeka, Kansas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Report describes a solar-energy system for space heating, cooling and domestic hot water at a 5,600 square-foot (520-square-meter) Topeka, Kansas, commercial building. System is expected to provide 74% of annual cooling load, 47% of heating load, and 95% of domestic hot-water load. System was included in building design to maximize energy conservation.

Improving magnetosphere in situ observations using solar sails

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parsay, Khashayar; Schaub, Hanspeter; Schiff, Conrad; Williams, Trevor

2018-01-01

Past and current magnetosphere missions employ conventional spacecraft formations for in situ observations of the geomagnetic tail. Conventional spacecraft flying in inertially fixed Keplerian orbits are only aligned with the geomagnetic tail once per year, since the geomagnetic tail is always aligned with the Earth-Sun line, and therefore, rotates annually. Solar sails are able to artificially create sun-synchronous orbits such that the orbit apse line remains aligned with the geomagnetic tail line throughout the entire year. This continuous presence in the geomagnetic tail can significantly increase the science phase for magnetosphere missions. In this paper, the problem of solar sail formation design is explored using nonlinear programming to design optimal two-craft, triangle, and tetrahedron solar sail formations, in terms of formation quality and formation stability. The designed formations are directly compared to the formations used in NASA's Magnetospheric Multi-Scale mission.

10 CFR 205.308 - Filing schedule and annual reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

....308 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OIL ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES AND SANCTIONS Electric Power System... to Transmit Electric Energy to A Foreign Country § 205.308 Filing schedule and annual reports. (a) Persons authorized to transmit electric energy from the United States shall promptly file all supplements...

10 CFR 205.308 - Filing schedule and annual reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

....308 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OIL ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES AND SANCTIONS Electric Power System... to Transmit Electric Energy to A Foreign Country § 205.308 Filing schedule and annual reports. (a) Persons authorized to transmit electric energy from the United States shall promptly file all supplements...

Impact of climate change on occupational exposure to solar radiation.

PubMed

Grandi, Carlo; Borra, Massimo; Militello, Andrea; Polichetti, Alessandro

2016-01-01

Occupational exposure to solar radiation may induce both acute and long-term effects on skin and eyes. Personal exposure is very difficult to assess accurately, as it depends on environmental, organisational and individual factors. The ongoing climate change interacting with stratospheric ozone dynamics may affect occupational exposure to solar radiation. In addition, tropospheric levels of environmental pollutants interacting with solar radiation may be altered by climate dynamics, so introducing another variable affecting the overall exposure to solar radiation. Given the uncertainties regarding the direction of changes in exposure to solar radiation due to climate change, compliance of outdoor workers with protective measures and a proper health surveillance are crucial. At the same time, education and training, along with the promotion of healthier lifestyles, are of paramount importance.

Solar and Calendrical Symbolism in the Early Medieval Finnish Church Murals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ridderstad, Marianna

2015-05-01

The earliest church murals of the first stone churches in Finland were painted at the time when Christianity had only just become the official faith in the region and the old ethnic religion was still widely practiced. The 'pagan' motifs of these Early Medieval Finnish church murals reflect the complexity of the religious beliefs in this transition phase. The church actively transformed the festivals of the vernacular religion by giving Christian meanings to the symbols and rituals, as well as by replacing the ethnic deities with Christian figures. The solar symbolism and the calendrical motifs of the church murals are interpreted as imagery largely based on the Christianized remnants of the pre-Christian annual festivals. The earliest church murals thus provide important insight into the pre-Christian religious beliefs of late Iron Age Finland. Many of the motifs and symbols represented in the murals are related to the annual fertility cult and the solar goddess as one of its central figures.

Long-term solar UV radiation reconstructed by Artificial Neural Networks (ANN)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feister, U.; Junk, J.; Woldt, M.

2008-01-01

Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) are efficient tools to derive solar UV radiation from measured meteorological parameters such as global radiation, aerosol optical depths and atmospheric column ozone. The ANN model has been tested with different combinations of data from the two sites Potsdam and Lindenberg, and used to reconstruct solar UV radiation at eight European sites by more than 100 years into the past. Annual totals of UV radiation derived from reconstructed daily UV values reflect interannual variations and long-term patterns that are compatible with variabilities and changes of measured input data, in particular global dimming by about 1980-1990, subsequent global brightening, volcanic eruption effects such as that of Mt. Pinatubo, and the long-term ozone decline since the 1970s. Patterns of annual erythemal UV radiation are very similar at sites located at latitudes close to each other, but different patterns occur between UV radiation at sites in different latitude regions.

Annual Variations of the Geomagnetic Field in the Earth's Polar Regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ou, Jiaming; Du, Aimin

2017-04-01

The annual variations of the geomagnetic field play an important role in the coupling processes between the solar wind, magnetosphere and ionosphere. The annual variation is a well-established feature of the geomagnetic field, and usually is applied for modeling the conductivity of the lower mantle [Parkinson, 1983], and for long-term space weather forecasting [Bartels, 1932; Malin and Mete Isikara, 1976; Gonzalez et al., 1994]. Considerable effort has been devoted toward understanding the causes of the geomagnetic field variations, but the suggested physical mechanisms differ widely. The annual variation is relatively weak in many magnetic indices, but it has a distinct signature in the geomagnetic components. Thus, we use the components for this analysis. The components have a positive peak in northern summer and a negative dip in winter [Vestine, 1954]. Vestine [1954] suggested that the annual variation is caused by an ionospheric dynamo in which electric currents in the ionosphere are generated by meridional winds. The winds blow from north-to-south during northern summer, and south-to-north in northern winter. Malin and Mete Isikara [1976], using near-midnight geomagnetic data, concluded that the annual variation results from a latitudinal movement of the auroral electrojet or the ring current. Stauning [2011] derived of the seasonal variation of the quiet daily variations and examined the influence of the sector structure of the interplanetary magnetic field. Ziegger and Mursula [1998] have suggested a third mechanism: that the cause is related to an asymmetric solar wind speed distribution across the heliographic equator. In this paper, we study the annual variation problem using long-term magnetic observation and ionospheric conductivity. The sunlight incident on the ionosphere will be calculated. Although a global analysis is done, particular focus will be placed on the polar regions. This study covers the interval 1990-2010, and the cause of the well

Size Distributions of Solar Proton Events: Methodological and Physical Restrictions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miroshnichenko, L. I.; Yanke, V. G.

2016-12-01

Based on the new catalogue of solar proton events (SPEs) for the period of 1997 - 2009 (Solar Cycle 23) we revisit the long-studied problem of the event-size distributions in the context of those constructed for other solar-flare parameters. Recent results on the problem of size distributions of solar flares and proton events are briefly reviewed. Even a cursory acquaintance with this research field reveals a rather mixed and controversial picture. We concentrate on three main issues: i) SPE size distribution for {>} 10 MeV protons in Solar Cycle 23; ii) size distribution of {>} 1 GV proton events in 1942 - 2014; iii) variations of annual numbers for {>} 10 MeV proton events on long time scales (1955 - 2015). Different results are critically compared; most of the studies in this field are shown to suffer from vastly different input datasets as well as from insufficient knowledge of underlying physical processes in the SPEs under consideration. New studies in this field should be made on more distinct physical and methodological bases. It is important to note the evident similarity in size distributions of solar flares and superflares in Sun-like stars.

A Research Program in Computer Technology. 1986 Annual Technical Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-08-01

1986 (Annual Technical Report I July 1985 - June 1986 A Research Program in Computer Technology ISI/SR-87-178 U S C INFORMA-TION S C I EN C ES...Program in Computer Technology (Unclassified) 12. PERSONAL AUTHOR(S) 151 Research Staff 13a. TYPE OF REPORT 113b. TIME COVERED 14 DATE OF REPORT (Yeer...survivable networks 17. distributed processing, local networks, personal computers, workstation environment 18. computer acquisition, Strategic Computing 19

Invariant Solar Sail Formations in Elliptical Sun-Synchronous Orbits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parsay, Khashayar

Current and past missions that study the Earth's geomagnetic tail require multiple spacecraft to fly in formation about a highly eccentric Keplerian reference orbit that has its apogee inside a predefined science region of interest. Because the geomagnetic tail is directed along the Sun-Earth line and therefore rotates annually, inertially fixed Keplerian orbits are only aligned with the geomagnetic tail once per year. This limitation reduces the duration of the science phase to less than a few months annually. Solar sails are capable of creating non-Keplerian, Sun-synchronous orbits that rotate with the geomagnetic tail. A solar sail flying in a Sun-synchronous orbit will have a continuous presence in the geomagnetic tail throughout the entire year, which significantly improves the in situ observations of the magnetosphere. To achieve a Sun-synchronous orbit, a solar sail is required to maintain a Sun-pointing attitude, which leads to the artificial precession of the orbit apse line in a Sun-synchronous manner, leaving the orbit apogee inside the science region of interest throughout entire the year. To study the spatial and temporal variations of plasma in the highly dynamic environment of the magnetosphere, multiple spacecraft must fly in a formation. The objective for this dissertation is to investigate the feasibility of solar sail formation flying in the Earth-centered, Sun-synchronous orbit regime. The focus of this effort is to enable formation flying for a group of solar sails that maintain a nominally fixed Sun-pointing attitude during formation flight, solely for the purpose of precessing their orbit apse lines Sun-synchronously. A fixed-attitude solar sail formation is motivated by the difficulties in the simultaneous control of orbit and attitude in flying solar sails. First, the secular rates of the orbital elements resulting from the effects of solar radiation pressure (SRP) are determined using averaging theory for a Sun-pointing attitude sail

Solar pond power plant feasibility study for Davis, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, Y. C.; Singer, M. J.; Marsh, H. E.; Harris, J.; Walton, A. L.

1982-01-01

The feasibility of constructing a solar pond power plant at Davis, California was studied. Site visits, weather data compilation, soil and water analyses, conceptual system design and analyses, a material and equipment market survey, conceptual site layout, and a preliminary cost estimate were studied. It was concluded that a solar pond power plant is technically feasible, but economically unattractive. The relatively small scale of the proposed plant and the high cost of importing salt resulted in a disproportionately high capital investment with respect to the annual energy production capacity of the plant. Cycle optimization and increased plant size would increase the economical attractiveness of the proposed concept.

Colorado State University: A Midscale Market Solar Customer Case Study

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

Holm, Alison; Chernyakhovskiy, Ilya

Despite substantial increases in solar photovoltaic (PV) deployment between 2005 and 2015, a large untapped market for solar PV deployment still exists in midscale market investments by universities. Recent estimates show that if all universities in the United States installed enough solar PV to meet 25% of their annual electricity consumption, this would cumulatively result in just over 16 gigawatts (GW) of additional installed PV capacity. Within this context, midscale market projects - loosely defined as solar PV installations ranging from 100 kilowatts (kW) to 2 megawatts (MW), but more broadly representing installations not captured in the residential or utility-scalemore » sectors - could be an attractive option for universities. This case study focuses on one university solar customer, Colorado State University (CSU), to provide a detailed example of the challenges, solutions, and opportunities associated with university solar power procurement. Between 2009 and 2015, a combined 6,754 kW of both ground-mounted and rooftop solar PV was installed across multiple CSU campuses in Fort Collins, Colorado. This case study highlights CSU's decision-making process, campus engagement strategies, and relationships with state, local, and utility partners, which have culminated in significant on-campus PV deployment.« less

A comparison of GaAs and Si hybrid solar power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heinbockel, J. H.; Roberts, A. S., Jr.

1977-01-01

Five different hybrid solar power systems using silicon solar cells to produce thermal and electric power are modeled and compared with a hybrid system using a GaAs cell. Among the indices determined are capital cost per unit electric power plus mechanical power, annual cost per unit electric energy, and annual cost per unit electric plus mechanical work. Current costs are taken to be $35,000/sq m for GaAs cells with an efficiency of 15% and $1000/sq m for Si cells with an efficiency of 10%. It is shown that hybrid systems can be competitive with existing methods of practical energy conversion. Limiting values for annual costs of Si and GaAs cells are calculated to be 10.3 cents/kWh and 6.8 cents/kWh, respectively. Results for both systems indicate that for a given flow rate there is an optimal operating condition for minimum cost photovoltaic output. For Si cell costs of $50/sq m optimal performance can be achieved at concentrations of about 10; for GaAs cells costing 1000/sq m, optimal performance can be obtained at concentrations of around 100. High concentration hybrid systems offer a distinct cost advantage over flat systems.

Statistical study of cold-dense plasma sheet: spatial distribution and semi-annual variation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Q.; Bai, S.; Tian, A.; Nowada, M.; Degeling, A. W.; Zhou, X. Z.; Zong, Q.; Rae, J.; Fu, S.; Zhang, H.; Pu, Z.; Fazakerley, A. N.

2017-12-01

The cold-dense plasma sheet (CDPS), which plays an important role in the solar wind-magnetosphere coupling during geomagnetic quiet times, is often observed in the magnetosphere, and also be considered as an important particle source for the ring current during geomagnetic storms. However, the long term variation of CDPS occurrences has not been investigated. Using 21 years of Geotail data (1996-2016), we found 677 CDPS events and investigated the long term variation of CDPS occurrence. The spatial distribution of CDPS is also investigated using the in situ observation of Geotail. Since the solar wind entry is easier to occur under stronger northward IMF conditions, we investigated the IMF conditions using 49 years of IMF data (1968-2016) from OMNI data set. We found that both the CDPS occurrence and positive IMF Bz have semi-annual variations, and the variation of positive IMF Bz is consistent with the Russell-McPherron (R-M) effect. Therefore we consider that the semi-annual variation of CDPS occurrence is related to the R-M effect.

Ecological study of solar radiation and cancer mortality in Japan.

PubMed

Mizoue, Tetsuya

2004-11-01

Geographic observation of the increased mortality of some cancers at higher latitudes has led to a hypothesis that vitamin D produced after exposure to solar radiation has anti-carcinogenic effects. However, it is unclear whether such association would be observed in countries like Japan, where fish consumption, and therefore dietary vitamin D intake, is high. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated between averaged annual solar radiation levels for the period from 1961 through 1990 and cancer mortality in the year 2000 in 47 prefectures in Japan, with adjustments for regional per capita income and dietary factors. A moderate, inverse correlation with solar radiation was observed for cancers of the esophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, pancreas, and gallbladder and bile ducts in both sexes (correlation coefficient, ranging from -0.6 to -0.3). The results of this study support the hypothesis that increased exposure to solar radiation reduces the risk of cancers of the digestive organs.

Solar Radiation Estimated Through Mesoscale Atmospheric Modeling over Northeast Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Menezes Neto, Otacilio Leandro; Costa, Alexandre Araújo; Ramalho, Fernando Pinto; de Maria, Paulo Henrique Santiago

2009-03-01

The use of renewable energy sources, like solar, wind and biomass is rapidly increasing in recent years, with solar radiation as a particularly abundant energy source over Northeast Brazil. A proper quantitative knowledge of the incoming solar radiation is of great importance for energy planning in Brazil, serving as basis for developing future projects of photovoltaic power plants and solar energy exploitation. This work presents a methodology for mapping the incoming solar radiation at ground level for Northeast Brazil, using a mesoscale atmospheric model (Regional Atmospheric Modeling System—RAMS), calibrated and validated using data from the network of automatic surface stations from the State Foundation for Meteorology and Water Resources from Ceará (Fundação Cearense de Meteorologia e Recursos Hídricos- FUNCEME). The results showed that the model exhibits systematic errors, overestimating surface radiation, but that, after the proper statistical corrections, using a relationship between the model-predicted cloud fraction, the ground-level observed solar radiation and the incoming solar radiation estimated at the top of the atmosphere, a correlation of 0.92 with a confidence interval of 13.5 W/m2 is found for monthly data. Using this methodology, we found an estimate for annual average incoming solar radiation over Ceará of 215 W/m2 (maximum in October: 260 W/m2).

Quantifying uncertainties of climate signals related to the 11-year solar cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruschke, T.; Kunze, M.; Matthes, K. B.; Langematz, U.; Wahl, S.

2017-12-01

Although state-of-the-art reconstructions based on proxies and (semi-)empirical models converge in terms of total solar irradiance, they still significantly differ in terms of spectral solar irradiance (SSI) with respect to the mean spectral distribution of energy input and temporal variability. This study aims at quantifying uncertainties for the Earth's climate related to the 11-year solar cycle by forcing two chemistry-climate models (CCMs) - CESM1(WACCM) and EMAC - with five different SSI reconstructions (NRLSSI1, NRLSSI2, SATIRE-T, SATIRE-S, CMIP6-SSI) and the reference spectrum RSSV1-ATLAS3, derived from observations. We conduct a unique set of timeslice experiments. External forcings and boundary conditions are fixed and identical for all experiments, except for the solar forcing. The set of analyzed simulations consists of one solar minimum simulation, employing RSSV1-ATLAS3 and five solar maximum experiments. The latter are a result of adding the amplitude of solar cycle 22 according to the five reconstructions to RSSV1-ATLAS3. Our results show that the climate response to the 11y solar cycle is generally robust across CCMs and SSI forcings. However, analyzing the variance of the solar maximum ensemble by means of ANOVA-statistics reveals additional information on the uncertainties of the mean climate signals. The annual mean response agrees very well between the two CCMs for most parts of the lower and middle atmosphere. Only the upper mesosphere is subject to significant differences related to the choice of the model. However, the different SSI forcings lead to significant differences in ozone concentrations, shortwave heating rates, and temperature throughout large parts of the mesosphere and upper stratosphere. Regarding the seasonal evolution of the climate signals, our findings for short wave heating rates, and temperature are similar to the annual means with respect to the relative importance of the choice of the model or the SSI forcing for the

Simulation and optimum design of hybrid solar-wind and solar-wind-diesel power generation systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Wei

Solar and wind energy systems are considered as promising power generating sources due to its availability and topological advantages in local power generations. However, a drawback, common to solar and wind options, is their unpredictable nature and dependence on weather changes, both of these energy systems would have to be oversized to make them completely reliable. Fortunately, the problems caused by variable nature of these resources can be partially overcome by integrating these two resources in a proper combination to form a hybrid system. However, with the increased complexity in comparison with single energy systems, optimum design of hybrid system becomes more complicated. In order to efficiently and economically utilize the renewable energy resources, one optimal sizing method is necessary. This thesis developed an optimal sizing method to find the global optimum configuration of stand-alone hybrid (both solar-wind and solar-wind-diesel) power generation systems. By using Genetic Algorithm (GA), the optimal sizing method was developed to calculate the system optimum configuration which offers to guarantee the lowest investment with full use of the PV array, wind turbine and battery bank. For the hybrid solar-wind system, the optimal sizing method is developed based on the Loss of Power Supply Probability (LPSP) and the Annualized Cost of System (ACS) concepts. The optimization procedure aims to find the configuration that yields the best compromise between the two considered objectives: LPSP and ACS. The decision variables, which need to be optimized in the optimization process, are the PV module capacity, wind turbine capacity, battery capacity, PV module slope angle and wind turbine installation height. For the hybrid solar-wind-diesel system, minimization of the system cost is achieved not only by selecting an appropriate system configuration, but also by finding a suitable control strategy (starting and stopping point) of the diesel generator. The

The Solar Connections Observatory for Planetary Environments (SCOPE):

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliversen, R.; Harris, W.; Ballester, G.; Bougher, S.; Broadfoot, L.; Combi, M.; Cravens, T.; Gombosi, T.; Herbert, F.; Joseph, C.; Kozyra, J.; Limaye, S.; Morgenthaler, J.; Paxton, L.; Roesler, F.; Sandel, W.; Ben Jaffel, L.

2001-12-01

The NASA Sun-Earth Connection theme roadmap calls for comparative study of how the planets and local interstellar medium (LISM) interact with and respond to changes in the solar wind and UV radiation field. Each planet interaction is unique and defined by solar input and local conditions of magnetic field strength and orientation, rotation rate, heliocentric distance, internal plasma, and ionospheric conductivity and circulation. Because the different elements of the environment respond to external and internal influences that are variable on many temporal and spatial scales, the study of a planetary system requires simultaneous understanding of the solar wind and diagnostics of the sun-planet interaction including auroral intensity and variation, upper atmospheric circulation and composition, and the distribution of neutrals and plasmas near the planet. The Solar Connections Observatory for Planetary Environments (SCOPE) is a mission to study Solar interactions from the level of planetary upper atmospheres to the heliopause. SCOPE consists of a binocular EUV/FUV telescope that provides high spatial resolution imaging, broadband spectro-imaging, and high-resolution H Ly-alpha line spectroscopy between 55-290 nm. SCOPE will study planetary environments as examples of the solar connection and map the distribution of interplanetary H and the interaction of LISM plasma with the solar wind at the heliopause. A key to the SCOPE approach is to include Earth in its research objectives. SCOPE will monitor terrestrial auroral energy deposition and leverage local measurements of the solar wind and propagation models to derive the expected conditions at Superior planets that will be observed in annual opposition campaigns. This will permit direct comparison of planetary and terrestrial responses to the same solar wind stream. Using a combination of observations and MHD models, SCOPE will isolate the different controlling parameters in each planet system and gain insight into

Gaalas/Gaas Solar Cell Process Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Almgren, D. W.; Csigi, K. I.

1980-01-01

Available information on liquid phase, vapor phase (including chemical vapor deposition) and molecular beam epitaxy growth procedures that could be used to fabricate single crystal, heteroface, (AlGa) As/GaAs solar cells, for space applications is summarized. A comparison of the basic cost elements of the epitaxy growth processes shows that the current infinite melt LPE process has the lower cost per cell for an annual production rate of 10,000 cells. The metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MO-CVD) process has the potential for low cost production of solar cells but there is currently a significant uncertainty in process yield, i.e., the fraction of active material in the input gas stream that ends up in the cell. Additional work is needed to optimize and document the process parameters for the MO-CVD process.

Potential for large-scale solar collector system to offset carbon-based heating in the Ontario greenhouse sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semple, Lucas M.; Carriveau, Rupp; Ting, David S.-K.

2018-04-01

In the Ontario greenhouse sector the misalignment of available solar radiation during the summer months and large heating demand during the winter months makes solar thermal collector systems an unviable option without some form of seasonal energy storage. Information obtained from Ontario greenhouse operators has shown that over 20% of annual natural gas usage occurs during the summer months for greenhouse pre-heating prior to sunrise. A transient model of the greenhouse microclimate and indoor conditioning systems is carried out using TRNSYS software and validated with actual natural gas usage data. A large-scale solar thermal collector system is then incorporated and found to reduce the annual heating energy demand by approximately 35%. The inclusion of the collector system correlates to a reduction of about 120 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions per acre of greenhouse per year. System payback period is discussed considering the benefits of a future Ontario carbon tax.

Changes in solar wind-magnetosphere coupling with solar cycle, season, and time relative to stream interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McPherron, Robert L.; Baker, Daniel N.; Pulkkinen, T. I.; Hsu, T.-S.; Kissinger, J.; Chu, X.

2013-07-01

Geomagnetic activity depends on a variety of factors including solar zenith angle, solar UV, strength of the interplanetary magnetic field, speed and density of the solar wind, orientation of the Earth’s dipole, distance of the Earth from Sun, occurrence of CMEs and CIRs, and possibly other parameters. We have investigated some of these using state-dependant linear prediction filters. For a given state a prediction filter transforms a coupling function such as rectified solar wind electric field (VBs) to an output like the auroral electrojet index (AL). The area of this filter calculated from the sum of the filter coefficients measures the strength of the coupling. When the input and output are steady for a time longer than the duration of the filter the ratio of output to input is equal to this area. We find coupling strength defined in this way for Es=VBs to AL (and AU) is weakest at solar maximum and strongest at solar minimum. AL coupling displays a semiannual variation being weakest at the solstices and strongest at the equinoxes. AU coupling has only an annual variation being strongest at summer solstice. AL and AU coupling also vary with time relative to a stream interface. Es coupling is weaker after the interface, but ULF coupling is stronger. Total prediction efficiency remains about constant at the interface. The change in coupling strength with the solar cycle can be explained as an effect of more frequent saturation of the polar cap potential causing a smaller ratio of AL to Es. Stronger AL coupling at the equinoxes possibly indicates some process that makes magnetic reconnection less efficient when the dipole axis is tilted along the Earth-Sun line. Strong AU coupling at summer solstice is likely due to high conductivity in northern summer. Coupling changes at a stream interface are correlated with the presence of strong wave activity in ground and satellite measurements and may be an artifact of the method by which solar wind data are propagated.

Indicators of Welfare Dependence: Annual Report to Congress, 2003.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC.

This sixth annual report provides welfare dependence indicators through 2000, reflecting changes since enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act in 1996 and highlighting benefits under Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), now Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); the Food Stamp program; and Supplement…

An investigation of the solar cycle response of odd-nitrogen in the thermosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rusch, David W.; Solomon, Stanley C.

1992-01-01

This annual report covers the first year of funding for the study of the solar cycle variations of odd-nitrogen (N((sup 2)D), N((sup 4)S), NO) in the Earth's thermosphere. The study uses the extensive data base generated by the Atmosphere Explorer (AE) satellites, and the Solar Mesosphere Explorer Satellite. The AE data are being used, for the first time, to define the solar variability effect on the odd-nitrogen species through analysis of the emissions at 520 nano-m from N((sup 2)D) and the emission from O(+)((sup 2)P). Additional AE neutral and ion density data are used to help define and quantify the physical processes controlling the variations. The results from the airglow study will be used in the next two years of this study to explain the solar cycle changes in NO measured by the Solar Mesosphere Explorer.

A process-level attribution of the annual cycle of surface temperature over the Maritime Continent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yana; Yang, Song; Deng, Yi; Hu, Xiaoming; Cai, Ming

2017-12-01

The annual cycle of the surface temperature over the Maritime Continent (MC) is characterized by two periods of rapid warming in March-April and September-October, respectively, and a period of rapid cooling in June-July. Based upon an analysis of energy balance within individual atmosphere-surface columns, the seasonal variations of surface temperature in the MC are partitioned into partial temperature changes associated with various radiative and non-radiative (dynamical) processes. The seasonal variations in direct solar forcing and surface latent heat flux show the largest positive contributions to the annual cycle of MC surface temperature while the changes in oceanic dynamics (including ocean heat content change) work against the temperature changes related to the annual cycle. The rapid warming in March-April is mainly a result of the changes in atmospheric quick processes and ocean-atmosphere coupling such as water vapor, surface latent heat flux, clouds, and atmospheric dynamics while the contributions from direct solar forcing and oceanic dynamics are negative. This feature is in contrast to that associated with the warming in September-October, which is driven mainly by the changes in solar forcing with a certain amount of contributions from water vapor and latent heat flux change. More contribution from atmospheric quick processes and ocean-atmosphere coupling in March-April coincides with the sudden northward movement of deep convection belt, while less contribution from these quick processes and coupling is accompanied with the convection belt slowly moving southward. The main contributors to the rapid cooling in June-July are the same as those to the rapid warming in March-April, and the cooling is also negatively contributed by direct solar forcing and oceanic dynamics. The changes in water vapor in all three periods contribute positively to the change in total temperature and they are associated with the change in the location of the center of

Skin Cancer, Irradiation, and Sunspots: The Solar Cycle Effect

PubMed Central

Zurbenko, Igor

2014-01-01

Skin cancer is diagnosed in more than 2 million individuals annually in the United States. It is strongly associated with ultraviolet exposure, with melanoma risk doubling after five or more sunburns. Solar activity, characterized by features such as irradiance and sunspots, undergoes an 11-year solar cycle. This fingerprint frequency accounts for relatively small variation on Earth when compared to other uncorrelated time scales such as daily and seasonal cycles. Kolmogorov-Zurbenko filters, applied to the solar cycle and skin cancer data, separate the components of different time scales to detect weaker long term signals and investigate the relationships between long term trends. Analyses of crosscorrelations reveal epidemiologically consistent latencies between variables which can then be used for regression analysis to calculate a coefficient of influence. This method reveals that strong numerical associations, with correlations >0.5, exist between these small but distinct long term trends in the solar cycle and skin cancer. This improves modeling skin cancer trends on long time scales despite the stronger variation in other time scales and the destructive presence of noise. PMID:25126567

Solar-Electrochemical Power System for a Mars Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Withrow, Colleen A.; Morales, Nelson

1994-01-01

This report documents a sizing study of a variety of solar electrochemical power systems for the intercenter NASA study known as 'Mars Exploration Reference Mission'. Power systems are characterized for a variety of rovers, habitation modules, and space transport vehicles based on requirements derived from the reference mission. The mission features a six-person crew living on Mars for 500 days. Mission power requirements range from 4 kWe to 120 kWe. Primary hydrogen and oxygen fuel cells, regenerative hydrogen and oxygen fuel cells, sodium sulfur batteries advanced photovoltaic solar arrays of gallium arsenide on germanium with tracking and nontracking mechanisms, and tent solar arrays of gallium arsenide on germanium are evaluated and compared.

