Silicon surface barrier detectors used for liquid hydrogen density measurement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

James, D. T.; Milam, J. K.; Winslett, H. B.

1968-01-01

Multichannel system employing a radioisotope radiation source, strontium-90, radiation detector, and a silicon surface barrier detector, measures the local density of liquid hydrogen at various levels in a storage tank. The instrument contains electronic equipment for collecting the density information, and a data handling system for processing this information.

A general low frequency acoustic radiation capability for NASTRAN

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Everstine, G. C.; Henderson, F. M.; Schroeder, E. A.; Lipman, R. R.

1986-01-01

A new capability called NASHUA is described for calculating the radiated acoustic sound pressure field exterior to a harmonically-excited arbitrary submerged 3-D elastic structure. The surface fluid pressures and velocities are first calculated by coupling a NASTRAN finite element model of the structure with a discretized form of the Helmholtz surface integral equation for the exterior fluid. After the fluid impedance is calculated, most of the required matrix operations are performed using the general matrix manipulation package (DMAP) available in NASTRAN. Far field radiated pressures are then calculated from the surface solution using the Helmholtz exterior integral equation. Other output quantities include the maximum sound pressure levels in each of the three coordinate planes, the rms and average surface pressures and normal velocities, the total radiated power and the radiation efficiency. The overall approach is illustrated and validated using known analytic solutions for submerged spherical shells subjected to both uniform and nonuniform applied loads.

July 2012 Greenland melt extent enhanced by low-level liquid clouds.

PubMed

Bennartz, R; Shupe, M D; Turner, D D; Walden, V P; Steffen, K; Cox, C J; Kulie, M S; Miller, N B; Pettersen, C

2013-04-04

Melting of the world's major ice sheets can affect human and environmental conditions by contributing to sea-level rise. In July 2012, an historically rare period of extended surface melting was observed across almost the entire Greenland ice sheet, raising questions about the frequency and spatial extent of such events. Here we show that low-level clouds consisting of liquid water droplets ('liquid clouds'), via their radiative effects, played a key part in this melt event by increasing near-surface temperatures. We used a suite of surface-based observations, remote sensing data, and a surface energy-balance model. At the critical surface melt time, the clouds were optically thick enough and low enough to enhance the downwelling infrared flux at the surface. At the same time they were optically thin enough to allow sufficient solar radiation to penetrate through them and raise surface temperatures above the melting point. Outside this narrow range in cloud optical thickness, the radiative contribution to the surface energy budget would have been diminished, and the spatial extent of this melting event would have been smaller. We further show that these thin, low-level liquid clouds occur frequently, both over Greenland and across the Arctic, being present around 30-50 per cent of the time. Our results may help to explain the difficulties that global climate models have in simulating the Arctic surface energy budget, particularly as models tend to under-predict the formation of optically thin liquid clouds at supercooled temperatures--a process potentially necessary to account fully for temperature feedbacks in a warming Arctic climate.

CERES Fast Longwave And SHortwave Radiative Flux (FLASHFlux) Version4A.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawaengphokhai, P.; Stackhouse, P. W., Jr.; Kratz, D. P.; Gupta, S. K.

2017-12-01

The agricultural, renewable energy management, and science communities need global surface and top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiative fluxes on a low latency basis. The Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) FLASHFlux (Fast Longwave and SHortwave radiative Flux) data products address this need by enhancing the speed of CERES processing using simplified calibration and parameterized model of surface fluxes to provide a daily global radiative fluxes data set within one week of satellite observations. The CERES FLASHFlux provides two data products: 1) an overpass swath Level 2 Single Scanner Footprint (SSF) data products separately for both Aqua and Terra observations, and 2) a daily Level 3 Time Interpolated and Spatially Averaged (TISA) 1o x 1o gridded data that combines Aqua and Terra observations. The CERES FLASHFlux data product is being promoted to Version4A. Updates to FLASHFlux Version4A include a new cloud retrieval algorithm and an improved shortwave surface flux parameterization. We inter-compared FLASHFlux Version4A, FLASHFlux Version3C, CERES Edition 4 Syn1Deg and at the monthly scale CERES Edition4 EBAF (Energy Balanced and Filled) Top-of-Atmosphere and Edition 4 Surface EBAF fluxes to evaluate these improvements. We also analyze the impact of the new inputs and cloud algorithm to the surface shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes using ground sites measurement provided by CAVE (CERES/ARM Validation Experiment).

A Climatology of Surface Cloud Radiative Effects at the ARM Tropical Western Pacific Sites

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

McFarlane, Sally A.; Long, Charles N.; Flaherty, Julia E.

Cloud radiative effects on surface downwelling fluxes are investigated using long-term datasets from the three Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) sites in the Tropical Western Pacific (TWP) region. The Nauru and Darwin sites show significant variability in sky cover, downwelling radiative fluxes, and surface cloud radiative effect (CRE) due to El Niño and the Australian monsoon, respectively, while the Manus site shows little intra-seasonal or interannual variability. Cloud radar measurement of cloud base and top heights are used to define cloud types so that the effect of cloud type on the surface CRE can be examined. Clouds with low bases contributemore » 71-75% of the surface shortwave (SW) CRE and 66-74% of the surface longwave (LW) CRE at the three TWP sites, while clouds with mid-level bases contribute 8-9% of the SW CRE and 12-14% of the LW CRE, and clouds with high bases contribute 16-19% of the SW CRE and 15-21% of the LW CRE.« less

Defining Top-of-Atmosphere Flux Reference Level for Earth Radiation Budget Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loeb, N. G.; Kato, S.; Wielicki, B. A.

2002-01-01

To estimate the earth's radiation budget at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) from satellite-measured radiances, it is necessary to account for the finite geometry of the earth and recognize that the earth is a solid body surrounded by a translucent atmosphere of finite thickness that attenuates solar radiation differently at different heights. As a result, in order to account for all of the reflected solar and emitted thermal radiation from the planet by direct integration of satellite-measured radiances, the measurement viewing geometry must be defined at a reference level well above the earth s surface (e.g., 100 km). This ensures that all radiation contributions, including radiation escaping the planet along slant paths above the earth s tangent point, are accounted for. By using a field-of- view (FOV) reference level that is too low (such as the surface reference level), TOA fluxes for most scene types are systematically underestimated by 1-2 W/sq m. In addition, since TOA flux represents a flow of radiant energy per unit area, and varies with distance from the earth according to the inverse-square law, a reference level is also needed to define satellite-based TOA fluxes. From theoretical radiative transfer calculations using a model that accounts for spherical geometry, the optimal reference level for defining TOA fluxes in radiation budget studies for the earth is estimated to be approximately 20 km. At this reference level, there is no need to explicitly account for horizontal transmission of solar radiation through the atmosphere in the earth radiation budget calculation. In this context, therefore, the 20-km reference level corresponds to the effective radiative top of atmosphere for the planet. Although the optimal flux reference level depends slightly on scene type due to differences in effective transmission of solar radiation with cloud height, the difference in flux caused by neglecting the scene-type dependence is less than 0.1%. If an inappropriate TOA flux reference level is used to define satellite TOA fluxes, and horizontal transmission of solar radiation through the planet is not accounted for in the radiation budget equation, systematic errors in net flux of up to 8 W/sq m can result. Since climate models generally use a plane-parallel model approximation to estimate TOA fluxes and the earth radiation budget, they implicitly assume zero horizontal transmission of solar radiation in the radiation budget equation, and do not need to specify a flux reference level. By defining satellite-based TOA flux estimates at a 20-km flux reference level, comparisons with plane-parallel climate model calculations are simplified since there is no need to explicitly correct plane-parallel climate model fluxes for horizontal transmission of solar radiation through a finite earth.

Mars Radiator Characterization Experimental Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Witte, Larry C.; Hollingsworth, D. Keith

2004-01-01

Radiators are an enabling technology for the human exploration and development of the moon and Mars. As standard components of the heat rejection subsystem of space vehicles, radiators are used to reject waste heat to space and/or a planetary environment. They are typically large components of the thermal control system for a space vehicle or human habitation facility, and in some cases safety factors are used to oversize them when the operating environment cannot be fully characterized. Over-sizing can impose significant weight and size penalties that might be prohibitive for future missions. Radiator performance depends on the size of the radiator surface, its emittance and absorptance, the radiator temperature, the effective sky temperature surrounding the radiator, solar radiation and atmospheric irradiation levels, convection to or from the atmosphere (on Mars), and other conditions that could affect the nature of the radiator surface, such as dust accumulation. Most particularly, dust is expected to be a major contributor to the local environmental conditions on either the lunar or Martian surface. This conclusion regarding Mars is supported by measurements of dust accumulation on the Mars Sojourner Rover solar array during the Pathfinder mission. This Final Report describes a study of the effect of Martian dust accumulation on radiator performance. It is comprised of quantitative measurements of effective emittance for a range of dust accumulation levels on surfaces of known emittance under clean conditions. The test radiator coatings were Z-93P, NS-43G, and Silver Teflon (10 mil) film. The Martian dust simulant was Carbondale Red Clay. Results were obtained under vacuum conditions sufficient to reduce convection effects virtually to zero. The experiments required the development of a calorimetric apparatus that allows simultaneous measurements of the effective emittance for all the coatings at each set of experimental conditions. A method of adding dust to multiple radiator coupons was developed and shown to be capable of depositing dust on the surfaces with acceptable uniformity. In these experiments, the dust layer accumulates under earth gravity and in the presence of an earth atmosphere. An invention disclosure for the dust deposition apparatus is being filed through NASA and University of Houston.

10 CFR 71.47 - External radiation standards for all packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false External radiation standards for all packages. 71.47... MATERIAL Package Approval Standards § 71.47 External radiation standards for all packages. (a) Except as... the radiation level does not exceed 2 mSv/h (200 mrem/h) at any point on the external surface of the...

10 CFR 71.47 - External radiation standards for all packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false External radiation standards for all packages. 71.47... MATERIAL Package Approval Standards § 71.47 External radiation standards for all packages. (a) Except as... the radiation level does not exceed 2 mSv/h (200 mrem/h) at any point on the external surface of the...

10 CFR 71.47 - External radiation standards for all packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false External radiation standards for all packages. 71.47... MATERIAL Package Approval Standards § 71.47 External radiation standards for all packages. (a) Except as... the radiation level does not exceed 2 mSv/h (200 mrem/h) at any point on the external surface of the...

The Greenhouse Effect - Re-examination of the Impact of an Increase in Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Underwood, T. G.

2017-12-01

Examination of the radiation budget at the surface of the Earth shows that there are three factors affecting the surface temperature; the amount of solar radiation absorbed by the atmosphere and by the surface respectively, and the amount of leakage of infrared radiation emitted from the surface directly into space. If there were no leakage, the upwelling infrared radiation from the Earth's surface would be equal to the incoming solar radiation absorbed by the atmosphere plus twice the solar radiation absorbed by the surface. This results from the summation of a sequence of equal upward and downward re-emissions of infrared radiation absorbed by the atmosphere following the initial absorption of solar radiation. At current levels of solar absorption, this would result in total upwelling radiation of approximately 398.6 W/m2, or a maximum surface temperature of 16.4°C. Allowing for leakage of infrared radiation through the atmospheric window, the resulting emission from the Earth's surface is reduced to around 396 W/m2, corresponding to the current average global surface temperature of around 15.9°C. Absorption of solar and infrared radiation by greenhouse gases is determined by the absorption bands for the respective gases and their concentrations. Absorption of incoming solar radiation is largely by water vapor and ozone, and an increase in absorption would reduce not increase the surface temperature. Moreover, it is probable that all emitted infrared radiation that can be absorbed by greenhouse gases, primarily water vapor, with a small contribution from carbon dioxide and ozone, is already fully absorbed, and the leakage of around 5.5 % corresponds to the part of the infrared red spectrum that is not absorbed by greenhouse gases. The carbon dioxide absorption bands, which represent a very small percentage of the infrared spectrum, are most likely fully saturated. In these circumstances, increased concentrations of greenhouse gases, and carbon dioxide in particular, will have no effect on the emitted radiation. The surface temperature is probably at the thermodynamic limit for the current luminosity of the sun. Satellite based measurements since 1979 suggest that any global warming over the past 150 years may be due to an increase in total solar irradiance, which we are still a decade or two from being able to confirm.

Method for surface plasmon amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (SPASER)

DOEpatents

Stockman, Mark I [Atlanta, GA; Bergman, David J [Ramat Hasharon, IL

2011-09-13

A nanostructure is used to generate a highly localized nanoscale optical field. The field is excited using surface plasmon amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (SPASER). The SPASER radiation consists of surface plasmons that undergo stimulated emission, but in contrast to photons can be localized within a nanoscale region. A SPASER can incorporate an active medium formed by two-level emitters, excited by an energy source, such as an optical, electrical, or chemical energy source. The active medium may be quantum dots, which transfer excitation energy by radiationless transitions to a resonant nanosystem that can play the same role as a laser cavity in a conventional laser. The transitions are stimulated by the surface plasmons in the nanostructure, causing the buildup of a macroscopic number of surface plasmons in a single mode.

Surface plasmon amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (SPASER)

DOEpatents

Stockman, Mark I [Atlanta, GA; Bergman, David J [Ramat Hasharon, IL

2009-08-04

A nanostructure is used to generate a highly localized nanoscale optical field. The field is excited using surface plasmon amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (SPASER). The SPASER radiation consists of surface plasmons that undergo stimulated emission, but in contrast to photons can be localized within a nanoscale region. A SPASER can incorporate an active medium formed by two-level emitters, excited by an energy source, such as an optical, electrical, or chemical energy source. The active medium may be quantum dots, which transfer excitation energy by radiationless transitions to a resonant nanosystem that can play the same role as a laser cavity in a conventional laser. The transitions are stimulated by the surface plasmons in the nanostructure, causing the buildup of a macroscopic number of surface plasmons in a single mode.

Forcing and Responses of the Surface Energy Budget at Summit, Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Nathaniel B.

Energy exchange at the Greenland Ice Sheet surface governs surface temperature variability, a factor critical for representing increasing surface melt extent, which portends a rise in global sea level. A comprehensive set of cloud, tropospheric, near-surface and sub-surface measurements at Summit Station is utilized to determine the driving forces and subsequent responses of the surface energy budget (SEB). This budget includes radiative, turbulent, and ground heat fluxes, and ultimately controls the evolution of surface temperature. At Summit Station, clouds radiatively warm the surface in all months with an annual average cloud radiative forcing value of 33 W m -2, largely driven by the occurrence of liquid-bearing clouds. The magnitude of the surface temperature response is dependent on how turbulent and ground heat fluxes modulate changes to radiative forcing. Relationships between forcing terms and responding surface fluxes show that changes in the upwelling longwave radiation compensate for 65-85% (50- 60%) of the total change in radiative forcing in the winter (summer). The ground heat flux is the second largest response term (16% annually), especially during winter. Throughout the annual cycle, the sensible heat flux response is comparatively constant (9%) and latent heat flux response is only 1.5%, becoming more of a factor in modulating surface temperature responses during the summer. Combining annual cycles of these responses with cloud radiative forcing results, clouds warm the surface by an estimated 7.8°C annually. A reanalysis product (ERA-I), operational model (CFSv2), and climate model (CESM) are evaluated utilizing the comprehensive set of SEB observations and process-based relationships. Annually, surface temperatures in each model are warmer than observed with overall poor representation of the coldest surface temperatures. Process-based relationships between different SEB flux terms offer insight into how well a modeling framework represents physical processes and the ability to distinguish errors in forcing versus those in physical representation. Such relationships convey that all three models underestimate the response of surface temperatures to changes in radiative forcing. These results provide a method to expose model deficiencies and indicate the importance of representing surface, sub-surface and boundary-layer processes when portraying cloud impacts on surface temperature variability.

The Diamond Window with Boron-Doped Layers for the Output of Microwave Radiation at High Peak and Average Power Levels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanov, O. A.; Kuzikov, S. V.; Vikharev, A. A.; Vikharev, A. L.; Lobaev, M. A.

2017-10-01

We propose a novel design of the barrier window for the output of microwave radiation at high peak and average power levels. A window based on a plate of polycrystalline CVD diamond with thin (nanometer-thick) boron-doped layers with increased conductivity is considered. Such a window, which retains the low radiation loss due to the small total thickness of the conductive layers and the high thermal conductivity inherent in diamond, prevents accumulation of a static charge on its surface, on the one hand, and allows one to produce a static electric field on the surface of the doped layer, which impedes the development of a multipactor discharge, on the other hand. In this case, a high level of the power of the transmitted radiation and a large passband width are ensured by choosing the configuration of the field in the form of a traveling wave inside the window.

Space shuttle main engine plume radiation model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reardon, J. E.; Lee, Y. C.

1978-01-01

The methods are described which are used in predicting the thermal radiation received by space shuttles, from the plumes of the main engines. Radiation to representative surface locations were predicted using the NASA gaseous plume radiation GASRAD program. The plume model is used with the radiative view factor (RAVFAC) program to predict sea level radiation at specified body points. The GASRAD program is described along with the predictions. The RAVFAC model is also discussed.

Measurements relating fire radiative energy density and surface fuel consumption - RxCADRE 2011 and 2012

Treesearch

Andrew T. Hudak; Matthew B. Dickinson; Benjamin C. Bright; Robert L. Kremens; E. Louise Loudermilk; Joseph J. O' Brien; Benjamin S. Hornsby; Roger D. Ottmar

2016-01-01

Small-scale experiments have demonstrated that fire radiative energy is linearly related to fuel combusted but such a relationship has not been shown at the landscape level of prescribed fires. This paper presents field and remotely sensed measures of pre-fire fuel loads, consumption, fire radiative energy density (FRED) and fire radiative power flux density (FRFD),...