Final results of Borexino Phase-I on low-energy solar neutrino spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellini, G.; Benziger, J.; Bick, D.; Bonfini, G.; Bravo, D.; Buizza Avanzini, M.; Caccianiga, B.; Cadonati, L.; Calaprice, F.; Cavalcante, P.; Chavarria, A.; Chepurnov, A.; D'Angelo, D.; Davini, S.; Derbin, A.; Empl, A.; Etenko, A.; Fomenko, K.; Franco, D.; Gabriele, F.; Galbiati, C.; Gazzana, S.; Ghiano, C.; Giammarchi, M.; Göger-Neff, M.; Goretti, A.; Grandi, L.; Gromov, M.; Hagner, C.; Hungerford, E.; Ianni, Aldo; Ianni, Andrea; Kobychev, V.; Korablev, D.; Korga, G.; Kryn, D.; Laubenstein, M.; Lewke, T.; Litvinovich, E.; Loer, B.; Lombardi, F.; Lombardi, P.; Ludhova, L.; Lukyanchenko, G.; Machulin, I.; Manecki, S.; Maneschg, W.; Manuzio, G.; Meindl, Q.; Meroni, E.; Miramonti, L.; Misiaszek, M.; Montuschi, M.; Mosteiro, P.; Muratova, V.; Oberauer, L.; Obolensky, M.; Ortica, F.; Otis, K.; Pallavicini, M.; Papp, L.; Pena-Garay, C.; Perasso, L.; Perasso, S.; Pocar, A.; Ranucci, G.; Razeto, A.; Re, A.; Romani, A.; Rossi, N.; Saldanha, R.; Salvo, C.; Schönert, S.; Simgen, H.; Skorokhvatov, M.; Smirnov, O.; Sotnikov, A.; Sukhotin, S.; Suvorov, Y.; Tartaglia, R.; Testera, G.; Vignaud, D.; Vogelaar, R. B.; von Feilitzsch, F.; Winter, J.; Wojcik, M.; Wright, A.; Wurm, M.; Xu, J.; Zaimidoroga, O.; Zavatarelli, S.; Zuzel, G.; Borexino Collaboration

2014-06-01

Borexino has been running since May 2007 at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso laboratory in Italy with the primary goal of detecting solar neutrinos. The detector, a large, unsegmented liquid scintillator calorimeter characterized by unprecedented low levels of intrinsic radioactivity, is optimized for the study of the lower energy part of the spectrum. During Phase-I (2007-2010), Borexino first detected and then precisely measured the flux of the Be7 solar neutrinos, ruled out any significant day-night asymmetry of their interaction rate, made the first direct observation of the pep neutrinos, and set the tightest upper limit on the flux of solar neutrinos produced in the CNO cycle (carbon, nitrogen, oxigen) where carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen serve as catalysts in the fusion process. In this paper we discuss the signal signature and provide a comprehensive description of the backgrounds, quantify their event rates, describe the methods for their identification, selection, or subtraction, and describe data analysis. Key features are an extensive in situ calibration program using radioactive sources, the detailed modeling of the detector response, the ability to define an innermost fiducial volume with extremely low background via software cuts, and the excellent pulse-shape discrimination capability of the scintillator that allows particle identification. We report a measurement of the annual modulation of the Be7 neutrino interaction rate. The period, the amplitude, and the phase of the observed modulation are consistent with the solar origin of these events, and the absence of their annual modulation is rejected with higher than 99% C.L. The physics implications of Phase-I results in the context of the neutrino oscillation physics and solar models are presented.

El Toro Library Solar Heating and Cooling Demonstration Project. Final report

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

Not Available

This report is divided into a number of essentially independent sections, each of which covers a specific topic. The sections, and the topics covered, are as follows. Section 1 provides a brief summary description of the solar energy heating and cooling system including the key final design parameters. Section 2 contains a copy of the final Acceptance Test Report. Section 3 consists of a reduced set of final updated as-built mechanical, electrical, control and instrumentations drawings of the solar energy heating and cooling system. Section 4 provides a summary of system maintenance requirements, in the form of a maintenance schedulemore » which lists necessary maintenance tasks to be performed at monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual intervals. Section 5 contains a series of photographs of the final solar energy system installation, including the collector field and the mechanical equipment room. Section 6 provides a concise summary of system operation and performance for the period of December 1981 through June 1982, as measured, computed and reported by Vitro Laboratories Division of Automation Industries, Inc., for the DOE National Solar Data Network. Section 7 provides a summary of key as-built design parameters, compared with the corresponding original design concept parameters. Section 8 provides a description of a series of significant problems encountered during construction, start-up and check-out of the solar energy heating and cooling system, together with the method employed to solve the problem at the time and/or recommendations for avoiding the problem in the future design of similar systems. Appendices A through H contain the installation, operation and maintenance submittals of the various manufacturers on the major items of equipment in the system. Reference CAPE-2823.« less

A program for the calculation of paraboloidal-dish solar thermal power plant performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowyer, J. M., Jr.

1985-01-01

A program capable of calculating the design-point and quasi-steady-state annual performance of a paraboloidal-concentrator solar thermal power plant without energy storage was written for a programmable calculator equipped with suitable printer. The power plant may be located at any site for which a histogram of annual direct normal insolation is available. Inputs required by the program are aperture area and the design and annual efficiencies of the concentrator; the intercept factor and apparent efficiency of the power conversion subsystem and a polynomial representation of its normalized part-load efficiency; the efficiency of the electrical generator or alternator; the efficiency of the electric power conditioning and transport subsystem; and the fractional parasitic loses for the plant. Losses to auxiliaries associated with each individual module are to be deducted when the power conversion subsystem efficiencies are calculated. Outputs provided by the program are the system design efficiency, the annualized receiver efficiency, the annualized power conversion subsystem efficiency, total annual direct normal insolation received per unit area of concentrator aperture, and the system annual efficiency.

Highlighting the history of Japanese radio astronomy. 5: The 1950 Osaka solar grating array proposal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wendt, Harry; Orchiston, Wayne; Ishiguro, Masato; Nakamura, Tsuko

2017-04-01

In November 1950, a paper was presented at the 5th Annual Assembly of the Physical Society of Japan that outlined the plan for a radio frequency grating array, designed to provide high-resolution observations of solar radio emission at 3.3 GHz. This short paper provides details of the invention of this array, which occurred independently of W.N. Christiansen's invention of the solar grating array in Australia at almost the same time.

Calculating solar photovoltaic potential on residential rooftops in Kailua Kona, Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carl, Caroline

As carbon based fossil fuels become increasingly scarce, renewable energy sources are coming to the forefront of policy discussions around the globe. As a result, the State of Hawaii has implemented aggressive goals to achieve energy independence by 2030. Renewable electricity generation using solar photovoltaic technologies plays an important role in these efforts. This study utilizes geographic information systems (GIS) and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data with statistical analysis to identify how much solar photovoltaic potential exists for residential rooftops in the town of Kailua Kona on Hawaii Island. This study helps to quantify the magnitude of possible solar photovoltaic (PV) potential for Solar World SW260 monocrystalline panels on residential rooftops within the study area. Three main areas were addressed in the execution of this research: (1) modeling solar radiation, (2) estimating available rooftop area, and (3) calculating PV potential from incoming solar radiation. High resolution LiDAR data and Esri's solar modeling tools and were utilized to calculate incoming solar radiation on a sample set of digitized rooftops. Photovoltaic potential for the sample set was then calculated with the equations developed by Suri et al. (2005). Sample set rooftops were analyzed using a statistical model to identify the correlation between rooftop area and lot size. Least squares multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify the influence of slope, elevation, rooftop area, and lot size on the modeled PV potential values. The equations built from these statistical analyses of the sample set were applied to the entire study region to calculate total rooftop area and PV potential. The total study area statistical analysis findings estimate photovoltaic electric energy generation potential for rooftops is approximately 190,000,000 kWh annually. This is approximately 17 percent of the total electricity the utility provided to the entire island in

Evolution of the Sunspot Number and Solar Wind B Time Series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cliver, Edward W.; Herbst, Konstantin

2018-03-01

The past two decades have witnessed significant changes in our knowledge of long-term solar and solar wind activity. The sunspot number time series (1700-present) developed by Rudolf Wolf during the second half of the 19th century was revised and extended by the group sunspot number series (1610-1995) of Hoyt and Schatten during the 1990s. The group sunspot number is significantly lower than the Wolf series before ˜1885. An effort from 2011-2015 to understand and remove differences between these two series via a series of workshops had the unintended consequence of prompting several alternative constructions of the sunspot number. Thus it has been necessary to expand and extend the sunspot number reconciliation process. On the solar wind side, after a decade of controversy, an ISSI International Team used geomagnetic and sunspot data to obtain a high-confidence time series of the solar wind magnetic field strength (B) from 1750-present that can be compared with two independent long-term (> ˜600 year) series of annual B-values based on cosmogenic nuclides. In this paper, we trace the twists and turns leading to our current understanding of long-term solar and solar wind activity.

SERI Solar Energy Storage Program: FY 1984

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luft, W.; Bohn, M.; Copeland, R. J.; Kreith, F.; Nix, R. G.

1985-02-01

The activities of the Solar Energy Research Institute's Solar Energy Research Institute's Solar Energy Storage Program during its sixth year are summarized. During FY 1984 a study was conducted to identify the most promising high-temperature containment concepts considering corrosion resistance, material strength at high temperature, reliability of performance, and cost. Of the two generic types of high-temperature thermal storage concepts, the single-tank system was selected using a two-medium approach to the thermocline maintenance. This concept promises low costs, but further research is required. A conceptual design for a sand-to-air direct-contact heat exchanger was developed using dual-lock hoppers to introduce the sand into the fluidized-bed exchanger, and using cyclones to remove sand particles from the output air stream. Preliminary cost estimates indicate heat exchanger subsystem annual levelized costs of about $4/GJ with compressor costs of an additional $0.75/GJ. An economic analysis comparing sensible and latent heat storage for nitrate and carbonate salts with solely sensible heat storage showed 3%-21% cost savings with combined sensible and latent heat storage.

1977 Nationwide Personal Transportation Study : household vehicle utilization

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1981-04-01

This report is part of a series that presents findings from the 1977 Nationwide Personal Transportation Study (NPTS). This report describes patterns of utilization of private vehicles (annual miles driven) in 1977. Utilization is keyed to estimates p...

Laboratory Experiments to Simulate and Investigate the Physics Underlying the Dynamics of Merging Solar Corona Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-05

have attended and made presen- tations at the annual APS Division of Plasma Physics Meeting, the bi-annual High Energy Laboratory Astrophysics meeting...the AFOSR Space Science Pro- gram Review, the SHINE solar physics meeting, the International Astrophysics Conference, and the workshop “Complex plasma...tor k and Resolving Space-time Ambiguity. GR-Space Physics . submitted. Bellan, P. M., Zhai, X., Chai, K. B., & Ha, B. N. 2015. Complex astrophysical

78 FR 34403 - Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Quartzsite Solar Energy Project, AZ

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-07

...: http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/energy/solar/quartzsite_solar_energy.html . FOR FURTHER INFORMATION... . Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay.... You will receive a reply during normal business hours. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Quartzsite Solar...

Solar heating and hot water system installed at Southeast of Saline, Unified School District 306, Mentor, Kansas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The solar system, installed in a new building, was designed to provide 52 percent of the estimated annual space heating load and 84 percent of the estimated annual potable hot water requirement. The liquid flat plate collectors are ground-mounted and cover a total area of 5125 square feet. The system will provide supplemental heat for the school's closed-loop water-to-air heat pump system and domestic hot water. The storage medium is water inside steel tanks with a capacity of 11,828 gallons for space heating and 1,600 gallons for domestic hot water. The solar heating facility is described and drawings are presented of the completed system which was declared operational in September 1978, and has functioned successfully since.

Conference Scene: Personalized Medicine comes to Harvard.

PubMed

Greenberg, Tarryn

2012-01-01

The Seventh Annual Harvard Personalized Medicine Conference was held at The Joseph B Martin Conference Center at the Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA, USA on the 9-10 November 2011. The 2-day conference program was designed to highlight the impact that personalized medicine is currently making clinically as it enters the healthcare delivery system. Going forward, policies, plans and actions of stakeholders including those from government, academia and the private sector need to be informed and guided by recent experience - all of which the conference program set out to explore. The conference attracted over 600 national and international thought leaders all involved in personalized healthcare.

Grid-Parity Solar Power for Department of Defense Installations

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-01

MW DC. Installed capacity of panels. Capacity of 1 MW DC. Capacity = 998.4 kWp DC. Photovoltaic Peak Capacity ( Power Delivered). PVSyst... Photovoltaic Annual Output ( Power Delivered) The power delivered to Camp Roberts should match or exceed results simulated using the University of Geneva...FINAL REPORT Grid-Parity Solar Power for Department of Defense Installations ESTCP Project EW-201134 FEBRUARY 2014 John Bender

Analysis of the solar radiation data for Beer Sheva, Israel, and its environs

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

Kudish, A.I.; Ianetz, A.

The solar radiation climate of Beer Sheva, Israel, is reported upon in detail. The database utilized in this analysis consisted of global radiation on a horizontal surface, normal incidence beam radiation, and global radiation on a south-facing surface tilted at 40{degree}. Monthly-average hourly and daily values are reported for each of these three types of measured radiations, together with the calculated monthly-average daily values for the components of the global radiation, viz. the horizontal beam and diffuse radiations. The monthly-average hourly and daily clearness index values have also been calculated and analyzed. Monthly-average daily frequency distributions of the clearness indexmore » values are reported for each month. The solar radiation climate of Beer Sheva has also been compared to those reported for a number of countries in this region. The annual-average daily global radiation incident on a horizontal surface is 18.91 MG/m{sup 2} and that for normal incidence beam radiation is 21.17 MG/m{sup 2}. The annual-average daily fraction of the horizontal global radiation that is beam is 0.72. The annual-average daily value for the clearness index is 0.587 and the average frequency of clear days annually is 58.6%. The authors conclude, based upon the above analysis, that Beer Sheva and its environs are characterized by relatively high, average-daily irradiation rates, both global and beam, and a relatively high frequency of clear days.« less

Weather explains high annual variation in butterfly dispersal

PubMed Central

Rytteri, Susu; Heikkinen, Risto K.; Heliölä, Janne; von Bagh, Peter

2016-01-01

Weather conditions fundamentally affect the activity of short-lived insects. Annual variation in weather is therefore likely to be an important determinant of their between-year variation in dispersal, but conclusive empirical studies are lacking. We studied whether the annual variation of dispersal can be explained by the flight season's weather conditions in a Clouded Apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne) metapopulation. This metapopulation was monitored using the mark–release–recapture method for 12 years. Dispersal was quantified for each monitoring year using three complementary measures: emigration rate (fraction of individuals moving between habitat patches), average residence time in the natal patch, and average distance moved. There was much variation both in dispersal and average weather conditions among the years. Weather variables significantly affected the three measures of dispersal and together with adjusting variables explained 79–91% of the variation observed in dispersal. Different weather variables became selected in the models explaining variation in three dispersal measures apparently because of the notable intercorrelations. In general, dispersal rate increased with increasing temperature, solar radiation, proportion of especially warm days, and butterfly density, and decreased with increasing cloudiness, rainfall, and wind speed. These results help to understand and model annually varying dispersal dynamics of species affected by global warming. PMID:27440662

Weather explains high annual variation in butterfly dispersal.

PubMed

Kuussaari, Mikko; Rytteri, Susu; Heikkinen, Risto K; Heliölä, Janne; von Bagh, Peter

2016-07-27

Weather conditions fundamentally affect the activity of short-lived insects. Annual variation in weather is therefore likely to be an important determinant of their between-year variation in dispersal, but conclusive empirical studies are lacking. We studied whether the annual variation of dispersal can be explained by the flight season's weather conditions in a Clouded Apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne) metapopulation. This metapopulation was monitored using the mark-release-recapture method for 12 years. Dispersal was quantified for each monitoring year using three complementary measures: emigration rate (fraction of individuals moving between habitat patches), average residence time in the natal patch, and average distance moved. There was much variation both in dispersal and average weather conditions among the years. Weather variables significantly affected the three measures of dispersal and together with adjusting variables explained 79-91% of the variation observed in dispersal. Different weather variables became selected in the models explaining variation in three dispersal measures apparently because of the notable intercorrelations. In general, dispersal rate increased with increasing temperature, solar radiation, proportion of especially warm days, and butterfly density, and decreased with increasing cloudiness, rainfall, and wind speed. These results help to understand and model annually varying dispersal dynamics of species affected by global warming. © 2016 The Author(s).

Cost-effectiveness of annual targeted larviciding campaigns in Cambodia against the dengue vector Aedes aegypti.

PubMed

Suaya, Jose A; Shepard, Donald S; Chang, Moh-Seng; Caram, Mariana; Hoyer, Stefan; Socheat, Duong; Chantha, Ngan; Nathan, Michael B

2007-09-01

To assess the cost-effectiveness (CE) of annual targeted larviciding campaigns from 2001 to 2005 against the dengue vector Aedes aegypti in two urban areas of Cambodia with a population of 2.9 million people. The intervention under analysis consisted of annual larviciding campaigns targeting medium to large water storage containers in households and other premises. The CE compared the intervention against the hypothetical alternative of no intervention. The CE was calculated as the ratio of disability adjusted life years (DALYs) saved to the net cost of the intervention (in 2005 US dollars) by year. A sensitivity analysis explored the range of study parameters. The intervention reduced the number of dengue cases and deaths by 53%. It averted an annual average of 2980 dengue hospitalizations, 11,921 dengue ambulatory cases and 23 dengue deaths, resulting in a saving of 997 DALYs per year. The gross cost of the intervention was US $567,800 per year, or US $0.20 per person covered. As the intervention averted considerable medical care, the annual net cost of the intervention was US $312,214 (US $0.11 per person covered) from a public sector perspective and US $37,137 (US $0.01 per person covered) from a societal perspective. The resulting CE ratios were: US $313/DALY gained from the public perspective and US $37/DALY gained from the societal perspective. Even under the most conservative assumption, the intervention remained cost effective from both perspectives. Annual, targeted larviciding campaigns appear to have been effective and cost-effective medium-term interventions to reduce the epidemiologic and economic burden of dengue in urban areas of Cambodia.

Five-factor personality measures in Chinese university students: effects of one-child policy?

PubMed

Wang, Wei; Du, Wuying; Liu, Ping; Liu, Jianhui; Wang, Yehan

2002-01-31

Since the one-child policy was implemented in China in 1979, many investigators have studied the psychological consequences to children without siblings. Although the results are not conclusive, there is evidence that children who have siblings, rather than only children, have increased anxiety and depression. Whether the differences between students with and without siblings would continue when they reached university age is an interesting question. We used the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire to assess personality traits and the Plutchik-van Praag Depression Inventory to measure depressed mood in 134 university students with and 126 university students without siblings. Most students without siblings (93.7%) were reared in urban areas, while 90.3% of students with siblings came from rural areas. Parental professions were higher in social status and annual family incomes were higher in students without siblings. Increased neuroticism-anxiety, aggression-hostility, and depressed mood were found in students with siblings. Gender and annual family income were not significantly related to personality in the two groups, and birth-order position was not related to personality in the students with siblings. In contrast, the depression score was positively correlated with neuroticism-anxiety and aggression-hostility, but negatively correlated with parental occupation and annual family income. The greater competition to receive high education, reduced benefits from society, and lower level of social respect might nurture these personality traits in students with siblings. These findings might, in some limited aspects, indicate that the one-child policy affects personality traits and depressed mood in students with siblings.

Protecting Your Child's Personal Information at School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Federal Trade Commission, 2012

2012-01-01

Back to school--an annual ritual that includes buying new notebooks, packing lunches, coordinating transportation, and filling out forms: registration forms, health forms, permission slips, and emergency contact forms, to name a few. Many school forms require personal and, sometimes, sensitive information. In the wrong hands, this information can…

Solar Transportation, on the critical path to 100% Renewables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swenson, R.; Furman, B.

2016-12-01

The path from hydrocarbons and climate change to 100% renewable energy requires a complete transformation of human mobility systems—from oil to solar electricity, and away from personal cars to shared transit. Electric (and autonomous) personal vehicles cannot scale rapidly enough to address CO2 increase and resource depletion. While atmospheric science can characterize the challenge, design science aimed at order of magnitude improvements in energy and resource consumption is needed to achieve carbon free transit that can scale rapidly for urban mobility. An NGO and University engineering team collaboration has led to a multi-disciplinary international program creating prototypes and test tracks to demonstrate the efficacy and economics of solar-powered, automated, non-stop origin-to-destination, elevated on-demand transit systems. With their aptitude for innovation, students in the Solar Skyways challenge have convened from several countries in order to propel development and overcome resistance from the automotive industry incumbency. Innovation has been occurring in lesser developed countries as well as in the industrialized world. An online curriculum has been developed and will be presented to encourage international participation and rapid acceleration for sustainable zero-net-carbon transportation.

75 FR 20377 - Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Sonoran Solar...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-19

... the Arizona State Land Department (approximately 5.3 acres) and private land owners (approximately 9.4... solar conditions existed (night time, cloud cover, etc.), and would provide up to 25 percent of annual...

North west area of Tuscany, Italy : Are the solar maximum and solar minima a particular period for increased frequency of floods and local geological destabilization ?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casati, Michele; Straser, Valentino; Feron, Alessandro

2017-04-01

The purpose of this study is to verify a possible relationship between solar activity transitions (minimum and maximum), seismic activity and atmospheric circulation in a particular area. The hypothesis has already been advanced by other authors and is found in studies, for example: [Sytinsky A.D.,1980,1987,1997][Mazzarella,Palumbo, 1989][Odintsov, et al, 2006][Khachikyan, Inchin, Lozbin, 2012][Czymzik,Markus, 2013][Nedeljko,Vujović,2014]. The geographical area studied is approximately 8x13 km sq. and includes villages such as Fivizzano and Equi Terme, in north-west Tuscany, Italy, on the Lunigiana/Garfagnana border. The North Apuan Fault Zone" (NAFZ) is found in the area of study and major historical earthquakes have occurred in this area [Di Naccio Deborah, et al., 2013]. In this research, we compared the local seismicity with heavy rainfall (in quantity) that occurred in a short time frame in this area (measured by the daily rain gauge accumulations). These events occurred during the numerous floods from 2009 to 2013 (the transition between the solar cycle SC23 and SC24 solar and the rise of solar cycle SC24). The data was provided by the hydrological sector of the Tuscan Region Hydrological Service (SIR) and the LaMMA consortium. In this study we hypothesize, a slow and continuous destabilizing action on local geological structures, due to the multiple and violent atmospheric disturbances (V-shaped, flash floods, squall-line, etc..). Destabilization that led to an earthquake of magnitude Mw 5.36, which occurred on 21 June 2013. Comparing the SIDC count of sunspots with: a) the historical local seismic events catalogue with magnitude M4.5 + (CPTI15, the 2015 version of the Parametric Catalogue of Italian Earthquakes), b) the recent earthquakes of magnitude M 2.5+, which occurred from 1984 (ISIDe working group (2016) version 1.0), and c) the historical reconstructed maximum annual flows of the Serchio river from 1750, the daily maximum annual flows of the Magra

Personal Health Care Expenditures by State, Selected Years 1966-1978

PubMed Central

Levit, Katharine R.

1982-01-01

registered an average annual growth rate of 14.0 percent to lead the region and the nation in rate of increase in per capita personal health care spending growth. The region with the smallest rate of increase in personal health expenditures per capita was the Rocky Mountain Region with an average annual growth of 10.4 percent between 1966 and 1978. Wyoming registered the slowest growth in personal health care expenditures per capita in that region and the nation, with 8.9 percent average annual growth.Expenditures for personal health care in states and regions have grown at different rates. However, when the effects of population and the changing age structure of a geographic area are removed, much of the variation disappears. PMID:10309908

Outdoor Exposure to Solar Ultraviolet Radiation and Legislation in Brazil.

PubMed

Silva, Abel A

2016-06-01

The total ozone column of 265 ± 11 Dobson Units in the tropical-equatorial zones and 283 ± 16 Dobson Units in the subtropics of Brazil are among the lowest on Earth, and as a result, the prevalence of skin cancer due to solar ultraviolet radiation is among the highest. Daily erythemal doses in Brazil can be over 7,500 J m. Erythemal dose rates on cloudless days of winter and summer are typically about 0.147 W m and 0.332 W m, respectively. However, radiation enhancement events yielded by clouds have been reported with erythemal dose rates of 0.486 W m. Daily doses of the diffuse component of erythemal radiation have been determined with values of 5,053 J m and diffuse erythemal dose rates of 0.312 W m. Unfortunately, Brazilians still behave in ways that lead to overexposure to the sun. The annual personal ultraviolet radiation ambient dose among Brazilian youths can be about 5.3%. Skin cancer in Brazil is prevalent, with annual rates of 31.6% (non-melanoma) and 1.0% (melanoma). Governmental and non-governmental initiatives have been taken to increase public awareness of photoprotection behaviors. Resolution #56 by the Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária has banned tanning devices in Brazil. In addition, Projects of Law (PL), like PL 3730/2004, propose that the Sistema Único de Saúde should distribute sunscreen to members of the public, while PL 4027/2012 proposes that employers should provide outdoor workers with sunscreen during professional outdoor activities. Similar laws have already been passed in some municipalities. These are presented and discussed in this study.

The high intensity solar cell - Key to low cost photovoltaic power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sater, B. L.; Goradia, C.

1975-01-01

This paper discusses the problems associated with conventional solar cells at high intensities and presents the design considerations and performance characteristics of the 'high intensity' (HI) solar cell which appears to eliminate the major problems. Test data obtained at greater than 250 AM1 suns gave a peak output power density of 2 W per sq cm at an efficiency exceeding 6% with an unoptimized cell operating at over 100 C. It appears that operation at 1000 AM1 suns at efficiencies greater than 10% is possible. At 1000 AM1 suns and 10% efficiency, the HI cell manufacturing cost is estimated to be $0.25/watt, with multi-megawatt annual production capability already existing within the industrial sector. A high intensity solar system was also analyzed to determine its cost effectiveness and to assess the benefits of further improving HI cell efficiency.

The Effectiveness of Warranties in the Solar Photovoltaic and Automobile Industries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Formica, Tyler J.

A warranty is an agreement outlined by a manufacturer to a customer that defines performance requirements for a product or service. Although long warranty periods are a useful marketing tool, in 2011 the warranty claims expense was 2.6% of total sales for computer original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and is over 2% of total sales in many other industries today. Solar PV systems offer inverters with 5-15 year warranties and PV modules with 25-year performance warranties. This is problematic for the return on investment (ROI) of solar PV systems when the modules are still productive and covered under warranty but inverter failures occur due to degradation of electronic components after their warranty has expired. Out-of-warranty inverter failures during the lifetime of solar panels decrease the ROI of solar PV systems significantly and can cause the annual ROI to actually be negative 15-25 years into the lifetime of the system. This thesis analyzes the factors that contribute to designing an optimal warranty period and the relationship between reliability and warranty periods using General Motors (GM) and the solar PV industry as case studies. A return on investment of a solar photovoltaic system is also conducted and the effect of reliability, changing tax credit structures, and failure areas of solar PV systems are analyzed.

Solar radiation is inversely associated with inflammatory bowel disease admissions.

PubMed

Jaime, Francisca; Riutort, Maria C; Alvarez-Lobos, Manuel; Hoyos-Bachiloglu, Rodrigo; Camargo, Carlos A; Borzutzky, Arturo

To explore the associations between latitude and solar radiation with inflammatory bowel disease admission rates in Chile, the country with the largest variation in solar radiation in the world. This is an ecological study, which included data on all hospital-admitted population for inflammatory bowel disease between 2001 and 2012, according to different latitudes and solar radiation exposures in Chile. The data were acquired from the national hospital discharge database from the Department of Health Statistics and Information of the Chilean Ministry of Health. Between 2001 and 2012 there were 12,869 admissions due to inflammatory bowel disease (69% ulcerative colitis, 31% Crohn's disease). Median age was 36 years (IQR: 25-51); 57% were female. The national inflammatory bowel disease admission rate was 6.52 (95% CI: 6.40-6.63) per 100,000 inhabitants with increasing rates over the 12-year period. In terms of latitude, the highest admission rates for pediatric ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, as well as adult ulcerative colitis, were observed in the southernmost region with lowest annual solar radiation. Linear regression analysis showed that regional solar radiation was inversely associated with inflammatory bowel disease admissions in Chile (β: -.44, p = .03). Regional solar radiation was inversely associated with inflammatory bowel disease admission rates in Chile; inflammatory bowel disease admissions were highest in the southernmost region with lowest solar radiation. Our results support the potential role of vitamin D deficiency on inflammatory bowel disease flares.

Cost reduction in space operations - Structuring a planetary program to minimize the annual funding requirement as opposed to minimizing the program runout cost

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herman, D. H.; Niehoff, J. C.; Spadoni, D. J.

1980-01-01

An approach is proposed for the structuring of a planetary mission set wherein the peak annual funding is minimized to meet the annual budget restraint. One aspect of the approach is to have a transportation capability that can launch a mission in any planetary opportunity; such capability can be provided by solar electric propulsion. Another cost reduction technique is to structure a mission test in a time sequenced fashion that could utilize essentially the same spacecraft for the implementation of several missions. A third technique would be to fulfill a scientific objective in several sequential missions rather than attempt to accomplish all of the objectives with one mission. The application of the approach is illustrated by an example involving the Solar Orbiter Dual Probe mission.

The maximal cumulative solar UVB dose allowed to maintain healthy and young skin and prevent premature photoaging.

PubMed

Ichihashi, Masamitsu; Ando, Hideya

2014-10-01

The young facial skin of children with a smooth healthy appearance changes over time to photoaged skin having mottled pigmentation, solar lentigines, wrinkles, dry and rough skin, leathery texture, and benign and malignant tumors after exposure to chronic, repeated solar radiation. The first sign of photoaging in Japanese subjects is usually solar lentigines appearing around 20 years of age on the face. Fine wrinkles can then appear after 30 years of age, and benign skin tumors, seborrhoeic keratoses, can occur after 35 years of age in sun-exposed skin. We theoretically calculated the maximal daily exposure time to solar radiation, which could prevent the development of photoaged skin until 60 and 80 years of age, based on published data of personal solar UVB doses in sun-exposed skin. One MED (minimal erythema dose) was determined to be 20 mJ/cm(2) , and 200 MED was used as the average yearly dose of Japanese children. Further, we hypothesized that the annual dose of Japanese adults is the same as that of the children. The cumulative UVB dose at 20 years of age was thus calculated to be 4000 MED, and 22 MED was used as the maximal daily UVB dose based on data measured in Kobe, located in the central area of Japan. We used the solar UVB dose from 10:00 a.m. to 14:00 p.m. which occupies 60% of the total daily UV dose, to obtain the maximal UVB per hour in a day, and calculated the maximal daily UV exposure time that would delay the onset of solar lentigines until 60 or 80 years of age. The mean daily sun exposure time to maintain healthy skin until 80 years of age in the summer was calculated to be 2.54 min (0.14 MED) for unprotected skin and 127 min with the use of a sunscreen of SPF (sun protection factor) of 50. In this study, we did not evaluate the photoaging effect of UVA radiation, but findings of the adverse effects of UVA radiation on the skin have accumulated in the last decade. Therefore, it will be important to estimate the maximal dose of solar

Involving Scientists in the NASA / JPL Solar System Educators Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brunsell, E.; Hill, J.

2001-11-01

The NASA / JPL Solar System Educators Program (SSEP) is a professional development program with the goal of inspiring America's students, creating learning opportunities, and enlightening inquisitive minds by engaging them in the Solar System exploration efforts conducted by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). SSEP is a Jet Propulsion Laboratory program managed by Space Explorers, Inc. (Green Bay, WI) and the Virginia Space Grant Consortium (Hampton, VA). The heart of the program is a large nationwide network of highly motivated educators. These Solar System Educators, representing more than 40 states, lead workshops around the country that show teachers how to successfully incorporate NASA materials into their teaching. During FY2001, more than 9500 educators were impacted through nearly 300 workshops conducted in 43 states. Solar System Educators attend annual training institutes at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory during their first two years in the program. All Solar System Educators receive additional online training, materials and support. The JPL missions and programs involved in SSEP include: Cassini Mission to Saturn, Galileo Mission to Jupiter, STARDUST Comet Sample Return Mission, Deep Impact Mission to a Comet, Mars Exploration Program, Outer Planets Program, Deep Space Network, JPL Space and Earth Science Directorate, and the NASA Office of Space Science Solar System Exploration Education and Public Outreach Forum. Scientists can get involved with this program by cooperatively presenting at workshops conducted in their area, acting as a content resource or by actively mentoring Solar System Educators. Additionally, SSEP will expand this year to include other missions and programs related to the Solar System and the Sun.

The impacts of storing solar energy in the home to reduce reliance on the utility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fares, Robert L.; Webber, Michael E.

2017-01-01

There has been growing interest in using energy storage to capture solar energy for later use in the home to reduce reliance on the traditional utility. However, few studies have critically assessed the trade-offs associated with storing solar energy rather than sending it to the utility grid, as is typically done today. Here we show that a typical battery system could reduce peak power demand by 8-32% and reduce peak power injections by 5-42%, depending on how it operates. However, storage inefficiencies increase annual energy consumption by 324-591 kWh per household on average. Furthermore, storage operation indirectly increases emissions by 153-303 kg CO2, 0.03-0.20 kg SO2 and 0.04-0.26 kg NOx per Texas household annually. Thus, home energy storage would not automatically reduce emissions or energy consumption unless it directly enables renewable energy.

Studies of extra-solar Oort Clouds and the Kuiper Disk

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stern, S. Alan

1994-01-01

The March 1994 Semi-Annual report for Studies of Extra-Solar Oort Clouds and the Kuiper Disk is presented. We are conducting research designed to enhance our understanding of the evolution and detectability of comet clouds and disks. This area holds promise for also improving our understanding of outer solar system formation, the bombardment history of the planets, the transport of volatiles and organics from the outer solar system to the inner planets, and to the ultimate fate of comet clouds around the Sun and other stars. According to 'standard' theory, both the Kuiper Disk and Oort Cloud are (at least in part) natural products of the planetary accumulation stage of solar system formation. One expects such assemblages to be a common attribute of other solar systems. Therefore, searches for comet disks and clouds orbiting other stars offer a new method for inferring the presence of planetary systems. Our three-year effort consists of two major efforts: observational work to predict and search for the signatures of Oort Clouds and comet disks around other stars; and modeling studies of the formation and evolution of the Kuiper Disk (KD) and similar assemblages that may reside around other stars, including beta Pic.

Studies of extra-solar Oort Clouds and the Kuiper Disk

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stern, Alan

1995-01-01

This is the September 1995 Semi-Annual report for Studies of Extra-Solar Oort Clouds and the Kuiper Disk. We are conducting research designed to enhance our understanding of the evolution and detectability of comet clouds and disks. This area holds promise for also improving our understanding of outer solar system formation the bombardment history of the planets, the transport of volatiles and organics from the outer solar system to the inner planets, and to the ultimate fate of comet clouds around the Sun and other stars. According to 'standard' theory, both the Kuiper Disk and the Oort Cloud are (at least in part) natural products of the planetary accumulation stage of solar system formation. One expects such assemblages to be a common attribute of other solar systems. Therefore, searches for comet disks and clouds orbiting other stars offer a new method for inferring the presence of planetary systems. This project consists of two major efforts: (1) observational work to predict and search for the signatures of Oort Clouds and comet disks around other stars; and (2) modelling studies of the formation and evolution of the Kuiper Disk (KD) and similar assemblages that may reside around other stars, including beta Pic. These efforts are referred to as Task 1 and 2.

Earth Day Park in Washington, D.C. to be Solar Powered

Science.gov Websites

Earth Day Park in Washington, D.C. to be Solar Powered For more information contact: Mike Marsh will illuminate Earth Day Park in Washington, D.C. just in time for the 26th annual celebration of Earth Day April 22, thanks to the U.S. Department of Energy and its National Renewable Energy Laboratory

31 CFR 31.212 - Personal conflicts of interest.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

.... (d) Initial Certification. No later than ten business days after the effective date of the... Certification. No later than one year after the arrangement's effective date, and at least annually thereafter.... Within five business days after learning of a personal conflict of interest, the retained entity shall...

Sources of Geomagnetic Activity during Nearly Three Solar Cycles (1972-2000)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richardson, I. G.; Cane, H. V.; Cliver, E. W.; White, Nicholas E. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

We examine the contributions of the principal solar wind components (corotating highspeed streams, slow solar wind, and transient structures, i.e., interplanetary coronal mass ejections (CMEs), shocks, and postshock flows) to averages of the aa geomagnetic index and the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) strength in 1972-2000 during nearly three solar cycles. A prime motivation is to understand the influence of solar cycle variations in solar wind structure on long-term (e.g., approximately annual) averages of these parameters. We show that high-speed streams account for approximately two-thirds of long-term aa averages at solar minimum, while at solar maximum, structures associated with transients make the largest contribution (approx. 50%), though contributions from streams and slow solar wind continue to be present. Similarly, high-speed streams are the principal contributor (approx. 55%) to solar minimum averages of the IMF, while transient-related structures are the leading contributor (approx. 40%) at solar maximum. These differences between solar maximum and minimum reflect the changing structure of the near-ecliptic solar wind during the solar cycle. For minimum periods, the Earth is embedded in high-speed streams approx. 55% of the time versus approx. 35% for slow solar wind and approx. 10% for CME-associated structures, while at solar maximum, typical percentages are as follows: high-speed streams approx. 35%, slow solar wind approx. 30%, and CME-associated approx. 35%. These compositions show little cycle-to-cycle variation, at least for the interval considered in this paper. Despite the change in the occurrences of different types of solar wind over the solar cycle (and less significant changes from cycle to cycle), overall, variations in the averages of the aa index and IMF closely follow those in corotating streams. Considering solar cycle averages, we show that high-speed streams account for approx. 44%, approx. 48%, and approx. 40% of the solar

Template for Annual Report for a Person Exporting Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) for Recycling

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

CRT exporters must file with EPA no later than March 1 of each year, an annual report summarizing the quantities, frequency of shipment, and ultimate destination(s) of all used CRTs exported during the previous calendar year.

Study Design And Realization Of Solar Water Heater

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

Lounis, M.; Boudjemaa, F.; Akil, S. Kouider

2011-01-17

Solar is one of the most easily exploitable energy, it is moreover inexhaustible. His applications are many and are varied. The heating of the domestic water is one of the most immediate, simplest and also of most widespread exploitation of the solar energy. Algeria, from its geographical situation, it deposits one of the largest high sun surface expositions in the world. The exposition duration of the almost territory exceeds 2000 hours annually and can reach the 3900 hours (high plateaus and Sahara). By knowing the daily energy received by 1 m{sup 2} of a horizontal surface of the solar thermalmore » panel is nearly around 1700 KWh/m{sup 2} a year in the north and 2263 KWh/m{sup 2} a year in the south of the country, we release the most important and strategic place of the solar technologies in the present and in the future for Algeria. This work consists to study, conceive and manufacture solar water heating with the available local materials so, this type of the energy will be profitable for all, particularly the poor countries. If we consider the illumination duration of the panel around 6 hours a day, the water heat panel manufactured in our laboratory produce an equivalent energy of 11.615 KWh a day so, 4239 KWh a year. These values of energy can be easily increased with performing the panel manufacture.« less

My chaotic trajectory: A brief (personalized) history of solar-system dynamics.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burns, Joseph A.

2014-05-01

I will use this opportunity to recall my professional career. Like many, I was drawn into the space program during the mid-60s and early 70s when the solar system’s true nature was being revealed. Previously, dynamical astronomy discussed the short-term, predictable motions of point masses; simultaneously, small objects (e.g., satellites, asteroids, dust) were thought boring rather than dynamically rich. Many of today’s most active research subjects were unknown: TNOs, planetary rings, exoplanets and debris disks. The continuing stream of startling findings by spacecraft, ground-based surveys and numerical simulations forced a renaissance in celestial mechanics, incorporating new dynamical paradigms and additional physics (e.g., energy loss, catastrophic events, radiation forces). My interests evolved as the space program expanded outward: dust, asteroids, natural satellites, rings; rotations, orbital evolution, origins. Fortunately for me, in the early days, elementary models with simple solutions were often adequate to gain a first-order explanation of many puzzles. One could be a generalist, always learning new things.My choice of research subjects was influenced greatly by: i) Cornell colleagues involved in space missions who shared results: the surprising diversity of planetary satellites, the unanticipated orbital and rotational dynamics of asteroids, the chaotic histories of solar system bodies, the non-intuitive behavior of dust and planetary rings, irregular satellites. ii) Teaching introductory courses in applied math, dynamics and planetary science encouraged understandable models. iii) The stimulation of new ideas owing to service at Icarus and on space policy forums. iv) Most importantly, excellent students and colleagues who pushed me into new research directions, and who then stimulated and educated me about those topics.If time allows, I will describe some of today’s puzzles for me and point out similarities between the past development in our

Development of gridded solar radiation data over Belgium based on Meteosat and in-situ observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Journée, Michel; Vanderveken, Gilles; Bertrand, Cédric

2013-04-01

Knowledge on solar resources is highly important for all forms of solar energy applications. With the recent development in solar-based technologies national meteorological services are faced with increasing demands for high-quality and reliable site-time specific solar resource information. Traditionally, solar radiation is observed by means of networks of meteorological stations. Costs for installation and maintenance of such networks are very high and national networks comprise only few stations. Consequently the availability of ground-based solar radiation measurements has proven to be spatially and temporally inadequate for many applications. To overcome such a limitation, a major effort has been undertaken at the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium (RMI) to provide the solar energy industry, the electricity sector, governments, and renewable energy organizations and institutions with the most suitable and accurate information on the solar radiation resources at the Earth's surface over the Belgian territory. Only space-based observations can deliver a global coverage of the solar irradiation impinging on horizontal surface at the ground level. Because only geostationary data allow to capture the diurnal cycle of the solar irradiance at the Earth's surface, a method that combines information from Meteosat Second Generation satellites and ground-measurement has been implemented at RMI to generate high resolution solar products over Belgium on an operational basis. Besides these new products, the annual and seasonal variability of solar energy resource was evaluated, solar radiation climate zones were defined and the recent trend in solar radiation was characterized.

Periodicities in solar wind-magnetosphere coupling functions and geomagnetic activity during the past solar cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andriyas, T.; Andriyas, S.

2017-09-01

In this paper, we study the solar-terrestrial relation through the wavelet analysis. We report periodicities common between multiple solar wind coupling functions and geomagnetic indices during five solar cycles and also and the strength of this correspondence. The Dst (found to be most predictable in Newell et al., J. Geophys. Res. Space Phys. 112(A1):A01206, 2007) and AL (least predictable in Newell et al., J. Geophys. Res. Space Phys. 112(A1):A01206, 2007) indices are used for this purpose. During the years 1966-2016 (which includes five solar cycles 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24), prominent periodicities ≤720 days with power above 95% confidence level were found to occur around 27, 182, 385, and 648 days in the Dst index while those in the AL index were found in bands around 27, 187, and 472 days. Ten solar wind coupling functions were then used to find periodicities common with the indices. All the coupling functions had significant power in bands centered around 27, 280, and 648 days while powers in fluctuations around 182, 385, and 472 days were only found in some coupling functions. All the drivers and their variants had power above the significant level in the 280-288 days band, which was absent in the Dst and AL indices. The normalized scale averaged spectral power around the common periods in the coupling functions and the indices indicated that the coupling functions most correlated with the Dst index were the Newell (27 and 385 days), Wygant (182 days), and Scurry-Russell and Boynton (648 days) functions. An absence of common power between the coupling functions and the Dst index around the annual periodicity was noted during the even solar cycles. A similar analysis for the AL index indicated that Newell (27 days), Rectified (187 days), and Boynton (472 days) were the most correlated functions. It was also found that the correlation numbers were relatively weaker for the AL index, specially for the 187 day periodicity. It is concluded that as the two

The relationship between thunderstorm and solar activity for Brazil from 1951 to 2009

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinto Neto, Osmar; Pinto, Iara R. C. A.; Pinto, Osmar

2013-06-01

The goal of this article is to investigate the influence of solar activity on thunderstorm activity in Brazil. For this purpose, thunder day data from seven cities in Brazil from 1951 to 2009 are analyzed with the wavelet method for the first time. To identify the 11-year solar cycle in thunder day data, a new quantity is defined. It is named TD1 and represents the power in 1-year in a wavelet spectrum of monthly thunder day data. The wavelet analysis of TD1 values shows more clear the 11-year periodicity than when it is applied directly to annual thunder day data, as it has been normally investigated in the literature. The use of this new quantity is shown to enhance the capability to identify the 11-year periodicity in thunderstorm data. Wavelet analysis of TD1 indicates that six out seven cities investigated exhibit periodicities near 11 years, three of them significant at a 1% significance level (p<0.01). Furthermore, wavelet coherence analysis demonstrated that the 11-year periodicity of TD1 and solar activity are correlated with an anti-phase behavior, three of them (the same cities with periodicities with 1% significance level) significant at a 5% significance level (p<0.05). The results are compared with those obtained from the same data set but using annual thunder day data. Finally, the results are compared with previous results obtained for other regions and a discussion about possible mechanisms to explain them is done. The existence of periodicities around 11 years in six out of seven cities and their anti-phase behavior with respect to 11-year solar cycle suggest a global mechanism probably related to a solar magnetic shielding effect acting on galactic cosmic rays as an explanation for the relationship of thunderstorm and solar activity, although more studies are necessary to clarify its physical origin.

Derivation of a Levelized Cost of Coating (LCOC) metric for evaluation of solar selective absorber materials

DOE PAGES

Ho, C. K.; Pacheco, J. E.

2015-06-05

A new metric, the Levelized Cost of Coating (LCOC), is derived in this paper to evaluate and compare alternative solar selective absorber coatings against a baseline coating (Pyromark 2500). In contrast to previous metrics that focused only on the optical performance of the coating, the LCOC includes costs, durability, and optical performance for more comprehensive comparisons among candidate materials. The LCOC is defined as the annualized marginal cost of the coating to produce a baseline annual thermal energy production. Costs include the cost of materials and labor for initial application and reapplication of the coating, as well as the costmore » of additional or fewer heliostats to yield the same annual thermal energy production as the baseline coating. Results show that important factors impacting the LCOC include the initial solar absorptance, thermal emittance, reapplication interval, degradation rate, reapplication cost, and downtime during reapplication. The LCOC can also be used to determine the optimal reapplication interval to minimize the levelized cost of energy production. As a result, similar methods can be applied more generally to determine the levelized cost of component for other applications and systems.« less

Inter-annual variability in fossil-fuel CO2 emissions due to temperature anomalies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bréon, F.-M.; Boucher, O.; Brender, P.

2017-07-01

It is well known that short-term (i.e. interannual) variations in fossil-fuel CO2 emissions are closely related to the evolution of the national economies. Nevertheless, a fraction of the CO2 emissions are linked to domestic and business heating and cooling, which can be expected to be related to the meteorology, independently of the economy. Here, we analyse whether the signature of the inter-annual temperature anomalies is discernible in the time series of CO2 emissions at the country scale. Our analysis shows that, for many countries, there is a clear positive correlation between a heating-degree-person index and the component of the CO2 emissions that is not explained by the economy as quantified by the gross domestic product (GDP). Similarly, several countries show a positive correlation between a cooling-degree-person (CDP) index and CO2 emissions. The slope of the linear relationship for heating is on the order of 0.5-1 kg CO2 (degree-day-person)-1 but with significant country-to-country variations. A similar relationship for cooling shows even greater diversity. We further show that the inter-annual climate anomalies have a small but significant impact on the annual growth rate of CO2 emissions, both at the national and global scale. Such a meteorological effect was a significant contribution to the rather small and unexpected global emission growth rate in 2014 while its contribution to the near zero emission growth in 2015 was insignificant.

The roles of vertical mixing, solar radiation, and wind stress in a model simulation of the sea surface temperature seasonal cycle in the tropical Pacfic Ocean

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Dake; Busalacchi, Antonio J.; Rothstein, Lewis M.

1994-01-01

The climatological seasonal cycle of sea surface temperature (SST) in the tropical Pacific is simulated using a newly developed upper ocean model. The roles of vertical mixing, solar radiation, and wind stress are investigated in a hierarchy of numerical experiments with various combinations of vertical mixing algorithms and surface-forcing products. It is found that the large SST annual cycle in the eastern equatorial Pacific is, to a large extent, controlled by the annually varying mixed layer depth which, in turn, is mainly determined by the competing effects of solar radiation and wind forcing. With the application of our hybrid vertical mixing scheme the model-simulated SST annual cycle is much improved in both amplitude and phase as compared to the case of a constant mixed layer depth. Beside the strong effects on vertical mixing, solar radiation is the primary heating term in the surface layer heat budget, and wind forcing influences SST by driving oceanic advective processes that redistribute heat in the upper ocean. For example, the SST seasonal cycle in the western Pacific basically follows the semiannual variation of solar heating, and the cycle in the central equatorial region is significantly affected by the zonal advective heat flux associated with the seasonally reversing South Equatorial Current. It has been shown in our experiments that the amount of heat flux modification needed to eliminate the annual mean SST errors in the model is, on average, no larger than the annual mean uncertainties among the various surface flux products used in this study. Whereas a bias correction is needed to account for remaining uncertainties in the annual mean heat flux, this study demonstrates that with proper treatment of mixed layer physics and realistic forcing functions the seasonal variability of SST is capable of being simulated successfully in response to external forcing without relying on a relaxation or damping formulation for the dominant surface heat

Analysis of spatial patterns underlying the linkage between solar irradiance and near-surface air temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balling, Robert C.; Roy, Shouraseni Sen

2005-06-01

Many scientists have noted that global temperature anomalies were highly correlated with solar irradiance values until sometime in the 1970s, but since that time, the pronounced warming in the near-surface temperature record is not explained by variations or trends in solar receipt. In this investigation, spatial dimensions are explored in the relationship between irradiance and near-surface air temperatures. At the scale of individual 5° by 5° grid cells, the solar control on annual temperature variations is not statistically significant. When the temperature data are aggregated by 5° latitudinal bands, the solar - temperature connect is generally significant, and in every band, there is substantial evidence that a non-solar control has become dominant in recent decades. The buildup of greenhouse gases and/or some other global-scale feedback, such as widespread changes in atmospheric water vapor, emerge as potential explanations for the recent residual warming found in all latitudinal bands.

Solar UV exposure of primary schoolchildren in Valencia, Spain.

PubMed

Serrano, María-Antonia; Cañada, Javier; Moreno, Juan Carlos

2011-04-01

To quantify schoolchildren's exposure to ultraviolet erythemal radiation (UVER), personal dosimeters (VioSpor) were used to measure biologically effective ultraviolet (UV) radiation received in the course of their daily school activities. The study took place in two primary schools in Valencia (39°28'N), Spain, for several weeks from March 2008 until May 2009, with two age groups (6-8 years and 10-11 years) and involved about 47 schoolchildren. The median daily UV exposure values for all age groups and solar height intervals considered in the study ranged from 1.31 to 2.11 standard erythemal doses (SEDs). Individual UV exposure was analyzed as a function of age, gender and dosimeter position. Significant statistical differences were found between different age groups, with the younger age group receiving higher statistically significant UVER exposure. It was also found that boys received significantly higher UVER exposure than girls. It was also noted that shoulder dosimeters registered higher readings than wrist dosimeters. Exposure ratio (ER) is defined as the ratio between the personal dose on a selected anatomical site and the corresponding ambient dose on a horizontal plane. The median ER for all age groups and solar height intervals in the study range from 4.5% to 10.7%, with higher values at lower solar heights.

The Moon's Moment in the Sun - Extending Public Engagement after the Total Solar Eclipse with International Observe the Moon Night

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bleacher, L.; Jones, A. P.; Wasser, M. L.; Petro, N. E.; Wright, E. T.; Ladd, D.; Keller, J. W.

2017-12-01

2017 presented an amazing opportunity to engage the public in learning about lunar and space science, the motions of the Earth-Moon-Sun system, and NASA's fleet of space missions, beginning with the 2017 total solar eclipse on 21 August and continuing with International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN) on 28 October. On 21 August 2017, everyone in the continental United States had the opportunity to witness a solar eclipse, weather permitting, in total or partial form. The path of totality, in which the Sun was completely obscured from view by the Moon, stretched from Oregon to South Carolina. The Education and Communication Team of NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) worked to highlight the Moon, the "central player" in the total solar eclipse, in a variety of ways for the public. Efforts included collaborating with Minor League Baseball teams to host eclipse-viewing events along the path of totality, communicating the Moon's role in the eclipse through public engagement products, communicating about InOMN as an experiential opportunity beyond the eclipse, and more. InOMN is an annual event, during which everyone on Earth is invited to observe and learn about the Moon and its connection to planetary science, and to share personal and community connections we all have to the Moon [2, 3, 4 and references therein]. For viewers across the United States, the total solar eclipse of 21 August provided an exciting opportunity to watch a New Moon cross in front of the Sun, casting the viewer in shadow and providing amazing views of the solar corona. The public observed the Moon in a different part of its orbit, when reflected sunlight revealed a fascinating lunar landscape - and extended their excitement for space science - by participating in InOMN on 28 October. With InOMN taking place barely two months after the total solar eclipse, it offered an opportunity to sustain and grow public interest in lunar and space science generated by the eclipse. We will report on

Correcting surface solar radiation of two data assimilation systems against FLUXNET observations in North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Lei; Lee, Xuhui; Liu, Shoudong

2013-09-01

Solar radiation at the Earth's surface is an important driver of meteorological and ecological processes. The objective of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of the reanalysis solar radiation produced by NARR (North American Regional Reanalysis) and MERRA (Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications) against the FLUXNET measurements in North America. We found that both assimilation systems systematically overestimated the surface solar radiation flux on the monthly and annual scale, with an average bias error of +37.2 Wm-2 for NARR and of +20.2 Wm-2 for MERRA. The bias errors were larger under cloudy skies than under clear skies. A postreanalysis algorithm consisting of empirical relationships between model bias, a clearness index, and site elevation was proposed to correct the model errors. Results show that the algorithm can remove the systematic bias errors for both FLUXNET calibration sites (sites used to establish the algorithm) and independent validation sites. After correction, the average annual mean bias errors were reduced to +1.3 Wm-2 for NARR and +2.7 Wm-2 for MERRA. Applying the correction algorithm to the global domain of MERRA brought the global mean surface incoming shortwave radiation down by 17.3 W m-2 to 175.5 W m-2. Under the constraint of the energy balance, other radiation and energy balance terms at the Earth's surface, estimated from independent global data products, also support the need for a downward adjustment of the MERRA surface solar radiation.

Reconciling Consumer and Utility Objectives in the Residential Solar PV Market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnold, Michael R.

Today's energy market is facing large-scale changes that will affect all market players. Near the top of that list is the rapid deployment of residential solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. Yet that growing trend will be influenced multiple competing interests between various stakeholders, namely the utility, consumers and technology provides. This study provides a series of analyses---utility-side, consumer-side, and combined analyses---to understand and evaluate the effect of increases in residential solar PV market penetration. Three urban regions have been selected as study locations---Chicago, Phoenix, Seattle---with simulated load data and solar insolation data at each locality. Various time-of-use pricing schedules are investigated, and the effect of net metering is evaluated to determine the optimal capacity of solar PV and battery storage in a typical residential home. The net residential load profile is scaled to assess system-wide technical and economic figures of merit for the utility with an emphasis on intraday load profiles, ramp rates and electricity sales with increasing solar PV penetration. The combined analysis evaluates the least-cost solar PV system for the consumer and models the associated system-wide effects on the electric grid. Utility revenue was found to drop by 1.2% for every percent PV penetration increase, net metering on a monthly or annual basis improved the cost-effectiveness of solar PV but not battery storage, the removal of net metering policy and usage of an improved the cost-effectiveness of battery storage and increases in solar PV penetration reduced the system load factor. As expected, Phoenix had the most favorable economic scenario for residential solar PV, primarily due to high solar insolation. The study location---solar insolation and load profile---was also found to affect the time of year at which the largest net negative system load was realized.

Hybrids of Solar Sail, Solar Electric, and Solar Thermal Propulsion for Solar-System Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilcox, Brian H.

2012-01-01

Solar sails have long been known to be an attractive method of propulsion in the inner solar system if the areal density of the overall spacecraft (S/C) could be reduced to approx.10 g/sq m. It has also long been recognized that the figure (precise shape) of useful solar sails needs to be reasonably good, so that the reflected light goes mostly in the desired direction. If one could make large reflective surfaces with reasonable figure at an areal density of approx.10 g/sq m, then several other attractive options emerge. One is to use such sails as solar concentrators for solar-electric propulsion. Current flight solar arrays have a specific output of approx. 100W/kg at 1 Astronomical Unit (AU) from the sun, and near-term advances promise to significantly increase this figure. A S/C with an areal density of 10 g/sq m could accelerate up to 29 km/s per year as a solar sail at 1 AU. Using the same sail as a concentrator at 30 AU, the same spacecraft could have up to approx. 45 W of electric power per kg of total S/C mass available for electric propulsion (EP). With an EP system that is 50% power-efficient, exhausting 10% of the initial S/C mass per year as propellant, the exhaust velocity is approx. 119 km/s and the acceleration is approx. 12 km/s per year. This hybrid thus opens attractive options for missions to the outer solar system, including sample-return missions. If solar-thermal propulsion were perfected, it would offer an attractive intermediate between solar sailing in the inner solar system and solar electric propulsion for the outer solar system. In the example above, both the solar sail and solar electric systems don't have a specific impulse that is near-optimal for the mission. Solar thermal propulsion, with an exhaust velocity of the order of 10 km/s, is better matched to many solar system exploration missions. This paper derives the basic relationships between these three propulsion options and gives examples of missions that might be enabled by

Multi-objective Optimization of Solar Irradiance and Variance at Pertinent Inclination Angles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, Dhanesh; Lalwani, Mahendra

2018-05-01

The performance of photovoltaic panel gets highly affected bychange in atmospheric conditions and angle of inclination. This article evaluates the optimum tilt angle and orientation angle (surface azimuth angle) for solar photovoltaic array in order to get maximum solar irradiance and to reduce variance of radiation at different sets or subsets of time periods. Non-linear regression and adaptive neural fuzzy interference system (ANFIS) methods are used for predicting the solar radiation. The results of ANFIS are more accurate in comparison to non-linear regression. These results are further used for evaluating the correlation and applied for estimating the optimum combination of tilt angle and orientation angle with the help of general algebraic modelling system and multi-objective genetic algorithm. The hourly average solar irradiation is calculated at different combinations of tilt angle and orientation angle with the help of horizontal surface radiation data of Jodhpur (Rajasthan, India). The hourly average solar irradiance is calculated for three cases: zero variance, with actual variance and with double variance at different time scenarios. It is concluded that monthly collected solar radiation produces better result as compared to bimonthly, seasonally, half-yearly and yearly collected solar radiation. The profit obtained for monthly varying angle has 4.6% more with zero variance and 3.8% more with actual variance, than the annually fixed angle.