Synergy between air pollution and urban meteorological changes through aerosol-radiation-diffusion feedback―A case study of Beijing in January 2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kajino, Mizuo; Ueda, Hiromasa; Han, Zhiwei; Kudo, Rei; Inomata, Yayoi; Kaku, Hidenori

2017-12-01

The interactions of aerosol-radiation-stratification-turbulence-cloud processes during a severe haze event in Beijing in January 2013 were studied using a numerical model. For the clear days, solar radiation flux was reduced by approximately 15% and surface temperature was slightly decreased from 0 to 0.5 K throughout the day and night, except for a 1.4 K decrease around sunrise when fog was presented. The longwave radiation cooling was intensified by the fog or drizzle droplets near the top of the fog layer. Thus, in Beijing, both in the daytime and at night, the surface air temperature was decreased by air pollutants. In the presence of the low-level stratus and light precipitation, the modification of meteorology by aerosols was amplified and changed the wind speed and direction much more significantly compared to clear days. The non-linear effect (or positive feedback) of pollutant emission control on the surface air concentration was newly assessed―severe air pollution leads to the intensification of stable stratification near the surface at night and delays the evolution of the mixing layer, which in turn causes more severe air pollution. The non-linear effect was not significant for the current emission levels in the current case, approximately 10%. In another word, the mixing ratio of aerosols became higher by 10% due to their radiation effects.

Radiation exposure in the moon environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reitz, Guenther; Berger, Thomas; Matthiae, Daniel

2012-12-01

During a stay on the moon humans are exposed to elevated radiation levels due to the lack of substantial atmospheric and magnetic shielding compared to the Earth's surface. The absence of magnetic and atmospheric shielding allows cosmic rays of all energies to impinge on the lunar surface. Beside the continuous exposure to galactic cosmic rays (GCR), which increases the risk of cancer mortality, exposure through particles emitted in sudden nonpredictable solar particle events (SPE) may occur. SPEs show an enormous variability in particle flux and energy spectra and have the potential to expose space crew to life threatening doses. On Earth, the contribution to the annual terrestrial dose of natural ionizing radiation of 2.4 mSv by cosmic radiation is about 1/6, whereas the annual exposure caused by GCR on the lunar surface is roughly 380 mSv (solar minimum) and 110 mSv (solar maximum). The analysis of worst case scenarios has indicated that SPE may lead to an exposure of about 1 Sv. The only efficient measure to reduce radiation exposure is the provision of radiation shelters. Measurements on the lunar surface performed during the Apollo missions cover only a small energy band for thermal neutrons and are not sufficient to estimate the exposure. Very recently some data were added by the Radiation Dose Monitoring (RADOM) instrument operated during the Indian Chandrayaan Mission and the Cosmic Ray Telescope (CRaTER) instrument of the NASA LRO (Lunar Reconnaisance Orbiter) mission. These measurements need to be complemented by surface measurements. Models and simulations that exist describe the approximate radiation exposure in space and on the lunar surface. The knowledge on the radiation exposure at the lunar surface is exclusively based on calculations applying radiation transport codes in combination with environmental models. Own calculations are presented using Monte-Carlo simulations to calculate the radiation environment on the moon and organ doses on the surface of the moon for an astronaut in an EVA suit and are compared with measurements. Since it is necessary to verify/validate such calculations with measurement on the lunar surface, a description is given of a radiation detector for future detailed surface measurements. This device is proposed for the ESA Lunar Lander Mission and is capable to characterize the radiation field concerning particle fluencies, dose rates and energy transfer spectra for ionizing particles and to measure the dose contribution of secondary neutrons.

Ultraviolet radiation and the snow alga Chlamydomonas nivalis (Bauer) Wille.

PubMed

Gorton, Holly L; Vogelmann, Thomas C

2003-06-01

Aplanospores of Chlamydomonas nivalis are frequently found in high-altitude, persistent snowfields where they are photosynthetically active despite cold temperatures and high levels of visible and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The goals of this work were to characterize the UV environment of the cells in the snow and to investigate the existence and localization of screening compounds that might prevent UV damage. UV irradiance decreased precipitously in snow, with UV radiation of wavelengths 280-315 nm and UV radiation of wavelengths 315-400 nm dropping to 50% of incident levels in the top 1 and 2 cm, respectively. Isolated cell walls exhibited UV absorbance, possibly by sporopollenin, but this absorbance was weak in images of broken or plasmolyzed cells observed through a UV microscope. The cells also contained UV-absorbing cytoplasmic compounds, with the extrachloroplastic carotenoid astaxanthin providing most of the screening. Additional screening compound(s) soluble in aqueous methanol with an absorption maximum at 335 nm played a minor role. Thus, cells are protected against potentially high levels of UV radiation by the snow itself when they live several centimeters beneath the surface, and they rely on cellular screening compounds, chiefly astaxanthin, when located near the surface where UV fluxes are high.

An energy balance climate model with cloud feedbacks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roads, J. O.; Vallis, G. K.

1984-01-01

The present two-level global climate model, which is based on the atmosphere-surface energy balance, includes physically based parameterizations for the exchange of heat and moisture across latitude belts and between the surface and the atmosphere, precipitation and cloud formation, and solar and IR radiation. The model field predictions obtained encompass surface and atmospheric temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, and cloudiness. In the model integrations presented, it is noted that cloudiness is generally constant with changing temperature at low latitudes. High altitude cloudiness increases with temperature, although the cloud feedback effect on the radiation field remains small because of compensating effects on thermal and solar radiation. The net global feedback by the cloud field is negative, but small.

Response to "The Iris Hypothesis: A Negative or Positive Cloud Feedback?"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chou, Ming-Dah; Lindzen, Richard S.; Hou, Arthur Y.; Lau, William K. M. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Based on radiance measurements of Japan's Geostationary Meteorological Satellite, Lindzen et al. found that the high-level cloud cover averaged over the tropical western Pacific decreases with increasing sea surface temperature. They further found that the response of high-level clouds to the sea surface temperature had an effect of reducing the magnitude of climate change, which is referred as a negative climate feedback. Lin et al. reassessed the results found by Lindzen et al. by analyzing the radiation and clouds derived from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System measurements. They found a weak positive feedback between high-level clouds and the surface temperature. We have found that the approach taken by Lin et al. to estimating the albedo and the outgoing longwave radiation is incorrect and that the inferred climate sensitivity is unreliable.

Offshore Radiation Observations for Climate Research at the CERES Ocean Validation Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rutledge, Charles K.; Schuster, Gregory L.; Charlock, Thomas P.; Denn, Frederick M.; Smith, William L., Jr.; Fabbri, Bryan E.; Madigan, James J., Jr.; Knapp, Robert J.

2006-01-01

When radiometers on a satellite are pointed towards the planet with the goal of understanding a phenomenon quantitatively, rather than just creating a pleasing image, the task at hand is often problematic. The signal at the detector can be affected by scattering, absorption, and emission; and these can be due to atmospheric constituents (gases, clouds, and aerosols), the earth's surface, and subsurface features. When targeting surface phenomena, the remote sensing algorithm needs to account for the radiation associated with the atmospheric constituents. Likewise, one needs to correct for the radiation leaving the surface, when atmospheric phenomena are of interest. Rigorous validation of such remote sensing products is a real challenge. In visible and near infrared wavelengths, the jumble of effects on atmospheric radiation are best accomplished over dark surfaces with fairly uniform reflective properties (spatial homogeneity) in the satellite instrument's field of view (FOV). The ocean's surface meets this criteria; land surfaces - which are brighter, more spatially inhomogeneous, and more changeable with time - generally do not. NASA's Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) project has used this backdrop to establish a radiation monitoring site in Virginia's coastal Atlantic Ocean. The project, called the CERES Ocean Validation Experiment (COVE), is located on a rigid ocean platform allowing the accurate measurement of radiation parameters that require precise leveling and pointing unavailable from ships or buoys. The COVE site is an optimal location for verifying radiative transfer models and remote sensing algorithms used in climate research; because of the platform's small size, there are no island wake effects; and suites of sensors can be simultaneously trained both on the sky and directly on ocean itself. This paper describes the site, the types of measurements made, multiple years of atmospheric and ocean surface radiation observations, and satellite validation results.

Position-sensitive radiation monitoring (surface contamination monitor). Innovative technology summary report

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

Not Available

1999-06-01

The Shonka Research Associates, Inc. Position-Sensitive Radiation Monitor both detects surface radiation and prepares electronic survey map/survey report of surveyed area automatically. The electronically recorded map can be downloaded to a personal computer for review and a map/report can be generated for inclusion in work packages. Switching from beta-gamma detection to alpha detection is relatively simple and entails moving a switch position to alpha and adjusting the voltage level to an alpha detection level. No field calibration is required when switching from beta-gamma to alpha detection. The system can be used for free-release surveys because it meets the federal detectionmore » level sensitivity limits requires for surface survey instrumentation. This technology is superior to traditionally-used floor contamination monitor (FCM) and hand-held survey instrumentation because it can precisely register locations of radioactivity and accurately correlate contamination levels to specific locations. Additionally, it can collect and store continuous radiological data in database format, which can be used to produce real-time imagery as well as automated graphics of survey data. Its flexible design can accommodate a variety of detectors. The cost of the innovative technology is 13% to 57% lower than traditional methods. This technology is suited for radiological surveys of flat surfaces at US Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear facility decontamination and decommissioning (D and D) sites or similar public or commercial sites.« less

Preliminary analysis of the implications of natural radiations on geostationary operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, J. W.; Denn, F. M.

1976-01-01

The natural radiations present at geostationary orbit are discussed. Low-level galactic cosmic rays are important for careers spending a year or more at geostationary altitude. Trapped radiation will on occasion require interruption of extravehicular activity (EVA). The spacesuit shield requirements are strongly affected by the number of interruptions allowed. EVA cannot proceed during a large solar event and maximum allowable doses are exceeded in a few hours unless a heavily shielded area is provided. A shelter of 10 g/sq cm with personal shielding for the eyes and testes would contain exposure to within the presently accepted exposure constraints. Since radiation levels can increase unexpectedly to serious levels, an onboard radiation monitoring system with rate and integration capabilities is required for both surface-dose and depth-dose monitoring.

10 CFR 140.84 - Criterion I-Substantial discharge of radioactive material or substantial radiation levels offsite.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...) Radioactive material that may be taken into the body from its occurrence in air or water; and (3) Radioactive... Commission finds that: (1) Surface contamination of at least a total of any 100 square meters of offsite... facility and such contamination is characterized by levels of radiation in excess of one of the values...

Measurement of the solar ultraviolet radiation at ground level in Bangi, Malaysia

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

Aljawi, Ohoud; Gopir, Geri; Duay, Abdul Basit

2015-04-24

Understanding the amount of ultraviolet (UV) radiation received by human, plant, and animal organisms near the earth’s surface is important to a wide range of fields such as cancer research, agriculture and forestry. The solar ultraviolet spectral irradiance at ground level was measured using the Avantes spectrometer for the period of January to March 2014 at Bangi (2°55´N, 101°46´E, 50 m above sea level) in Malaysia. These data were used to estimate the diurnal variation of UV irradiance (300 – 400 nm). The maximum irradiance of UV radiation was 45 W m{sup −2} on horizontal surface. The maximum irradiance ofmore » UV received in the local noon time, and the minimum values of UV irradiance was received in the local morning time. It is found a bigger value of UV radiation was observed on clear sky in January. The estimation of daily flux average of UV irradiance was (921± 91) kJ m{sup −2}.« less

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).

Assessing surface albedo change and its induced radiation budget under rapid urbanization with Landsat and GLASS data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yonghong; Jia, Gensuo; Pohl, Christine; Zhang, Xiaoxuan; van Genderen, John

2016-02-01

Radiative forcing (RF) induced by land use (mainly surface albedo) change is still not well understood in climate change science, especially the effects of changes in urban albedo due to rapid urbanization on the urban radiation budget. In this study, a modified RF derivation approach based on Landsat images was used to quantify changes in the solar radiation budget induced by variations in surface albedo in Beijing from 2001 to 2009. Field radiation records from a Beijing meteorological station were used to identify changes in RF at the local level. There has been rapid urban expansion over the last decade, with the urban land area increasing at about 3.3 % annually from 2001 to 2009. This has modified three-dimensional urban surface properties, resulting in lower albedo due to complex building configurations of urban centers and higher albedo on flat surfaces of suburban areas and cropland. There was greater solar radiation (6.93 × 108 W) in the urban center in 2009 than in 2001. However, large cropland and urban fringe areas caused less solar radiation absorption. RF increased with distance from the urban center (less than 14 km) and with greater urbanization, with the greatest value being 0.41 W/m2. The solar radiation budget in urban areas was believed to be mainly influenced by urban structural changes in the horizontal and vertical directions. Overall, the results presented herein indicate that cumulative urbanization impacts on the natural radiation budget could evolve into an important driver of local climate change.

An Observational View of Relationships Between Moisture Aggregation, Cloud, and Radiative Heating Profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebsock, Matthew D.; L'Ecuyer, Tristan S.; Pincus, Robert

Data from several coincident satellite sensors are analyzed to determine the dependence of cloud and precipitation characteristics of tropical regions on the variance in the water vapor field. Increased vapor variance is associated with decreased high cloud fraction and an enhancement of low-level radiative cooling in dry regions of the domain. The result is found across a range of sea surface temperatures and rain rates. This suggests the possibility of an enhanced low-level circulation feeding the moist convecting areas when vapor variance is large. These findings are consistent with idealized models of self-aggregation, in which the aggregation of convection is maintained by a combination of low-level radiative cooling in dry regions and mid-to-upper-level radiative warming in cloudy regions.

Astronaut Exposures to Ionizing Radiation in a Lightly-Shielded Spacesuit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, J. W.; Simonsen, L. C.; Shinn, J. L.; Kim, M.-H. Y.; Cucinotta, F. A.; Badavi, F. F.; Atwell, W.

1999-01-01

The normal working and living areas of the astronauts are designed to provide an acceptable level of protection against the hazards of ionizing radiation of the space environment. Still there are occasions when they must don a spacesuit designed mainly for environmental control and mobility and leave the confines of their better-protected domain. This is especially true for deep space exploration. The impact of spacesuit construction on the exposure of critical astronaut organs will be examined in the ionizing radiation environments of free space, the lunar surface and the Martian surface. The computerized anatomical male model is used to evaluate astronaut self-shielding factors and to determine space radiation exposures to critical radiosensitive human organs.

Radiation Shielding Optimization on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slaba, Tony C.; Mertens, Chris J.; Blattnig, Steve R.

2013-01-01

Future space missions to Mars will require radiation shielding to be optimized for deep space transit and an extended stay on the surface. In deep space, increased shielding levels and material optimization will reduce the exposure from most solar particle events (SPE) but are less effective at shielding against galactic cosmic rays (GCR). On the surface, the shielding provided by the Martian atmosphere greatly reduces the exposure from most SPE, and long-term GCR exposure is a primary concern. Previous work has shown that in deep space, additional shielding of common materials such as aluminum or polyethylene does not significantly reduce the GCR exposure. In this work, it is shown that on the Martian surface, almost any amount of aluminum shielding increases exposure levels for humans. The increased exposure levels are attributed to neutron production in the shield and Martian regolith as well as the electromagnetic cascade induced in the Martian atmosphere. This result is significant for optimization of vehicle and shield designs intended for the surface of Mars.

A Generalized Approach to Model the Spectra and Radiation Dose Rate of Solar Particle Events on the Surface of Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Jingnan; Zeitlin, Cary; Wimmer-Schweingruber, Robert F.; McDole, Thoren; Kühl, Patrick; Appel, Jan C.; Matthiä, Daniel; Krauss, Johannes; Köhler, Jan

2018-01-01

For future human missions to Mars, it is important to study the surface radiation environment during extreme and elevated conditions. In the long term, it is mainly galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) modulated by solar activity that contribute to the radiation on the surface of Mars, but intense solar energetic particle (SEP) events may induce acute health effects. Such events may enhance the radiation level significantly and should be detected as immediately as possible to prevent severe damage to humans and equipment. However, the energetic particle environment on the Martian surface is significantly different from that in deep space due to the influence of the Martian atmosphere. Depending on the intensity and shape of the original solar particle spectra, as well as particle types, the surface spectra may induce entirely different radiation effects. In order to give immediate and accurate alerts while avoiding unnecessary ones, it is important to model and well understand the atmospheric effect on the incoming SEPs, including both protons and helium ions. In this paper, we have developed a generalized approach to quickly model the surface response of any given incoming proton/helium ion spectra and have applied it to a set of historical large solar events, thus providing insights into the possible variety of surface radiation environments that may be induced during SEP events. Based on the statistical study of more than 30 significant solar events, we have obtained an empirical model for estimating the surface dose rate directly from the intensities of a power-law SEP spectra.

Active feed array compensation for reflector antenna surface distortions. Ph.D. Thesis - Akron Univ., Ohio

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Acosta, Roberto J.

1988-01-01

The feasibility of electromagnetic compensation for reflector antenna surface distortions is investigated. The performance characteristics of large satellite communication reflector antenna systems degrade as the reflector surface distorts, mainly due to thermal effects from solar radiation. The technique developed can be used to maintain the antenna boresight directivity and sidelobe level independent of thermal effects on the reflector surface. With the advent of monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC), a greater flexibility in array fed reflector antenna systems can be achieved. MMIC arrays provide independent control of amplitude and phase for each of the many radiating elements in the feed array. By assuming a known surface distortion profile, a simulation study is carried out to examine the antenna performance as a function of feed array size and number of elements. Results indicate that the compensation technique can effectively control boresight directivity and sidelobe level under peak surface distortion in the order of tenth of a wavelength.

From Anti-greenhouse Effect of Solar Absorbers to Cooling Effect of Greenhouse Gases: A 1-D Radiative Convective Model Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shia, R.