Final Technical Report DE-EE0006911 Vermont Solar Pathways

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

Lane, Damon; Hill, David

Solar PV is the fastest-growing form of energy in Vermont. From 2012 to 2017, Vermont’s solar energy capacity increased almost nine times to 227 MW, a compound annual growth rate of 54%. During this time, the portion of electricity from solar grew from 0.5% to 5%. The state is one of the national leaders in net metering, community solar, and solar jobs per capita. In 2011, the Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan set a goal to have renewable energy supply 90% of the state’s total energy needs (including electricity, heating and cooling, and transportation) by 2050. The Department of Public Servicemore » completed a Total Energy Study to examine the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of various paths to the 90% goal and related emissions goals. The General Assembly created a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) that includes credit for projects—such as electric vehicles and modern wood heating—that switch end uses away from fossil fuel, making the RPS essentially a total energy portfolio standard. Achieving the state’s energy goals will require major contributions from distributed resources and the development of supporting infrastructure such as energy storage, electric vehicle charging stations, and upgraded distribution systems. The Vermont Solar Pathways project used scenario modeling and stakeholder engagement to create a broadly supported plan to get 20% of the state’s electricity from solar by 2025. Scenario modeling provided numbers and graphs for examining issues, costs, and benefits, and spurred discussions at the 11 stakeholder meetings held over the course of the project. Stakeholders provided feedback to improve the model and made suggestions for variations on the scenarios.« less

Cosmic ray variations of solar origin in relation to human physiological state during the December 2006 solar extreme events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papailiou, M.; Mavromichalaki, H.; Vassilaki, A.; Kelesidis, K. M.; Mertzanos, G. A.; Petropoulos, B.

2009-02-01

There is an increasing amount of evidence linking biological effects to solar and geomagnetic disturbances. A series of studies is published referring to the changes in human physiological responses at different levels of geomagnetic activity. In this study, the possible relation between the daily variations of cosmic ray intensity, measured by the Neutron Monitor at the Cosmic Ray Station of the University of Athens (http://cosray.phys.uoa.gr) and the average daily and hourly heart rate variations of persons, with no symptoms or hospital admission, monitored by Holter electrocardiogram, is considered. This work refers to a group of persons admitted to the cardiological clinic of the KAT Hospital in Athens during the time period from 4th to 24th December 2006 that is characterized by extreme solar and geomagnetic activity. A series of Forbush decreases started on 6th December and lasted until the end of the month and a great solar proton event causing a Ground Level Enhancement (GLE) of the cosmic ray intensity on 13th December occurred. A sudden decrease of the cosmic ray intensity on 15th December, when a geomagnetic storm was registered, was also recorded in Athens Neutron Monitor station (cut-off rigidity 8.53 GV) with amplitude of 4%. It is noticed that during geomagnetically quiet days the heart rate and the cosmic ray intensity variations are positively correlated. When intense cosmic ray variations, like Forbush decreases and relativistic proton events produced by strong solar phenomena occur, cosmic ray intensity and heart rate get minimum values and their variations, also, coincide. During these events the correlation coefficient of these two parameters changes and follows the behavior of the cosmic ray intensity variations. This is only a small part of an extended investigation, which has begun using data from the year 2002 and is still in progress.

Personality and Career Success: Concurrent and Longitudinal Relations.

PubMed

Sutin, Angelina R; Costa, Paul T; Miech, Richard; Eaton, William W

2009-03-01

The present research addresses the dynamic transaction between extrinsic (occupational prestige, income) and intrinsic (job satisfaction) career success and the Five-Factor Model of personality. Participants (N = 731) completed a comprehensive measure of personality and reported their job title, annual income, and job satisfaction; a subset of these participants (n = 302) provided the same information approximately 10 years later. Measured concurrently, emotionally stable and conscientious participants reported higher incomes and job satisfaction. Longitudinal analyses revealed that, among younger participants, higher income at baseline predicted decreases in Neuroticism and baseline Extraversion predicted increases in income across the 10 years. Results suggest that the mutual influence of career success and personality is limited to income and occurs early in the career.

The gamma-ray spectrometer experiment on the solar maximum mission satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chupp, E. L.

1988-01-01

The major activities (through 15 November l987) of the Solar Maximum Mission Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (SMM GRS) team members at the University of New Hampshire and the Naval Research Laboratory and the work of the Guest Investigators since the last Semi-Annual Report are summarized. In addition, an updated list of published papers and invited papers or papers presented at scientific meetings is provided.

Integrating solar energy and climate research into science education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Betts, Alan K.; Hamilton, James; Ligon, Sam; Mahar, Ann Marie

2016-01-01

This paper analyzes multi-year records of solar flux and climate data from two solar power sites in Vermont. We show the inter-annual differences of temperature, wind, panel solar flux, electrical power production, and cloud cover. Power production has a linear relation to a dimensionless measure of the transmission of sunlight through the cloud field. The difference between panel and air temperatures reaches 24°C with high solar flux and low wind speed. High panel temperatures that occur in summer with low wind speeds and clear skies can reduce power production by as much as 13%. The intercomparison of two sites 63 km apart shows that while temperature is highly correlated on daily (R2=0.98) and hourly (R2=0.94) timescales, the correlation of panel solar flux drops markedly from daily (R2=0.86) to hourly (R2=0.63) timescales. Minimum temperatures change little with cloud cover, but the diurnal temperature range shows a nearly linear increase with falling cloud cover to 16°C under nearly clear skies, similar to results from the Canadian Prairies. The availability of these new solar and climate datasets allows local student groups, a Rutland High School team here, to explore the coupled relationships between climate, clouds, and renewable power production. As our society makes major changes in our energy infrastructure in response to climate change, it is important that we accelerate the technical education of high school students using real-world data.

Use of meteorological information in the risk analysis of a mixed wind farm and solar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mengelkamp, H.-T.; Bendel, D.

2010-09-01

Use of meteorological information in the risk analysis of a mixed wind farm and solar power plant portfolio H.-T. Mengelkamp*,** , D. Bendel** *GKSS Research Center Geesthacht GmbH **anemos Gesellschaft für Umweltmeteorologie mbH The renewable energy industry has rapidly developed during the last two decades and so have the needs for high quality comprehensive meteorological services. It is, however, only recently that international financial institutions bundle wind farms and solar power plants and offer shares in these aggregate portfolios. The monetary value of a mixed wind farm and solar power plant portfolio is determined by legal and technical aspects, the expected annual energy production of each wind farm and solar power plant and the associated uncertainty of the energy yield estimation or the investment risk. Building an aggregate portfolio will reduce the overall uncertainty through diversification in contrast to the single wind farm/solar power plant energy yield uncertainty. This is similar to equity funds based on a variety of companies or products. Meteorological aspects contribute to the diversification in various ways. There is the uncertainty in the estimation of the expected long-term mean energy production of the wind and solar power plants. Different components of uncertainty have to be considered depending on whether the power plant is already in operation or in the planning phase. The uncertainty related to a wind farm in the planning phase comprises the methodology of the wind potential estimation and the uncertainty of the site specific wind turbine power curve as well as the uncertainty of the wind farm effect calculation. The uncertainty related to a solar power plant in the pre-operational phase comprises the uncertainty of the radiation data base and that of the performance curve. The long-term mean annual energy yield of operational wind farms and solar power plants is estimated on the basis of the actual energy production and it

A study of Solar-Enso correlation with southern Brazil tree ring index (1955- 1991)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rigozo, N.; Nordemann, D.; Vieira, L.; Echer, E.

The effects of solar activity and El Niño-Southern Oscillation on tree growth in Southern Brazil were studied by correlation analysis. Trees for this study were native Araucaria (Araucaria Angustifolia)from four locations in Rio Grande do Sul State, in Southern Brazil: Canela (29o18`S, 50o51`W, 790 m asl), Nova Petropolis (29o2`S, 51o10`W, 579 m asl), Sao Francisco de Paula (29o25`S, 50o24`W, 930 m asl) and Sao Martinho da Serra (29o30`S, 53o53`W, 484 m asl). From these four sites, an average tree ring Index for this region was derived, for the period 1955-1991. Linear correlations were made on annual and 10 year running averages of this tree ring Index, of sunspot number Rz and SOI. For annual averages, the correlation coefficients were low, and the multiple regression between tree ring and SOI and Rz indicates that 20% of the variance in tree rings was explained by solar activity and ENSO variability. However, when the 10 year running averages correlations were made, the coefficient correlations were much higher. A clear anticorrelation is observed between SOI and Index (r=-0.81) whereas Rz and Index show a positive correlation (r=0.67). The multiple regression of 10 year running averages indicates that 76% of the variance in tree ring INdex was explained by solar activity and ENSO. These results indicate that the effects of solar activity and ENSO on tree rings are better seen on long timescales.

Strong Solar Wind Dynamic Pressure Pulses during Solar Cycle 23 and Their Impacts on Geosynchronous Magnetic Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuo, P.

2015-12-01

Solar wind dynamic pressure pulse (DPP) structures, across which the dynamic pressure abruptly changes over timescales from a few seconds to several minutes, are often observed in the near-Earth space environment. In this investigation, we first present a statistical study on the properties of strong dynamic pressure pulses in the solar wind during solar cycle 23. It is found that overwhelming majority of DPPs are associated with the solar wind disturbances including the CME-related flows, the corotating interaction regions, as well as the complex ejecta. The annual variations of the averaged occurrence rate of DPPs are roughly in phase with the solar activities. Although the variabilities of geosynchronous magnetic fields (GMFs) due to the impact of positive DPPs have been well established, there appears no systematic investigations on the response of GMFs to negative DPPs. Here we also study the decompression/compression effects of very strong negative/positive DPPs on GMFs under northward IMFs. In response to the decompression of strong negative DPPs, GMFs on dayside, near the dawn and dusk on nightside are generally depressed. But near the midnight region, the responses of GMF are very diverse, being either positive or negative. For part of events when GOES is located at the midnight sector, GMF is found to abnormally increase as the result of magnetospheric decompression caused by negative DPPs. It is known that on certain conditions magnetic depression of nightside GMFs can be caused by the impact of positive DPPs. Here we found that, a stronger pressure enhancement may have a higher probability of producing the exceptional depression of GMF at midnight region. Statistically, both the decompression effect of strong negative DPPs and the compression effect of strong positive DPPs depend on the magnetic local time, being stronger at the noon sector.

Annually resolved North Atlantic marine climate over the last millennium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reynolds, D. J.; Scourse, J. D.; Halloran, P. R.; Nederbragt, A. J.; Wanamaker, A. D.; Butler, P. G.; Richardson, C. A.; Heinemeier, J.; Eiríksson, J.; Knudsen, K. L.; Hall, I. R.

2016-12-01

Owing to the lack of absolutely dated oceanographic information before the modern instrumental period, there is currently significant debate as to the role played by North Atlantic Ocean dynamics in previous climate transitions (for example, Medieval Climate Anomaly-Little Ice Age, MCA-LIA). Here we present analyses of a millennial-length, annually resolved and absolutely dated marine δ18O archive. We interpret our record of oxygen isotope ratios from the shells of the long-lived marine bivalve Arctica islandica (δ18O-shell), from the North Icelandic shelf, in relation to seawater density variability and demonstrate that solar and volcanic forcing coupled with ocean circulation dynamics are key drivers of climate variability over the last millennium. During the pre-industrial period (AD 1000-1800) variability in the sub-polar North Atlantic leads changes in Northern Hemisphere surface air temperatures at multi-decadal timescales, indicating that North Atlantic Ocean dynamics played an active role in modulating the response of the atmosphere to solar and volcanic forcing.

Artificial heart pumps: bridging the gap between science, technology and personalized medicine by relational medicine.

PubMed

Raia, Federica; Deng, Mario C

2017-01-01

In the US population of 300 million, 3 million have heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and 300,000 have advanced heart failure. Long-term mechanical circulatory support will, within the next decade, be recommended to 30,000 patients annually in the USA, 3000 undergo heart transplantation annually. What do these advances mean for persons suffering from advanced heart failure and their loved ones/caregivers? In this perspective article, we discuss - by exemplifying a case report of a 27-year-old man receiving a Total Artificial Heart - a practice concept of modern medicine that fully incorporates the patient's personhood perspective which we have termed Relational Medicine™. From this case study, it becomes apparent that the successful practice of modern cardiovascular medicine requires the person-person encounter as a core practice element.

Energy Saving and GHG Emission Reduction in a Micro-CCHP System by Use of Solar Energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ion, Ion V.; Ciocea, Gheorghe; Popescu, Florin

2012-12-01

In this work, the reduction of greenhouse gas emission, and the energy saving by integrating solar collectors and photovoltaic panels in a Stirling engine based microcombined cooling, heating and power (mCCHP) system are studied. The mCCHP system consists of a natural gas Stirling CHP and an adsorber chiller. When the thermal outputs of the Stirling CHP and solar collectors are not sufficient to cover the heat demand for domestic hot water (DHW), heating/cooling, an auxiliary heating boiler starts to operate. The energy saving by using solar energy varies from 13.35% in December to 59.62% in April, in the case of solar collectors usage and from 7.47% in December to 28.27% in July, in the case of photovoltaic panels usage. By using solar energy the annual GHG emission decreases by 31.98% and the fuel cost reduction varies from 12.73% in December to 49.78% in June.

Cosmic ray modulation and radiation dose of aircrews during the solar cycle 24/25

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyake, Shoko; Kataoka, Ryuho; Sato, Tatsuhiko

2017-04-01

Weak solar activity and high cosmic ray flux during the coming solar cycle are qualitatively anticipated by the recent observations that show the decline in the solar activity levels. We predict the cosmic ray modulation and resultant radiation exposure at flight altitude by using the time-dependent and three-dimensional model of the cosmic ray modulation. Our galactic cosmic ray (GCR) model is based on the variations of the solar wind speed, the strength of the heliospheric magnetic field, and the tilt angle of the heliospheric current sheet. We reproduce the 22 year variation of the cosmic ray modulation from 1980 to 2015 taking into account the gradient-curvature drift motion of GCRs. The energy spectra of GCR protons obtained by our model show good agreement with the observations by the Balloon-borne Experiment with a Superconducting magnetic rigidity Spectrometer (BESS) and the Payload for Antimatter Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics (PAMELA) except for a discrepancy at the solar maximum. Five-year annual radiation dose around the solar minimum at the solar cycle 24/25 will be approximately 19% higher than that in the last cycle. This is caused by the charge sign dependence of the cosmic ray modulation, such as the flattop profiles in a positive polarity.

Study of Magnetic Structure in the Solar Photosphere and Chromosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noyes, Robert W.; Avrett, Eugene; Nisenson, Peter; Uitenbroek, Han; vanBallegooijen, Adriaan

1998-01-01

This grant funded an observational and theoretical program to study the structure and dynamics of the solar photosphere and low chromosphere, and the spectral signatures that result. The overall goal is to learn about mechanisms that cause heating of the overlying atmosphere, and produce variability of solar emission in spectral regions important for astrophysics and space physics. The program exploited two new ground-based observational capabilities: one using the Swedish Solar Telescope on La Palma for very high angular resolution observations of the photospheric intensity field (granulation) and proxies of the magnetic field (G-band images); and the other using the Near Infrared Magnetograph at the McMath-Pierce Solar Facility to map the spatial variation and dynamic behavior of the solar temperature minimum region using infrared CO lines. We have interpreted these data using a variety of theoretical and modelling approaches, some developed especially for this project. Previous annual reports cover the work done up to 31 May 1997. This final report summarizes our work for the entire period, including the period of no-cost extension from 1 June 1997 through September 30 1997. In Section 2 we discuss observations and modelling of the photospheric flowfields and their consequences for heating of the overlying atmosphere, and in Section 3 we discuss imaging spectroscopy of the CO lines at 4.67 mu.

Analysis of Solar Potential of Roofs Based on Digital Terrain Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorički, M.; Poslončec-Petrić, V.; Frangeš, S.; Bačić, Ž.

2017-09-01

One of the basic goals of the smart city concept is to create a high-quality environment that is long sustainable and economically justifiable. The priority and concrete goal today is to promote and provide sustainable sources of energy (SSE). Croatia is rich with sun energy and as one of the sunniest European countries, it has a huge insufficiently used solar potential at its disposal. The paper describes the procedure of analysing the solar potential of a pilot area Sveti Križ Začretje by means of digital surface model (DSM) and based on the data available in the Meteorological and Hydrological Service of the Republic of Croatia. Although a more detailed analysis would require some additional factors, it is clear that the installation of 19,6m2 of solar panels in each household could cover annual requirements of the household in the analysed area, the locality Sveti Križ Začretje.

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Nevada Solar One | Concentrating Solar

Science.gov Websites

Power | NREL Nevada Solar One This page provides information on Nevada Solar One, a configuration. Acciona Energy's Nevada Solar One is the third largest CSP plant in the world and the first plant roads. Project Overview Project Name: Nevada Solar One (NSO) Country: United States Location: Boulder

Reduction of solar photovoltaic resources due to air pollution in China

PubMed Central

Wagner, Fabian; Peng, Wei; Yang, Junnan; Mauzerall, Denise L.

2017-01-01

Solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation is expanding rapidly in China, with total capacity projected to be 400 GW by 2030. However, severe aerosol pollution over China reduces solar radiation reaching the surface. We estimate the aerosol impact on solar PV electricity generation at the provincial and regional grid levels in China. Our approach is to examine the 12-year (2003–2014) average reduction in point-of-array irradiance (POAI) caused by aerosols in the atmosphere. We apply satellite-derived surface irradiance data from the NASA Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) with a PV performance model (PVLIB-Python) to calculate the impact of aerosols and clouds on POAI. Our findings reveal that aerosols over northern and eastern China, the most polluted regions, reduce annual average POAI by up to 1.5 kWh/m2 per day relative to pollution-free conditions, a decrease of up to 35%. Annual average reductions of POAI over both northern and eastern China are about 20–25%. We also evaluate the seasonal variability of the impact and find that aerosols in this region are as important as clouds in winter. Furthermore, we find that aerosols decrease electricity output of tracking PV systems more than those with fixed arrays: over eastern China, POAI is reduced by 21% for fixed systems at optimal angle and 34% for two-axis tracking systems. We conclude that PV system performance in northern and eastern China will benefit from improvements in air quality and will facilitate that improvement by providing emission-free electricity. PMID:29078360

Reduction of solar photovoltaic resources due to air pollution in China.

PubMed

Li, Xiaoyuan; Wagner, Fabian; Peng, Wei; Yang, Junnan; Mauzerall, Denise L

2017-11-07

Solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation is expanding rapidly in China, with total capacity projected to be 400 GW by 2030. However, severe aerosol pollution over China reduces solar radiation reaching the surface. We estimate the aerosol impact on solar PV electricity generation at the provincial and regional grid levels in China. Our approach is to examine the 12-year (2003-2014) average reduction in point-of-array irradiance (POAI) caused by aerosols in the atmosphere. We apply satellite-derived surface irradiance data from the NASA Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) with a PV performance model (PVLIB-Python) to calculate the impact of aerosols and clouds on POAI. Our findings reveal that aerosols over northern and eastern China, the most polluted regions, reduce annual average POAI by up to 1.5 kWh/m 2 per day relative to pollution-free conditions, a decrease of up to 35%. Annual average reductions of POAI over both northern and eastern China are about 20-25%. We also evaluate the seasonal variability of the impact and find that aerosols in this region are as important as clouds in winter. Furthermore, we find that aerosols decrease electricity output of tracking PV systems more than those with fixed arrays: over eastern China, POAI is reduced by 21% for fixed systems at optimal angle and 34% for two-axis tracking systems. We conclude that PV system performance in northern and eastern China will benefit from improvements in air quality and will facilitate that improvement by providing emission-free electricity. Published under the PNAS license.

Optical designs for improved solar cell performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosten, Emily Dell

wavelengths. This approach has the potential for very high efficiencies, and excellent annual power production. Using a light-trapping filtered concentrator approach, we design filter elements and find an optimal design. Thus, this thesis explores silicon microwires, angle restriction, and spectral splitting as different optical approaches for improving the cost and efficiency of solar cells.

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Xina Solar One | Concentrating Solar

Science.gov Websites

Power | NREL Xina Solar One Abengoa has been selected by the Department of Energy (DOE) of South Africa to develop Xina Solar One, a 100 MW parabolic trough plant with a five-hour thermal energy with Abengoa's plant KaXu Solar One that is currently under construction in the country. Xina Solar One

SPS market analysis. [small solar thermal power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goff, H. C.

1980-01-01

A market analysis task included personal interviews by GE personnel and supplemental mail surveys to acquire statistical data and to identify and measure attitudes, reactions and intentions of prospective small solar thermal power systems (SPS) users. Over 500 firms were contacted, including three ownership classes of electric utilities, industrial firms in the top SIC codes for energy consumption, and design engineering firms. A market demand model was developed which utilizes the data base developed by personal interviews and surveys, and projected energy price and consumption data to perform sensitivity analyses and estimate potential markets for SPS.

Eyeball to Eyeball: The Whys and Hows of Personal Solicitation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robins, H. Perk

1982-01-01

Personal solicitation is seen as the most effective way to produce a gift. Specific steps for solicitation are identified: preparation, approach, presentation, and close. Leadership and volunteer training needed for the annual fund drive are discussed. University of Georgia examples are included. (MLW)

Linking delinquency and personal identity formation across adolescence: Examining between- and within-person associations.

PubMed

Mercer, Natalie; Crocetti, Elisabetta; Branje, Susan; van Lier, Pol; Meeus, Wim

2017-11-01

Adolescent delinquency and identity formation have both been described in relation to the confusion, doubt, and need for individuation and autonomy faced by adolescents. While theoretical conceptualizations (e.g., Erikson, 1968; Moffitt, 1993) suggest that delinquency and identity formation might be developmentally intertwined across adolescence, this link had yet to be longitudinally examined. This study tested whether delinquency and identity are related and whether we could determine a developmental order considering both between- and within-person associations across adolescence. We examined these associations in a multi-informant sample of 497 Dutch adolescents followed for 5 annual waves from age 14-18. Between-person cross-lagged models showed that adolescents who scored higher on delinquency relative to their peers, scored lower on commitment and higher on reconsideration, 1 year later. Within-person cross-lagged models showed that when adolescents reported above their own average on delinquency, they reported decreased commitment and increased reconsideration 1 year later. Additionally, within-persons, when adolescents reported an increase in in-depth exploration compared with their own average they reported decreased delinquency 1 year later. From these results we can conclude that delinquency and personal identity are indeed related across adolescence. Experimenting with delinquency hampers identity formation by increasing reconsideration and decreasing commitment. Within-person results suggest that interventions tailored to increase in-depth exploration in adolescents may help to prevent adolescent delinquency. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

76 FR 33340 - Revision of Agency Information Collection for the Indian Child Welfare Assistance Annual Report...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-08

...) Control Number 1076-0131, which expires August 31, 2011. DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit... Number: 1076-0131. Title: Indian Child Welfare Assistance Annual Report, 25 CFR part 23. Brief...

Personal Development Plans: Insights from a Case Based Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenan, Peter

2016-01-01

Purpose: In light of contemporary shifts away from annual appraisals, this study aims to explore the implications of using a personal development plan (PDP) as a means of focussing on continuous feedback and development to improve individual performance and ultimately organisational performance. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected…

The PAN 15th Annual Research & Education Forum

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-01

The views, opinions and/or findings contained in this report are those of the author( s ) and should not be construed as an official...Arlington, VA 2 4302. Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law , no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing...Annual Forum 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-09 1 0022 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR( S ) Amy Comstock Rick, JD, Principal

Analysis of the variation of atmospheric electric field during solar events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tacza, J.; Raulin, J. P.

2016-12-01

We present the capability of a new network of electric field mill sensors to monitor the atmospheric electric field at various locations in South America. The first task is to obtain a diurnal curve of atmospheric electric field variations under fair weather conditions, which we will consider as a reference curve. To accomplish this, we made daily, monthly, seasonal and annual averages. For all sensor location, the results show significant similarities with the Carnegie curve. The Carnegie curve is the characteristic curve in universal time of atmospheric electric field in fair weather and one thinks it is related to the currents flowing in the global atmospheric electric circuit. Ultimately, we pretend to study departures of the daily observations from the standard curve. This difference can be caused by solar, geophysical and atmospheric phenomena such as the solar activity cycle, solar flares and energetic charged particles, galactic cosmic rays, seismic activity and/or specific meteorological events. As an illustration we investigate solar effects on the atmospheric electric field observed at CASLEO (Lat. 31.798°S, Long. 69.295°W, Altitude: 2552 masl) by the method of superposed epoch analysis, between January 2010 and December 2015.

A novel procedure for generating solar irradiance TSYs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fanego, Vicente Lara; Rubio, Jesús Pulgar; Peruchena, Carlos M. Fernández; Romeo, Martín Gastón; Tejera, Sara Moreno; Santigosa, Lourdes Ramírez; Balderrama, Rita X. Valenzuela; Tirado, Luis F. Zarzalejo; Pantaleón, Diego Bermejo; Pérez, Manuel Silva; Contreras, Manuel Pavón; García, Ana Bernardos; Anarte, Sergio Macías

2017-06-01

Typical Solar Years (TSYs) are key parameters for the solar energy industry. In particular, TSYs are mainly used for the design and bankability analysis of solar projects. In essence, a TSY intends to describe the expected long-term behavior of the solar resource (direct and/or global irradiance) into a condensed period of one year at the specific location of interest. A TSY differs from a conventional Typical Meteorological Year (TMY) by its absence of meteorological variables other than solar radiation. Concerning the probability of exceedance (Pe) needed for bankability, various scenarios are commonly used, with Pe90, Pe95 or even Pe99 being most usually required as unfavorable scenarios, along with the most widely used median scenario (Pe50). There is no consensus in the scientific community regarding the methodology for generating TSYs for any Pe scenario. Furthermore, the application of two different construction methods to the same original dataset could produce differing TSYs. Within this framework, a group of experts has been established by the Spanish Association for Standardization and Certification (AENOR) in order to propose a method that can be standardized. The method developed by this working group, referred to as the EVA method, is presented in this contribution. Its evaluation shows that it provides reasonable results for the two main irradiance components (direct and global), with low errors in the annual estimations for any given Pe. The EVA method also preserves the long-term statistics when the computed TSYs for a specific Pe are expanded from the monthly basis used in the generation of the TSY to higher time resolutions, such as 1 hour, which are necessary for the precise energy simulation of solar systems.

Personality and Career Success: Concurrent and Longitudinal Relations

PubMed Central

Sutin, Angelina R.; Costa, Paul T.; Miech, Richard; Eaton, William W.

2009-01-01

The present research addresses the dynamic transaction between extrinsic (occupational prestige, income) and intrinsic (job satisfaction) career success and the Five-Factor Model of personality. Participants (N = 731) completed a comprehensive measure of personality and reported their job title, annual income, and job satisfaction; a subset of these participants (n = 302) provided the same information approximately 10 years later. Measured concurrently, emotionally stable and conscientious participants reported higher incomes and job satisfaction. Longitudinal analyses revealed that, among younger participants, higher income at baseline predicted decreases in Neuroticism and baseline Extraversion predicted increases in income across the 10 years. Results suggest that the mutual influence of career success and personality is limited to income and occurs early in the career. PMID:19774106

[Application of GIS and integrated mathematic models on estimating forest land wood productiveness and solar energy use efficiency].

PubMed

Xing, Shihe; Lin, Dexi; Shen, Jinquan; Cao, Rongbin

2005-10-01

Based on the meteorological elements observation and mountain soil survey in Fujian Province, this paper approached the application of geographic information system (GIS) and integrated mathematic models on estimating the grid wood productiveness and solar energy use efficiency (SEUE) of regional forest land. The results showed that there was a significant quadratic correlation of annual mean temperature, precipitation and total solar radiation energy(TSRE) with longitude, latitude and altitude, and their multiple correlation coefficients ranged from 0.692 to 0.981. The regional annual mean TSRE, temperature and precipitation could be well estimated by GIS and integrated models of quadratic tendency curve, and linear, quadratic and quartic inverse distance weighted interpolation. These annual means estimated by the models did not differ greatly from observed data, and the t test values were 1.29, 0.12 and 0.06, respectively. The grid wood productiveness and SEUE of regional forest land in Fujian could also be well estimated with the aid of GIS and integrated models, which ranged from 2.32 m3 x hm(-2) yr(-1) to 18.61 m3 x hm(-2) yr(-1) and from 0.11% to 0.91%, respectively.