2012-12-01

The haze layer in Titan's upper atmosphere absorbs 90% of the solar radiation, but is inefficient for trapping infrared radiation generated by the surface. Its existence partially compensates for the greenhouse warming and keeps the surface approximately 9°C cooler than would otherwise be expected from the greenhouse effect alone. This is the so called anti-greenhouse effect (McKay et al., 1991). This effect can be used to alleviate the warming caused by the increasing level of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere. A one-dimensional radiative convective model (Kasting et al., 2009 and references listed there) is used to investigate the anti-greenhouse effect in the Earth atmosphere. Increasing of solar absorbers, e.g. aerosols and ozone, in the stratosphere reduces the surface solar flux and cool the surface. However, the absorption of the solar flux also increases the temperature in the upper atmosphere, while reduces the temperature at the surface. Thus, the temperature profile of the atmosphere changes and the regions with positive vertical temperature gradient are expanded. According to Shia (2010) the radiative forcing of greenhouse gases is directly related to the vertical temperature gradient. Under the new temperature profile increases of greenhouse gases should have less warming effect. When the solar absorbers keep increasing, eventually most of the atmosphere has positive temperature gradient and increasing greenhouse gases would cool the surface (Shia, 2011). The doubling CO2 scenario in the Earth atmosphere is simulated for different levels of solar absorbers using the 1-D RC model. The model results show that if the solar absorber increases to a certain level that less than 50% solar flux reaching the surface, doubling CO2 cools the surface by about 2 C. This means if the snowball Earth is generated by solar absorbers in the stratosphere, increasing greenhouse gases would make it freeze even more (Shia, 2011). References: Kasting, J. et al. 2009, http://vpl.astro.washington.edu/sci/AntiModels/models09.html McKay, C.P. et al. 1991, Titan: Greenhouse and Anti-greenhouse Effects on Titan. Science 253 (5024), 1118-21 Shia, R. 2011, Climate Effect of Greenhouse Gas: Warming or Cooling is Determined by Temperature Gradient, American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2012, abstract #A51A-0274 Shia, R. 2010, Mechanism of Radiative Forcing of Greenhouse Gas and its Implication to the Global Warming, American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2010, abstract #A11J-02

Thermodynamics and Cloud Radiative Effect from the First Year of GoAmazon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collow, Allie Marquardt; Miller, Mark; Trabachino, Lynne

2015-01-01

Deforestation is an ongoing concern for the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil and associated changes to the land surface have been hypothesized to alter the climate in the region. A comprehensive set of meteorological observations at the surface and within the lower troposphere above Manacapuru, Brazil and data from the Modern Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications Version 2 (MERRA-2) are used to evaluate the seasonal cycle of cloudiness, thermodynamics, and the radiation budget. While ample moisture is present in the Amazon Rainforest year round, the northward progression of the Hadley circulation during the dry season contributes to a drying of the middle troposphere and inhibits the formation of deep convection. This results in a reduction in cloudiness and precipitation as well as an increase in the height of the lifting condensation level, which is shown to have a negative correlation to the fraction of low clouds. Frequent cloudiness prevents solar radiation from reaching the surface and clouds are often reflective with high values of shortwave cloud radiative effect at the surface and top of the atmosphere. Cloud radiative effect is reduced during the dry season however the dry season surface shortwave cloud radiative effect is still double what is observed during the wet season in other tropical locations. Within the column, the impact of clouds on the radiation budget is more prevalent in the longwave part of the spectrum, with a net warming in the wet season.

Wildfires and animal extinctions at the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adair, Robert K.

2010-06-01

Persuasive models of the ejection of material at high velocities from the Chicxulub asteroid impact marking the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary have led to the conclusion that upon return, that material, heated in passage through the upper atmosphere, generated a high level of infrared energy density over the Earth's surface. That radiant energy has been considered to be a direct source of universal wildfires, which were presumed to be a major cause of plant and animal species extinctions. The extinction of many animal species, especially the dinosaurs, has also been attributed to the immediate lethal effects of the radiation. I find that the absorption of the radiation by the atmosphere, by cloud formations, and by ejecta drifting in the lower atmosphere reduced the radiation at the surface to a level that cannot be expected to have generated universal fires. Although the reduced radiation will have likely caused severe injuries to many animals, such insults alone seem unlikely to have generated the overall species extinctions that have been deduced.

Application and possible mechanisms of combining LLLT (low level laser therapy), infrared hyperthermia and ionizing radiation in the treatment of cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abraham, Edward H.; Woo, Van H.; Harlin-Jones, Cheryl; Heselich, Anja; Frohns, Florian

2014-02-01

Benefit of concomitant infrared hyperthermia and low level laser therapy and ionizing radiation is evaluated in this study. The purpose/objectives: presentation with locally advanced bulky superficial tumors is clinically challenging. To enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy and IMRT (intensity-modulated radiation therapy) and/or electron beam therapy we have developed an inexpensive and clinically effective infrared hyperthermia approach that combines black-body infrared radiation with halogen spectrum radiation and discrete wave length infrared clinical lasers LLLT. The goal is to produce a composite spectrum extending from the far infrared to near infrared and portions of the visible spectrum with discrete penetrating wavelengths generated by the clinical infrared lasers with frequencies of 810 nm and/or 830 nm. The composite spectrum from these sources is applied before and after radiation therapy. We monitor the surface and in some cases deeper temperatures with thermal probes, but use an array of surface probes as the limiting safe thermal constraint in patient treatment while at the same time maximizing infrared entry to deeper tissue layers. Fever-grade infrared hyperthermia is produced in the first centimeters while non-thermal infrared effects act at deeper tissue layers. The combination of these effects with ionizing radiation leads to improved tumor control in many cancers.

Influence of UV radiation on chlorophyll, and antioxidant enzymes of wetland plants in different types of constructed wetland.

PubMed

Xu, Defu; Wu, Yinjuan; Li, Yingxue; Howard, Alan; Jiang, Xiaodong; Guan, Yidong; Gao, Yongxia

2014-09-01

A surface- and vertical subsurface-flow-constructed wetland were designed to study the response of chlorophyll and antioxidant enzymes to elevated UV radiation in three types of wetland plants (Canna indica, Phragmites austrail, and Typha augustifolia). Results showed that (1) chlorophyll content of C. indica, P. austrail, and T. augustifolia in the constructed wetland was significantly lower where UV radiation was increased by 10 and 20 % above ambient solar level than in treatment with ambient solar UV radiation (p < 0.05). (2) The malondialdehyde (MDA) content, guaiacol peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities of wetland plants increased with elevated UV radiation intensity. (3) The increased rate of MDA, SOD, POD, and CAT activities of C. indica, P. australis, and T. angustifolia by elevated UV radiation of 10 % was higher in vertical subsurface-flow-constructed wetland than in surface-flow-constructed wetland. The sensitivity of MDA, SOD, POD, and CAT activities of C. indica, P. austrail, and T. augustifolia to the elevated UV radiation was lower in surface-flow-constructed wetland than in the vertical subsurface-flow-constructed wetland, which was related to a reduction in UV radiation intensity through the dissolved organic carbon and suspended matter in the water. C. indica had the highest SOD and POD activities, which implied it is more sensitive to enhanced UV radiation. Therefore, different wetland plants had different antioxidant enzymes by elevated UV radiation, which were more sensitive in vertical subsurface-flow-constructed wetland than in surface-flow-constructed wetland.

Radiation Climatology of the Greenland Ice Sheet Derived from Greenland Climate Network Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steffen, Konrad; Box, Jason

2003-01-01

The magnitude of shortwave and longwave dative fluxes are critical to surface energy balance variations over the Greenland ice sheet, affecting many aspects of its climate, including melt rates, the nature of low-level temperature inversions, the katabatic wind regime and buoyant stability of the atmosphere. Nevertheless, reliable measurements of the radiative fluxes over the ice sheet are few in number, and have been of limited duration and areal distribution (e.g. Ambach, 1960; 1963, Konzelmann et al., 1994, Harding et al., 1995, Van den Broeke, 1996). Hourly GC-Net radiation flux measurements spanning 1995-2001 period have been used to produce a monthly dataset of surface radiation balance components. The measurements are distributed widely across Greenland and incorporate multiple sensors

A collisional-radiative model for low-pressure weakly magnetized Ar plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Xi-Ming; Tsankov, Tsanko; Czarnetzki, Uwe; Marchuk, Oleksandr

2016-09-01

Collisional-radiative (CR) models are widely investigated in plasma physics for describing the kinetics of reactive species and for optical emission spectroscopy. This work reports a new Ar CR model used in low-pressure (0.01-10 Pa) weakly magnetized (<0.1 Tesla) plasmas, including ECR, helicon, and NLD discharges. In this model 108 realistic levels are individually studied, i.e. 51 lowest levels of the Ar atom and 57 lowest levels of the Ar ion. We abandon the concept of an ``effective level'' usually adopted in previous models for glow discharges. Only in this way the model can correctly predict the non-equilibrium population distribution of close energy levels. In addition to studying atomic metastable and radiative levels, this model describes the kinetic processes of ionic metastable and radiative levels in detail for the first time. This is important for investigation of plasma-surface interaction and for optical diagnostics using atomic and ionic line-ratios. This model could also be used for studying Ar impurities in tokamaks and astrophysical plasmas.

Aerosol Absorption Effects in the TOMS UV Algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Torres, O.; Krotkov, N.; Bhartia, P. K.

2004-01-01

The availability of global long-term estimates of surface UV radiation is very important, not only for preventive medicine considerations, but also as an important tool to monitor the effects of the stratospheric ozone recovery expected to occur in the next few decades as a result of the decline of the stratospheric chlorine levels. In addition to the modulating effects of ozone and clouds, aerosols also affect the levels of UV-A and W-B radiation reaching the surface. Oscillations in surface W associated with the effects of aerosol absorption may be comparable in magnitude to variations associated with the stratospheric ozone recovery. Thus, the accurate calculation of surface W radiation requires that both the scattering and absorption effects of tropospheric aerosols be taken into account. Although absorption effects of dust and elevated carbonaceous aerosols are already accounted for using Aerosol Index technique, this approach does not work for urban/industrial aerosols in the planetary boundary layer. The use of the new TOMS long-term global data record on UV aerosol absorption optical depth, can improve the accuracy of TOMS spectral UV products, by properly including the spectral attenuation effects of carbonaceous, urban/industrial and mineral aerosols. The TOMS data set on aerosol properties will be discussed, and results of its use in the TOMS surface W algorithm will be presented.

What types of Level 3 products are available?

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2016-02-19

The Level 3 Component Global Georectified Radiation Product (CGGRP), Component Global Land Surface Product (CGLS), Component Global Aerosol Product (CGAS), and Component Global Albedo Product (CGAL) are generated for daily, monthly, quarterly,...

Air pollution and climate response to aerosol direct radiative ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Decadal hemispheric Weather Research and Forecast-Community Multiscale Air Quality simulations from 1990 to 2010 were conducted to examine the meteorology and air quality responses to the aerosol direct radiative effects. The model's performance for the simulation of hourly surface temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and direction was evaluated through comparison with observations from NOAA's National Climatic Data Center Integrated Surface Data. The inclusion of aerosol direct radiative effects improves the model's ability to reproduce the trend in daytime temperature range which over the past two decades was increasing in eastern China but decreasing in eastern U.S. and Europe. Trends and spatial and diurnal variations of the surface-level gaseous and particle concentrations to the aerosol direct effect were analyzed. The inclusion of aerosol direct radiative effects was found to increase the surface-level concentrations of SO2, NO2, O3, SO42−, NO3−, and particulate matter 2.5 in eastern China, eastern U.S., and Europe by 1.5–2.1%, 1–1.5%, 0.1–0.3%, 1.6–2.3%, 3.5–10.0%, and 2.2–3.2%, respectively, on average over the entire 21 year period. However, greater impacts are noted during polluted days with increases of 7.6–10.6%, 6.2–6.7%, 2.0–3.0%, 7.8–9.5%, 11.1–18.6%, and 7.2–10.1%, respectively. Due to the aerosol direct radiative effects, stabilizing of the atmosphere associated with reduced planetary boundary layer height a

Hybrid perovskite films approaching the radiative limit with over 90% photoluminescence quantum efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braly, Ian L.; deQuilettes, Dane W.; Pazos-Outón, Luis M.; Burke, Sven; Ziffer, Mark E.; Ginger, David S.; Hillhouse, Hugh W.

2018-06-01

Reducing non-radiative recombination in semiconducting materials is a prerequisite for achieving the highest performance in light-emitting and photovoltaic applications. Here, we characterize both external and internal photoluminescence quantum efficiency and quasi-Fermi-level splitting of surface-treated hybrid perovskite (CH3NH3PbI3) thin films. With respect to the material bandgap, these passivated films exhibit the highest quasi-Fermi-level splitting measured to date, reaching 97.1 ± 0.7% of the radiative limit, approaching that of the highest performing GaAs solar cells. We confirm these values with independent measurements of internal photoluminescence quantum efficiency of 91.9 ± 2.7% under 1 Sun illumination intensity, setting a new benchmark for these materials. These results suggest hybrid perovskite solar cells are inherently capable of further increases in power conversion efficiency if surface passivation can be combined with optimized charge carrier selective interfaces.

Cosmogenic nuclides in the Martian surface: Constraints for sample recovery and transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Englert, Peter A. J.

1988-01-01

Stable and radioactive cosmogenic nuclides and radiation damage effects such as cosmic ray tracks can provide information on the surface history of Mars. A recent overview on developments in cosmogenic nuclide research for historical studies of predominantly extraterrestrial materials was published previously. The information content of cosmogenic nuclides and radiation damage effects produced in the Martian surface is based on the different ways of interaction of the primary galactic and solar cosmic radiation (GCR, SCR) and the secondary particle cascade. Generally the kind and extent of interactions as seen in the products depend on the following factors: (1) composition, energy and intensity of the primary SCR and GCR; (2) composition, energy and intensity of the GCR-induced cascade of secondary particles; (3) the target geometry, i.e., the spatial parameters of Martian surface features with respect to the primary radiation source; (4) the target chemistry, i.e., the chemical composition of the Martian surface at the sampling location down to the minor element level or lower; and (5) duration of the exposure. These factors are not independent of each other and have a major influence on sample taking strategies and techniques.

The OPGT/MJS plasma wave science team

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scarf, F. L.

1972-01-01

Some properties of a model magnetosphere for Saturn were studied in order to determine the bounds that can be set on surface field strength and trapped particle population. The primary observational constraint was that nonthermal radiation similar to the Jovian radio emissions must be undetectable from Earth. It is argued that for a Saturn surface field of approximately one gauss, particles that are energized as they diffuse in from the magnetopause with conservation of magnetic moment will produce synchrotron radiation levels that are undetectable at a range of 9.5 AU. The plasma instabilities that heat the oncoming wind particles at the bow shock and others that can limit the stably-trapped flux levels are also discussed.

Deep-water measurements of container ship radiated noise signatures and directionality.

PubMed

Gassmann, Martin; Wiggins, Sean M; Hildebrand, John A

2017-09-01

Underwater radiated noise from merchant ships was measured opportunistically from multiple spatial aspects to estimate signature source levels and directionality. Transiting ships were tracked via the Automatic Identification System in a shipping lane while acoustic pressure was measured at the ships' keel and beam aspects. Port and starboard beam aspects were 15°, 30°, and 45° in compliance with ship noise measurements standards [ANSI/ASA S12.64 (2009) and ISO 17208-1 (2016)]. Additional recordings were made at a 10° starboard aspect. Source levels were derived with a spherical propagation (surface-affected) or a modified Lloyd's mirror model to account for interference from surface reflections (surface-corrected). Ship source depths were estimated from spectral differences between measurements at different beam aspects. Results were exemplified with a 4870 and a 10 036 twenty-foot equivalent unit container ship at 40%-56% and 87% of service speeds, respectively. For the larger ship, opportunistic ANSI/ISO broadband levels were 195 (surface-affected) and 209 (surface-corrected) dB re 1 μPa 2 1 m. Directionality at a propeller blade rate of 8 Hz exhibited asymmetries in stern-bow (<6 dB) and port-starboard (<9 dB) direction. Previously reported broadband levels at 10° aspect from McKenna, Ross, Wiggins, and Hildebrand [(2012b). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 131, 92-103] may be ∼12 dB lower than respective surface-affected ANSI/ISO standard derived levels.

Formation and Regional to Global Impacts of Severe Haze in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, R.

2017-12-01

As the world's second largest economy, China has experienced severe haze pollution, with fine particulate matter (PM) recently reaching unprecedentedly high levels across many cities. An understanding of the PM formation mechanism is critical in the development of efficient mediation policies to minimize its regional to global impacts. The formation mechanisms leading to severe haze episodes with exceedingly high PM2.5 levels in China remain uncertain, and the abundance and chemical constituents of PM2.5 vary considerably, depending on complex interplay between meteorology, pollution sources, and atmospheric chemical processes. In addition, aerosols interact directly and indirectly with the Earth's radiation budget and climate. For the direct effect, aerosols scatter and absorb solar radiation. Light scattering by aerosols changes the radiative fluxes at the top-of-atmosphere (TOA), at the surface, and within the atmospheric column, while aerosol absorption modifies the atmospheric temperature structure, decreases the solar radiation at the surface, and lowers surface sensible and latent fluxes, suppressing convection and reducing cloud fraction. Furthermore, aerosols by serving as cloud condensation nuclei indirectly impact climate by altering cloud development, lifetime, precipitation, and albedo. This talk will discuss the latest progress in understanding of severe haze formation in China and the regional to global impacts of Asian pollution.

Mapping Global Ocean Surface Albedo from Satellite Observations: Models, Algorithms, and Datasets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, X.; Fan, X.; Yan, H.; Li, A.; Wang, M.; Qu, Y.

2018-04-01

Ocean surface albedo (OSA) is one of the important parameters in surface radiation budget (SRB). It is usually considered as a controlling factor of the heat exchange among the atmosphere and ocean. The temporal and spatial dynamics of OSA determine the energy absorption of upper level ocean water, and have influences on the oceanic currents, atmospheric circulations, and transportation of material and energy of hydrosphere. Therefore, various parameterizations and models have been developed for describing the dynamics of OSA. However, it has been demonstrated that the currently available OSA datasets cannot full fill the requirement of global climate change studies. In this study, we present a literature review on mapping global OSA from satellite observations. The models (parameterizations, the coupled ocean-atmosphere radiative transfer (COART), and the three component ocean water albedo (TCOWA)), algorithms (the estimation method based on reanalysis data, and the direct-estimation algorithm), and datasets (the cloud, albedo and radiation (CLARA) surface albedo product, dataset derived by the TCOWA model, and the global land surface satellite (GLASS) phase-2 surface broadband albedo product) of OSA have been discussed, separately.