Flux Enhancements of > 30 keV Electrons at Low Drift Shells L < 1.2 During Last Solar Cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suvorova, A. V.

2017-12-01

We present results of statistical analysis of enhancements of >30 keV electrons observed by the NOAA/POES satellites during solar cycles 23 and 24 (1998-2016) at low drift shells L < 1.2, so-called forbidden zone. We collected 1,750 days ( 25% of the total time) when fluxes of the forbidden energetic electrons (FEE) exceeded 103 (cm2 s sr)-1. We found 530 days, when FEE fluxes reached high intensity from 104 up to 107 (cm2 s sr)-1. It was found that the FEE enhancements were observed mostly often at the declining phases and solar minimum. More than 85% of the events occurred under fast solar wind (V > 450 km/s), high substorm activity (AL >150 nT), and enhanced interplanetary electric field perturbations (VδB > 1.5 mV/m). The FEE occurrence rate peaks around the local midnight. We have also found a quite unexpected annual variation of the FEE occurrence rate with a pronounced maximum from May to September, a minor peak in December-January, and minima at the equinoxes. The May-September peak, persisting at different solar cycle phases, was assumed to originate from high conductivity in the auroral ionosphere, which is controlled by the dipole tilt angle and provides better conditions for penetration of electric field perturbations into the inner magnetosphere. This allows explanation of the shape and amplitude of annual variation in the FEE occurrence rate from the convolution of the solar wind driver with the penetration conditions.

The REU Program in Solar Physics at Montana State University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martens, Petrus C.; Canfield, R. C.; McKenzie, D. M.

2007-05-01

The Solar Physics group at Montana State University has organized an annual summer REU program in Solar Physics, Astronomy, and Space Physics since 1999, with NSF funding since 2003. The number of students applying and being admitted to the program has increased every year, and we have been very successful in attracting female participants. A great majority of our REU alumni have chosen career paths in the sciences, and, according to their testimonies, our REU program has played a significant role in their decisions. From the start our REU program has had an important international component through a close collaboration with the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. In our poster we will describe the goals, organization, scientific contents, international aspects, and results, and present statistics on applications, participants, gender balance, and diversity.

Testing the potential of 10Be in varved sediments from two lakes for solar activity reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czymzik, Markus; Muscheler, Raimund; Brauer, Achim; Adolphi, Florian; Ott, Florian; Kienel, Ulrike; Dräger, Nadine; Slowinski, Michal; Aldahan, Ala; Possnert, Göran

2015-04-01

The potential of 10Be in annually laminated (varved) lake sediments for solar activity reconstruction is, to date, largely unexplored. It is hypothesized that 10Be contents in sediments from well-chosen lakes reflect the solar induced atmospheric production signal. The varved nature of these archives provides the chance to establish solar activity time-series with very high temporal precision. However, so far solar activity reconstruction from 10Be in varved lake sediments is hampered due to a lack of detailed knowledge of the process chain from production in the atmosphere to deposition on the lake floor. Calibrating 10Be time-series from varved lake sediments against complementary proxy records from the same sediment archive as well as instrumental meteorological and solar activity data will allow a process-based understanding of 10Be deposition in these lakes and a quantitative evaluation of their potential for solar activity reconstruction. 10Be concentration and flux time-series at annual resolution were constructed for the period 1983 to 2007 (approx. solar cycles 22 and 23) conducting accelerator mass spectrometry and varve chronology on varved sediments of Lakes Tiefer See and Czechowski, located on an east-west transect at a distance of about 450 km in the lowlands of northern-central Europe. 10Be concentrations vary between 0.9 and 1.8*108atoms/g, with a mean of 1.3*108atoms/g in Lake Tiefer See and between 0.6 and 1.6*108atoms/g, with a mean of 1*108atoms/g in Lake Czechowski. Calculated mean 10Be flux is 2.3*108atoms/cm2/year for Lake Tiefer See and 0.7*108atoms/cm2/year for Lake Czechowski. Calibrating the 10Be time-series against corresponding geochemical μ-XRF profiles, varve thickness and total organic carbon records as well as precipitation data from the nearby stations Schwerin for Lake Tiefer See and Koscierzyna for Lake Czechowski and a neutron monitor record of solar activity suggests (1) a complex interaction of varying processes influencing

Endothelial Dysfunction and Blood Viscosity Inpatients with Unstable Angina in Different Periods of a Solar Activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parshina, S. S.; Tokaeva, L. K.; Dolgova, E. M.; Afanas'yeva, T. N.; Strelnikova, O. A.

The origin of hemorheologic and endothelial defects in patients with unstable angina (comparing with healthy persons) is determined by a solar activity period: the blood viscosity increases in a period of high solar activity in the vessels of small, medium and macro diameters, a local decompensate dysfunction of small vessels endothelium had been fixed (microcirculation area). In the period of a low solar activity there is an increase of a blood viscosity in vessels of all diameters, generalized subcompensated endothelial dysfunction is developed (on the background of the III phase blood clotting activating). In the period of a high solar activity a higher blood viscosity had been fixed, comparing with the period of a low solar activity.

Advanced power cycles and configurations for solar towers: Modeling and optimization of the decoupled solar combined cycle concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Barberena, Javier; Olcoz, Asier; Sorbet, Fco. Javier

2017-06-01

CSP technologies are essential to allow large shares of renewables into the grid due to their unique ability to cope with the large variability of the energy resource by means of technically and economically feasible thermal energy storage (TES) systems. However, there is still the need and sought to achieve technological breakthroughs towards cost reductions and increased efficiencies. For this, research on advanced power cycles, like the Decoupled Solar Combined Cycle (DSCC) is, are regarded as a key objective. The DSCC concept is, basically, a Combined Brayton-Rankine cycle in which the bottoming cycle is decoupled from the operation of the topping cycle by means of an intermediate storage system. According to this concept, one or several solar towers driving a solar air receiver and a Gas Turbine (Brayton cycle) feed through their exhaust gasses a single storage system and bottoming cycle. This general concept benefits from a large flexibility in its design. On the one hand, different possible schemes related to number and configuration of solar towers, storage systems media and configuration, bottoming cycles, etc. are possible. On the other, within a specific scheme a large number of design parameters can be optimized, including the solar field size, the operating temperatures and pressures of the receiver, the power of the Brayton and Rankine cycles, the storage capacity and others. Heretofore, DSCC plants have been analyzed by means of simple steady-state models with pre-stablished operating parameters in the power cycles. In this work, a detailed transient simulation model for DSCC plants has been developed and is used to analyze different DSCC plant schemes. For each of the analyzed plant schemes, a sensitivity analysis and selection of the main design parameters is carried out. Results show that an increase in annual solar to electric efficiency of 30% (from 12.91 to 16.78) can be achieved by using two bottoming Rankine cycles at two different

Solar Photovoltaic and Liquid Natural Gas Opportunities for Command Naval Region Hawaii

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

Utilities Commission xii PV Photovoltaic Pwr Power RE Renewable Energy Re-gas Regasification RFP Request For Proposal RMI Rocky... forecasted LS diesel price and the forecasted LNG delivered-to-the- power -plant cost. The forecast for LS diesel by FGE from year 2020–2030 is seen...annual/html/epa_08_01.html Electric Power Research Institute. (July, 2010). Addressing solar photovoltaic operations and maintenance challenges: A

The importance of the diurnal and annual cycle of air traffic for contrail radiative forcing.

PubMed

Stuber, Nicola; Forster, Piers; Rädel, Gaby; Shine, Keith

2006-06-15

Air traffic condensation trails, or contrails, are believed to have a net atmospheric warming effect, although one that is currently small compared to that induced by other sources of human emissions. However, the comparably large growth rate of air traffic requires an improved understanding of the resulting impact of aircraft radiative forcing on climate. Contrails have an effect on the Earth's energy balance similar to that of high thin ice clouds. Their trapping of outgoing longwave radiation emitted by the Earth and atmosphere (positive radiative forcing) is partly compensated by their reflection of incoming solar radiation (negative radiative forcing). On average, the longwave effect dominates and the net contrail radiative forcing is believed to be positive. Over daily and annual timescales, varying levels of air traffic, meteorological conditions, and solar insolation influence the net forcing effect of contrails. Here we determine the factors most important for contrail climate forcing using a sophisticated radiative transfer model for a site in southeast England, located in the entrance to the North Atlantic flight corridor. We find that night-time flights during winter (December to February) are responsible for most of the contrail radiative forcing. Night flights account for only 25 per cent of daily air traffic, but contribute 60 to 80 per cent of the contrail forcing. Further, winter flights account for only 22 per cent of annual air traffic, but contribute half of the annual mean forcing. These results suggest that flight rescheduling could help to minimize the climate impact of aviation.

Solar Plus: A Holistic Approach to Distributed Solar PV | Solar Research |

Science.gov Websites

NREL Plus: A Holistic Approach to Distributed Solar PV Solar Plus: A Holistic Approach to Distributed Solar PV A new NREL report analyzes "solar plus," an emerging approach to distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) deployment that uses energy storage and controllable devices to optimize

Solar Impulse's Solar-Powered Plane

ScienceCinema

Moniz, Ernest; Piccard, Bertrand; Reicher, Dan

2018-01-16

Solar Impulse lands in Washington, DC at Washington Dulles International Airport as part of its journey across the United States. Secretary Ernest Moniz speaks about how advancements like those at the Department of Energy are leading the way for innovations like the solar-powered plane. Footage of the solar-powered plane courtesy of Solar Impulse.

Solar Impulse's Solar-Powered Plane

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

Moniz, Ernest; Piccard, Bertrand; Reicher, Dan

Solar Impulse lands in Washington, DC at Washington Dulles International Airport as part of its journey across the United States. Secretary Ernest Moniz speaks about how advancements like those at the Department of Energy are leading the way for innovations like the solar-powered plane. Footage of the solar-powered plane courtesy of Solar Impulse.

Influence of solar variability on the infrared radiative cooling of the thermosphere from 2002 to 2014.

PubMed

Mlynczak, Martin G; Hunt, Linda A; Mertens, Christopher J; Thomas Marshall, B; Russell, James M; Woods, Thomas; Earl Thompson, R; Gordley, Larry L

2014-04-16

Infrared radiative cooling of the thermosphere by carbon dioxide (CO 2 , 15 µm) and by nitric oxide (NO, 5.3 µm) has been observed for 12 years by the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument on the Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics satellite. For the first time we present a record of the two most important thermospheric infrared cooling agents over a complete solar cycle. SABER has documented dramatic variability in the radiative cooling on time scales ranging from days to the 11 year solar cycle. Deep minima in global mean vertical profiles of radiative cooling are observed in 2008-2009. Current solar maximum conditions, evidenced in the rates of radiative cooling, are substantially weaker than prior maximum conditions in 2002-2003. The observed changes in thermospheric cooling correlate well with changes in solar ultraviolet irradiance and geomagnetic activity during the prior maximum conditions. NO and CO 2 combine to emit 7 × 10 18 more Joules annually at solar maximum than at solar minimum. First record of thermospheric IR cooling rates over a complete solar cycleIR cooling in current solar maximum conditions much weaker than prior maximumVariability in thermospheric IR cooling observed on scale of days to 11 years.

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Khi Solar One | Concentrating Solar

Science.gov Websites

Power | NREL Khi Solar One This page provides information on Khi Solar One, a concentrating . Status Date: February 8, 2016 Project Overview Project Name: Khi Solar One Country: South Africa Location

Analyzing the effect of the longwave emissivity and solar reflectance of building envelopes on energy-saving in buildings in various climates

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

Shi, Zhiyang; Zhang, Xiong

A dynamic computer simulation is carried out in the climates of 35 cities distributed around the world. The variation of the annual air-conditioning energy loads due to changes in the longwave emissivity and the solar reflectance of the building envelopes is studied to find the most appropriate exterior building finishes in various climates (including a tropical climate, a subtropical climate, a mountain plateau climate, a frigid-temperate climate and a temperate climate). Both the longwave emissivity and the solar reflectance are set from 0.1 to 0.9 with an interval of 0.1 in the simulation. The annual air-conditioning energy loads trends ofmore » each city are listed in a chart. The results show that both the longwave emissivity and the solar reflectance of building envelopes play significant roles in energy-saving for buildings. In tropical climates, the optical parameters of the building exterior surface affect the building energy-saving most significantly. In the mountain plateau climates and the subarctic climates, the impacts on energy-saving in buildings due to changes in the longwave emissivity and the solar reflectance are still considerable, but in the temperate continental climates and the temperate maritime climates, only limited effects are seen. (author)« less

The value of personal health record (PHR) systems.

PubMed

Kaelber, David; Pan, Eric C

2008-11-06

Personal health records (PHRs) are a rapidly growing area of health information technology despite a lack of significant value-based assessment.Here we present an assessment of the potential value of PHR systems, looking at both costs and benefits.We examine provider-tethered, payer-tethered, and third-party PHRs, as well as idealized interoperable PHRs. An analytical model was developed that considered eight PHR application and infrastructure functions. Our analysis projects the initial and annual costs and annual benefits of PHRs to the entire US over the next 10 years.This PHR analysis shows that all forms of PHRs have initial net negative value. However, at the end of 10 years, steady state annual net value ranging from$13 billion to -$29 billion. Interoperable PHRs provide the most value, followed by third-party PHRs and payer-tethered PHRs also showing positive net value. Provider-tethered PHRs constantly demonstrating negative net value.

Centennial-scale solar forcing of the South American Monsoon System recorded in stalagmites.

PubMed

Novello, Valdir F; Vuille, Mathias; Cruz, Francisco W; Stríkis, Nicolás M; de Paula, Marcos Saito; Edwards, R Lawrence; Cheng, Hai; Karmann, Ivo; Jaqueto, Plínio F; Trindade, Ricardo I F; Hartmann, Gelvam A; Moquet, Jean S

2016-04-21

The South American Monsoon System (SAMS) is generally considered to be highly sensitive to Northern Hemisphere (NH) temperature variations on multi-centennial timescales. The direct influence of solar forcing on moisture convergence in global monsoon systems on the other hand, while well explored in modeling studies, has hitherto not been documented in proxy data from the SAMS region. Hence little is known about the sensitivity of the SAMS to solar forcing over the past millennium and how it might compete or constructively interfere with NH temperature variations that occurred primarily in response to volcanic forcing. Here we present a new annually-resolved oxygen isotope record from a 1500-year long stalagmite recording past changes in precipitation in the hitherto unsampled core region of the SAMS. This record details how solar variability consistently modulated the strength of the SAMS on centennial time scales during the past 1500 years. Solar forcing, besides the previously recognized influence from NH temperature changes and associated Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) shifts, appears as a major driver affecting SAMS intensity at centennial time scales.

Proceedings of the Annual Review Conference (13th) on Atmospheric Transmission Models Held in Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts on 5-6 June 1990

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-06-01

PL-TR-92-2054 AD-A247 625 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 13TH ANNUAL REVIEW CONFERENCE ON ATMOSPHERIC TRANSMISSION MODELS, 5-6 JUNE 1990 Editors: F. X. Kneizys L...Security Classification) Proceedings of the 13th Annual Review Conference on Atmospheric Transmission Models. 12. PERSONAL AUTHOR(S) Editors, F.X...the 31 papers presented at the Thirteenth Annual Review Conference on Atmospheric Transmission Models held at the Geophysics Laborator-, (ASFC

The shady side of solar protection.

PubMed

Parsons, P G; Neale, R; Wolski, P; Green, A

1998-04-06

To determine the value of shade in protecting humans from solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Measurement with photometers of protection factors for ultraviolet B radiation (UVB) and for total solar radiation for different types of trees and other structures during the summer months (1995-1997) in south-east Queensland. (The protection ratio is the ratio of the intensity of UVB or total solar radiation in direct sunlight to that in shade.) For summer sun at midday, the mean (SD) UV protection ratio for the shade of trees (n = 65) was 4.21 (1.36) on a horizontal surface and 1.33 (0.30) on a vertical surface. In contrast, the mean (SD) protection ratio for total solar energy (primarily infrared) was much higher (12.1 [1.4]). Trees common in recreational areas in Australia (eucalypts: UV protection ratio, 3.52 [0.79]; Norfolk Island pines: UV protection ratio, 3.72 [0.98]) offered reduced protection compared with trees with more dense foliage (UV protection ratio, 5.48 [1.44]). Over a whole day, measurement of shade by trees and other structures showed that the UV protection ratio was lower in the morning and afternoon. Shade from awnings, buildings and hats gave similar results to those for trees. Both at midday and over a whole day satisfactory protection (UV protection ratio > 15) was obtained only in shade which eliminated exposure to the sky as well as to direct sunlight; for example, in thickly wooded areas and under low, widely overhanging structures. Most forms of shade, while useful, offer people insufficient protection from solar UV. A fair-skinned person sheltering under a tree could suffer sunburn after less than one hour. There is a need for appropriate design of structural shade, use of other solar protection measures in conjunction with shade, and research on behavioural responses to shade.

SunShot solar power reduces costs and uncertainty in future low-carbon electricity systems.

PubMed

Mileva, Ana; Nelson, James H; Johnston, Josiah; Kammen, Daniel M

2013-08-20

The United States Department of Energy's SunShot Initiative has set cost-reduction targets of $1/watt for central-station solar technologies. We use SWITCH, a high-resolution electricity system planning model, to study the implications of achieving these targets for technology deployment and electricity costs in western North America, focusing on scenarios limiting carbon emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. We find that achieving the SunShot target for solar photovoltaics would allow this technology to provide more than a third of electric power in the region, displacing natural gas in the medium term and reducing the need for nuclear and carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technologies, which face technological and cost uncertainties, by 2050. We demonstrate that a diverse portfolio of technological options can help integrate high levels of solar generation successfully and cost-effectively. The deployment of GW-scale storage plays a central role in facilitating solar deployment and the availability of flexible loads could increase the solar penetration level further. In the scenarios investigated, achieving the SunShot target can substantially mitigate the cost of implementing a carbon cap, decreasing power costs by up to 14% and saving up to $20 billion ($2010) annually by 2050 relative to scenarios with Reference solar costs.

Potential of Solar Energy in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah: An Estimate Using a Photovoltaic System Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markos, F. M.; Sentian, J.

2016-04-01

Solar energy is becoming popular as an alternative renewable energy to conventional energy source, particularly in the tropics, where duration and intensity of solar radiation are longer. This study is to assess the potential of solar energy generated from solar for Kota Kinabalu, a rapidly developing city in the State of Sabah, Malaysia. A year data of solar radiation was obtained using pyranometer, which was located at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (6.0367° N, 116.1186° E). It was concluded that the annual average solar radiation received in Kota Kinabalu was 182 W/m2. In estimating the potential energy generated from solar for Kota Kinabalu city area, a photovoltaic (PV) system model was used. The results showed that, Kota Kinabalu is estimated to produce 29,794 kWh/m2 of electricity from the solar radiation received in a year. This is equivalent to 0.014 MW of electricity produced just by using one solar panel. Considering the power demand in Sabah by 2020 is 1,331 MW, this model showed that the solar energy can contribute around 4% of energy for power demand, with 1 MW capacity of the PV system. 1 MW of PV system installation will require about 0.0328% from total area of the city. This assessment could suggest that, exploration for solar power energy as an alternative source of renewable energy in the city can be optimised and designed to attain significant higher percentage of contribution to the energy demand in the state.

Outreach activities in anticipation of the 2016 solar eclipse in Sorong

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putra Raharja, Endra; Pramudya, Yudhiakto

2016-11-01

Sorong is located outside the narrow path of total solar eclipse on March 9th, 2016. The predicted obscuration of the sun was 94.2%. The public outreach to anticipate the solar eclipse was intended to educate students in junior and senior high school in Sorong Regency. Some of them are located in the remote area where the educational materials are difficult to find. The public outreach is unique, since it was run by the local person who is student of physics education. The student has both the ability to explain the solar eclipse phenomenon and able to adapt to knowledge level of students. The materials that were given to the schools are brochure and the eclipse glasses. Beside solar eclipse lectures in class, the pinhole workshop and observation practice were held. The limited materials and resources were faced during the public outreach. However, the enthusiasm was shown by the students and teachers. At least one of the schools held the solar eclipse observation on the day of the eclipse.

Synchronous flowering of the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) induced by high solar radiation intensity.

PubMed

Yeang, Hoong-Yeet

2007-01-01

How tropical trees flower synchronously near the equator in the absence of significant day length variation or other meteorological cues has long been a puzzle. The rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is used as a model to investigate this phenomenon. The annual cycle of solar radiation intensity is shown to correspond closely with the flowering of the rubber tree planted near the equator and in the subtropics. Unlike in temperate regions, where incoming solar radiation (insolation) is dependent on both day length and radiation intensity, insolation at the equator is due entirely to the latter. Insolation at the upper atmosphere peaks twice a year during the spring and autumn equinoxes, but the actual solar radiation that reaches the ground is attenuated to varying extents in different localities. The rubber tree shows one or two flowering seasons a year (with major and minor seasons in the latter) in accordance with the solar radiation intensity received. High solar radiation intensity, and in particular bright sunshine (as distinct from prolonged diffuse radiation), induces synchronous anthesis and blooming in Hevea around the time of the equinoxes. The same mechanism may be operational in other tropical tree species.

Estimation of Solar Energy on Vertical 3D Building Walls on City Quarter Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaugsch, F.; Löwner, M.-O.

2016-10-01

In urban areas, solar energy is one promising source of renewable energy to achieve the EU parliament's goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 20 % compared to 1990. Although annual radiation on vertical walls is lower than that on roof surfaces, they are larger in area and, therefore may contribute to energy production. On the other hand, the modelling of shadowing effects is cost intensive in an complex urban environment. Here we present a method for the calculation of solar potential on vertical walls for simple 2D maps with additional building height information. We introduced observer point columns that enable a fast decision whether a whole vertical set of observer points is illuminated or not. By the introduction of a maximum shade length, we reduce processing time in ArcGIS. 206,291 points of 130 buildings have been analysed in time steps of 15 minutes resulting in 15 769 pairs of solar angles. Results disprove the potential of vertical walls serving to fill the winter gap of roof mounted solar energy plants. Best wall orientation for the deployment of solar panels are west and east in summer, whereas it is southeast in winter.

Fluctuations in Tree Ring Cellulose d18O during the Little Ice Age Correlate with Solar Activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Y. T.; Yokoyama, Y.; Miyahara, H.; Nakatsuka, T.

2008-12-01

The Maunder Minimum (AD1645-1715), when sunspots became exceedingly rare, is known to coincide with the coldest period during the Little Ice Age. This is a useful period to investigate possible linkage between solar activity and climate because variation in solar activity was different from that of today. The solar cycle length was longer (14 and 28 years) than that of today (11 and 22 years) hence any climate archives that have similar periodic changes could be separated from other internal climate forcing. We have reported that Greenland temperature variations coincided with decadal-scale variability in solar activity during the Maunder Minimum (Miyahara et al. 2008). Here we report interannual and intra-annual relative humidity (RH) variations in central Japan during that period, using tree ring cellulose d18O in a 382-year-old Japanese cedar tree (Cryptomeria japonica). The isotopic composition of tree rings can be a powerful tool to study the relationship between solar activity and climate, because we can directly compare solar activity (D14C) and climate (d18O) with little dating error. The climate proxy obtained using tree ring cellulose d18O is correlated both negatively and positively with RH and d18O in precipitation, respectively. Since d18O in precipitation is negatively correlated with the amount of precipitation in the monsoon area, tree ring cellulose d18O can be a reliable proxy for past RH and/or amount of precipitation in the area of the interest. Tree ring cellulose d18O of the cedar tree during AD1938-1998 in fact correlates significantly with the mean RH in June in central Japan. Tree ring d18O inferred RH variability during the Maunder Minimum shows distinct high RH spikes with an approximate 14-year quasiperiodicity. All nine solar minima during AD1640-1756 deduced from tree ring D14C coincided with high RH spikes, and seven of which coincided within 1-year. Interannual RH variations also coincided with Greenland temperature during this

Distribution Strategies for Solar and Wind Renewables in NW Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smedley, Andrew; Webb, Ann

2017-04-01

Whilst the UNFCCC Paris Agreement Climate change was ratified in November, 2016 saw the highest global temperature anomaly on record at 1.2°C above pre-industrial levels. As such there is urgent need to reduce CO2 emissions by a move away from fossil fuels and towards renewable electricity energy technologies. As the principal renewable technologies of solar PV and wind turbines contribute an increasing fraction to the electricity grid, questions of cumulative intermittency and the large-scale geographic distribution of each technology need to be addressed. In this study our initial emphasis is on a calculation of a relatively high spatial resolution (0.1° × 0.1°) daily gridded dataset of solar irradiance data, over a 10 year period (2006-2015). This is achieved by coupling established sources of satellite data (MODIS SSF level2 instantaneous footprint data) to a well-validated radiative transfer model, here LibRadTran. We utilise both a morning and afternoon field for two cloud layers (optical depth and cloud fraction) interpolated to hourly grids, together with aerosol optical depth, topographic height and solar zenith angle. These input parameters are passed to a 5-D LUT of LibRadTran results to construct hourly estimates of the solar irradiance field, which is then integrated to a daily total. For the daily wind resource we rely on the 6 hourly height-adjusted ECMWF ERA-Interim reanalysis wind fields, but separated into onshore, offshore and deep water components. From these datasets of the solar and wind resources we construct 22 different distribution strategies for solar PV and wind turbines based on the long-term availability of each resource. Combining these distributions with the original daily gridded datasets enables each distribution strategy to be then assessed in terms of the day-to-day variability, the installed capacity required to maintain a baseline supply, and the relative proportions of each technology. Notably for the NW European area

Genetics of personalized medicine: cancer and rare diseases.

PubMed

Alves, Inês Teles Siefers; Condinho, Manuel; Custódio, Sónia; Pereira, Bruna F; Fernandes, Rafael; Gonçalves, Vânia; da Costa, Paulo J; Lacerda, Rafaela; Marques, Ana Rita; Martins-Dias, Patrícia; Nogueira, Gonçalo R; Neves, Ana Rita; Pinho, Patrícia; Rodrigues, Raquel; Rolo, Eva; Silva, Joana; Travessa, André; Leite, Rosário Pinto; Sousa, Ana; Romão, Luísa

2018-06-01

The 21st annual meeting of the Portuguese Society of Human Genetics (SPGH), organized by Luísa Romão, Ana Sousa and Rosário Pinto Leite, was held in Caparica, Portugal, from the 16th to the 18th of November 2017. Having entered an era in which personalized medicine is emerging as a paradigm for disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention, the program of this meeting intended to include lectures by leading national and international scientists presenting exceptional findings on the genetics of personalized medicine. Various topics were discussed, including cancer genetics, transcriptome dynamics and novel therapeutics for cancers and rare disorders that are designed to specifically target molecular alterations in individual patients. Several panel discussions were held to emphasize (ethical) issues associated with personalized medicine, including genetic cancer counseling.

Solar astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosner, Robert; Noyes, Robert; Antiochos, Spiro K.; Canfield, Richard C.; Chupp, Edward L.; Deming, Drake; Doschek, George A.; Dulk, George A.; Foukal, Peter V.; Gilliland, Ronald L.

1991-01-01

An overview is given of modern solar physics. Topics covered include the solar interior, the solar surface, the solar atmosphere, the Large Earth-based Solar Telescope (LEST), the Orbiting Solar Laboratory, the High Energy Solar Physics mission, the Space Exploration Initiative, solar-terrestrial physics, and adaptive optics. Policy and related programmatic recommendations are given for university research and education, facilitating solar research, and integrated support for solar research.

Sub- and Quasi-Centurial Cycles in Solar and Geomagnetic Activity Data Series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komitov, B.; Sello, S.; Duchlev, P.; Dechev, M.; Penev, K.; Koleva, K.

2016-07-01

The subject of this paper is the existence and stability of solar cycles with durations in the range of 20-250 years. Five types of data series are used: 1) the Zurich series (1749-2009 AD), the mean annual International sunspot number Ri, 2) the Group sunspot number series Rh (1610-1995 AD), 3) the simulated extended sunspot number from Extended time series of Solar Activity Indices (ESAI) (1090-2002 AD), 4) the simulated extended geomagnetic aa-index from ESAI (1099-2002 AD), 5) the Meudon filament series (1919-1991 AD). Two principally independent methods of time series analysis are used: the T-R periodogram analysis (both in standard and ``scanning window'' regimes) and the wavelet-analysis. The obtained results are very similar. A strong cycle with a mean duration of 55-60 years is found to exist in all series. On the other hand, a strong and stable quasi 110-120 years and ˜200-year cycles are obtained in all of these series except in the Ri one. The high importance of the long term solar activity dynamics for the aims of solar dynamo modeling and predictions is especially noted.

Superabsorbents in Personal Care Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yong

1997-10-01

Water swellable hydrogels, often called Superabsorbent Polymers, are used as a major component in many absorbent products such as baby diapers. The superabsorbents used in personal care industry are typically lightly crosslinked sodium polyacrylate polymers. The current annual worldwide production of the material is close to one million metric tons. These hydrogels can absorb water more than 100 times of their own weight. The absorbed liquid is tightly held inside the superabsorbent materials even against pressure. The balance of many different properties will be discussed.

Geomagnetic detection of the sectorial solar magnetic field and the historical peculiarity of minimum 23-24

USGS Publications Warehouse

Love, Jeffrey J.; Rigler, J.

2012-01-01

[1] Analysis is made of the geomagnetic-activityaaindex covering solar cycle 11 to the beginning of 24, 1868–2011. Autocorrelation shows 27.0-d recurrent geomagnetic activity that is well-known to be prominent during solar-cycle minima; some minima also exhibit a smaller amount of 13.5-d recurrence. Previous work has shown that the recent solar minimum 23–24 exhibited 9.0 and 6.7-d recurrence in geomagnetic and heliospheric data, but those recurrence intervals were not prominently present during the preceding minima 21–22 and 22–23. Using annual-averages and solar-cycle averages of autocorrelations of the historicalaadata, we put these observations into a long-term perspective: none of the 12 minima preceding 23–24 exhibited prominent 9.0 and 6.7-d geomagnetic activity recurrence. We show that the detection of these recurrence intervals can be traced to an unusual combination of sectorial spherical-harmonic structure in the solar magnetic field and anomalously low sunspot number. We speculate that 9.0 and 6.7-d recurrence is related to transient large-scale, low-latitude organization of the solar dynamo, such as seen in some numerical simulations.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of solar hydrogen generation literature from 2001 to 2014.

PubMed

Maghami, Mohammad Reza; Asl, Shahin Navabi; Rezadad, Mohammad Esmaeil; Ale Ebrahim, Nader; Gomes, Chandima

Solar hydrogen generation is one of the new topics in the field of renewable energy. Recently, the rate of investigation about hydrogen generation is growing dramatically in many countries. Many studies have been done about hydrogen generation from natural resources such as wind, solar, coal etc. In this work we evaluated global scientific production of solar hydrogen generation papers from 2001 to 2014 in any journal of all the subject categories of the Science Citation Index compiled by Institute for Scientific Information (ISI), Philadelphia, USA. Solar hydrogen generation was used as keywords to search the parts of titles, abstracts, or keywords. The published output analysis showed that hydrogen generation from the sun research steadily increased over the past 14 years and the annual paper production in 2013 was about three times 2010-paper production. The number of papers considered in this research is 141 which have been published from 2001 to this date. There are clear distinctions among author keywords used in publications from the five most high-publishing countries such as USA, China, Australia, Germany and India in solar hydrogen studies. In order to evaluate this work quantitative and qualitative analysis methods were used to the development of global scientific production in a specific research field. The analytical results eventually provide several key findings and consider the overview hydrogen production according to the solar hydrogen generation.

Near-term viability of solar heat applications for the federal sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, T. A.

1991-12-01

Solar thermal technologies are capable of providing heat across a wide range of temperatures, making them potentially attractive for meeting energy requirements for industrial process heat applications and institutional heating. The energy savings that could be realized by solar thermal heat are quite large, potentially several quads annually. Although technologies for delivering heat at temperatures above 100 C currently exist within industry, only a fairly small number of commercial systems have been installed to date. The objective of this paper is to investigate and discuss the prospects for near term solar heat sales to federal facilities as a mechanism for providing an early market niche to the aid the widespread development and implementation of the technology. The specific technical focus is on mid-temperature (100 to 350 C) heat demands that could be met with parabolic trough systems. Federal facilities have several features relative to private industry that may make them attractive for solar heat applications relative to other sectors. Key features are specific policy mandates for conserving energy, a long term planning horizon with well defined decision criteria, and prescribed economic return criteria for conservation and solar investments that are generally less stringent than the investment criteria used by private industry. Federal facilities also have specific difficulties in the sale of solar heat technologies that are different from those of other sectors, and strategies to mitigate these difficulties will be important. For the baseline scenario developed in this paper, the solar heat application was economically competitive with heat provided by natural gas. The system levelized energy cost was $5.9/MBtu for the solar heat case, compared to $6.8/MBtu for the life cycle fuel cost of a natural gas case. A third-party ownership would also be attractive to federal users, since it would guarantee energy savings and would not need initial federal funds.

Modeling and optimization of a hybrid solar combined cycle (HYCS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eter, Ahmad Adel

2011-12-01

The main objective of this thesis is to investigate the feasibility of integrating concentrated solar power (CSP) technology with the conventional combined cycle technology for electric generation in Saudi Arabia. The generated electricity can be used locally to meet the annual increasing demand. Specifically, it can be utilized to meet the demand during the hours 10 am-3 pm and prevent blackout hours, of some industrial sectors. The proposed CSP design gives flexibility in the operation system. Since, it works as a conventional combined cycle during night time and it switches to work as a hybrid solar combined cycle during day time. The first objective of the thesis is to develop a thermo-economical mathematical model that can simulate the performance of a hybrid solar-fossil fuel combined cycle. The second objective is to develop a computer simulation code that can solve the thermo-economical mathematical model using available software such as E.E.S. The developed simulation code is used to analyze the thermo-economic performance of different configurations of integrating the CSP with the conventional fossil fuel combined cycle to achieve the optimal integration configuration. This optimal integration configuration has been investigated further to achieve the optimal design of the solar field that gives the optimal solar share. Thermo-economical performance metrics which are available in the literature have been used in the present work to assess the thermo-economic performance of the investigated configurations. The economical and environmental impact of integration CSP with the conventional fossil fuel combined cycle are estimated and discussed. Finally, the optimal integration configuration is found to be solarization steam side in conventional combined cycle with solar multiple 0.38 which needs 29 hectare and LEC of HYCS is 63.17 $/MWh under Dhahran weather conditions.

Investigation into solar drying of potato: effect of sample geometry on drying kinetics and CO2 emissions mitigation.

PubMed

Tripathy, P P

2015-03-01

Drying experiments have been performed with potato cylinders and slices using a laboratory scale designed natural convection mixed-mode solar dryer. The drying data were fitted to eight different mathematical models to predict the drying kinetics, and the validity of these models were evaluated statistically through coefficient of determination (R(2)), root mean square error (RMSE) and reduced chi-square (χ (2)). The present investigation showed that amongst all the mathematical models studied, the Modified Page model was in good agreement with the experimental drying data for both potato cylinders and slices. A mathematical framework has been proposed to estimate the performance of the food dryer in terms of net CO2 emissions mitigation potential along with unit cost of CO2 mitigation arising because of replacement of different fossil fuels by renewable solar energy. For each fossil fuel replaced, the gross annual amount of CO2 as well as net amount of annual CO2 emissions mitigation potential considering CO2 emissions embodied in the manufacture of mixed-mode solar dryer has been estimated. The CO2 mitigation potential and amount of fossil fuels saved while drying potato samples were found to be the maximum for coal followed by light diesel oil and natural gas. It was inferred from the present study that by the year 2020, 23 % of CO2 emissions can be mitigated by the use of mixed-mode solar dryer for drying of agricultural products.

Concentrating Solar Power Projects by Project Name | Concentrating Solar

Science.gov Websites

Tower Plant Gujarat Solar One Gulang 100MW Thermal Oil Parabolic Trough project Guzmán Hami 50 MW CSP ¼lich Solar Tower Kathu Solar Park KaXu Solar One Khi Solar One Kimberlina Solar Thermal Power Plant Solar Plant MINOS Mojave Solar Project Morón National Solar Thermal Power Facility Nevada Solar One

Orange County Government Solar Demonstration and Research Facility

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

Parker, Renee; Cunniff, Lori

Orange County Florida completed the construction of a 20 kilowatt Solar Demonstration and Research Facility in March 2015. The system was constructed at the Orange County/University of Florida Cooperative Extension Center whose electric service address is 6021 South Conway Road, Orlando, Florida 32802. The Solar Demonstration and Research Facility is comprised of 72 polycrystalline photovoltaic modules and 3 inverters which convert direct current from the solar panels to alternating current electricity. Each module produces 270 watts of direct current power, for a total canopy production of just under 20,000 watts. The solar modules were installed with a fixed tilt ofmore » 5 degrees and face south, toward the equator to maximize the amount of sunlight captures. Each year, the electricity generated by the solar array will help eliminate 20 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions as well as provide covered parking for staff and visitors vehicles. The solar array is expected to generate 27,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually equating to an estimated $266 savings in the monthly electric bill, or $3,180 annually for the Orange County/University of Florida Cooperative Extension Center. In addition to reducing the electric bill for the Extension Center, Orange County’s solar array also takes advantage of a rebate incentive offered by the local utility, Orlando Utility Commission, which provided a meter that measures the amount of power produced by the solar array. The local utility company’s Solar Photovoltaic Production Incentive will pay Orange County $0.05 per kilowatt hour for the power that is produced by the solar array. This incentive is provided in addition to Net Metering benefits, which is an effort to promote the use of clean, renewable energy on the electric grid. The Photovoltaic Solar Demonstration and Research Facility also serves an educational tool to the public; the solar array is tied directly into a data logger that provides real time

2011 NASA Range Safety Annual Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dumont, Alan G.

2012-01-01

Welcome to the 2011 edition of the NASA Range Safety Annual Report. Funded by NASA Headquarters, this report provides a NASA Range Safety overview for current and potential range users. As is typical with odd year editions, this is an abbreviated Range Safety Annual Report providing updates and links to full articles from the previous year's report. It also provides more complete articles covering new subject areas, summaries of various NASA Range Safety Program activities conducted during the past year, and information on several projects that may have a profound impact on the way business will be done in the future. Specific topics discussed and updated in the 2011 NASA Range Safety Annual Report include a program overview and 2011 highlights; Range Safety Training; Range Safety Policy revision; Independent Assessments; Support to Program Operations at all ranges conducting NASA launch/flight operations; a continuing overview of emerging range safety-related technologies; and status reports from all of the NASA Centers that have Range Safety responsibilities. Every effort has been made to include the most current information available. We recommend this report be used only for guidance and that the validity and accuracy of all articles be verified for updates. Once again the web-based format was used to present the annual report. We continually receive positive feedback on the web-based edition and hope you enjoy this year's product as well. As is the case each year, contributors to this report are too numerous to mention, but we thank individuals from the NASA Centers, the Department of Defense, and civilian organizations for their contributions. In conclusion, it has been a busy and productive year. I'd like to extend a personal Thank You to everyone who contributed to make this year a successful one, and I look forward to working with all of you in the upcoming year.

The full annual carbon balance of Eurasian boreal forests is highly sensitive to precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Öquist, Mats; Bishop, Kevin; Grelle, Achim; Klemedtsson, Leif; Köhler, Stephan; Laudon, Hjalmar; Lindroth, Anders; Ottosson Löfvenius, Mikaell; Wallin, Marcus; Nilsson, Mats

2013-04-01

Boreal forest biomes are identified as one of the major sinks for anthropogenic atmospheric CO2 and are also predicted to be particularly sensitive to climate change. Recent advances in understanding the carbon balance of these biomes stems mainly from eddy-covariance measurements of the net ecosystem exchange (NEE). However, NEE includes only the vertical CO2 exchange driven by photosynthesis and ecosystem respiration. A full net ecosystem carbon balance (NECB) also requires inclusion of lateral carbon export (LCE) through catchment discharge. Currently LCE is often regarded as negligible for the NECB of boreal forest ecosystems of the northern hemisphere, commonly corresponding to ~5% of annual NEE. Here we use long term (13 year) data showing that annual LCE and NEE are strongly correlated (p=0.003); years with low C sequestration by the forest coincide with years when lateral C loss is high. The fraction of NEE lost annually through LCE varied markedly from <3% to ca. 25%. Deviation in annual precipitation from the 28-year average (1980-2008) explained 90% of the variation observed in the fraction of C lost annually by LCE. The relationship suggests that an increase in annual precipitation of 10-20% in the boreal region would approximately double the fraction of NEE lost annually from the terrestrial system to surface waters. The correlation between NEE and LCE arises because the annual precipitation is correlated with both NEE (p<0.004) and LCE (p<0.001). Both these strong correlations contribute to an overall correlation between annual NECB and precipitation. The likely mechanism behind decreased NEE in response to increasing precipitation is a reduction in incoming solar radiation caused by clouds. The dual effect of precipitation implies that both the observed and the predicted increases in annual precipitation at high latitudes may reduce NECB in boreal forest ecosystems. Based on regional scaling of hydrological discharge and observed spatio

Optimum dry-cooling sub-systems for a solar air conditioner

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, J. L. S.; Namkoong, D.

1978-01-01

Dry-cooling sub-systems for residential solar powered Rankine compression air conditioners were economically optimized and compared with the cost of a wet cooling tower. Results in terms of yearly incremental busbar cost due to the use of dry-cooling were presented for Philadelphia and Miami. With input data corresponding to local weather, energy rate and capital costs, condenser surface designs and performance, the computerized optimization program yields design specifications of the sub-system which has the lowest annual incremental cost.

Economic analysis of alternate uses and design. Crosbyton Solar Power project

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

Jonish, J.E.; O'Hair, E.A.

This portion of the Crosbyton Solar Power Project (CSPP) has four objectives: (1) to provide a brief overview for the design, components and estimated energy performance of the baseline 60/sup 0/ rim solar bowl technology or FMDF; (2) to explain the basis for the cost estimates of the baseline 60/sup 0/ bowl and the alternate shallow bowl design, and to examine potential sensitivities in cost due to economies of scale and learning curve effects; (3) to provide life cycle cost simulations using the baseline and shallow bowl design and costs and annual performance estimates under a standardized set of modelmore » assumptions; and (4) to suggest potential applications of the CSPP concept in repowering, chemicals, fuel alcohol or malt beverages and integrated agriculture.« less

Morgenröthe or business as usual: a personal account of the 2nd Annual EULAR Congress, Prague

PubMed Central

Wollheim, Frank A

2001-01-01

The 2nd Annual European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Congress, held in Prague, 13–16 June 2001, was an impressive event with a record turnout of 8300 delegates. It offered a large variety of first-class state of the art lectures by some 180 invited worldwide speakers. Several new and ongoing therapeutic developments were discussed. The aim to attract the young scientific community was only partly achieved, and the dependence on industry posed some problems. The organization, however, was a big improvement compared with the previous congress in this series. The number of submitted abstracts was relatively low (1200) compared with the number of delegates. Accommodation of satellite symposia and organization of poster sessions remain problem areas of this meeting. The Annual EULAR Congress emerges as one of the two most important annual congresses of rheumatology, the other being the American College of Rheumatology meeting.

Solar cycle effect in SBUV/SBUV 2 ozone data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruzdev, Aleksandr

Effect of the 11-year solar cycle on stratospheric ozone is analyzed using the data of ozone measurements with SBUV/SBUV 2 instruments aboard Nimbus 7, NOAA 9, NOAA 11, NOAA 14, NOAA 16, and NOAA 17-NOAA 19 satellites for 1978-2012 (ftp://toms.gsfc.nasa.gov/pub/sbuv/). High-resolution spectral and cross-spectral methods as well as the method of multiple linear regression were used for the analysis. The regression model takes into account the annual variation, the linear trend, the solar cycle effect and the effects on ozone of the products of the Pinatubo volcano eruption and the quasi-biennial oscillations in the equatorial stratospheric wind. The cross-spectral analysis of ozone concentration and 10.7 cm solar radio flux shows that, generally, 11-year ozone variations in the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere lag behind while ozone variations in the low-latitude lower stratosphere lead the solar cycle. The phase shift between the ozone variations and the solar cycle reaches pi/2 in 35-40 km layer over the tropics and in the southern hemisphere lower stratosphere. Calculations show that taking into account the phase shift is especially important for correct estimation of the ozone response to the solar cycle in the tropical middle stratosphere. Local maxima of ozone sensitivity to the 11-year solar cycle are noted around a year below the stratopause (45-50 km), in 30-35 km layer in the middle stratosphere, and in the polar lower stratosphere. The sensitivity of the ozone response to the solar cycle for the whole period of 1978-2012 is less than that for the period of 1978-2003 which does not include the 24th solar cycle with anomalously small amplitude. The ozone response is seasonally dependent. Maximal amplitudes of the ozone response are characteristic for polar latitudes during winter-spring periods. For example ozone changes related to the solar cycle can reach 5% in the low and middle latitudes during the 1978-2012 period, while winter-spring ozone

Commercial products that convey personal health information in emergencies.

PubMed

Potini, Vishnu C; Weerasuriya, Dilani N; Lowery-North, Douglas W; Kellermann, Arthur L

2011-12-01

Describe commercially available products and services designed to convey personal health information in emergencies. The search engine Google®, supplemented by print ads, was used to identify companies and organizations that offer relevant products and services to the general market. Disease-specific, health system, and health plan-specific offerings were excluded. Vendor web sites were the primary sources of information, supplemented by telephone and e-mail queries to sales representatives. Perfect inter-rater agreement was achieved. Thirty-nine unique vendors were identified. Eight sell engraved jewelry. Three offer an embossed card or pamphlet. Twelve supply USB drives with various features. Eleven support password-protected web sites. Five maintain national call centers. Available media differed markedly with respect to capacity and accessibility. Quoted prices ranged from a one-time expenditure of $3.50 to an annual fee of $200. Associated features and annual fees varied widely. A wide range of products and services exist to help patients convey personal health information. Health care providers should be familiar with their features, so they can access the information in a disaster or emergency.

Midwestern streamflow, precipitation, and atmospheric vorticity influenced by Pacific sea-surface temperatures and total solar-irradiance variations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Perry, C.A.

2006-01-01

A solar effect on streamflow in the Midwestern United States is described and supported in a six-step physical connection between total solar irradiance (TSI), tropical sea-surface temperatures (SSTs), extratropical SSTs, jet-stream vorticity, surface-layer vorticity, precipitation, and streamflow. Variations in the correlations among the individual steps indicate that the solar/hydroclimatic mechanism is complex and has a time element (lag) that may not be constant. Correct phasing, supported by consistent spectral peaks between 0.092 and 0.096 cycles per year in all data sets within the mechanism is strong evidence for its existence. A significant correlation exists between total solar irradiance and the 3-year moving average of annual streamflow for Iowa (R = 0.67) and for the Mississippi River at St Louis, Missouri (R = 0.60), during the period 1950-2000. Published in 2005 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Solar Technology Acceleration Center (SolarTAC): Solar Resource & Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRAMP)

DOE Data Explorer

Andreas, Afshin; Wilcox, Steve

2016-03-14

Located in Colorado, near Denver International Airport, SolarTAC is a private, member-based, 74-acre outdoor facility where the solar industry tests, validates, and demonstrates advanced solar technologies. SolarTAC was launched in 2008 by a public-private consortium, including Midwest Research Institute (MRI). As a supporting member of SolarTAC, the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NMREL) has established a high quality solar and meteorological measurement station at this location. This Solar Resource and Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP) provides high quality measurements to support deployment of power projects in the United States. The no-funds-exchanged collaboration brings NREL solar resource assessment expertise together with industry needs for measurements. The end result is high quality data sets to support the financing, design, and monitoring of large scale solar powered projects for industry in addition to research-quality data for NREL model development. NREL provides consultation for instrumentation and station deployment, along with instrument calibrations, data acquisition, quality assessment, data distribution, and summary reports. Industry participants provide equipment, infrastructure, and station maintenance.

AAPCC Annual Reports

MedlinePlus

... Annual Report 2000 Annual Report 1999 Annual Report Poison Data National Poison Data System Uses for NPDS ... Elements NPDS FAQs Annual Reports Find Your Local Poison Center Poison centers offer free, private, confidential medical ...

Annual and seasonal variations in the low-latitude topside ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Y. Z.; Bailey, G. J.; Oyama, K.-I.

1998-08-01

Annual and seasonal variations in the low-latitude topside ionosphere are investigated using observations made by the Hinotori satellite and the Sheffield University Plasmasphere Ionosphere Model (SUPIM). The observed electron densities at 600 km altitude show a strong annual anomaly at all longitudes. The average electron densities of conjugate latitudes within the latitude range +/-25° are higher at the December solstice than at the June solstice by about 100 during daytime and 30 during night-time. Model calculations show that the annual variations in the neutral gas densities play important roles. The model values obtained from calculations with inputs for the neutral densities obtained from MSIS86 reproduce the general behaviour of the observed annual anomaly. However, the differences in the modelled electron densities at the two solstices are only about 30 of that seen in the observed values. The model calculations suggest that while the differences between the solstice values of neutral wind, resulting from the coupling of the neutral gas and plasma, may also make a significant contribution to the daytime annual anomaly, the E×B drift velocity may slightly weaken the annual anomaly during daytime and strengthen the anomaly during the post-sunset period. It is suggested that energy sources, other than those arising from the 6 difference in the solar EUV fluxes at the two solstices due to the change in the Sun-Earth distance, may contribute to the annual anomaly. Observations show strong seasonal variations at the solstices, with the electron density at 600 km altitude being higher in the summer hemisphere than in the winter hemisphere, contrary to the behaviour in NmF2. Model calculations confirm that the seasonal behaviour results from effects caused by transequatorial component of the neutral wind in the direction summer hemisphere to winter hemisphere. Acknowledgements. We thank all the members of the Exos-D project team, especially K. Tsuruda and H. Oya

The complex planetary synchronization structure of the solar system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scafetta, N.

2014-01-01

The complex planetary synchronization structure of the solar system, which since Pythagoras of Samos (ca. 570-495 BC) is known as the music of the spheres, is briefly reviewed from the Renaissance up to contemporary research. Copernicus' heliocentric model from 1543 suggested that the planets of our solar system form a kind of mutually ordered and quasi-synchronized system. From 1596 to 1619 Kepler formulated preliminary mathematical relations of approximate commensurabilities among the planets, which were later reformulated in the Titius-Bode rule (1766-1772), which successfully predicted the orbital position of Ceres and Uranus. Following the discovery of the ~ 11 yr sunspot cycle, in 1859 Wolf suggested that the observed solar variability could be approximately synchronized with the orbital movements of Venus, Earth, Jupiter and Saturn. Modern research has further confirmed that (1) the planetary orbital periods can be approximately deduced from a simple system of resonant frequencies; (2) the solar system oscillates with a specific set of gravitational frequencies, and many of them (e.g., within the range between 3 yr and 100 yr) can be approximately constructed as harmonics of a base period of ~ 178.38 yr; and (3) solar and climate records are also characterized by planetary harmonics from the monthly to the millennial timescales. This short review concludes with an emphasis on the contribution of the author's research on the empirical evidences and physical modeling of both solar and climate variability based on astronomical harmonics. The general conclusion is that the solar system works as a resonator characterized by a specific harmonic planetary structure that also synchronizes the Sun's activity and the Earth's climate. The special issue Pattern in solar variability, their planetary origin and terrestrial impacts (Mörner et al., 2013) further develops the ideas about the planetary-solar-terrestrial interaction with the personal contribution of 10

Summary of flat-plate solar array project documentation: Abstracts of published documents, 1975-1986, revision 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, M. J.

1986-01-01

Abstracts of final reports, or the latest quarterly or annual, of the Flat-Plate Solar Array (FSA) Project Contractor of Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in-house activities are presented. Also presented is a list of proceedings and publications, by author, of work connected with the project. The aim of the program has been to stimulate the development of technology that will enable the private sector to manufacture and widely use photovoltaic systems for the generation of electricity in residential, commercial, industrial, and Government applications at a cost per watt that is competitive with utility generated power. FSA Project activities have included the sponsoring of research and development efforts in silicon refinement processes, advanced silicon sheet growth techniques, higher efficiency solar cells, solar cell/module fabrication processes, encapsulation, module/array engineering and reliability, and economic analyses.

Numerical simulation and comparison of conventional and sloped solar chimney power plants: the case for Lanzhou.

PubMed

Cao, Fei; Li, Huashan; Zhang, Yang; Zhao, Liang

2013-01-01

The solar chimney power plant (SCPP) generates updraft wind through the green house effect. In this paper, the performances of two SCPP styles, that is, the conventional solar chimney power plant (CSCPP) and the sloped solar chimney power plant (SSCPP), are compared through a numerical simulation. A simplified Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model is built to predict the performances of the SCPP. The model is validated through a comparison with the reported results from the Manzanares prototype. The annual performances of the CSCPP and the SSCPP are compared by taking Lanzhou as a case study. Numerical results indicate that the SSCPP holds a higher efficiency and generates smoother power than those of the CSCPP, and the effective pressure in the SSCPP is relevant to both the chimney and the collector heights.

Numerical Simulation and Comparison of Conventional and Sloped Solar Chimney Power Plants: The Case for Lanzhou

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yang; Zhao, Liang

2013-01-01

The solar chimney power plant (SCPP) generates updraft wind through the green house effect. In this paper, the performances of two SCPP styles, that is, the conventional solar chimney power plant (CSCPP) and the sloped solar chimney power plant (SSCPP), are compared through a numerical simulation. A simplified Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model is built to predict the performances of the SCPP. The model is validated through a comparison with the reported results from the Manzanares prototype. The annual performances of the CSCPP and the SSCPP are compared by taking Lanzhou as a case study. Numerical results indicate that the SSCPP holds a higher efficiency and generates smoother power than those of the CSCPP, and the effective pressure in the SSCPP is relevant to both the chimney and the collector heights. PMID:24489515

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - KaXu Solar One | Concentrating Solar

Science.gov Websites

Power | NREL KaXu Solar One This page provides information on KaXu Solar One, a concentrating . Status Date: April 14, 2015 Project Overview Project Name: KaXu Solar One Country: South Africa Location

The Role of Solar Eclipses in El Nino/La Nina Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiu, B. C.

2005-08-01

The first hint of the fact that solar eclipses mark the enhanced storms called El Nino or La Nina, came from the article by Robert Allan on analysis of frequencies of these events (2001, perhaps Fourier analysis). One mystery was the cause of a cycle with period 15 to 20 years. But the Saros Series of solar eclipses has a period of 18+ years. Then we had the data from Galapagos Islands for the whole 20th century (Philander 2004). The graph of high and low temperatures indicates El Ninos and La Ninas. A search through charts of solar eclipses for those with good locations for bringing high tides at the Tropics, gave a good picture: those at the eastern coast of the pacific Ocean gave El Ninos, and those at the west gave La Ninas. More than half of the peaks and troughs on the temperature graph can be identified with solar eclipses. We looked more closely at a few events that caused great storms. They are described in J. M. Nash's book, ``El Nino" (2002). The most striking case is that of the 1998 Feb. 22 solar eclipse, which corresponds to the so-called El Nino of 1997-98. In conclusion, I would say that the annual El nino effect is due to the sun's travel between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. But the enhanced El Niino/La Nina is due to the coming together of sun and moon in the solar eclipses, which seem to come irregularly.

[Management of Personal Information in Clinical Laboratory Medicine:--Chairmen's Introductory Remarks].

PubMed

Yoshida, Hiroshi; Shimetani, Naoto

2014-11-01

The Japanese Society of Laboratory Medicine has been running its own Medical Safety Committee, and holding a symposium on medical safety during the annual meeting. The medical world is filled with a considerable amount of personal information, including genetic information, the ultimate personal information. We, as medical staff, have to manage such personal information not only in times of peace but also during disasters or emergency situations. In Japan, the Act on the Protection of Personal Information is currently being implemented, but a number of problems remain. Human beings have entered the information technology era, including electrical medical record systems, which is useful for research and education besides medical practice. This is why personal information must be more effectively protected from leakage, misconception, and abuse. We should create a sound system to manage personal information, with the spirit of protecting patient information that originated from the Oath of Hippocrates.

Midscale Commercial Solar Market | Solar Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

analysis to expand the midscale solar market. The midscale market for solar photovoltaics (PV), loosely than other PV market segments in recent years. Featured Analysis Midmarket Solar Policies in the United Midscale Commercial Solar Market Midscale Commercial Solar Market NREL experts are providing

Parameterization of daily solar global ultraviolet irradiation.