UV-B Radiation Contributes to Amphibian Population Declines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blaustein, Andrew

2007-05-01

UV-B (280-315 nm) radiation is the most significant biologically damaging radiation at the terrestrial surface. At the organismal level, UV-B radiation can slow growth rates, cause immune dysfunction and result in sublethal damage. UV-B radiation can lead to mutations and cell death. Over evolutionary time, UV radiation has been an important stressor on living organisms. Natural events, including impacts from comets and asteroids, volcanic activity, supernova explosions and solar flares, can cause large-scale ozone depletion with accompanying increases in UV radiation. However, these natural events are transient. Moreover, the amount of ozone damage due to natural events depends upon a number of variables, including the magnitude of the event. This is different from modern-day human-induced production of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other chemicals that deplete stratospheric ozone continuously, resulting in long-term increases in UV-B radiation at the surface of the earth. We will briefly review the effects of UV-B exposure in one group of aquatic organisms_amphibians. UV-B has been implicated as a possible factor contributing to global declines and range reductions in amphibian populations.

Nanoparticle induced piezoelectric, super toughened, radiation resistant, multi-functional nanohybrids.

PubMed

Tiwari, Vimal K; Shripathi, T; Lalla, N P; Maiti, Pralay

2012-01-07

We have developed multifunctional nanohybrids of poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-chlorotrifluoroethylene) (CTFE) with a small percentage of surface modified inorganic layered silicate showing dramatic improvement in toughness, radiation resistant and piezoelectric properties vis-à-vis pristine polymer. Massive intercalation (d(001) 1.8 → 3.9 nm) of polymer inside the nanoclay galleries and unique crystallization behavior of the fluoropolymer on the surface of individual silicate layer has been reported. Toughness in the nanohybrid increases more than three orders of magnitude as compared to pure CTFE. High energy radiation (80 MeV Si(+7)) causes chain session, amorphization and creates olefinic bonds in the pure polymer while the nanohybrids are radiation resistant at a similar dose. Nanoclay induces the metastable piezoelectric β-phase in CTFE, suitable for sensor and actuator application. Molecular level changes after irradiation and controlled morphology for smart membrane have been confirmed by using spectroscopy, sol-gel technique, surface morphology studies and in situ residual gas analysis.

Investigation of Volumetric Sources in Airframe Noise Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Casper, Jay H.; Lockard, David P.; Khorrami, Mehdi R.; Streett, Craig L.

2004-01-01

Hybrid methods for the prediction of airframe noise involve a simulation of the near field flow that is used as input to an acoustic propagation formula. The acoustic formulations discussed herein are those based on the Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings equation. Some questions have arisen in the published literature in regard to an apparently significant dependence of radiated noise predictions on the location of the integration surface used in the solution of the Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings equation. These differences in radiated noise levels are most pronounced between solid-body surface integrals and off-body, permeable surface integrals. Such differences suggest that either a non-negligible volumetric source is contributing to the total radiation or the input flow simulation is suspect. The focus of the current work is the issue of internal consistency of the flow calculations that are currently used as input to airframe noise predictions. The case study for this research is a computer simulation for a three-element, high-lift wing profile during landing conditions. The noise radiated from this flow is predicted by a two-dimensional, frequency-domain formulation of the Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings equation. Radiated sound from volumetric sources is assessed by comparison of a permeable surface integration with the sum of a solid-body surface integral and a volume integral. The separate noise predictions are found in good agreement.

Occupational levels of radiation exposure induce surface expression of interleukin-2 receptors in stimulated human peripheral blood lymphocytes.

PubMed

Xu, Y; Greenstock, C L; Trivedi, A; Mitchel, R E

1996-05-01

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a cytokine responsible for a variety of immune and non-immune stimulatory and regulatory functions, including the activation and stimulation of cytotoxic cells able to recognize and kill human tumour cells and T-cell proliferation and differentiation. We show that low doses of radiation, in the range commonly received by atomic radiation workers or as a result of minor medical diagnostic procedures (0.25 to 10 mGy), stimulate the expression of IL-2 receptors (IL-2R) on the surface of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) taken from normal human donors. This stimulated surface expression after in vitro irradiation is an indirect effect, resulting from the secretion into the medium of a soluble factor from the irradiated cells. This factor can also stimulate IL-2R surface expression in unirradiated cells. Consequently, radiation stimulation of IL-2R expression in a large population of PBL shows a triggered-type response rather than being proportional to dose. These results demonstrate that normal human cells can respond to doses of radiation in the range of common occupational or medical exposures. The data also demonstrate a possible defence mechanism against environmental stress by which a radiation-exposed cell can use an indirect signalling mechanism to communicate with and influence the biological processes in an unexposed cell.

49 CFR 173.412 - Additional design requirements for Type A packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... relief device, is provided with an enclosure to retain any leakage. (h) Any radiation shield that... structural part of the packaging, under both normal and accident conditions, must not impair the ability of... significant increase in the radiation levels recorded or calculated at the external surfaces for the condition...

49 CFR 173.412 - Additional design requirements for Type A packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... relief device, is provided with an enclosure to retain any leakage. (h) Any radiation shield that... structural part of the packaging, under both normal and accident conditions, must not impair the ability of... significant increase in the radiation levels recorded or calculated at the external surfaces for the condition...

49 CFR 173.412 - Additional design requirements for Type A packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... pressure relief device, is provided with an enclosure to retain any leakage. (h) Any radiation shield that... structural part of the packaging, under both normal and accident conditions, must not impair the ability of... significant increase in the radiation levels recorded or calculated at the external surfaces for the condition...

49 CFR 173.412 - Additional design requirements for Type A packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... relief device, is provided with an enclosure to retain any leakage. (h) Any radiation shield that... structural part of the packaging, under both normal and accident conditions, must not impair the ability of... significant increase in the radiation levels recorded or calculated at the external surfaces for the condition...

Estimated Radiation on Mars, Hits per Cell Nucleus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

This global map of Mars shows estimates for amounts of high-energy-particle cosmic radiation reaching the surface, a serious health concern for any future human exploration of the planet.

The estimates are based on cosmic-radiation measurements made on the way to Mars by the Mars radiation environment experiment, an instrument on NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft, plus information about Mars' surface elevations from the laser altimeter instrument on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor. The areas of Mars expected to have least radiation are where elevation is lowest, because those areas have more atmosphere above them to block out some of the radiation. Earth's thick atmosphere shields us from most cosmic radiation, but Mars has a much thinner atmosphere than Earth does.

Colors in the map refer to the estimated average number of times per year each cell nucleus in a human there would be hit by a high-energy cosmic ray particle. The range is generally from two hits (color-coded green), a moderate risk level, to eight hits (coded red), a high risk level.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey and Mars Global Surveyor missions for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington D.C. The Mars radiation environment experiment was developed by NASA's Johnson Space Center. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for Odyssey, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Surface and interface effects on non-radiative exciton recombination and relaxation dynamics in CdSe/Cd,Zn,S nanocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walsh, Brenna R.; Saari, Jonathan I.; Krause, Michael M.; Nick, Robert; Coe-Sullivan, Seth; Kambhampati, Patanjali

2016-06-01

Excitonic state-resolved pump/probe spectroscopy and time correlate single photon counting were used to study exciton dynamics from the femtosecond to nanosecond time scales in CdSe/Cd,Zn,S nanocrystals. These measurements reveal the role of the core/shell interface as well as surface on non-radiative excitonic processes over three time regimes. Time resolved photoluminescence reports on how the interface controls slow non-radiative processes that dictate emission at the single excitonic level. Heterogeneity in decay is minimized by interfacial structure. Pump/probe measurements explore the non-radiative multiexcitonic recombination processes on the picosecond timescale. These Auger based non-radiative processes dictate lifetimes of multiexcitonic states. Finally state-resolved pump/probe measurements on the femtosecond timescale reveal the influence of the interface on electron and hole relaxation dynamics. We find that the interface has a profound influence on all three types of non-radiative processes which ultimately control light emission from nanocrystals.

The NASA/GEWEX Surface Radiation Budget: Integrated Data Product With Reprocessed Radiance, Cloud, and Meteorology Inputs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stackhouse, P. W.; Gupta, S. K.; Cox, S. J.; Mikovitz, J. C.; Zhang, T.

2015-12-01

The NASA/GEWEX Surface Radiation Budget (SRB) project produces shortwave and longwave surface and top of atmosphere radiative fluxes for the 1983-near present time period. Spatial resolution is 1 degree. The current release 3.0 (available at gewex-srb.larc.nasa.gov) uses the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) DX product for pixel level radiance and cloud information. This product is subsampled to 30 km. ISCCP is currently recalibrating and recomputing their entire data series, to be released as the H product, at 10km resolution. The ninefold increase in pixel number will allow SRB a higher resolution gridded product (e.g. 0.5 degree), as well as the production of pixel-level fluxes. Other key input improvements include a detailed aerosol history using the Max Planck Institut Aerosol Climatology (MAC), temperature and moisture profiles from HIRS, and new topography, surface type, and snow/ice. At the time of abstract submission, results from the year 2007 have been produced. More years will be added as ISCCP reprocessing occurs. Here we present results for the improved GEWEX Shortwave and Longwave algorithm (GSW and GLW) with new ISCCP data, the various other improved input data sets and the incorporation of many additional internal SRB model improvements. Improvements in GSW include an expansion of the number of wavelength bands from five to eighteen, and the inclusion of ice cloud vs. water cloud radiative transfer. The SRB data produced will be released as part of the Release 4.0 Integrated Product, recognizing the interdependence of the radiative fluxes with other GEWEX products providing estimates of the Earth's global water and energy cycle (I.e., ISCCP, SeaFlux, LandFlux, NVAP, etc.).

The Surface Energy Balance at Local and Regional Scales-A Comparison of General Circulation Model Results with Observations.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garratt, J. R.; Krummel, P. B.; Kowalczyk, E. A.

1993-06-01

Aspects of the mean monthly energy balance at continental surfaces are examined by appeal to the results of general circulation model (GCM) simulations, climatological maps of surface fluxes, and direct observations. Emphasis is placed on net radiation and evaporation for (i) five continental regions (each approximately 20°×150°) within Africa, Australia, Eurasia, South America, and the United States; (ii) a number of continental sites in both hemispheres. Both the mean monthly values of the local and regional fluxes and the mean monthly diurnal cycles of the local fluxes are described. Mostly, GCMs tend to overestimate the mean monthly levels of net radiation by about 15% -20% on an annual basis, for observed annual values in the range 50 to 100 Wm2. This is probably the result of several deficiencies, including (i) continental surface albedos being undervalued in a number of the models, resulting in overestimates of the net shortwave flux at the surface (though this deficiency is steadily being addressed by modelers); (ii) incoming shortwave fluxes being overestimated due to uncertainties in cloud schemes and clear-sky absorption; (iii) land-surface temperatures being under-estimated resulting in an underestimate of the outgoing longwave flux. In contrast, and even allowing for the poor observational base for evaporation, there is no obvious overall bias in mean monthly levels of evaporation determined in GCMS, with one or two exceptions. Rather, and far more so than with net radiation, there is a wide range in values of evaporation for all regions investigated. For continental regions and at times of the year of low to moderate rainfall, there is a tendency for the simulated evaporation to be closely related to the precipitation-this is not surprising. In contrast, for regions where there is sufficient or excessive rainfall, the evaporation tends to follow the behavior of the net radiation. Again, this is not surprising given the close relation between potential evaporation and net radiation, as discussed by Priestley and Taylor. Finally, the introduction into GCMs of an `improved' surface scheme (incorporating more realistic representations of soil and canopy processes and revised albedos) does tend to improve the calculations of both regional net radiation and evaporation.

Saharan Dust Event Impacts on Cloud Formation and Radiation over Western Europe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bangert, M.; Nenes, A.; Vogel, B.; Vogel, H.; Barahona, D.; Karydis, V. A.; Kumar, P.; Kottmeier, C.; Blahak, U.

2013-01-01

We investigated the impact of mineral dust particles on clouds, radiation and atmospheric state during a strong Saharan dust event over Europe in May 2008, applying a comprehensive online-coupled regional model framework that explicitly treats particle-microphysics and chemical composition. Sophisticated parameterizations for aerosol activation and ice nucleation, together with two-moment cloud microphysics are used to calculate the interaction of the different particles with clouds depending on their physical and chemical properties. The impact of dust on cloud droplet number concentration was found to be low, with just a slight increase in cloud droplet number concentration for both uncoated and coated dust. For temperatures lower than the level of homogeneous freezing, no significant impact of dust on the number and mass concentration of ice crystals was found, though the concentration of frozen dust particles reached up to 100 l-1 during the ice nucleation events. Mineral dust particles were found to have the largest impact on clouds in a temperature range between freezing level and the level of homogeneous freezing, where they determined the number concentration of ice crystals due to efficient heterogeneous freezing of the dust particles and modified the glaciation of mixed phase clouds. Our simulations show that during the dust events, ice crystals concentrations were increased twofold in this temperature range (compared to if dust interactions are neglected). This had a significant impact on the cloud optical properties, causing a reduction in the incoming short-wave radiation at the surface up to -75Wm-2. Including the direct interaction of dust with radiation caused an additional reduction in the incoming short-wave radiation by 40 to 80Wm-2, and the incoming long-wave radiation at the surface was increased significantly in the order of +10Wm-2. The strong radiative forcings associated with dust caused a reduction in surface temperature in the order of -0.2 to -0.5K for most parts of France, Germany, and Italy during the dust event. The maximum difference in surface temperature was found in the East of France, the Benelux, and Western Germany with up to -1 K. This magnitude of temperature change was sufficient to explain a systematic bias in numerical weather forecasts during the period of the dust event.

UV SURFACE ENVIRONMENT OF EARTH-LIKE PLANETS ORBITING FGKM STARS THROUGH GEOLOGICAL EVOLUTION

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

Rugheimer, S.; Sasselov, D.; Segura, A.

2015-06-10

The UV environment of a host star affects the photochemistry in the atmosphere, and ultimately the surface UV environment for terrestrial planets and therefore the conditions for the origin and evolution of life. We model the surface UV radiation environment for Earth-sized planets orbiting FGKM stars in the circumstellar Habitable Zone for Earth through its geological evolution. We explore four different types of atmospheres corresponding to an early-Earth atmosphere at 3.9 Gyr ago and three atmospheres covering the rise of oxygen to present-day levels at 2.0 Gyr ago, 0.8 Gyr ago, and modern Earth. In addition to calculating the UVmore » flux on the surface of the planet, we model the biologically effective irradiance, using DNA damage as a proxy for biological damage. We find that a pre-biotic Earth (3.9 Gyr ago) orbiting an F0V star receives 6 times the biologically effective radiation as around the early Sun and 3520 times the modern Earth–Sun levels. A pre-biotic Earth orbiting GJ 581 (M3.5 V) receives 300 times less biologically effective radiation, about 2 times modern Earth–Sun levels. The UV fluxes calculated here provide a grid of model UV environments during the evolution of an Earth-like planet orbiting a range of stars. These models can be used as inputs into photo-biological experiments and for pre-biotic chemistry and early life evolution experiments.« less

Some Physical and Computational Issues in Land Surface Data Assimilation of Satellite Skin Temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mackaro, Scott M.; McNider, Richard T.; Biazar, Arastoo Pour

2012-03-01

Skin temperatures that reflect the radiating temperature of a surface observed by infrared radiometers are one of the most widely available products from polar orbiting and geostationary satellites and the most commonly used satellite data in land surface assimilation. Past work has indicated that a simple land surface scheme with a few key parameters constrained by observations such as skin temperatures may be preferable to complex land use schemes with many unknown parameters. However, a true radiating skin temperature is sometimes not a prognostic variable in weather forecast models. Additionally, recent research has shown that skin temperatures cannot be directly used in surface similarity forms for inferring fluxes. This paper examines issues encountered in using satellite derived skin temperatures to improve surface flux specifications in weather forecast and air quality models. Attention is given to iterations necessary when attempting to nudge the surface energy budget equation to a desired state. Finally, the issue of mathematical operator splitting is examined in which the surface energy budget calculations are split with the atmospheric vertical diffusion calculations. However, the high level of connectivity between the surface and first atmospheric level means that the operator splitting leads to high frequency oscillations. These oscillations may hinder the assimilation of skin temperature derived moisture fluxes.

PROM7: 1D modeler of solar filaments or prominences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gouttebroze, P.

2018-05-01

PROM7 is an update of PROM4 (ascl:1306.004) and computes simple models of solar prominences and filaments using Partial Radiative Distribution (PRD). The models consist of plane-parallel slabs standing vertically above the solar surface. Each model is defined by 5 parameters: temperature, density, geometrical thickness, microturbulent velocity and height above the solar surface. It solves the equations of radiative transfer, statistical equilibrium, ionization and pressure equilibria, and computes electron and hydrogen level population and hydrogen line profiles. Moreover, the code treats calcium atom which is reduced to 3 ionization states (Ca I, Ca II, CA III). Ca II ion has 5 levels which are useful for computing 2 resonance lines (H and K) and infrared triplet (to 8500 A).

Contamination control program for the Cosmic Background Explorer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barney, Richard D.

1991-01-01

Each of the three state of the art instruments flown aboard NASA's Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) were designed, fabricated, and integrated using unique contamination control procedures to ensure accurate characterization of the diffuse radiation in the universe. The most stringent surface level cleanliness specifications ever attempted by NASA were required by the Diffuse Infrared Background Experiment (DRIBE) which is located inside a liquid helium cooled dewar along with the Far Infrared Absolute Spectrophotometer (FIRAS). The DRIBE instrument required complex stray radiation suppression that defined a cold primary optical baffle system surface cleanliness level of 100A. The cleanliness levels of the cryogenic FIRAS instrument and the Differential Microwave Radiometer (DMR) which were positioned symmetrically around the dewar were less stringent ranging from 300 to 500A. To achieve these instrument cleanliness levels, the entire flight spacecraft was maintained at level 500A throughout each phase of development. The COBE contamination control program is described along with the difficulties experienced in maintaining the cleanliness quality of personnel and flight hardware throughout instrument assembly.

The NASA/GEWEX Surface Radiation Budget Release 4 Integrated Product: An Assessment of Improvements in Algorithms and Inputs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stackhouse, P. W., Jr.; Cox, S. J.; Mikovitz, J. C.; Zhang, T.; Gupta, S. K.

2016-12-01

The NASA/GEWEX Surface Radiation Budget (SRB) project produces, validates and analyzes shortwave and longwave surface and top of atmosphere radiative fluxes for the 1983-near present time period. The current release 3.0/3.1 consists of 1x1 degree radiative fluxes (available at gewex-srb.larc.nasa.gov) and is produced using the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) DX product for pixel level radiance and cloud information. This ISCCP DX product is subsampled to 30 km. ISCCP is currently recalibrating and reprocessing their entire data series, to be released as the H product series, with its highest resolution at 10km pixel resolution. The nine-fold increase in number of pixels will allow SRB to produce a higher resolution gridded product (e.g. 0.5 degree or higher), as well as the production of pixel-level fluxes. Other key input improvements include a detailed aerosol history using the Max Planck Institute Aerosol Climatology (MAC), temperature and moisture profiles from HIRS, and new topography, surface type, and snow/ice maps. Here we present results for the improved GEWEX Shortwave and Longwave algorithm (GSW and GLW) with new ISCCP data (for at least 5 years, 2005-2009), various other improved input data sets and incorporation of many additional internal SRB model improvements. We assess the radiative fluxes from new SRB products and contrast these at various resolutions. All these fluxes are compared to both surface measurements and to CERES SYN1Deg and EBAF data products for assessment of the effect of improvements. The SRB data produced will be released as part of the Release 4.0 Integrated Product that shares key input and output quantities with other GEWEX global products providing estimates of the Earth's global water and energy cycle (i.e., ISCCP, SeaFlux, LandFlux, NVAP, etc.).

Near-field thermal radiation of deep- subwavelength slits in the near infrared range.

PubMed

Guo, Yan; Li, Kuanbiao; Xu, Ying; Wei, Kaihua

2017-09-18

We numerically investigate the thermal radiation of one-dimensional deep subwavelength slits in the near infrared range. Using numerical calculations of single-slit and multi-slit structures, we find that high-level radiation efficiency can be achieved for a wide spectrum when ultra-thin intermediate layers are used, and it is less affected by structure parameters. The underlying mechanisms involve Surface Plasmon Polaritons resonance and Fabry-Perot interference at each slit and the interaction between adjacent slits. This structure helps understand and improve the design of thermal radiation control devices.

High mortality of Red Sea zooplankton under ambient solar radiation.

PubMed

Al-Aidaroos, Ali M; El-Sherbiny, Mohsen M O; Satheesh, Sathianeson; Mantha, Gopikrishna; Agustī, Susana; Carreja, Beatriz; Duarte, Carlos M

2014-01-01

High solar radiation along with extreme transparency leads to high penetration of solar radiation in the Red Sea, potentially harmful to biota inhabiting the upper water column, including zooplankton. Here we show, based on experimental assessments of solar radiation dose-mortality curves on eight common taxa, the mortality of zooplankton in the oligotrophic waters of the Red Sea to increase steeply with ambient levels of solar radiation in the Red Sea. Responses curves linking solar radiation doses with zooplankton mortality were evaluated by exposing organisms, enclosed in quartz bottles, allowing all the wavelengths of solar radiation to penetrate, to five different levels of ambient solar radiation (100%, 21.6%, 7.2%, 3.2% and 0% of solar radiation). The maximum mortality rates under ambient solar radiation levels averaged (±standard error of the mean, SEM) 18.4±5.8% h(-1), five-fold greater than the average mortality in the dark for the eight taxa tested. The UV-B radiation required for mortality rates to reach ½ of maximum values averaged (±SEM) 12±5.6 h(-1)% of incident UVB radiation, equivalent to the UV-B dose at 19.2±2.7 m depth in open coastal Red Sea waters. These results confirm that Red Sea zooplankton are highly vulnerable to ambient solar radiation, as a consequence of the combination of high incident radiation and high water transparency allowing deep penetration of damaging UV-B radiation. These results provide evidence of the significance of ambient solar radiation levels as a stressor of marine zooplankton communities in tropical, oligotrophic waters. Because the oligotrophic ocean extends across 70% of the ocean surface, solar radiation can be a globally-significant stressor for the ocean ecosystem, by constraining zooplankton use of the upper levels of the water column and, therefore, the efficiency of food transfer up the food web in the oligotrophic ocean.

THE EFFECT OF CLOUD FRACTION ON THE RADIATIVE ENERGY BUDGET: The Satellite-Based GEWEX-SRB Data vs. the Ground-Based BSRN Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, T.; Stackhouse, P. W.; Gupta, S. K.; Cox, S. J.; Mikovitz, J. C.; Nasa Gewex Srb

2011-12-01

The NASA GEWEX-SRB (Global Energy and Water cycle Experiment - Surface Radiation Budget) project produces and archives shortwave and longwave atmospheric radiation data at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) and the Earth's surface. The archive holds uninterrupted records of shortwave/longwave downward/upward radiative fluxes at 1 degree by 1 degree resolution for the entire globe. The latest version in the archive, Release 3.0, is available as 3-hourly, daily and monthly means, spanning 24.5 years from July 1983 to December 2007. Primary inputs to the models used to produce the data include: shortwave and longwave radiances from International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) pixel-level (DX) data, cloud and surface properties derived therefrom, temperature and moisture profiles from GEOS-4 reanalysis product obtained from the NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO), and column ozone amounts constituted from Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS), TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) archives, and Stratospheric Monitoring-group's Ozone Blended Analysis (SMOBA), an assimilation product from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center. The data in the archive have been validated systemically against ground-based measurements which include the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) data, the World Radiation Data Centre (WRDC) data, and the Global Energy Balance Archive (GEBA) data, and generally good agreement has been achieved. In addition to all-sky radiative fluxes, the output data include clear-sky fluxes, cloud optical depth, cloud fraction and so on. The BSRN archive also includes observations that can be used to derive the cloud fraction, which provides a means for analyzing and explaining the SRB-BSRN flux differences. In this paper, we focus on the effect of cloud fraction on the surface shortwave flux and the level of agreement between the satellite-based SRB data and the ground-based BSRN data. The satellite and BSRN employ different measuring methodologies and thus result in data representing means on dramatically different spatial scales. Therefore, the satellite-based and ground-based measurements are not expected to agree all the time, especially under skies with clouds. The flux comparisons are made under different cloud fractions, and it is found that the SRB-BSRN radiative flux discrepancies can be explained to a certain extent by the SRB-BSRN cloud fraction discrepancies. Apparently, cloud fraction alone cannot completely define the role of clouds in radiation transfer. Further studies need to incorporate the classification of cloud types, altitudes, cloud optical depths and so on.

Guide for SUNSafe Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heidorn, Keith C.; Torrie, Bruce

As a result of the decline in the thickness of the atmospheric ozone layer, the surface of the Earth will be exposed to increased levels of solar ultraviolet B radiation. This radiation has been shown to have harmful effects for life on Earth. These include damage to plants, animals, and materials. It has also been linked to many human health…

10 CFR 71.51 - Additional requirements for Type B packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... sensitivity of 10−6 A2 per hour, no significant increase in external surface radiation levels, and no substantial reduction in the effectiveness of the packaging; and (2) Section 71.73 (“Hypothetical accident... radioactive material exceeding a total amount A2 in 1 week, and no external radiation dose rate exceeding 10 m...

10 CFR 71.51 - Additional requirements for Type B packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... sensitivity of 10−6 A2 per hour, no significant increase in external surface radiation levels, and no substantial reduction in the effectiveness of the packaging; and (2) Section 71.73 (“Hypothetical accident... radioactive material exceeding a total amount A2 in 1 week, and no external radiation dose rate exceeding 10 m...

10 CFR 71.51 - Additional requirements for Type B packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... sensitivity of 10−6 A2 per hour, no significant increase in external surface radiation levels, and no substantial reduction in the effectiveness of the packaging; and (2) Section 71.73 (“Hypothetical accident... radioactive material exceeding a total amount A2 in 1 week, and no external radiation dose rate exceeding 10 m...

10 CFR 71.51 - Additional requirements for Type B packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... sensitivity of 10−6 A2 per hour, no significant increase in external surface radiation levels, and no substantial reduction in the effectiveness of the packaging; and (2) Section 71.73 (“Hypothetical accident... radioactive material exceeding a total amount A2 in 1 week, and no external radiation dose rate exceeding 10 m...

10 CFR 71.51 - Additional requirements for Type B packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... sensitivity of 10−6 A2 per hour, no significant increase in external surface radiation levels, and no substantial reduction in the effectiveness of the packaging; and (2) Section 71.73 (“Hypothetical accident... radioactive material exceeding a total amount A2 in 1 week, and no external radiation dose rate exceeding 10 m...

Gravity Scaling of a Power Reactor Water Shield

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reid, Robert S.; Pearson, J. Boise

2008-01-01

Water based reactor shielding is being considered as an affordable option for use on initial lunar surface power systems. Heat dissipation in the shield from nuclear sources must be rejected by an auxiliary thermal hydraulic cooling system. The mechanism for transferring heat through the shield is natural convection between the core surface and an array of thermosyphon radiator elements. Natural convection in a 100 kWt lunar surface reactor shield design has been previously evaluated at lower power levels (Pearson, 2007). The current baseline assumes that 5.5 kW are dissipated in the water shield, the preponderance on the core surface, but with some volumetric heating in the naturally circulating water as well. This power is rejected by a radiator located above the shield with a surface temperature of 370 K. A similarity analysis on a water-based reactor shield is presented examining the effect of gravity on free convection between a radiation shield inner vessel and a radiation shield outer vessel boundaries. Two approaches established similarity: 1) direct scaling of Rayleigh number equates gravity-surface heat flux products, 2) temperature difference between the wall and thermal boundary layer held constant on Earth and the Moon. Nussult number for natural convection (laminar and turbulent) is assumed of form Nu = CRa(sup n). These combined results estimate similarity conditions under Earth and Lunar gravities. The influence of reduced gravity on the performance of thermosyphon heat pipes is also examined.

The Runaway Greenhouse Effect on Earth and other Planets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rabbette, Maura; Pilewskie, Peter; McKay, Christopher; Young, Robert

2001-01-01

Water vapor is an efficient absorber of outgoing longwave infrared radiation on Earth and is the primary greenhouse gas. Since evaporation increases with increasing sea surface temperature, and the increase in water vapor further increases greenhouse warming, there is a positive feedback. The runaway greenhouse effect occurs if this feedback continues unchecked until all the water has left the surface and enters the atmosphere. For Mars and the Earth the runaway greenhouse was halted when water vapor became saturated with respect to ice or liquid water respectively. However, Venus is considered to be an example of a planet where the runaway greenhouse effect did occur, and it has been speculated that if the solar luminosity were to increase above a certain limit, it would also occur on the Earth. Satellite data acquired during the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) under clear sky conditions shows that as the sea surface temperature (SST) increases, the rate of outgoing infrared radiation at the top of the atmosphere also increases, as expected. Over the pacific warm pool where the SST exceeds 300 K the outgoing radiation emitted to space actually decreases with increasing SST, leading to a potentially unstable system. This behavior is a signature of the runaway greenhouse effect on Earth. However, the SST never exceeds 303K, thus the system has a natural cap which stops the runaway. According to Stefan-Boltzmann's law the amount of heat energy radiated by the Earth's surface is proportional to (T(sup 4)). However, if the planet has a substantial atmosphere, it can absorb all infrared radiation from the lower surface before the radiation penetrates into outer space. Thus, an instrument in space looking at the planet does not detect radiation from the surface. The radiation it sees comes from some level higher up. For the earth#s atmosphere the effective temperature (T(sub e)) has a value of 255 K corresponding to the middle troposphere, above most of the water vapor and clouds. "Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract."

Climate Sensitivity to Realistic Solar Heating of Snow and Ice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flanner, M.; Zender, C. S.

2004-12-01

Snow and ice-covered surfaces are highly reflective and play an integral role in the planetary radiation budget. However, GCMs typically prescribe snow reflection and absorption based on minimal knowledge of snow physical characteristics. We performed climate sensitivity simulations with the NCAR CCSM including a new physically-based multi-layer snow radiative transfer model. The model predicts the effects of vertically resolved heating, absorbing aerosol, and snowpack transparency on snowpack evolution and climate. These processes significantly reduce the model's near-infrared albedo bias over deep snowpacks. While the current CCSM implementation prescribes all solar radiative absorption to occur in the top 2 cm of snow, we estimate that about 65% occurs beneath this level. Accounting for the vertical distribution of snowpack heating and more realistic reflectance significantly alters snowpack depth, surface albedo, and surface air temperature over Northern Hemisphere regions. Implications for the strength of the ice-albedo feedback will be discussed.

Photosynthesis sensitivity to climate change in land surface models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manrique-Sunen, Andrea; Black, Emily; Verhoef, Anne; Balsamo, Gianpaolo

2016-04-01

Accurate representation of vegetation processes within land surface models is key to reproducing surface carbon, water and energy fluxes. Photosynthesis determines the amount of CO2 fixated by plants as well as the water lost in transpiration through the stomata. Photosynthesis is calculated in land surface models using empirical equations based on plant physiological research. It is assumed that CO2 assimilation is either CO2 -limited, radiation -limited ; and in some models export-limited (the speed at which the products of photosynthesis are used by the plant) . Increased levels of atmospheric CO2 concentration tend to enhance photosynthetic activity, but the effectiveness of this fertilization effect is regulated by environmental conditions and the limiting factor in the photosynthesis reaction. The photosynthesis schemes at the 'leaf level' used by land surface models JULES and CTESSEL have been evaluated against field photosynthesis observations. Also, the response of photosynthesis to radiation, atmospheric CO2 and temperature has been analysed for each model, as this is key to understanding the vegetation response that climate models using these schemes are able to reproduce. Particular emphasis is put on the limiting factor as conditions vary. It is found that while at present day CO2 concentrations export-limitation is only relevant at low temperatures, as CO2 levels rise it becomes an increasingly important restriction on photosynthesis.

Small reactor power systems for manned planetary surface bases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bloomfield, Harvey S.

1987-01-01

A preliminary feasibility study of the potential application of small nuclear reactor space power systems to manned planetary surface base missions was conducted. The purpose of the study was to identify and assess the technology, performance, and safety issues associated with integration of reactor power systems with an evolutionary manned planetary surface exploration scenario. The requirements and characteristics of a variety of human-rated modular reactor power system configurations selected for a range of power levels from 25 kWe to hundreds of kilowatts is described. Trade-off analyses for reactor power systems utilizing both man-made and indigenous shielding materials are provided to examine performance, installation and operational safety feasibility issues. The results of this study have confirmed the preliminary feasibility of a wide variety of small reactor power plant configurations for growth oriented manned planetary surface exploration missions. The capability for power level growth with increasing manned presence, while maintaining safe radiation levels, was favorably assessed for nominal 25 to 100 kWe modular configurations. No feasibility limitations or technical barriers were identified and the use of both distance and indigenous planetary soil material for human rated radiation shielding were shown to be viable and attractive options.

Ionizing radiation modulates the surface expression of human leukocyte antigen-G in a human melanoma cell line.

PubMed

Michelin, Severino; Gallegos, Cristina E; Dubner, Diana; Favier, Benoit; Carosella, Edgardo D

2009-12-01

Human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) is a nonclassical HLA class I molecule involved in fetus protection from the maternal immune system, transplant tolerance, and viral and tumoral immune escape. Tumor-specific HLA-G expression has been described for a wide variety of malignancies, including melanomas. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether ionizing radiation (IR) could modulate the surface expression of HLA-G1 in a human melanoma cell line that expresses endogenously membrane-bound HLA-G1. For this purpose, cells were exposed to increasing doses of gamma-irradiation (0-20 Gy) and HLA-G1 levels at the plasma membrane were analyzed at different times postirradiation by flow cytometry. HLA-G total expression and the presence of the soluble form of HLA-G1 (sHLA-G1) in the culture medium of irradiated cells were also evaluated. IR was capable of downregulating cell surface and total HLA-G levels, with a concomitant increase of sHLA-G1 in the medium. These results could indicate that gamma-irradiation decreases HLA-G1 surface levels by enhancing the proteolytic cleavage of this molecule.

Full reactor coolant system chemical decontamination qualification programs

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

Miller, P.E.

1995-03-01

Corrosion and wear products are found throughout the reactor coolant system (RCS), or primary loop, of a PWR power plant. These products circulate with the primary coolant through the reactor where they may become activated. An oxide layer including these activated products forms on the surfaces of the RCS (including the fuel elements). The amount of radioactivity deposited on the different surface varies and depends primarily on the corrosion rate of the materials concerned, the amount of cobalt in the coolant and the chemistry of the coolant. The oxide layer, commonly called crud, on the surfaces of nuclear plant systemsmore » leads to personnel radiation exposure. The level of the radiation fields from the crud increases with time from initial plant startup and typically levels off after 4 to 6 cycles of plant operation. Thereafter, significant personnel radiation exposure may be incurred whenever major maintenance is performed. Personnel exposure is highest during refueling outages when routine maintenance on major plant components, such as steam generators and reactor coolant pumps, is performed. Administrative controls are established at nuclear plants to minimize the exposure incurred by an individual and the plant workers as a whole.« less

Three modes of interdecadal trends in sea surface temperature and sea surface height

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gnanadesikan, A.; Pradal, M.