PubMed

Feister, U; Jäkel, E; Gericke, K

2002-09-01

Daily values of solar global ultraviolet (UV) B and UVA irradiation as well as erythemal irradiation have been parameterized to be estimated from pyranometer measurements of daily global and diffuse irradiation as well as from atmospheric column ozone. Data recorded at the Meteorological Observatory Potsdam (52 degrees N, 107 m asl) in Germany over the time period 1997-2000 have been used to derive sets of regression coefficients. The validation of the method against independent data sets of measured UV irradiation shows that the parameterization provides a gain of information for UVB, UVA and erythemal irradiation referring to their averages. A comparison between parameterized daily UV irradiation and independent values of UV irradiation measured at a mountain station in southern Germany (Meteorological Observatory Hohenpeissenberg at 48 degrees N, 977 m asl) indicates that the parameterization also holds even under completely different climatic conditions. On a long-term average (1953-2000), parameterized annual UV irradiation values are 15% and 21% higher for UVA and UVB, respectively, at Hohenpeissenberg than they are at Potsdam. Daily global and diffuse irradiation measured at 28 weather stations of the Deutscher Wetterdienst German Radiation Network and grid values of column ozone from the EPTOMS satellite experiment served as inputs to calculate the estimates of the spatial distribution of daily and annual values of UV irradiation across Germany. Using daily values of global and diffuse irradiation recorded at Potsdam since 1937 as well as atmospheric column ozone measured since 1964 at the same site, estimates of daily and annual UV irradiation have been derived for this site over the period from 1937 through 2000, which include the effects of changes in cloudiness, in aerosols and, at least for the period of ozone measurements from 1964 to 2000, in atmospheric ozone. It is shown that the extremely low ozone values observed mainly after the eruption of Mt

Multiradionuclide evidence for the solar origin of the cosmic-ray events of ᴀᴅ 774/5 and 993/4.

PubMed

Mekhaldi, Florian; Muscheler, Raimund; Adolphi, Florian; Aldahan, Ala; Beer, Jürg; McConnell, Joseph R; Possnert, Göran; Sigl, Michael; Svensson, Anders; Synal, Hans-Arno; Welten, Kees C; Woodruff, Thomas E

2015-10-26

The origin of two large peaks in the atmospheric radiocarbon ((14)C) concentration at AD 774/5 and 993/4 is still debated. There is consensus, however, that these features can only be explained by an increase in the atmospheric (14)C production rate due to an extraterrestrial event. Here we provide evidence that these peaks were most likely produced by extreme solar events, based on several new annually resolved (10)Be measurements from both Arctic and Antarctic ice cores. Using ice core (36)Cl data in pair with (10)Be, we further show that these solar events were characterized by a very hard energy spectrum with high fluxes of solar protons with energy above 100 MeV. These results imply that the larger of the two events (AD 774/5) was at least five times stronger than any instrumentally recorded solar event. Our findings highlight the importance of studying the possibility of severe solar energetic particle events.

Online educative activities for solar ultraviolet radiation based on measurements of cloud amount and solar exposures.

PubMed

Parisi, A V; Downs, N; Turner, J; Amar, A

2016-09-01

A set of online activities for children and the community that are based on an integrated real-time solar UV and cloud measurement system are described. These activities use the functionality of the internet to provide an educative tool for school children and the public on the influence of cloud and the angle of the sun above the horizon on the global erythemal UV or sunburning UV, the diffuse erythemal UV, the global UVA (320-400nm) and the vitamin D effective UV. Additionally, the units of UV exposure and UV irradiance are investigated, along with the meaning and calculation of the UV index (UVI). This research will help ensure that children and the general public are better informed about sun safety by improving their personal understanding of the daily and the atmospheric factors that influence solar UV radiation and the solar UV exposures of the various wavebands in the natural environment. The activities may correct common misconceptions of children and the public about UV irradiances and exposure, utilising the widespread reach of the internet to increase the public's awareness of the factors influencing UV irradiances and exposures in order to provide clear information for minimizing UV exposure, while maintaining healthy, outdoor lifestyles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simplified Calculation Of Solar Fluxes In Solar Receivers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhandari, Pradeep

1990-01-01

Simplified Calculation of Solar Flux Distribution on Side Wall of Cylindrical Cavity Solar Receivers computer program employs simple solar-flux-calculation algorithm for cylindrical-cavity-type solar receiver. Results compare favorably with those of more complicated programs. Applications include study of solar energy and transfer of heat, and space power/solar-dynamics engineering. Written in FORTRAN 77.

[Personal dose monitoring of radiation workers in medical institutions at the municipal level and below in a city from 2011 to 2014].

PubMed

Wang, C; Mo, S F; Zhang, J B; Li, J R; Huang, R L; Tan, H Y

2017-08-20

Objective: To determine the personal dose level of radiation workers in medical institutions at the municipal level and below in a city, and to provide a scientific support for strengthening the radiation protection in the city's medical institutions. Methods: Information of the successful applicants for the "Radiation Worker Permit" from 174 medical institutions at the municipal level and below was collected from October 1, 2011 to December 31, 2014. The annual effective dose was calculated based on the personal dose monitoring report, and indicators including sex, permit application time, hospital level, type of occupational radiation, length of radiation work, blood test, and micronucleated lymphocyte rate were analyzed. Results: Of the 1 143 radiation worker permit applications submitted by medical institutions the municipal level and below in this city from 2011 to 2014, 1 123 provided at least one personal dose monitoring report. The annual effective dose of the radiation workers was 0-4.76 mSv (mean 0.31±0.40 mSv) , and the collective annual effective dose was 351.96 mSv. The annual effective dose was significantly different between radiation workers with different times of permit application, hospital levels, and types of occupational radiation ( P <0.05) . Interventional radiology workers had the highest annual effective dose (0.63 mSv) , and annual effective dose was significantly different between interventional radiology workers with different lengths of radiation work ( H =10.812, P <0.05) . Conclusion: The personal radiation dose of radiation workers in medical institutions at the municipal level and below in this city is maintained at a relatively low level, suggesting that the occupational environment is relatively safe for these workers. However, more focus should be placed on clinical interventional radiology workers.

An Inexpensive High-Temporal Resolution Electronic Sun Journal for Monitoring Personal Day to Day Sun Exposure Patterns

PubMed Central

Downs, Nathan J.; Parisi, Alfio V.; Butler, Harry; Rawlings, Alex; Elrahoumi, Raja Salem

2017-01-01

Exposure to natural sunlight, specifically solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation contributes to lifetime risks of skin cancer, eye disease, and diseases associated with vitamin D insufficiency. Improved knowledge of personal sun exposure patterns can inform public health policy; and help target high-risk population groups. Subsequently, an extensive number of studies have been conducted to measure personal solar UV exposure in a variety of settings. Many of these studies, however, use digital or paper-based journals (self-reported volunteer recall), or employ cost prohibitive electronic UV dosimeters (that limit the size of sample populations), to estimate periods of exposure. A cost effective personal electronic sun journal (ESJ) built from readily available infrared photodiodes is presented in this research. The ESJ can be used to complement traditional UV dosimeters that measure total biologically effective exposure by providing a time-stamped sun exposure record. The ESJ can be easily attached to clothing and data logged to personal devices (including fitness monitors or smartphones). The ESJ improves upon self-reported exposure recording and is a cost effective high-temporal resolution option for monitoring personal sun exposure behavior in large population studies. PMID:29201865

Accuracy of silicon versus thermopile radiometers for daily and monthly integrated total hemispherical solar radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoffel, Thomas L.; Myers, Daryl R.

2010-08-01

Measurement stations for solar radiation resource assessment data are expensive and labor intensive. For this reason, long-term solar radiation measurements are not widely available. Growing interest in solar renewable energy systems has generated a great number of questions about the quality of data obtained from inexpensive silicon photodiode radiometers versus costly thermopile radiometers. We analyze a year of daily total and monthly mean global horizontal irradiance measurements derived from 1-minute averages of 3-second samples of pyranometer signals. The data were collected simultaneously from both types of radiometers at the Solar Radiation Research Laboratory (SRRL) operated by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado. All broadband radiometers in service at SRRL are calibrated annually using an outdoor method with reference radiometers traceable to the World Radiometric Reference. We summarized the data by daily total and monthly mean daily total amounts of solar radiation. Our results show that systematic and random errors (identified in our outdoor calibration process) in each type of radiometer cancel out over periods of one day or more. Daily total and mean monthly daily total solar energy measured by the two pyranometer types compare within 1% to 2%. The individual daily variations among different models of thermopile radiometers may be up to twice as large, up to +/-5%, being highest in the winter (higher average solar zenith angle conditions) and lowest in summer, consistent with the lower solar zenith angle conditions.

Annual Statistical Report, 1988. Client Assistance Program, Protection & Advocacy System for Persons with Mental Illness, Protection & Advocacy System for Persons with Developmental Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems, Washington, DC.

The report summarizes: (1) 1988 program data for state Protection and Advocacy Systems for persons with developmental disabilities and persons with mental illness, and (2) 1988 program data for Client Assistance Programs. The data are derived from reports from 56 states and territories. In addition to nationwide data totals, each state's…

Cyclic changes of Asian monsoon intensity during the early mid-Holocene from annually-laminated stalagmites, central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Dianbing; Wang, Yongjin; Cheng, Hai; Edwards, R. L.; Kong, Xinggong

2015-08-01

Climate during the early Holocene was highly variable due to the complex interplay of external and internal forcing mechanisms. The relative importance for them on the Asian monsoon (AM) evolution yet remains to be resolved. Here we present two-to six-yr-resolution oxygen isotope (δ18O) records of five stalagmites, four of which are annually-laminated, from Qingtian Cave, central China, revealing detailed AM variability between 10.9 and 6.1 ka BP. Over the contemporaneous periods, the δ18O records agree well with each other at multi-decadal to centennial timescales. When pieced together with the previously published isotopic data from the same cave, the final δ18O record reveals detailed AM variability from the last deglaciation to the mid-Holocene, consistent with other cave records. The most striking feature of the δ18O record is the recurrence of centennial-scale oscillations, especially during the annually-counted period (8.8-6.1 ka BP). Cross-wavelet analyses between the δ18O record and solar proxies show strong coherence at 200-yr cycle, suggesting that solar output was actively involved as a primary contributor. The AM depression at 8.2 ka BP is indistinguishable in amplitude and pattern from a series of weak AM events after 8 ka BP. We speculate that these centennial-scale AM changes might be regulated by the positive feedbacks of oceanic/atmospheric interactions to the solar activity under the condition of the retreat of continental ice-sheets.

Equatorial Ionospheric Anomaly (EIA) and comparison with IRI model during descending phase of solar activity (2005-2009)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Sanjay; Singh, A. K.; Lee, Jiyun

2014-03-01

The ionospheric variability at equatorial and low latitude region is known to be extreme as compared to mid latitude region. In this study the ionospheric total electron content (TEC), is derived by analyzing dual frequency Global Positioning System (GPS) data recorded at two stations separated by 325 km near the Indian equatorial anomaly region, Varanasi (Geog latitude 25°, 16/ N, longitude 82°, 59/ E, Geomagnetic latitude 16°, 08/ N) and Kanpur (Geog latitude 26°, 18/ N, longitude 80°, 12/ E, Geomagnetic latitude 17°, 18/ N). Specifically, we studied monthly, seasonal and annual variations as well as solar and geomagnetic effects on the equatorial ionospheric anomaly (EIA) during the descending phase of solar activity from 2005 to 2009. It is found that the maximum TEC (EIA) near equatorial anomaly crest yield their maximum values during the equinox months and their minimum values during the summer. Using monthly averaged peak magnitude of TEC, a clear semi-annual variation is seen with two maxima occurring in both spring and autumn. Results also showed the presence of winter anomaly or seasonal anomaly in the EIA crest throughout the period 2005-2009 only except during the deep solar minimum year 2007-2008. The correlation analysis indicate that the variation of EIA crest is more affected by solar activity compared to geomagnetic activity with maximum dependence on the solar EUV flux, which is attributed to direct link of EUV flux on the formation of ionosphere and main agent of the ionization. The statistical mean occurrence of EIA crest in TEC during the year from 2005 to 2009 is found to around 12:54 LT hour and at 21.12° N geographic latitude. The crest of EIA shifts towards lower latitudes and the rate of shift of the crest latitude during this period is found to be 0.87° N/per year. The comparison between IRI models with observation during this period has been made and comparison is poor with increasing solar activity with maximum difference during

The Cost of Annual versus Biannual Community-Directed Treatment of Onchocerciasis with Ivermectin: Ghana as a Case Study

PubMed Central

Turner, Hugo C.; Osei-Atweneboana, Mike Y.; Walker, Martin; Tettevi, Edward J.; Churcher, Thomas S.; Asiedu, Odame; Biritwum, Nana-Kwadwo; Basáñez, María-Gloria

2013-01-01

Background It has been proposed that switching from annual to biannual (twice yearly) mass community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) might improve the chances of onchocerciasis elimination in some African foci. However, historically, relatively few communities have received biannual treatments in Africa, and there are no cost data associated with increasing ivermectin treatment frequency at a large scale. Collecting cost data is essential for conducting economic evaluations of control programmes. Some countries, such as Ghana, have adopted a biannual treatment strategy in selected districts. We undertook a study to estimate the costs associated with annual and biannual CDTI in Ghana. Methodology The study was conducted in the Brong-Ahafo and Northern regions of Ghana. Data collection was organized at the national, regional, district, sub-district and community levels, and involved interviewing key personnel and scrutinizing national records. Data were collected in four districts; one in which treatment is delivered annually, two in which it is delivered biannually, and one where treatment takes place biannually in some communities and annually in others. Both financial and economic costs were collected from the health care provider's perspective. Principal Findings The estimated cost of treating annually was US Dollars (USD) 0.45 per person including the value of time donated by the community drug distributors (which was estimated at USD 0.05 per person per treatment round). The cost of CDTI was approximately 50–60% higher in those districts where treatment was biannual than in those where it was annual. Large-scale mass biannual treatment was reported as being well received and considered sustainable. Conclusions/Significance This study provides rigorous evidence of the different costs associated with annual and biannual CDTI in Ghana which can be used to inform an economic evaluation of the debate on the optimal treatment frequency required to control

78 FR 59047 - 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Semi-Annual Labor Standards Enforcement Report...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-25

... Information Collection: Semi-Annual Labor Standards Enforcement Report--Local Contracting Agencies ([email protected] . FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colette Pollard, Reports Management Officer, QDAM... at [email protected] or telephone 202-402-3400. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may...

Japanese Next Solar Mission: SOLAR-C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakao, T.; Solar-C, W. G.

2008-09-01

We present introductory overview on the next Japanese solar mission, SOLAR-C, which has been envisaged following the success of Hinode (SOLAR-B) mission. Two plans, Plan A and Plan B, are under extensive study from science objectives as well as engineering point of view. Plan A aims to perform out-of-ecliptic observations for investigating, with helioseismic approach, internal structure and dynamo mechanisms of the Sun. It also explores polar regions where fast solar wind is believed to be originated. The baseline orbit for Plan A is a circular orbit of 1 AU distance from the Sun, with its inclination at around, or greater than, 40 degrees. Plan B pursues small-scale plasma processes and structures in the solar atmosphere which attract growing interest, following Hinode discoveries, for understanding fully dynamism and magnetic nature of the atmosphere. With Plan B, high-angular-resolution investigation of the entire solar atmosphere (from the photosphere to the corona, including their interface layers, i.e., chromosphere and transition region) is to be performed with enhanced spectroscopic and spectro-polarimetric capability as compared with Hinode, together with enhanced sensitivity towards ultra-violet wavelengths. There has been wide and evolving support for the SOLAR-C mission not only from solar physics community but also from related research areas in Japan. We request SOLAR-C to be launched in mid. 2010s. Following the highly-successful achievements of international collaboration for Yohkoh and Hinode, we strongly hope the SOLAR-C mission be realized under extensive collaboration with European and U.S. partners. Japanese SOLAR-C working group was officially approved by ISAS/JAXA in December 2007 for mission studies and promoting international collaboration. It is expected that a single mission plan is to be proposed after one year of investigation on Plan A and Plan B.

Concentrated solar power generation using solar receivers

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

Anderson, Bruce N.; Treece, William Dean; Brown, Dan

Inventive concentrated solar power systems using solar receivers, and related devices and methods, are generally described. Low pressure solar receivers are provided that function to convert solar radiation energy to thermal energy of a working fluid, e.g., a working fluid of a power generation or thermal storage system. In some embodiments, low pressure solar receivers are provided herein that are useful in conjunction with gas turbine based power generation systems.

Solar Energy: Solar System Economics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knapp, Henry H., III

This module on solar system economics is one of six in a series intended for use as supplements to currently available materials on solar energy and energy conservation. Together with the recommended texts and references (sources are identified), these modules provide an effective introduction to energy conservation and solar energy technologies.…

The Assembled Solar Eclipse Package (ASEP) in Bangka Indonesia during the total solar eclipse on March 9, 2016

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puji Asmoro, Cahyo; Wijaya, Agus Fany Chandra; Dwi Ardi, Nanang; Abdurrohman, Arman; Aria Utama, Judhistira; Sutiadi, Asep; Hikmat; Ramlan Ramalis, Taufik; Suyardi, Bintang

2016-11-01

The Assembled Solar Eclipse Package (ASEP) is not only an integrated apparatus constructed to obtain imaging data during solar eclipse, but also it involved sky brightness and live streaming requirement. Main four parts of ASEP are composed by two imaging data recorders, one high definition video streaming camera, and a sky quality meter instrument (SQM) linked by a personal computer and motorized mounting. The parts are common instruments which are used for education or personal use. The first part is used to capture corona and prominence image during totality. For the second part, video is powerful data in order to educate public through web streaming lively. The last part, SQM is used to confirm our imaging data during obscuration. The perfect prominence picture was obtained by one of the data capture using William-Optics F=388mm with Nikon DSLR D3100. In addition, the diamond ring and corona were recorded by the second imaging tool using Sky Watcher F=910mm with Canon DSLR 60D. The third instrument is the Sony HXR MC5 streaming set to be able to broadcast to public domain area via official website. From the SQM, the value of the darkness during totality is quiet similar as a dawn condition. Finally, ASEP was entirely successful and be able to fulfil our competency as educational researcher in university.

Concentrating Solar Power Projects in India | Concentrating Solar Power |

Science.gov Websites

;alphabetical by project name. You can browse a project profile by clicking on the project name. Abhijeet Solar Project ACME Solar Tower Dadri ISCC Plant Dhursar Diwakar Godawari Solar Project Gujarat Solar One KVK Energy Solar Project Megha Solar Plant National Solar Thermal Power Facility

Annual and Semi-Annual Temperature Oscillations in the Upper Mesosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Niciejewski, R. J.; Killeen, T. L.

1995-01-01

Fourier transform spectrometer observations of the mesosphere have been performed at the University of Michigan (latitude: 42.5 N) on a long term basis. A database of near infrared Meinel hydroxyl spectra has been accumulated from which rotational temperatures have been determined. Harmonic analysis of one-day averaged temperatures for the period 1992.0 to 1994.5 has shown a distinct annual and semi-annual variation. Subsequent fitting of a five term periodic function characterizing the annual and semi-annual temperature oscillations to the daily averaged temperatures was performed. The resultant mean temperature and the amplitudes and phases of the annual and semi-annual variations are shown to coincide with an emission height slightly above 85 km which is consistent with the mean rocket derived altitude for peak nocturnal hydroxyl emission.

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Jemalong Solar Thermal Station |

Science.gov Websites

Concentrating Solar Power | NREL Jemalong Solar Thermal Station This page provides information on Jemalong Solar Thermal Station, a concentrating solar power (CSP) project, with data organized by Project Name: Jemalong Solar Thermal Station Country: Australia Location: Jemalong (New South Wales) Owner

Climatology and inter-annual variability of the polar mesospheric winds inferred from meteor radar observations over Sodankylä (67N, 26E) during solar cycle 24

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lukianova, Renata; Kozlovsky, Alexander; Lester, Mark

2018-06-01

The inter-annual variability, climatological mean wind and tide fields in the northern polar mesosphere/lower thermosphere region of 82-98 km height are studied using observations by the meteor radar which has operated continuously during solar cycle 24 (from December 2008 onward) at the Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory (67N, 26E). Summer mean zonal winds are characterized by westward flow, up to 25 m/s, at lower heights and eastward flow, up to 30 m/s, at upper heights. In the winter an eastward flow, up to 10 m/s, dominates at all heights. The meridional winds are characterized by a relatively weak poleward flow (few m/s) in the winter and equatorward flow in the summer, with a jet core (∼15 m/s) located slightly below 90 km. These systematically varying winds are dominated by the semidiurnal tides. The largest amplitudes, up to 30 m/s, are observed at higher altitudes in winter and a secondary maximum is seen in August-September. The diurnal tides are almost a factor of two weaker and peak in summer. The variability of individual years is dominated by the winter perturbations. During the period of observations major sudden stratospheric warmings (SSW) occurred in January 2009 and 2013. During these events the wind fields were strongly modified. The lowest altitude eastward winds maximized up to 25 m/s, that is by more twice that of the non-SSW years. The poleward flow considerably increases (up 10 m/s) and extends from the lower heights throughout the whole altitude range. The annual pattern in temperature at ∼90 km height over Sodankyla consists of warm winters (up to 200 K) and cold summers (∼120 K).

Solar Newsletter | Solar Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

, General Electric Optimize Voltage Control for Utility-Scale PV As utilities increasingly add solar power components that may be used to integrate distributed solar PV onto distribution systems. More than 335 data Innovation Award for Grid Reliability PV Demonstration First Solar, the California Independent System

Solar electricity and solar fuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spiers, David J.

1989-04-01

The nature of solar radiation and its variation with location is described. The distribution of energy in the solar spectrum places immediate limits on the theoretical efficiency of conversion processes, since practical absorbers cannot convert all wavelengths received to useful energy. The principles of solar energy conversion methods are described. Absorption of solar energy can give rise to direct electrical generation, heating, or chemical change. Electrical generation from sunlight can be achieved by photovoltaic systems directly or by thermal systems which use solar heat to drive a heat engine and generator. The technology used and under research for promising ways of producing electricity or fuel from solar energy is described. Photovoltaic technology is established today for remote area, small power applications, and photovoltaic module sales alone are over 100 million dollars per year at present. The photovoltaic market has grown steadily since the mid-1970's, as prices have fallen continuously. Future energy options are briefly described. The merits of a sustainable energy economy, based on renewable energy resources, including solar energy, are emphasized, as this seems to provide the only hope of eliminating the problems caused by the build-up of atmospheric carbon dioxide, acid rain pollution and nuclear waste disposal. There is no doubt that clean fuels which were derived from solar energy and either did not involve carbon dioxide and used atmospheric carbon dioxide as the source dioxide as the source of carbon would be a worthy ideal. Methods described could one day achieve this.

Evolution of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation in the late Holocene and insolation driven change in the tropical annual SST cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loubere, Paul; Creamer, Winifred; Haas, Jonathan

2013-01-01

South American lake sediment records indicate that El Nino events in the eastern equatorial Pacific (EEP) became more frequent after 3000 calendar years BP. The reason for this evolution of ENSO behavior remains in question. An important trigger for ocean-atmosphere state switching in the tropical ocean is the annual cycle of sea surface temperature south of the equator along the margin of South America. This annual cycle can be reconstructed from the oxygen isotope records of the surf clam Mesodesma donacium. We provide evidence that these isotope records, as preserved in archeological deposits in coastal central Peru, reflect seasonal paleo-SST. We find that the annual SST cycle in the eastern equatorial Pacific became larger over the 4500-2500 calendar year BP interval. This is consistent with increased ENSO variability. The magnification of the annual SST cycle can be attributed to changing insolation, indicating that ENSO is sensitive to the intensity and seasonal timing of solar heating of the southern EEP.

A Summary Description of a Computer Program Concept for the Design and Simulation of Solar Pond Electric Power Generation Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

A solar pond electric power generation subsystem, an electric power transformer and switch yard, a large solar pond, a water treatment plant, and numerous storage and evaporation ponds. Because a solar pond stores thermal energy over a long period of time, plant operation at any point in time is dependent upon past operation and future perceived generation plans. This time or past history factor introduces a new dimension in the design process. The design optimization of a plant must go beyond examination of operational state points and consider the seasonal variations in solar, solar pond energy storage, and desired plant annual duty-cycle profile. Models or design tools will be required to optimize a plant design. These models should be developed in order to include a proper but not excessive level of detail. The model should be targeted to a specific objective and not conceived as a do everything analysis tool, i.e., system design and not gradient-zone stability.

Solar Training Network and Solar Ready Vets

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

Dalstrom, Tenley Ann

2016-09-14

In 2016, the White House announced the Solar Ready Vets program, funded under DOE's SunShot initiative would be administered by The Solar Foundation to connect transitioning military personnel to solar training and employment as they separate from service. This presentation is geared to informing and recruiting employer partners for the Solar Ready Vets program, and the Solar Training Network. It describes the programs, and the benefits to employers that choose to connect to the programs.

Utility-Scale Solar 2014. An Empirical Analysis of Project Cost, Performance, and Pricing Trends in the United States

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

Bolinger, Mark; Seel, Joachim

2015-09-01

Other than the nine Solar Energy Generation Systems (“SEGS”) parabolic trough projects built in the 1980s, virtually no large-scale or “utility-scale” solar projects – defined here to include any groundmounted photovoltaic (“PV”), concentrating photovoltaic (“CPV”), or concentrating solar thermal power (“CSP”) project larger than 5 MW AC – existed in the United States prior to 2007. By 2012 – just five years later – utility-scale had become the largest sector of the overall PV market in the United States, a distinction that was repeated in both 2013 and 2014 and that is expected to continue for at least the nextmore » few years. Over this same short period, CSP also experienced a bit of a renaissance in the United States, with a number of large new parabolic trough and power tower systems – some including thermal storage – achieving commercial operation. With this critical mass of new utility-scale projects now online and in some cases having operated for a number of years (generating not only electricity, but also empirical data that can be mined), the rapidly growing utility-scale sector is ripe for analysis. This report, the third edition in an ongoing annual series, meets this need through in-depth, annually updated, data-driven analysis of not just installed project costs or prices – i.e., the traditional realm of solar economics analyses – but also operating costs, capacity factors, and power purchase agreement (“PPA”) prices from a large sample of utility-scale solar projects in the United States. Given its current dominance in the market, utility-scale PV also dominates much of this report, though data from CPV and CSP projects are presented where appropriate.« less

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Godawari Solar Project | Concentrating

Science.gov Websites

Solar Power | NREL Godawari Solar Project This page provides information on Godawari Solar Project, a concentrating solar power (CSP) project, with data organized by background, participants, and power plant configuration. Status Date: February 13, 2014 Project Overview Project Name: Godawari Solar

Long-term solar UV radiation reconstructed by ANN modelling with emphasis on spatial characteristics of input data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feister, U.; Junk, J.; Woldt, M.; Bais, A.; Helbig, A.; Janouch, M.; Josefsson, W.; Kazantzidis, A.; Lindfors, A.; den Outer, P. N.; Slaper, H.

2008-06-01

Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) are efficient tools to derive solar UV radiation from measured meteorological parameters such as global radiation, aerosol optical depths and atmospheric column ozone. The ANN model has been tested with different combinations of data from the two sites Potsdam and Lindenberg, and used to reconstruct solar UV radiation at eight European sites by more than 100 years into the past. Special emphasis will be given to the discussion of small-scale characteristics of input data to the ANN model. Annual totals of UV radiation derived from reconstructed daily UV values reflect interannual variations and long-term patterns that are compatible with variabilities and changes of measured input data, in particular global dimming by about 1980/1990, subsequent global brightening, volcanic eruption effects such as that of Mt. Pinatubo, and the long-term ozone decline since the 1970s. Patterns of annual erythemal UV radiation are very similar at sites located at latitudes close to each other, but different patterns occur between UV radiation at sites in different latitude regions.

Solar Power System Design for the Solar Probe+ Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landis, Geoffrey A.; Schmitz, Paul C.; Kinnison, James; Fraeman, Martin; Roufberg, Lew; Vernon, Steve; Wirzburger, Melissa

2008-01-01

Solar Probe+ is an ambitious mission proposed to the solar corona, designed to make a perihelion approach of 9 solar radii from the surface of the sun. The high temperature, high solar flux environment makes this mission a significant challenge for power system design. This paper summarizes the power system conceptual design for the solar probe mission. Power supplies considered included nuclear, solar thermoelectric generation, solar dynamic generation using Stirling engines, and solar photovoltaic generation. The solar probe mission ranges from a starting distance from the sun of 1 AU, to a minimum distance of about 9.5 solar radii, or 0.044 AU, from the center of the sun. During the mission, the solar intensity ranges from one to about 510 times AM0. This requires power systems that can operate over nearly three orders of magnitude of incident intensity.

The 3-D solar radioastronomy and the structure of the corona and the solar wind. [solar probes of solar activity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinberg, J. L.; Caroubalos, C.

1976-01-01

The mechanism causing solar radio bursts (1 and 111) is examined. It is proposed that a nonthermal energy source is responsible for the bursts; nonthermal energy is converted into electromagnetic energy. The advantages are examined for an out-of-the-ecliptic solar probe mission, which is proposed as a means of stereoscopically viewing solar radio bursts, solar magnetic fields, coronal structure, and the solar wind.

Annually and monthly resolved solar irradiance and atmospheric temperature data across the Hawaiian archipelago from 1998 to 2015 with interannual summary statistics.

PubMed

Bryce, Richard; Losada Carreño, Ignacio; Kumler, Andrew; Hodge, Bri-Mathias; Roberts, Billy; Brancucci Martinez-Anido, Carlo

2018-08-01

This article contains data and summary statistics of solar irradiance and dry bulb temperature across the Hawaiian archipelago resolved on a monthly basis and spanning years 1998-2015. This data was derived in association with an article titled "Consequences of Neglecting the Interannual Variability of the Solar Resource: A Case Study of Photovoltaic Power Among the Hawaiian Islands" (Bryce et al., 2018 [7]). The solar irradiance data is presented in terms of Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI), Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance (DHI), and Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) and was obtained from the satellite-derived data contained in the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB). The temperature data is also obtained from this source. We have processed the NSRDB data and compiled these monthly resolved data sets, along with interannual summary statistics including the interannual coefficient of variability.