2013-12-01

It might be thought that sea surface height and sea surface temperature would be tightly related. We show that this is not necessarily the case on a global scale. We analysed this relationship in a suite of coupled climate models run under 1860 forcing conditions. The models are low-resolution variants of the GFDL Earth System Model, reported in Galbraith et al. (J. Clim. 2011). 1. Correlated changes in global sea surface height and global sea surface temperature. This mode corresponds to opening and closing of convective chimneys in the Southern Ocean. As the Southern Ocean destratifies, sea ice formation is suppressed during the winter and more heat is taken up during the summer. This mode of variability is highly correlated with changes in the top of the atmosphere radiative budget and weakly correlated with changes in the deep ocean circulation. 2. Uncorrelated changes in global sea surface height and global sea surface temperature. This mode of variability is associated with interdecadal variabliity in tropical winds. Changes in the advective flux of heat to the surface ocean play a critical role in driving these changes, which also result in significant local changes in sea level. Changes sea ice over the Southern Ocean still result in changes in solar absorption, but these are now largely cancelled by changes in outgoing longwave radiation. 3. Anticorrelated changes in global sea surface height and global sea surface temperatures. By varying the lateral diffusion coefficient in the ocean model, we are able to enhance and suppress convection in the Southern and Northern Pacific Oceans. Increasing the lateral diffusion coefficients shifts the balance sources of deep water away from the warm salty deep water of the North Atlantic and towards cold fresh deep water from the other two regions. As a result, even though the planet as a whole warms, the deep ocean cools and sea level falls, with changes of order 30 cm over 500 years. The increase in solar absorption in polar regions is more than compensated by an increase in outgoing longwave radiation. Relationship between global SSH trend over a decade and (A) local SSH change over a decade (m/m). (B) Global SST change over a decade (m/K) (C) Portion of decadal SST change correlated with net radiation at the top of the atmosphere (m/K) (D) Portion of decadal SST change not correlated with net radiation at the top of the atmosphere.

A non-local thermodynamic equilibrium radiative transfer model for ingrared emissions in the atmosphere of Mars. 1: Theoretical basis and nighttime populations of vibrational levels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopez-Valverde, M. A.; Lopez-Puertas, M.

1994-06-01

A radiative transfer model to study the infrared (1-20 micrometer) emissions of the CO and CO2 molecules in the atmosphere of Mars has been developed. The model runs from the planet's surface up to 180 km and has been especially elaborated to study non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) situations. it includes the most important energy levels and vibration-rotation bands able to give a significant atmospheric emission or produce a significant cooling/heating rate. Exchanges of energy in thermal and nonthermal (vibrational-vibrational) collisions as well as by radiative processes have been included. An exhaustive review of the rate constants for vibrational-thermal and vibrational-vibrational collisional exchanges has been carried out. Radiative transfer processes have been treated by using a modified Curtis matrix formulation. The populations of the excited vibrational levels for nighttime conditions are presented along with a sensitivity study of their variations to the kinetic temperature profile and to collisional rate constants. The populations of the CO2(0, nu2, 0) levels follow LTE up to about 85 km with the radiative transfer processes playing a very important role in maintaining this situation above the tropopause. This result is pratically insensitive to plausible variations in the kinetic temperature of the troposphere. The uncertainties in the rate constants play an important role in determining the populations of the levels at thermospheric altitudes, but they are of little significance for the heights where they start departing from LTE. The CO2(0, 00, 1) level breaks down from LTE at about 60 km, the laser bands at 10 micrometers giving a significant contribution to its population in the Martian mesosphere. The CO(1) level stars departing around 50 km and is noticeably enhanced in the upper thermosphere by absorption of upwelling flux from the planets' surface.

The Janus face of iron on anoxic worlds: iron oxides are both protective and destructive to life on the early Earth and present-day Mars.

PubMed

Wadsworth, Jennifer; Cockell, Charles S

2017-05-01

The surface of the early Earth was probably subjected to a higher flux of ultraviolet (UV) radiation than today. UV radiation is known to severely damage DNA and other key molecules of life. Using a liquid culture and a rock analogue system, we investigated the interplay of protective and deleterious effects of iron oxides under UV radiation on the viability of the model organism, Bacillus subtilis. In the presence of hydrogen peroxide, there exists a fine balance between iron oxide's protective effects against this radiation and its deleterious effects caused by Photo-Fenton reactions. The maximum damage was caused by a concentration of hematite of ∼1 mg/mL. Concentrations above this confer increasing protection by physical blockage of the UV radiation, concentrations below this cause less effective UV radiation blockage, but also a correspondingly less effective Photo-Fenton reaction, providing an overall advantage. These results show that on anoxic worlds, surface habitability under a high UV flux leaves life precariously poised between the beneficial and deleterious effects of iron oxides. These results have relevance to the Archean Earth, but also the habitability of the Martian surface, where high levels of UV radiation in combination with iron oxides and hydrogen peroxide can be found. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Influence of MLS laser radiation on erythrocyte membrane fluidity and secondary structure of human serum albumin.

PubMed

Pasternak, Kamila; Nowacka, Olga; Wróbel, Dominika; Pieszyński, Ireneusz; Bryszewska, Maria; Kujawa, Jolanta

2014-03-01

The biostimulating activity of low level laser radiation of various wavelengths and energy doses is widely documented in the literature, but the mechanisms of the intracellular reactions involved are not precisely known. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the influence of low level laser radiation from an multiwave locked system (MLS) of two wavelengths (wavelength = 808 nm in continuous emission and 905 nm in pulsed emission) on the human erythrocyte membrane and on the secondary structure of human serum albumin (HSA). Human erythrocytes membranes and HSA were irradiated with laser light of low intensity with surface energy density ranging from 0.46 to 4.9 J cm(-2) and surface energy power density 195 mW cm(-2) (1,000 Hz) and 230 mW cm(-2) (2,000 Hz). Structural and functional changes in the erythrocyte membrane were characterized by its fluidity, while changes in the protein were monitored by its secondary structure. Dose-dependent changes in erythrocyte membrane fluidity were induced by near-infrared laser radiation. Slight changes in the secondary structure of HSA were also noted. MLS laser radiation influences the structure and function of the human erythrocyte membrane resulting in a change in fluidity.

Further investigations of experiment A0034 atomic oxygen stimulated outgassing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linton, Roger C.; Finckenor, Miria M.; Kamenetzky, Rachel R.

1995-01-01

Thermal control coatings within the recessed compartments of LDEF Experiment A0034 experienced the maximum leading edge fluence of atomic oxygen with considerably less solar UV radiation exposure than top-surface mounted materials of other LDEF experiments on either the leading or the trailing edge. This combination of exposure within A0034 resulted in generally lower levels of darkening attributable to solar UV radiation than for similar materials on other LDEF experiments exposed to greater cumulative solar UV radiation levels. Changes in solar absorptance and infrared thermal emittance of the exposed coatings are thus unique to this exposure. Analytical results for other applications have been found for environmentally induced changes in fluorescence, surface morphology, light scattering, and the effects of coating outgassing products on adjacent mirrors and windows of the A0034 experiment. Some atmospheric bleaching of the thermal control coatings, in addition to that presumably experience during reentry and recovery operations, has been found since initial post-flight observations and measurements.

Development of the Metropolitan Water Availability Index (MWAI) and Short-term Assessment with Multi-scale Remote Sensing Technologies

EPA Science Inventory

Global climate change will change environmental conditions including temperature, precipitation, surface radiation, humidity, soil moisture, and sea level, and impact significantly the regional-scale hydrologic processes such as evapotranspiration (ET), runoff, groundwater levels...

The Global Energy Balance Archive (GEBA): A database for the worldwide measured surface energy fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wild, Martin; Ohmura, Atsumu; Schär, Christoph; Müller, Guido; Hakuba, Maria Z.; Mystakidis, Stefanos; Arsenovic, Pavle; Sanchez-Lorenzo, Arturo

2017-02-01

The Global Energy Balance Archive (GEBA) is a database for the worldwide measured energy fluxes at the Earth's surface. GEBA is maintained at ETH Zurich (Switzerland) and has been founded in the 1980s by Prof. Atsumu Ohmura. It has continuously been updated and currently contains around 2500 stations with 500`000 monthly mean entries of various surface energy balance components. Many of the records extend over several decades. The most widely measured quantity available in GEBA is the solar radiation incident at the Earth's surface ("global radiation"). The data sources include, in addition to the World Radiation Data Centre (WRDC) in St. Petersburg, data reports from National Weather Services, data from different research networks (BSRN, ARM, SURFRAD), data published in peer-reviewed publications and data obtained through personal communications. Different quality checks are applied to check for gross errors in the dataset. GEBA is used in various research applications, such as for the quantification of the global energy balance and its spatiotemporal variation, or for the estimation of long-term trends in the surface fluxes, which enabled the detection of multi-decadal variations in surface solar radiation, known as "global dimming" and "brightening". GEBA is further extensively used for the evaluation of climate models and satellite-derived surface flux products. On a more applied level, GEBA provides the basis for engineering applications in the context of solar power generation, water management, agricultural production and tourism. GEBA is publicly accessible over the internet via www.geba.ethz.ch.

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.

The tropical water and energy cycles in a cumulus ensemble model. Part 1: Equilibrium climate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sui, C. H.; Lau, K. M.; Tao, W. K.; Simpson, J.

1994-01-01

A cumulus ensemble model is used to study the tropical water and energy cycles and their role in the climate system. The model includes cloud dynamics, radiative processes, and microphysics that incorporate all important production and conversion processes among water vapor and five species of hydrometeors. Radiative transfer in clouds is parameterized based on cloud contents and size distributions of each bulk hydrometeor. Several model integrations have been carried out under a variety of imposed boundary and large-scale conditions. In Part 1 of this paper, the primary focus is on the water and heat budgets of the control experiment, which is designed to simulate the convective - radiative equilibrium response of the model to an imposed vertical velocity and a fixed sea surface temperature at 28 C. The simulated atmosphere is conditionally unstable below the freezing level and close to neutral above the freezing level. The equilibrium water budget shows that the total moisture source, M(sub s), which is contributed by surface evaporation (0.24 M(sub s)) and the large-scale advection (0.76 M(sub s)), all converts to mean surface precipitation bar-P(sub s). Most of M(sub s) is transported verticaly in convective regions where much of the condensate is generated and falls to surface (0.68 bar-P(sub s)). The remaining condensate detrains at a rate of 0.48 bar-P(sub s) and constitutes 65% of the source for stratiform clouds above the melting level. The upper-level stratiform cloud dissipates into clear environment at a rate of 0.14 bar-P(sub s), which is a significant moisture source comparable to the detrained water vapor (0.15 bar-P(sub s)) to the upper troposphere from convective clouds. In the lower troposphere, stratiform clouds evaporate at a rate of 0.41 bar-P(sub s), which is a more dominant moisture source than surface evaporation (0.22 bar-P(sub s)). The precipitation falling to the surface in the stratiform region is about 0.32 bar-P(sub s). The associated latent heating in the water cycle is the dominant source in the heat budget that generates a net upward motion in convective regions, upper stratiform regions (above the freezing level), and a downward motion in the lower stratiform regions. The budgets reveal a cycle of water and energy resulted from radiation-dynamic-convection interactions that maintain equilibrium of the atmosphere.

Effects of rutin on the physicochemical properties of skin fibroblasts membrane disruption following UV radiation.

PubMed

Dobrzyńska, Izabela; Gęgotek, Agnieszka; Gajko, Ewelina; Skrzydlewska, Elżbieta; Figaszewski, Zbigniew A

2018-02-25

Human skin provides the body's first line of defense against physical and environmental assaults. This study sought to determine how rutin affects the membrane electrical properties, sialic acid content, and lipid peroxidation levels of fibroblast membranes after disruption by ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Changes in cell function may affect the basal electrical surface properties of cell membranes, and changes can be detected by electrokinetic measurements. The charge density of the fibroblast membrane surface was measured as a function of pH. A four-component equilibrium model was used to describe the interaction between ions in solution and ions on the membrane surface. Agreement was found between experimental and theoretical charge variation curves of fibroblast cells between pH 2.5 and 8. Sialic acid content was determined by Svennerholm's resorcinol method, and lipid peroxidation was estimated by measuring the malondialdehyde level. Compared to untreated cells, ultraviolet A (UVA)- or ultraviolet B (UVB)-treated skin cell membranes exhibited higher concentrations of acidic functional groups and higher average association constants with hydroxyl ions, but lower average association constants with hydrogen ions. Moreover, our results showed that UVA and UVB radiation is associated with increased levels of sialic acid and lipid peroxidation products in fibroblasts. Rutin protected cells from some deleterious UV-associated membrane changes, including changes in electrical properties, oxidative state, and biological functions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A one-year study of the diurnal cycle of meteorology, clouds and radiation in the West African Sahel region

DOE PAGES

Collow, Allison B.; Ghate, Virendra P.; Miller, Mark A.; ...

2015-09-09

Here, the diurnal cycles of meteorological and radiation variables are analysed during the wet and dry seasons over the Sahel region of West Africa during 2006 using surface data collected by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) programme's Mobile Facility, satellite radiation measurements from the Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB) instrument aboard Meteosat 8, and reanalysis products from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). The meteorological analysis builds upon past studies of the diurnal cycle in the region by incorporating diurnal cycles of lower tropospheric wind profiles, thermodynamic profiles, integrated water vapour and liquid water measurements, and cloud radar measurementsmore » of frequency and location. These meteorological measurements are complemented by 3 h measurements of the diurnal cycles of the top-of-atmosphere (TOA) and surface short-wave (SW) and long-wave (LW) radiative fluxes and cloud radiative effects (CREs), and the atmospheric radiative flux divergence (RFD) and atmospheric CREs. Cirrus cloudiness during the dry season is shown to peak in coverage in the afternoon, while convective clouds during the wet season are shown to peak near dawn and have an afternoon minimum related to the rise of the lifting condensation level into the Saharan Air Layer. The LW and SW RFDs and CREs exhibit diurnal cycles during both seasons, but there is a relatively small difference in the LW cycles during the two seasons (10 – 30 W m –2 depending on the variable and time of day). Small differences in the TOA CREs during the two seasons are overwhelmed by large differences in the surface SW CREs, which exceed 100 W m –2. A significant surface SW CRE during the wet season combined with a negligible TOA SW CRE produces a diurnal cycle in the atmospheric CRE that is modulated primarily by the SW surface CRE, peaks at midday at ~150 W m –2, and varies widely from day to day.« less

A One-Year Study of the Diurnal Cycle of Meteorology, Clouds, and Radiation in the West African Sahel Region

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

Marquardt-Collow, Allison; Ghate, Virendra P.; Miller, Mark A.

The diurnal cycles of meteorological and radiation variables are analyzed during the wet and dry seasons over the Sahel region of West Africa during 2006 using surface data collected by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program’s Mobile Facility, satellite radiation measurements from the Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB) instrument aboard Meteosat 8, and reanalysis products from the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). The meteorological analysis builds upon past studies of the diurnal cycle in the region by incorporating diurnal cycles of lower tropospheric wind profiles, thermodynamic profiles, integrated water vapor and liquid water measurements, and cloud radar measurements ofmore » frequency and location. These meteorological measurements are complemented by 3-hour measurements of the diurnal cycles of the TOA and surface shortwave (SW) and longwave (LW) radiative fluxes and cloud radiative effects (CREs), and the atmospheric radiative flux divergence (RFD) and atmospheric CREs. Cirrus cloudiness during the dry season is shown to peak in coverage in the afternoon, while convective clouds during the wet season are shown to peak near dawn and have an afternoon minimum related to the rise of the Lifting Condensation Level into the Saharan Air Layer. The LW and SW RFDs and CREs exhibit diurnal cycles during both seasons, but there is a relatively small difference in the LW cycles during the two seasons (10-30 Wm^(-2) depending on the variable and time of day). Small differences in the TOA CREs during the two seasons are overwhelmed by large differences in the surface SW CREs, which exceed 100 Wm^(-2). A significant surface SW CRE during the wet season combined with a negligible TOA SW CRE produces a diurnal cycle in the atmospheric CRE that is modulated primarily by the SW surface CRE, peaks at midday at ~150 Wm^(-2), and varies widely from day to day.« less

A one-year study of the diurnal cycle of meteorology, clouds and radiation in the West African Sahel region

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

Collow, Allison B.; Ghate, Virendra P.; Miller, Mark A.

Here, the diurnal cycles of meteorological and radiation variables are analysed during the wet and dry seasons over the Sahel region of West Africa during 2006 using surface data collected by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) programme's Mobile Facility, satellite radiation measurements from the Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB) instrument aboard Meteosat 8, and reanalysis products from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). The meteorological analysis builds upon past studies of the diurnal cycle in the region by incorporating diurnal cycles of lower tropospheric wind profiles, thermodynamic profiles, integrated water vapour and liquid water measurements, and cloud radar measurementsmore » of frequency and location. These meteorological measurements are complemented by 3 h measurements of the diurnal cycles of the top-of-atmosphere (TOA) and surface short-wave (SW) and long-wave (LW) radiative fluxes and cloud radiative effects (CREs), and the atmospheric radiative flux divergence (RFD) and atmospheric CREs. Cirrus cloudiness during the dry season is shown to peak in coverage in the afternoon, while convective clouds during the wet season are shown to peak near dawn and have an afternoon minimum related to the rise of the lifting condensation level into the Saharan Air Layer. The LW and SW RFDs and CREs exhibit diurnal cycles during both seasons, but there is a relatively small difference in the LW cycles during the two seasons (10 – 30 W m –2 depending on the variable and time of day). Small differences in the TOA CREs during the two seasons are overwhelmed by large differences in the surface SW CREs, which exceed 100 W m –2. A significant surface SW CRE during the wet season combined with a negligible TOA SW CRE produces a diurnal cycle in the atmospheric CRE that is modulated primarily by the SW surface CRE, peaks at midday at ~150 W m –2, and varies widely from day to day.« less

Acoustics and Surface Pressure Measurements from Tandem Cylinder Configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hutcheson, Florence V.; Brooks, Thomas F.; Lockard, David P.; Choudhari, Meelan M.; Stead, Daniel J.

2014-01-01

Acoustic and unsteady surface pressure measurements from two cylinders in tandem configurations were acquired to study the effect of spacing, surface trip and freestream velocity on the radiated noise. The Reynolds number ranged from 1.15x10(exp 5) to 2.17x10(exp 5), and the cylinder spacing varied between 1.435 and 3.7 cylinder diameters. The acoustic and surface pressure spectral characteristics associated with the different flow regimes produced by the cylinders' wake interference were identified. The dependence of the Strouhal number, peak Sound Pressure Level and spanwise coherence on cylinder spacing and flow velocity was examined. Directivity measurements were performed to determine how well the dipole assumption for the radiation of vortex shedding noise holds for the largest and smallest cylinder spacing tested.

Optimised mounting conditions for poly (ether sulfone) in radiation detection.

PubMed

Nakamura, Hidehito; Shirakawa, Yoshiyuki; Sato, Nobuhiro; Yamada, Tatsuya; Kitamura, Hisashi; Takahashi, Sentaro

2014-09-01

Poly (ether sulfone) (PES) is a candidate for use as a scintillation material in radiation detection. Its characteristics, such as its emission spectrum and its effective refractive index (based on the emission spectrum), directly affect the propagation of light generated to external photodetectors. It is also important to examine the presence of background radiation sources in manufactured PES. Here, we optimise the optical coupling and surface treatment of the PES, and characterise its background. Optical grease was used to enhance the optical coupling between the PES and the photodetector; absorption by the grease of short-wavelength light emitted from PES was negligible. Diffuse reflection induced by surface roughening increased the light yield for PES, despite the high effective refractive index. Background radiation derived from the PES sample and its impurities was negligible above the ambient, natural level. Overall, these results serve to optimise the mounting conditions for PES in radiation detection. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Nature of The Propagation of Sea Breeze Fronts in Central California

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-09-01

propagation vector % ith stations in the southern portion of Monterey Bay shows that the front is curved on the mesoscale. 20 Distribution Availabilit of...solar radiation warms the land more than the adjacent water . The resulting temperature contrast produces a slight variation in pressure. The isobaric...surfaces bend upward over the land, producing an upper-level high. The upper-level air flows seaward increasing the surface pressure over the water . The

Preliminary Radiation Analysis of the Total Ionizing Dose for the Resource Prospector Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rojdev, Kristina; Tylka, Allan J.; Atwell, William

2015-01-01

NASA's Resource Prospector (RP) is a collaborative project between multiple centers and institutions to search for volatiles at the polar regions of the Moon as a potential resource for oxygen and propellant production. The mission is rated Class D and will be the first In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) demonstration on the lunar surface and at the lunar poles. Given that this mission is rated Class D, the project is considering using commercial off the shelf (COTS) electronics parts to reduce cost. However, COTS parts can be more susceptible to space radiation than typical aerospace electronic parts and carry some additional risk. Thus, prior to parts selection, having a better understanding of the radiation environment can assist designers in the parts selection process. The focus of this paper is to provide a preliminary analysis of the radiation environment from launch, through landing on the surface, and some surface stay as an initial step in determining worst case mission doses to assist designers in screening out electronic parts that would not meet the potential dose levels experienced on this mission.

Remote sensing of a coupled carbon-water-energy-radiation balances from the Globe to plot scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryu, Y.; Jiang, C.; Huang, Y.; Kim, J.; Hwang, Y.; Kimm, H.; Kim, S.

2016-12-01

Advancements in near-surface and satellite remote sensing technologies have enabled us to monitor the global terrestrial ecosystems at multiple spatial and temporal scales. An emergent challenge is how to formulate a coupled water, carbon, energy, radiation, and nitrogen cycles from remote sensing. Here, we report Breathing Earth System Simulator (BESS), which coupled radiation (shortwave, longwave, PAR, diffuse PAR), carbon (gross primary productivity, ecosystem respiration, net ecosystem exchange), water (evaporation), and energy (latent and sensible heat) balances across the global land at 1 km resolution, 8 daily between 2000 and 2015 using multiple satellite remote sensing. The performance of BESS was tested against field observations (FLUXNET, BSRN) and other independent products (MPI-BGC, MODIS, GLASS). We found that the coupled model, BESS showed on par with, or better performance than the other products which computed land surface fluxes individually. Lastly, we show one plot-level study conducted in a paddy rice to demonstrate how to couple radiation, carbon, water, nitrogen balances with a series of near-surface spectral sensors.

Advancements in Afterbody Radiative Heating Simulations for Earth Entry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, Christopher O.; Panesi, Marco; Brandis, Aaron M.

2016-01-01

Four advancements to the simulation of backshell radiative heating for Earth entry are presented. The first of these is the development of a flow field model that treats electronic levels of the dominant backshell radiator, N, as individual species. This is shown to allow improvements in the modeling of electron-ion recombination and two-temperature modeling, which are shown to increase backshell radiative heating by 10 to 40%. By computing the electronic state populations of N within the flow field solver, instead of through the quasi-steady state approximation in the radiation code, the coupling of radiative transition rates to the species continuity equations for the levels of N, including the impact of non-local absorption, becomes feasible. Implementation of this additional level of coupling between the flow field and radiation codes represents the second advancement presented in this work, which is shown to increase the backshell radiation by another 10 to 50%. The impact of radiative transition rates due to non-local absorption indicates the importance of accurate radiation transport in the relatively complex flow geometry of the backshell. This motivates the third advancement, which is the development of a ray-tracing radiation transport approach to compute the radiative transition rates and divergence of the radiative flux at every point for coupling to the flow field, therefore allowing the accuracy of the commonly applied tangent-slab approximation to be assessed for radiative source terms. For the sphere considered at lunar-return conditions, the tangent-slab approximation is shown to provide a sufficient level of accuracy for the radiative source terms, even for backshell cases. This is in contrast to the agreement between the two approaches for computing the radiative flux to the surface, which differ by up to 40%. The final advancement presented is the development of a nonequilibrium model for NO radiation, which provides significant backshell radiation at velocities below 10 km/s. The developed model reduces the nonequilibrium NO radiation by 50% relative to the previous model.

Impact of state-specific flowfield modeling on atomic nitrogen radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnston, Christopher O.; Panesi, Marco

2018-01-01

A hypersonic flowfield model that treats electronic levels of the dominant afterbody radiator N as individual species is presented. This model allows electron-ion recombination rate and two-temperature modeling improvements, the latter which are shown to decrease afterbody radiative heating by up to 30%. This decrease is primarily due to the addition of the electron-impact excitation energy-exchange term to the energy equation governing the vibrational-electronic electron temperature. This model also allows the validity of the often applied quasi-steady-state (QSS) approximation to be assessed. The QSS approximation is shown to fail throughout most of the afterbody region for lower electronic states, although this impacts the radiative intensity reaching the surface by less than 15%. By computing the electronic-state populations of N within the flowfield solver, instead of through the QSS approximation in the radiation solver, the coupling of nonlocal radiative transition rates to the species continuity equations becomes feasible. Implementation of this higher-fidelity level of coupling between the flowfield and radiation solvers is shown to increase the afterbody radiation by up to 50% relative to the conventional model.

Experimental study of radiation dose rate at different strategic points of the BAEC TRIGA Research Reactor.

PubMed

Ajijul Hoq, M; Malek Soner, M A; Salam, M A; Haque, M M; Khanom, Salma; Fahad, S M

2017-12-01

The 3MW TRIGA Mark-II Research Reactor of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) has been under operation for about thirty years since its commissioning at 1986. In accordance with the demand of fundamental nuclear research works, the reactor has to operate at different power levels by utilizing a number of experimental facilities. Regarding the enquiry for safety of reactor operating personnel and radiation workers, it is necessary to know the radiation level at different strategic points of the reactor where they are often worked. In the present study, neutron, beta and gamma radiation dose rate at different strategic points of the reactor facility with reactor power level of 2.4MW was measured to estimate the rising level of radiation due to its operational activities. From the obtained results high radiation dose is observed at the measurement position of the piercing beam port which is caused by neutron leakage and accordingly, dose rate at the stated position with different reactor power levels was measured. This study also deals with the gamma dose rate measurements at a fixed position of the reactor pool top surface for different reactor power levels under both Natural Convection Cooling Mode (NCCM) and Forced Convection Cooling Mode (FCCM). Results show that, radiation dose rate is higher for NCCM in compared with FCCM and increasing with the increase of reactor power. Thus, concerning the radiological safety issues for working personnel and the general public, the radiation dose level monitoring and the experimental analysis performed within this paper is so much effective and the result of this work can be utilized for base line data and code verification of the nuclear reactor. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermoregulatory responses of goats in hot environments.

PubMed

Maia, Alex Sandro Campos; da Silva, Roberto Gomes; Nascimento, Sheila Tavares; Nascimento, Carolina Cardoso Nagib; Pedroza, Heloisa Paula; Domingos, Herica Girlane Tertulino

2015-08-01

Notwithstanding the solar radiation is recognized as a detrimental factor to the thermal balance and responses of animals on the range in tropical conditions, studies on the amount of thermal radiation absorbed by goats therein associated with data on their production and heat exchange are still lacking. Metabolic heat production and the heat exchange of goats in the sun and in the shade were measured simultaneously, aiming to observe its thermal equilibrium. The results showed that black goats absorb twice as much as the white goats under intense solar radiation (higher than 800 W m(-2)). This observation leads to a higher surface temperature of black goats, but it must not be seen as a disadvantage, because they increase their sensible heat flow in the coat-air interface, especially the convection heat flow at high wind speeds. In the shade, no difference between the coat colours was observed and both presented a lower absorption of heat and a lower sensible heat flow gain. When solar radiation levels increases from 300 to 1000 W m(-2), we observed an increase of the heat losses through latent flow in both respiratory and cutaneous surface. Cutaneous evaporation was responsible for almost 90 % of the latent heat losses, independently of the coat colour. Goats decrease the metabolic heat production under solar radiation levels up to 800 W m(-2), and increase in levels higher than this, because there is an increase of the respiratory rate and of the respiratory flow, but the fractions of consumed oxygen and produced carbon dioxide are maintained stable. The respiratory rate of black goats was higher than the white ones, under 300 W m(-2) (55 and 45 resp min(-1)) and 1000 W m(-2) (120 and 95 resp min(-1), respectively). It was concluded that shade or any protection against solar radiation levels above 800 Wm(-2) is critical to guarantee goat's thermal equilibrium. Strategies concerning the grazing period in accordance with the time of the day alone are not appropriate, because the levels of radiation depend on the latitude of the location.

Thermoregulatory responses of goats in hot environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maia, Alex Sandro Campos; da Silva, Roberto Gomes; Nascimento, Sheila Tavares; Nascimento, Carolina Cardoso Nagib; Pedroza, Heloisa Paula; Domingos, Herica Girlane Tertulino

2015-08-01

Notwithstanding the solar radiation is recognized as a detrimental factor to the thermal balance and responses of animals on the range in tropical conditions, studies on the amount of thermal radiation absorbed by goats therein associated with data on their production and heat exchange are still lacking. Metabolic heat production and the heat exchange of goats in the sun and in the shade were measured simultaneously, aiming to observe its thermal equilibrium. The results showed that black goats absorb twice as much as the white goats under intense solar radiation (higher than 800 W m-2). This observation leads to a higher surface temperature of black goats, but it must not be seen as a disadvantage, because they increase their sensible heat flow in the coat-air interface, especially the convection heat flow at high wind speeds. In the shade, no difference between the coat colours was observed and both presented a lower absorption of heat and a lower sensible heat flow gain. When solar radiation levels increases from 300 to 1000 W m-2, we observed an increase of the heat losses through latent flow in both respiratory and cutaneous surface. Cutaneous evaporation was responsible for almost 90 % of the latent heat losses, independently of the coat colour. Goats decrease the metabolic heat production under solar radiation levels up to 800 W m-2, and increase in levels higher than this, because there is an increase of the respiratory rate and of the respiratory flow, but the fractions of consumed oxygen and produced carbon dioxide are maintained stable. The respiratory rate of black goats was higher than the white ones, under 300 W m-2 (55 and 45 resp min-1) and 1000 W m-2 (120 and 95 resp min-1, respectively). It was concluded that shade or any protection against solar radiation levels above 800 Wm-2 is critical to guarantee goat's thermal equilibrium. Strategies concerning the grazing period in accordance with the time of the day alone are not appropriate, because the levels of radiation depend on the latitude of the location.

R W Wood's Experiment Done Right - A Laboratory Demonstration of the Greenhouse Effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halpern, J. B.

2016-12-01

It would not be exaggerating to say that R. W. Wood was the most respected experimental optical physicist of his time. Thus the null result of his attempt to demonstrate the greenhouse effect by comparing temperature rise in illuminated cylinders with glass or rock salt windows has echoed down through the years in climate science discussions both on the professional and public levels1. Today the web is full of videos purporting to demonstrate the greenhouse effect, but careful examination shows that they simply demonstrate heating via absorption of IR or NIR light by CO2. These experiments miss that the greenhouse effect is a result of the temperature difference between the surface and the upper troposphere as a result of which radiation from greenhouse molecules slows as the level rises. The average distance a photon emitted from a vibrationally excited CO2 molecule is about 10 m at the surface, increasing with altitude until at about 8 km the mean free path allows for radiation to space. Increasing CO2 concentrations raises this level to a higher one, which is colder, and at which the rate of radiation to space decreases. Emitting the same amount of radiation to space as before requires heating the entire system including the surface. To model the greenhouse effect we have used a 22 L bulb with a capsule heater in the center. The temperature near the heater (the surface) or above it can be monitored using a thermocouple and the CO2 mixing ratio determined using a NDIR sensor. By controlling the CO2 concentration in the bulb, the mean free path of re-radiated photons from CO2 can be controlled so that it much smaller than the bulb's diameter. We have measure rises in temperature both near the heater and at a distance from it as CO2is introduced, demonstrating the greenhouse effect. 1. R.W. Wood, London, Edinborough and Dublin Philosophical Magazine , 1909, 17, p319-320 also http://www.wmconnolley.org.uk/sci/wood_rw.1909.html

NASA/GEWEX Surface Radiation Budget: Integrated Data Product With Reprocessed Radiance, Cloud, and Meteorology Inputs, and New Surface Albedo Treatment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, Stephen J.; Stackhouse, Paul W., Jr.; Gupta, Shashi K.; Mikovitz, J. Colleen; Zhang, Taiping

2016-01-01

The NASA/GEWEX Surface Radiation Budget (SRB) project produces shortwave and longwave surface and top of atmosphere radiative fluxes for the 1983-near present time period. Spatial resolution is 1 degree. The current release 3.0 (available at gewex-srb.larc.nasa.gov) uses the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) DX product for pixel level radiance and cloud information. This product is subsampled to 30 km. ISCCP is currently recalibrating and recomputing their entire data series, to be released as the H product, at 10km resolution. The ninefold increase in pixel number will allow SRB a higher resolution gridded product (e.g. 0.5 degree), as well as the production of pixel-level fluxes. In addition to the input data improvements, several important algorithm improvements have been made. Most notable has been the adaptation of Angular Distribution Models (ADMs) from CERES to improve the initial calculation of shortwave TOA fluxes, from which the surface flux calculations follow. Other key input improvements include a detailed aerosol history using the Max Planck Institut Aerosol Climatology (MAC), temperature and moisture profiles from HIRS, and new topography, surface type, and snow/ice. Here we present results for the improved GEWEX Shortwave and Longwave algorithm (GSW and GLW) with new ISCCP data, the various other improved input data sets and the incorporation of many additional internal SRB model improvements. As of the time of abstract submission, results from 2007 have been produced with ISCCP H availability the limiting factor. More SRB data will be produced as ISCCP reprocessing continues. The SRB data produced will be released as part of the Release 4.0 Integrated Product, recognizing the interdependence of the radiative fluxes with other GEWEX products providing estimates of the Earth's global water and energy cycle (I.e., ISCCP, SeaFlux, LandFlux, NVAP, etc.).

Passive-solar directional-radiating cooling system

DOEpatents

Hull, J.R.; Schertz, W.W.

1985-06-27

A radiative cooling system for use with an ice-making system having a radiating surface aimed at the sky for radiating energy at one or more wavelength bands for which the atmosphere is transparent and a cover thermally isolated from the radiating surface and transparent at least to the selected wavelength or wavelengths, the thermal isolation reducing the formation of condensation on the radiating surface and/or cover and permitting the radiation to continue when the radiating surface is below the dewpoint of the atmosphere, and a housing supporting the radiating surface, cover and heat transfer means to an ice storage reservoir.

Passive-solar directional-radiating cooling system

DOEpatents

Hull, John R.; Schertz, William W.

1986-01-01

A radiative cooling system for use with an ice-making system having a radiating surface aimed at the sky for radiating energy at one or more wavelength bands for which the atmosphere is transparent and a cover thermally isolated from the radiating surface and transparent at least to the selected wavelength or wavelengths, the thermal isolation reducing the formation of condensation on the radiating surface and/or cover and permitting the radiation to continue when the radiating surface is below the dewpoint of the atmosphere, and a housing supporting the radiating surface, cover and heat transfer means to an ice storage reservoir.

Evaluation of radiative fluxes over the north Indian Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramesh Kumar, M. R.; Pinker, Rachel T.; Mathew, Simi; Venkatesan, R.; Chen, W.

2018-05-01

Radiative fluxes are a key component of the surface heat budget of the oceans. Yet, observations over oceanic region are sparse due to the complexity of radiation measurements; moreover, certain oceanic regions are substantially under-sampled, such as the north Indian Ocean. The National Institute of Ocean Technology, Chennai, India, under its Ocean Observation Program has deployed an Ocean Moored Network for the Northern Indian Ocean (OMNI) both in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. These buoys are equipped with sensors to measure radiation and rainfall, in addition to other basic meteorological parameters. They are also equipped with sensors to measure sub-surface currents, temperature, and conductivity from the surface up to a depth of 500 m. Observations from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor onboard the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) AQUA and TERRA satellites have been used to infer surface radiation over the north Indian Ocean. In this study, we focus only on the shortwave (SW↓) fluxes. The evaluations of the MODIS-based SW↓ fluxes against the RAMA observing network have shown a very good agreement between them, and therefore, we use the MODIS-derived fluxes as a reference for the evaluation of the OMNI observations. In an early deployment of the OMNI buoys, the radiation sensors were placed at 2 m above the sea surface; subsequently, the height of the sensors was raised to 3 m. In this study, we show that there was a substantial improvement in the agreement between the buoy observations and the satellite estimates, once the sensors were raised to higher levels. The correlation coefficient increased from 0.87 to 0.93, and both the bias and standard deviations decreased substantially.