Person-environment interactions contributing to nursing home resident falls.

PubMed

Hill, Elizabeth E; Nguyen, Tam H; Shaha, Maya; Wenzel, Jennifer A; DeForge, Bruce R; Spellbring, Ann Marie

2009-10-01

Although approximately 50% of nursing home residents fall annually, the surrounding circumstances remain inadequately understood. This study explored nursing staff perspectives of person, environment, and interactive circumstances surrounding nursing home falls. Focus groups were conducted at two nursing homes in the mid-Atlantic region with the highest and lowest fall rates among corporate facilities. Two focus groups were conducted per facility: one with licensed nurses and one with geriatric nursing assistants. Thematic and content analysis revealed three themes and 11 categories. Three categories under the Person theme were Change in Residents' Health Status, Decline in Residents' Abilities, and Residents' Behaviors and Personality Characteristics. There were five Nursing Home Environment categories: Design Safety, Limited Space, Obstacles, Equipment Misuse and Malfunction, and Staff and Organization of Care. Three Interactions Leading to Falls categories were identified: Reasons for Falls, Time of Falls, and High-Risk Activities. Findings highlight interactions between person and environment factors as significant contributors to resident falls. Copyright 2009, SLACK Incorporated.

Collecting Solar Energy. Solar Energy Education Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, Alexander

This solar energy learning module for use with junior high school students offers a list of activities, a pre-post test, job titles, basic solar energy vocabulary, and diagrams of solar energy collectors and installations. The purpose is to familiarize students with applications of solar energy and titles of jobs where this knowledge could be…

Seasonal and solar cycle effects on TEC at 95°E in the ascending half (2009-2014) of the subdued solar cycle 24: Consistent underestimation by IRI 2012

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kakoti, Geetashree; Bhuyan, Pradip Kumar; Hazarika, Rumajyoti

2017-07-01

TEC measured at Dibrugarh (27.5°N, 94.9°E, 17.5°N Geomag.) from 2009 to 2014 is used to study its temporal characteristics during the ascending half of solar cycle 24. The measurements provide an opportunity to assess the diurnal, seasonal and longterm predictability of the IRI 2012 (with IRI Nequick, IRI01-corr, IRI 2001topside options) during this solar cycle which is distinctively low in magnitude compared to the previous cycles. The low latitude station Dibrugarh is normally located at the poleward edge of the northern EIA. A semi-annual variation in GPS TEC is observed with the peaks occurring in the equinoxes. The peak in spring (March, April) is higher than that in autumn (September, October) irrespective of the year of observation. The spring autumn asymmetry is also observed in IRI TEC. In contrast, the winter (November, December, January, February) anomaly is evident only in high activity years. TEC bears a distinct nonlinear relationship with 10.7 cm solar flux (F10.7). TEC increases linearly with F10.7 up to about 125 sfu beyond which it tends to saturate. The correlation between TEC and solar flux is found to be a function of local time and peaks at 10:00 LT. TEC varies nonlinearly with solar EUV flux similar to its variation with F10.7. The nonlinearity is well captured by the IRI. The saturation of TEC at high solar activity is attributed to the inability of the ionosphere to accommodate more ionization after it reaches the level of saturation ion pressure. Annual mean TEC increased from the minimum in 2009 almost linearly till 2012, remains at the same level in 2013 and then increased again in 2014. IRI TEC shows a linear increase from 2009 to 2014. IRI01-corr and IRI-NeQuick TEC are nearly equal at all local times, season and year of observation while IRI-2001 simulated TEC are always higher than that simulated by the other two versions. The IRI 2012 underestimates the TEC at about all local times except for a few hours in the midday in all

Is There a CME Rate Floor? CME and Magnetic Flux Values for the Last Four Solar Cycle Minima

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webb, D. F.; Howard, R. A.; St. Cyr, O. C.; Vourlidas, A.

2017-12-01

The recent prolonged activity minimum has led to the question of whether there is a base level of the solar magnetic field evolution that yields a “floor” in activity levels and also in the solar wind magnetic field strength. Recently, a flux transport model coupled with magneto-frictional simulations has been used to simulate the continuous magnetic field evolution in the global solar corona for over 15 years, from 1996 to 2012. Flux rope eruptions in the simulations are estimated (Yeates), and the results are in remarkable agreement with the shape of the SOlar Heliospheric Observatory/Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph Experiment coronal mass ejection (CME) rate distribution. The eruption rates at the two recent minima approximate the observed-corrected CME rates, supporting the idea of a base level of solar magnetic activity. In this paper, we address this issue by comparing annual averages of the CME occurrence rates during the last four solar cycle minima with several tracers of the global solar magnetic field. We conclude that CME activity never ceases during a cycle, but maintains a base level of 1 CME every 1.5 to ∼3 days during minima. We discuss the sources of these CMEs.

Solar Activity and Solar Eruptions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sterling, Alphonse C.

2006-01-01

Our Sun is a dynamic, ever-changing star. In general, its atmosphere displays major variation on an 11-year cycle. Throughout the cycle, the atmosphere occasionally exhibits large, sudden outbursts of energy. These "solar eruptions" manifest themselves in the form of solar flares, filament eruptions, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and energetic particle releases. They are of high interest to scientists both because they represent fundamental processes that occur in various astrophysical context, and because, if directed toward Earth, they can disrupt Earth-based systems and satellites. Research over the last few decades has shown that the source of the eruptions is localized regions of energy-storing magnetic field on the Sun that become destabilized, leading to a release of the stored energy. Solar scientists have (probably) unraveled the basic outline of what happens in these eruptions, but many details are still not understood. In recent years we have been studying what triggers these magnetic eruptions, using ground-based and satellite-based solar observations in combination with predictions from various theoretical models. We will present an overview of solar activity and solar eruptions, give results from some of our own research, and discuss questions that remain to be explored.

2008 Solar Technologies Market Report

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

Price, S.; Margolis, R.; Barbose, G.

2010-01-01

The focus of this report is the U.S. solar electricity market, including photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies. The report is organized into five chapters. Chapter 1 provides an overview of global and U.S. installation trends. Chapter 2 presents production and shipment data, material and supply chain issues, and solar industry employment trends. Chapter 3 presents cost, price, and performance trends. Chapter 4 discusses policy and market drivers such as recently passed federal legislation, state and local policies, and developments in project financing. Chapter 5 provides data on private investment trends and near-term market forecasts. Highlights of thismore » report include: (1) The global PV industry has seen impressive growth rates in cell/module production during the past decade, with a 10-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 46% and a 5-year CAGR of 56% through 2008. (2) Thin-film PV technologies have grown faster than crystalline silicon over the past 5 years, with a 10-year CAGR of 47% and a 5-year CAGR of 87% for thin-film shipments through 2008. (3) Global installed PV capacity increased by 6.0 GW in 2008, a 152% increase over 2.4 GW installed in 2007. (4) The United States installed 0.34 GW of PV capacity in 2008, a 63% increase over 0.21 GW in 2007. (5) Global average PV module prices dropped 23% from $4.75/W in 1998 to $3.65/W in 2008. (6) Federal legislation, including the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA, October 2008) and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA, February 2009), is providing unprecedented levels of support for the U.S. solar industry. (7) In 2008, global private-sector investment in solar energy technology topped $16 billion, including almost $4 billion invested in the United States. (8) Solar PV market forecasts made in early 2009 anticipate global PV production and demand to increase fourfold between 2008 and 2012, reaching roughly 20 GW of production and demand by

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Gujarat Solar One | Concentrating

Science.gov Websites

Solar Power | NREL Gujarat Solar One This page provides information on Gujarat Solar One, a configuration. Status Date: February 12, 2014 Project Overview Project Name: Gujarat Solar One Country: India

Beyond Earth's boundaries: Human exploration of the Solar System in the 21st Century

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

This is an annual report describing work accomplished in developing the knowledge base that will permit informed recommendations and decisions concerning national space policy and the goal of human expansion into the solar system. The following topics are presented: (1) pathways to human exploration; (2) human exploration case studies; (3) case study results and assessment; (4) exploration program implementation strategy; (5) approach to international cooperation; (6) recommendations; and (7) future horizons.

Solar Cycle #24 and the Solar Dynamo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schatten, Kenneth; Pesnell, W. Dean

2007-01-01

We focus on two solar aspects related to flight dynamics. These are the solar dynamo and long-term solar activity predictions. The nature of the solar dynamo is central to solar activity predictions, and these predictions are important for orbital planning of satellites in low earth orbit (LEO). The reason is that the solar ultraviolet (UV) and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectral irradiances inflate the upper atmospheric layers of the Earth, forming the thermosphere and exosphere through which these satellites orbit. Concerning the dynamo, we discuss some recent novel approaches towards its understanding. For solar predictions we concentrate on a solar precursor method, in which the Sun's polar field plays a major role in forecasting the next cycle s activity based upon the Babcock-Leighton dynamo. With a current low value for the Sun s polar field, this method predicts that solar cycle #24 will be one of the lowest in recent times, with smoothed F10.7 radio flux values peaking near 130 plus or minus 30 (2 sigma), in the 2013 timeframe. One may have to consider solar activity as far back as the early 20th century to find a cycle of comparable magnitude. Concomitant effects of low solar activity upon satellites in LEO will need to be considered, such as enhancements in orbital debris. Support for our prediction of a low solar cycle #24 is borne out by the lack of new cycle sunspots at least through the first half of 2007. Usually at the present epoch in the solar cycle (approx. 7+ years after the last solar maximum), for a normal size following cycle, new cycle sunspots would be seen. The lack of their appearance at this time is only consistent with a low cycle #24. Polar field observations of a weak magnitude are consistent with unusual structures seen in the Sun s corona. Polar coronal holes are the hallmarks of the Sun's open field structures. At present, it appears that the polar coronal holes are relatively weak, and there have been many equatorial coronal holes

Solar Cycle #24 and the Solar Dynamo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pesnell, W. Dean; Schatten, Kenneth

2007-01-01

We focus on two solar aspects related to flight dynamics. These are the solar dynamo and long-term solar activity predictions. The nature of the solar dynamo is central to solar activity predictions, and these predictions are important for orbital planning of satellites in low earth orbit (LEO). The reason is that the solar ultraviolet (UV) and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectral irradiances inflate the upper atmospheric layers of the Earth, forming the thermosphere and exosphere through which these satellites orbit. Concerning the dynamo, we discuss some recent novel approaches towards its understanding. For solar predictions we concentrate on a solar precursor method, in which the Sun s polar field plays a major role in forecasting the next cycle s activity based upon the Babcock- Leighton dynamo. With a current low value for the Sun s polar field, this method predicts that solar cycle #24 will be one of the lowest in recent times, with smoothed F10.7 radio flux values peaking near 130+ 30 (2 4, in the 2013 timeframe. One may have to consider solar activity as far back as the early 20th century to find a cycle of comparable magnitude. Concomitant effects of low solar activity upon satellites in LEO will need to be considered, such as enhancements in orbital debris. Support for our prediction of a low solar cycle #24 is borne out by the lack of new cycle sunspots at least through the first half of 2007. Usually at the present epoch in the solar cycle (-7+ years after the last solar maximum), for a normal size following cycle, new cycle sunspots would be seen. The lack of their appearance at this time is only consistent with a low cycle #24. Polar field observations of a weak magnitude are consistent with unusual structures seen in the Sun s corona. Polar coronal holes are the hallmarks of the Sun s open field structures. At present, it appears that the polar coronal holes are relatively weak, and there have been many equatorial coronal holes. This appears

75 FR 70625 - Annual Funding Notice for Defined Benefit Plans

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-18

...This document contains a proposed regulation that, on adoption, would implement the annual funding notice requirement in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), as amended by the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA) and the Worker, Retiree, and Employer Recovery Act of 2008 (WRERA). As amended, section 101(f) of ERISA generally requires the administrators of all defined benefit plans, not just multiemployer defined benefit plans, to furnish an annual funding notice to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), participants, beneficiaries, and certain other persons. A funding notice must include, among other information, the plan's funding target attainment percentage or funded percentage, as applicable, over a period of time, as well as other information relevant to the plan's funded status. This document also contains proposed conforming amendments to other regulations under ERISA, such as the summary annual report regulation, which became necessary when the PPA amended section 101(f) of ERISA. The proposed regulation would affect plan administrators and participants and beneficiaries of defined benefit pension plans, as well as labor organizations representing participants and beneficiaries and contributing employers of multiemployer plans.

Continuing the Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Climate Data Record

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coddington, O.; Pilewskie, P.; Kopp, G.; Richard, E. C.; Sparn, T.; Woods, T. N.

2017-12-01

Radiative energy from the Sun establishes the basic climate of the Earth's surface and atmosphere and defines the terrestrial environment that supports all life on the planet. External solar variability on a wide range of scales ubiquitously affects the Earth system, and combines with internal forcings, including anthropogenic changes in greenhouse gases and aerosols, and natural modes such as ENSO, and volcanic forcing, to define past, present, and future climates. Understanding these effects requires continuous measurements of total and spectrally resolved solar irradiance that meet the stringent requirements of climate-quality accuracy and stability over time. The current uninterrupted 39-year total solar irradiance (TSI) climate data record is the result of several overlapping instruments flown on different missions. Measurement continuity, required to link successive instruments to the existing data record to discern long-term trends makes this important climate data record susceptible to loss in the event of a gap in measurements. While improvements in future instrument accuracy will reduce the risk of a gap, the 2017 launch of TSIS-1 ensures continuity of the solar irradiance record into the next decade. There are scientific and programmatic motivations for addressing the challenges of maintaining the solar irradiance data record beyond TSIS-1. The science rests on well-founded requirements of establishing a trusted climate observing network that can monitor trends in fundamental climate variables. Programmatically, the long-term monitoring of solar irradiance must be balanced within the broader goals of NASA Earth Science. New concepts for a low-risk, cost efficient observing strategy is a priority. New highly capable small spacecraft, low-cost launch vehicles and a multi-decadal plan to provide overlapping TSI and SSI data records are components of a low risk/high reliability plan with lower annual cost than past implementations. This paper provides the

Cloud Induced Enhancement of Ground Level Solar Radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inman, R.; Chu, Y.; Coimbra, C.

2013-12-01

) is used in conjunction with optimized clear sky models, statistical analysis, and wavelet transform methods to investigate the solar radiation Ramp Rates (RRs) associated with both of the fundamental CEE mechanisms. Results indicate that CEEs account for nearly 5% of the total daytime hours in this dataset and produce nearly 4% of the total energy over the year. In addition, wavelet transform techniques suggest that CEEs at UCM location operate on timescales ranging from 2 to 4 minutes. Our results allow estimation of the probability and magnitude of these RRs as well the percentage of annual excess energy production resulting from CEEs which could be used to offset ancillary services required to operate PV power systems.

Solar Cycle Variations and Equatorial Oscillations: Modeling Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayr, H. G.; Mengel, J. G.; Drob, D. P.; Chan, K. L.; Porter, H. S.; Bhartia, P. K. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Solar cycle activity effects (SCAE) in the lower and middle atmosphere, reported in several studies, are difficult to explain on the basis of the small changes in solar radiation that accompany the 11-year cycle, It is therefore natural to speculate that dynamical processes may come into play to produce a leverage. Such a leverage may be provided by the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO) in the zonal circulation of the stratosphere, which has been linked to solar activity variations. Driven primarily by wave mean flow interaction, the QBO period and its amplitude are variable but are also strongly influenced by the seasonal cycle in the solar radiation. This influence extends to low altitudes referred to as "downward control". Relatively small changes in solar radiative forcing can produce small changes in the period and phase of the QBO, but this in turn can produce measurable differences in the wind field. Thus, the QBO may be an amplifier of solar activity variations and a natural conduit of these variations to lower altitudes. To test this hypothesis, we conducted experiments with a 2D (two-dimensional) version of our Numerical Spectral Model that incorporates Hines' Doppler Spread Parameterization for small-scale gravity waves (GW). Solar cycle radiance variations (SCRV) are accounted for by changing the radiative heating rate on a logarithmic scale from 0.1 % at the surface to 1 % at 50 km to 10% at 100 km. With and without SCRV, but with the same GW flux, we then conduct numerical experiments to evaluate the magnitude of the SCAE in the zonal circulation. The numerical results indicate that, under certain conditions, the SCAE is significant and can extend to lower altitudes where the SCRV is inconsequential. At 20-km the differences in the modeled wind velocities are as large as 5 m/s. For a modeled QBO period of 30 months, we find that the seasonal cycle in the solar forcing (through the Semi-annual Oscillation (SAO)) acts as a strong pacemaker to lockup the

33 CFR 100.736 - Annual Fort Myers Beach air show; Fort Myers Beach, FL.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...°59′15″ W. All coordinates referenced use datum: NAD 83. (2) Air Box Area. The air box area is... coordinates referenced use datum: NAD 83. (b) Special local regulations. (1) Vessels and persons are... referenced use datum: NAD 83. (c) Dates. This section will be enforced annually on the second consecutive...

In Search of Sun-Climate Connection Using Solar Irradiance Measurements and Climate Records

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kiang, Richard K.; Kyle, H. Lee

2000-01-01

The Earth's temperature has risen approximately 0.5 degree-C in the last 150 years. Because the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has increased nearly 30% since the industrial revolution, a common conjecture, supported by various climate models, is that anthropogenic greenhouse gases have contributed to global warming. Another probable factor for the warming is the natural variation of solar irradiance. Although the variation is as small as 0.1 % it is hypothesized that it contributes to part of the temperature rise. Warmer or cooler ocean temperature at one part of the Globe may manifest as abnormally wet or dry weather patterns some months or years later at another part of the globe. Furthermore, the lower atmosphere can be affected through its coupling with the stratosphere, after the stratospheric ozone absorbs the ultraviolet portion of the solar irradiance. In this paper, we use wavelet transforms based on Morlet wavelet to analyze the time-frequency properties in several datasets, including the Radiation Budget measurements, the long-term total solar irradiance time series, the long-term temperature at two locations for the North and the South Hemisphere. The main solar cycle, approximately 11 years, are identified in the long-term total solar irradiance time series. The wavelet transform of the temperature datasets show annual cycle but not the solar cycle. Some correlation is seen between the length of the solar cycle extracted from the wavelet transform and the North Hemisphere temperature time series. The absence of the 11-year cycle in a time series does not necessarily imply that the geophysical parameter is not affected by the solar cycle; rather it simply reflects the complex nature of the Earth's response to climate forcings.

78 FR 15719 - Interconnect Solar Development LLC; Notice of Petition for Enforcement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-12

... (PURPA), 16 U.S.C. 824a-3(h)(2006), Interconnect Solar Development LLC filed a Petition for Enforcement... Idaho Public Utilities Commission and Idaho Power; find that their actions violated PURPA; and to take any action deemed necessary to enforce the requirements of PURPA. Any person desiring to intervene or...

Thermodynamic and dynamic responses of the hydrological cycle to solar dimming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smyth, Jane E.; Russotto, Rick D.; Storelvmo, Trude

2017-05-01

The fundamental role of the hydrological cycle in the global climate system motivates a thorough evaluation of its responses to climate change and mitigation. The Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project (GeoMIP) is a coordinated international effort to assess the climate impacts of solar geoengineering, a proposal to counteract global warming with a reduction in incoming solar radiation. We assess the mechanisms underlying the rainfall response to a simplified simulation of such solar dimming (G1) in the suite of GeoMIP models and identify robust features. While solar geoengineering nearly restores preindustrial temperatures, the global hydrology is altered. Tropical precipitation changes dominate the response across the model suite, and these are driven primarily by shifts of the Hadley circulation cells. We report a damping of the seasonal migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) in G1, associated with preferential cooling of the summer hemisphere, and annual mean ITCZ shifts in some models that are correlated with the warming of one hemisphere relative to the other. Dynamical changes better explain the varying tropical rainfall anomalies between models than changes in relative humidity or the Clausius-Clapeyron scaling of precipitation minus evaporation (P - E), given that the relative humidity and temperature responses are robust across the suite. Strong reductions in relative humidity over vegetated land regions are likely related to the CO2 physiological response in plants. The uncertainty in the spatial distribution of tropical P - E changes highlights the need for cautious consideration and continued study before any implementation of solar geoengineering.

Solar Energy: Solar System Design Fundamentals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knapp, Henry H., III

This module on solar system design fundamentals is one of six in a series intended for use as supplements to currently available materials on solar energy and energy conservation. Together with the recommended texts and references (sources are identified), these modules provide an effective introduction to energy conservation and solar energy…

Solar energy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rapp, D.

1981-01-01

The book opens with a review of the patterns of energy use and resources in the United States, and an exploration of the potential of solar energy to supply some of this energy in the future. This is followed by background material on solar geometry, solar intensities, flat plate collectors, and economics. Detailed attention is then given to a variety of solar units and systems, including domestic hot water systems, space heating systems, solar-assisted heat pumps, intermediate temperature collectors, space heating/cooling systems, concentrating collectors for high temperatures, storage systems, and solar total energy systems. Finally, rights to solar access are discussed.

Solar Energy: Solar and the Weather.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knapp, Henry H., III

This module on solar and the weather is one of six in a series intended for use as supplements to currently available materials on solar energy and energy conservation. Together with the recommended texts and references (sources are identified), these modules provide an effective introduction to energy conservation and solar energy technologies.…

Selections from the ABC 2017 Annual Conference, Dublin, Ireland: Finding a Pedagogical Pot o' Gold

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whalen, D. Joel

2018-01-01

This article, the first of a two-part series, offers readers 13 teaching innovations debuted at the 2017 Association for Business Communication's annual conference in Dublin, Ireland. Assignment topics presented here include communication strategy and message-packaging skills, deep communication insights, and career and personal development.…

The application of simulation modeling to the cost and performance ranking of solar thermal power plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenberg, L. S.; Revere, W. R.; Selcuk, M. K.

1981-01-01

A computer simulation code was employed to evaluate several generic types of solar power systems (up to 10 MWe). Details of the simulation methodology, and the solar plant concepts are given along with cost and performance results. The Solar Energy Simulation computer code (SESII) was used, which optimizes the size of the collector field and energy storage subsystem for given engine-generator and energy-transport characteristics. Nine plant types were examined which employed combinations of different technology options, such as: distributed or central receivers with one- or two-axis tracking or no tracking; point- or line-focusing concentrator; central or distributed power conversion; Rankin, Brayton, or Stirling thermodynamic cycles; and thermal or electrical storage. Optimal cost curves were plotted as a function of levelized busbar energy cost and annualized plant capacity. Point-focusing distributed receiver systems were found to be most efficient (17-26 percent).

The effects of ground hydrology on climate sensitivity to solar constant variations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chou, S. H.; Curran, R. J.; Ohring, G.

1979-01-01

The effects of two different evaporation parameterizations on the climate sensitivity to solar constant variations are investigated by using a zonally averaged climate model. The model is based on a two-level quasi-geostrophic zonally averaged annual mean model. One of the evaporation parameterizations tested is a nonlinear formulation with the Bowen ratio determined by the predicted vertical temperature and humidity gradients near the earth's surface. The other is the linear formulation with the Bowen ratio essentially determined by the prescribed linear coefficient.

The ancient Egyptian civilization: maximum and minimum in coincidence with solar activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaltout, M.

It is proved from the last 22 years observations of the total solar irradiance (TSI) from space by artificial satellites, that TSI shows negative correlation with the solar activity (sunspots, flares, and 10.7cm Radio emissions) from day to day, but shows positive correlations with the same activity from year to year (on the base of the annual average for each of them). Also, the solar constant, which estimated fromth ground stations for beam solar radiations observations during the 20 century indicate coincidence with the phases of the 11- year cycles. It is known from sunspot observations (250 years) , and from C14 analysis, that there are another long-term cycles for the solar activity larger than 11-year cycle. The variability of the total solar irradiance affecting on the climate, and the Nile flooding, where there is a periodicities in the Nile flooding similar to that of solar activity, from the analysis of about 1300 years of the Nile level observations atth Cairo. The secular variations of the Nile levels, regularly measured from the 7 toth 15 century A.D., clearly correlate with the solar variations, which suggests evidence for solar influence on the climatic changes in the East African tropics The civilization of the ancient Egyptian was highly correlated with the Nile flooding , where the river Nile was and still yet, the source of the life in the Valley and Delta inside high dry desert area. The study depends on long -time historical data for Carbon 14 (more than five thousands years), and chronical scanning for all the elements of the ancient Egyptian civilization starting from the firs t dynasty to the twenty six dynasty. The result shows coincidence between the ancient Egyptian civilization and solar activity. For example, the period of pyramids building, which is one of the Brilliant periods, is corresponding to maximum solar activity, where the periods of occupation of Egypt by Foreign Peoples corresponding to minimum solar activity. The decline

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - eCare Solar Thermal Project |

Science.gov Websites

Concentrating Solar Power | NREL eCare Solar Thermal Project This page provides information on eCare Solar Thermal Project, a concentrating solar power (CSP) project, with data organized by Project Name: eCare Solar Thermal Project Country: Morocco Location: Undefined Owner(s): CNIM (100

Annual Occurrence of Meteorite-Dropping Fireballs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konovalova, Natalia; Jopek, Tadeusz J.

2016-07-01

The event of Chelyabinsk meteorite has brought about change the earlier opinion about limits of the sizes of potentially dangerous asteroidal fragments that crossed the Earth's orbit and irrupted in the Earth's atmosphere making the brightest fireball. The observations of the fireballs by fireball networks allows to get the more precise data on atmospheric trajectories and coordinates of predicted landing place of the meteorite. For the reason to search the periods of fireball activity is built the annual distribution of the numbers of meteorites with the known fall dates and of the meteorite-dropping fireballs versus the solar longitude. The resulting profile of the annual activity of meteorites and meteorite-dropping fireballs shows several periods of increased activity in the course of the year. The analysis of the atmospheric trajectories and physical properties of sporadic meteorite-dropping fireballs observed in Tajikistan by instrumental methods in the summer‒autumn periods of increased fireballs activity has been made. As a result the structural strength, the bulk density and terminal mass of the studied fireballs that can survive in the Earth atmosphere and became meteorites was obtained. From the photographic IAU MDC_2003 meteor database and published sources based on the orbit proximity as determined by D-criterion of Southworth and Hawkins the fireballs that could be the members of group of meteorite-dropping fireballs, was found. Among the near Earth's objects (NEOs) the searching for parent bodies for meteorite-dropping fireballs was made and the evolution of orbits of these objects in the past on a long interval of time was investigated.

Ultra-Portable Solar-Powered 3D Printers for Onsite Manufacturing of Medical Resources.

PubMed

Wong, Julielynn Y

2015-09-01

The first space-based fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printer is powered by solar photovoltaics. This study seeks to demonstrate the feasibility of using solar energy to power a FDM 3D printer to manufacture medical resources at the Mars Desert Research Station and to design an ultra-portable solar-powered 3D printer for off-grid environments. Six solar panels in a 3×2 configuration, a voltage regulator/capacitor improvised from a power adapter, and two 12V batteries in series were connected to power a FDM 3D printer. Three designs were printed onsite and evaluated by experts post analogue mission. A solar-powered 3D printer composed of off-the-shelf components was designed to be transported in airline carry-on luggage. During the analogue mission, the solar-powered printer could only be operated for <1 h/d, but was able to fabricate a functional dental tool, scalpel handle, and customized mallet splint over 2 d. Post analogue mission, an ultra-portable plug-and-play solar-powered 3D printer was designed that could print an estimated 16 dental tools or 8 mallet finger splints or 7 scalpel handles on one fully charged 12V 150Wh battery with a 110V AC converter. It is feasible to use solar energy to power a 3D printer to manufacture functional and personalized medical resources at a Mars analogue research station. Based on these findings, a solar-powered suitcase 3D printing system containing solar panels, 12V battery with charge controller and AC inverter, and back-up solar charge controller and inverter was designed for transport to and use in off-grid communities.

Energy conservation and solar retrofit analysis of a large office building

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

Arasteh, D.; Hepner, M.

1981-01-01

During the winter and spring of 1981, a technical energy conservation and solar analysis of the JFK Federal Office Building in Boston was conducted. To reduce the building's energy consumption of a total of nineteen Energy Conservation Measures (ECM's) were analyzed. Among the measures studied were: reduction of ventilation and supply air, central automation controls, programmable lighting, absorption chiller replacement, fenestration modification and heat recovery. The results of the analyse show that implementation of all recommended ECM's would reduce energy consumption by 50% from a raw source Annual Energy Index (AEI) of 33.9 x 10/sup 8/ J/m/sup 2/ (299 MBtu/sf)more » to 17.2 10/sup 8/ j/m/sup 2/ (152 MBtu/sf). This relates to a savings of approximately $950,000 annually at April 1981 energy costs for a total construction cost of three million dollars.« less