Evaluation of ACCESS Model Cloud Properties Over the SouthernOcean Area Using Multiple-satellite ProductsSan Luo1,2 Zhian Sun2, Xiaogu Zheng1, Lawrie Rikus2 and Charmaine Franklin31 College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, China 2 Collaboration for Australian Weather and Climate Research3 CSIRO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, S.

2016-12-01

Radiation field and cloud properties over the Southern Ocean area generated by the Australian Community Climate and Earth System Simulator (ACCESS) are evaluated using multiple-satellite products from the Fast Longwave And Shortwave radiative Fluxes (FLASHFlux) project and NASA/GEWEX surface radiation budget (SRB) data. The cloud properties are also evaluated using the observational simulator package COSP, a synthetic brightness temperature model (SBTM) and cloud liquid-water path data (UWisc) from the University of Wisconsin satellite retrievals. All of these evaluations are focused on the Southern Ocean area in an effort to understand the reasons behind the short-wave radiation biases at the surface. It is found that the model overestimates the high-level cloud fraction and frequency of occurrence of small ice-water content and underestimates the middle and low-level cloud fraction and water content. In order to improve the modelled radiation fields over the Southern Ocean area, two main modifications have been made to the physical schemes in the ACCESS model. Firstly the autoconversion rate at which the cloud water is converted into rain and the accretion rate in the warm rain scheme have been modified, which increases the cloud liquid-water content in warm cloud layers. Secondly, the scheme which determines the fraction of supercooled liquid water in mixed-phase clouds in the parametrization of cloud optical properties has been changed to use one derived from CALIPSO data which provides larger liquid cloud fractions and thus higher optical depths than the default scheme. Sensitivity tests of these two schemes in ACCESS climate runs have shown that applying either can lead to a reduction of the solar radiation reaching the surface and reduce the short-wave radiation biases.

Evaluation of CLM4 Solar Radiation Partitioning Scheme Using Remote Sensing and Site Level FPAR Datasets

DOE PAGES

Wang, Kai; Mao, Jiafu; Dickinson, Robert; ...

2013-06-05

This paper examines a land surface solar radiation partitioning scheme, i.e., that of the Community Land Model version 4 (CLM4) with coupled carbon and nitrogen cycles. Taking advantage of a unique 30-year fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FPAR) dataset derived from the Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data set, multiple other remote sensing datasets, and site level observations, we evaluated the CLM4 FPAR ’s seasonal cycle, diurnal cycle, long-term trends and spatial patterns. These findings show that the model generally agrees with observations in the seasonal cycle, long-term trends, and spatial patterns,more » but does not reproduce the diurnal cycle. Discrepancies also exist in seasonality magnitudes, peak value months, and spatial heterogeneity. Here, we identify the discrepancy in the diurnal cycle as, due to, the absence of dependence on sun angle in the model. Implementation of sun angle dependence in a one-dimensional (1-D) model is proposed. The need for better relating of vegetation to climate in the model, indicated by long-term trends, is also noted. Evaluation of the CLM4 land surface solar radiation partitioning scheme using remote sensing and site level FPAR datasets provides targets for future development in its representation of this naturally complicated process.« less

SPECTROSCOPIC INVESTIGATION OF (NH4)2S TREATED GaSeTe FOR RADIATION DETECTOR APPLICATIONS

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

Nelson, A; Laurence, T; Conway, A

2009-08-04

The surface of the layered III-VI chalcogenide semiconductor GaSeTe was treated with (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}S at 60 C to modify the surface chemistry and determine the effect on transport properties. Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurements were used to assess the effect of the (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}S treatment on surface defect states. Evaluation of the subsequent surface chemistry was performed with high-resolution core-level photoemission measurements. Metal overlayers were deposited on the (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}S treated surfaces and the I-V characteristics were measured. The measurements were correlated to understand the effect of (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}S modification of the interfacial electronic structure withmore » the goal of optimizing the metal/GaSeTe interface for radiation detector devices.« less

Characterization of the thermal structure inside an urban canyon: field measurements and validation of a simple model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giovannini, Lorenzo; Zardi, Dino; de Franceschi, Massimiliano

2013-04-01

The results of measurement campaigns are analyzed to investigate the thermal structure in an urban canyon, and to validate a simplified model simulating the air and surface temperatures from surface energy budgets. Starting from measurements at roof-top level, the model provides time series of air and surface temperatures, as well as surface fluxes. Two campaigns were carried out in summer 2007 and in winter 2008/09 in a street of the city of Trento (Italy). Temperature sensors were placed at various levels near the walls flanking the canyon and on a traffic light in the street center. Furthermore, the atmosphere above the mean roof-top level was monitored by a weather station on top of a tower located nearby. Air temperatures near the walls, being strongly influenced by direct solar radiation, display considerable contrasts between the opposite sides of the canyon. On the other hand, when solar radiation is weak or absent, the temperature field remains rather homogeneous.Moreover, air temperature inside the canyon is generally higher than above roof level, with larger differences during summertime. Air temperatures from the above street measurements are well simulated by the model in both seasons. Furthermore, the modeled surface temperatures are tested against a dataset of wall surface temperatures from the Advanced Tools for Rational Energy Use Towards Sustainability-Photocatalytic Innovative Coverings Applications for Depollution (ATREUS-PICADA) experiment, and a very good agreement is found. Results suggest that themodel is a reliable and convenient tool for simplified assessment of climatic conditions occurring in urban canyons under various weather situations.

New insights into the vertical structure of the September 2015 dust storm employing eight ceilometers and auxiliary measurements over Israel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uzan, Leenes; Egert, Smadar; Alpert, Pinhas

2018-03-01

On 7 September 2015, an unprecedented and unexceptional extreme dust storm struck the eastern Mediterranean (EM) basin. Here, we provide an overview of the previous studies and describe the dust plume evolution over a relatively small area, i.e., Israel. This study presents vertical profiles provided by an array of eight ceilometers covering the Israeli shore, inland and mountain regions. We employ multiple tools including spectral radiometers (Aerosol Robotic Network - AERONET), ground particulate matter concentrations, satellite images, global/diffuse/direct solar radiation measurements and radiosonde profiles. The main findings reveal that the dust plume penetrated Israel on 7 September from the northeast in a downward motion to southwest. On 8 September, the lower level of the dust plume reached 200 m above ground level, generating aerosol optical depth (AOD) above 3 and extreme ground particulate matter concentrations up to ˜ 10 000 µm m-3. A most interesting feature on 8 September was the very high variability in the surface solar radiation in the range of 200-600 W m-2 (22 sites) over just a distance of several hundred kilometers in spite of the thick dust layer above. Furthermore, 8 September shows the lowest radiation levels for this event. On the following day, the surface solar radiation increased, thus enabling a late (between 11:00 and 12:00 UTC) sea breeze development mainly in the coastal zone associated with a creation of a narrow dust layer detached from the ground. On 10 September, the AOD values started to drop down to ˜ 1.5, and the surface concentrations of particulate matter decreased as well as the ceilometers' aerosol indications (signal counts) although Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) revealed an upper dust layer remained.

Large-scale circulation associated with moisture intrusions into the Arctic during winter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woods, Cian; Caballero, Rodrigo; Svensson, Gunilla

2014-05-01

Observations during recent decades show that there is a greater near surface warming occurring in the Arctic, particularly during winter, than at lower latitudes. Understanding the mechanisms controlling surface temperature in the Arctic is therefore an important priority in climate research. The surface energy budget is a key proximate control on Arctic surface temperature. During winter, insolation is low or absent and the atmospheric boundary layer is typically very stable, limiting turbulent hear exchange, so that the surface energy budget is almost entirely governed by longwave radiation. The net surface longwave radiation (NetLW) at this time has a strikingly bimodal distribution: conditions oscillate between a 'radiatively clear' state with rapid surface heat loss and a "moist cloudy" state with NetLW ˜ 0 W m-2. Each state can persist for days or weeks at a time but transitions between them happen in a matter of hours. This distribution of NetLW has important implications for the Arctic climate, as even a small shift in the frequency of occupancy of each state would be enough to significantly affect the overall surface energy budget and thus winter sea ice thickness. The clear and cloudy states typically occur during periods of relatively high and low surface pressure respectively, suggesting a link with synoptic-scale dynamics. This suggestion is consistent with previous studies indicating that the formation of low-level and mid-level clouds over the Arctic Ocean is typically associated with cyclonic activity and passing frontal systems . More recent work has shown that intense filamentary moisture intrusion events are a common feature in the Arctic and can induce large episodic increases of longwave radiation into the surface. The poleward transport of water vapor across 70N during boreal winter is examined in the ERA-Interim reanalysis product and 16 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) models, focusing on intense moisture intrusion events. A total of 298 events are objectively identified between 1990 and 2010 in the reanalysis dataset, an average of 14 per season, accounting for 28% of the total poleward moisture transport across 70N. Composites of sea level pressure and potential temperature on the 2 potential vorticity unit surface during intrusions show a large-scale blocking pattern to the east of each basin, deflecting midlatitude cyclones and their associated moisture poleward. The interannual variability of intrusions is strongly correlated with variability in winter-mean surface downward longwave radiation and skin temperature averaged over the Arctic. The 16 CMIP5 models are validated with respect to the reanalysis dataset and a subset of 7 models is chosen as best representing intrusions. Intrusions in the representative concentration pathway 8.5 scenario (RCP8.5) from these 7 models are analyzed between 2060 and 2100. Positive trends in the moisture transported by intrusions are noted. The mechanisms behind these trends are examined in each of the models, dynamically and thermodynamically, with regard to the positioning of the storm track and climatological jets in a moistening atmosphere.

Method and apparatus for millimeter-wave detection of thermal waves for materials evaluation

DOEpatents

Gopalsami, Nachappa; Raptis, Apostolos C.

1991-01-01

A method and apparatus for generating thermal waves in a sample and for measuring thermal inhomogeneities at subsurface levels using millimeter-wave radiometry. An intensity modulated heating source is oriented toward a narrow spot on the surface of a material sample and thermal radiation in a narrow volume of material around the spot is monitored using a millimeter-wave radiometer; the radiometer scans the sample point-by-point and a computer stores and displays in-phase and quadrature phase components of thermal radiations for each point on the scan. Alternatively, an intensity modulated heating source is oriented toward a relatively large surface area in a material sample and variations in thermal radiation within the full field of an antenna array are obtained using an aperture synthesis radiometer technique.

An experimental evaluation of the application of the Kirchhoff formulation for sound radiation from an oscillating airfoil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brooks, T. F.

1977-01-01

The Kirchhoff integral formulation is evaluated for its effectiveness in quantitatively predicting the sound radiated from an oscillating airfoil whose chord length is comparable with the acoustic wavelength. A rigid airfoil section was oscillated at samll amplitude in a medium at rest to produce the sound field. Simultaneous amplitude and phase measurements were made of surface pressure and surface velocity distributions and the acoustic free field. Measured surface pressure and motion are used in applying the theory, and airfoil thickness and contour are taken into account. The result was that the theory overpredicted the sound pressure level by 2 to 5, depending on direction. Differences are also noted in the sound field phase behavior.

Modeling of Lunar Dust Contamination Due to Plume Impingement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woronowicz, Michael

2009-01-01

During the Apollo missions it became apparent that lunar dust was a significant hazard. Problems included: surface obscuration during landing sequence; abrasion damage to gouge faces and helmet visors; mechanism clogging; development of space suit pressurization leaks; loss of radiator heat rejection capabilities to the point where vulnerable equipment exceeded maximum survival temperature ratings; temporary vision and respiratory problems within the Apollo Lunar Module (LM). NASA Constellation Program features many system-level components, including the Altair Lunar Lander. Altair to endure longer periods at lunar surface conditions: Apollo LM, about three days; Altair, over seven months. Program managers interested in plume-generated dust transport onto thermal control surface radiators of the first Altair created by its own landing operations.

Influence of Dust Loading on Atmospheric Ionizing Radiation on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norman, Ryan B.; Gronoff, Guillaume; Mertens, Christopher J.

2014-01-01

Measuring the radiation environment at the surface of Mars is the primary goal of the Radiation Assessment Detector on the NASA Mars Science Laboratory's Curiosity rover. One of the conditions that Curiosity will likely encounter is a dust storm. The objective of this paper is to compute the cosmic ray ionization in different conditions, including dust storms, as these various conditions are likely to be encountered by Curiosity at some point. In the present work, the Nowcast of Atmospheric Ionizing Radiation for Aviation Safety model, recently modified for Mars, was used along with the Badhwar & O'Neill 2010 galactic cosmic ray model. In addition to galactic cosmic rays, five different solar energetic particle event spectra were considered. For all input radiation environments, radiation dose throughout the atmosphere and at the surface was investigated as a function of atmospheric dust loading. It is demonstrated that for galactic cosmic rays, the ionization depends strongly on the atmosphere profile. Moreover, it is shown that solar energetic particle events strongly increase the ionization throughout the atmosphere, including ground level, and can account for the radio blackout conditions observed by the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding instrument on the Mars Express spacecraft. These results demonstrate that the cosmic rays' influence on the Martian surface chemistry is strongly dependent on solar and atmospheric conditions that should be taken into account for future studies.

The Impacts of Bias in Cloud-Radiation-Dynamics Interactions on Central Pacific Seasonal and El Niño Simulations in Contemporary GCMs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, J.-L. F.; Suhas, E.; Richardson, Mark; Lee, Wei-Liang; Wang, Yi-Hui; Yu, Jia-Yuh; Lee, Tong; Fetzer, Eric; Stephens, Graeme; Shen, Min-Hua

2018-02-01

Most of the global climate models (GCMs) in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, phase 5 do not include precipitating ice (aka falling snow) in their radiation calculations. We examine the importance of the radiative effects of precipitating ice on simulated surface wind stress and sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in terms of seasonal variation and in the evolution of central Pacific El Niño (CP-El Niño) events. Using controlled simulations with the CESM1 model, we show that the exclusion of precipitating ice radiative effects generates a persistent excessive upper-level radiative cooling and an increasingly unstable atmosphere over convective regions such as the western Pacific and tropical convergence zones. The invigorated convection leads to persistent anomalous low-level outflows which weaken the easterly trade winds, reducing upper-ocean mixing and leading to a positive SST bias in the model mean state. In CP-El Niño events, this means that outflow from the modeled convection in the central Pacific reduces winds to the east, allowing unrealistic eastward propagation of warm SST anomalies following the peak in CP-El Niño activity. Including the radiative effects of precipitating ice reduces these model biases and improves the simulated life cycle of the CP-El Niño. Improved simulations of present-day tropical seasonal variations and CP-El Niño events would increase the confidence in simulating their future behavior.

Analysis of space radiation exposure levels at different shielding configurations by ray-tracing dose estimation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kartashov, Dmitry; Shurshakov, Vyacheslav

2018-03-01

A ray-tracing method to calculate radiation exposure levels of astronauts at different spacecraft shielding configurations has been developed. The method uses simplified shielding geometry models of the spacecraft compartments together with depth-dose curves. The depth-dose curves can be obtained with different space radiation environment models and radiation transport codes. The spacecraft shielding configurations are described by a set of geometry objects. To calculate the shielding probability functions for each object its surface is composed from a set of the disjoint adjacent triangles that fully cover the surface. Such description can be applied for any complex shape objects. The method is applied to the space experiment MATROSHKA-R modeling conditions. The experiment has been carried out onboard the ISS from 2004 to 2016. Dose measurements were realized in the ISS compartments with anthropomorphic and spherical phantoms, and the protective curtain facility that provides an additional shielding on the crew cabin wall. The space ionizing radiation dose distributions in tissue-equivalent spherical and anthropomorphic phantoms and for an additional shielding installed in the compartment are calculated. There is agreement within accuracy of about 15% between the data obtained in the experiment and calculated ones. Thus the calculation method used has been successfully verified with the MATROSHKA-R experiment data. The ray-tracing radiation dose calculation method can be recommended for estimation of dose distribution in astronaut body in different space station compartments and for estimation of the additional shielding efficiency, especially when exact compartment shielding geometry and the radiation environment for the planned mission are not known.

Diffuse radiation increases global ecosystem-level water-use efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moffat, A. M.; Reichstein, M.; Cescatti, A.; Knohl, A.; Zaehle, S.

2012-12-01

Current environmental changes lead not only to rising atmospheric CO2 levels and air temperature but also to changes in air pollution and thus the light quality of the solar radiation reaching the land-surface. While rising CO2 levels are thought to enhance photosynthesis and closure of stomata, thus leading to relative water savings, the effect of diffuse radiation on transpiration by plants is less clear. It has been speculated that the stimulation of photosynthesis by increased levels of diffuse light may be counteracted by higher transpiration and consequently water depletion and drought stress. Ultimately, in water co-limited systems, the overall effect of diffuse radiation will depend on the sensitivity of canopy transpiration versus photosynthesis to diffuse light, i.e. whether water-use efficiency changes with relative levels of diffuse light. Our study shows that water-use efficiency increases significantly with higher fractions of diffuse light. It uses the ecosystem-atmosphere gas-exchange observations obtained with the eddy covariance method at 29 flux tower sites. In contrast to previous global studies, the analysis is based directly on measurements of diffuse radiation. Its effect on water-use efficiency was derived by analyzing the multivariate response of carbon and water fluxes to radiation and air humidity using a purely empirical approach based on artificial neural networks. We infer that per unit change of diffuse fraction the water-use efficiency increases up to 40% depending on diffuse fraction levels and ecosystem type. Hence, in regions with increasing diffuse radiation positive effects on primary production are expected even under conditions where water is co-limiting productivity.

Modeling of microclimatic characteristics of highland area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitdikova, Iuliia; Rusin, Igor

2013-04-01

Microclimatic characteristics of highlands may vary considerably over distances of a few meters depending on slope and aspect. There is a problem of estimation of components of surface energy balance based on observation of single stations for description of microclimate highlands. The aim of this paper is to develop a method that would restore microclimatic characteristics of terrain, based on observations of the single station, by physical extrapolation. The input parameters to obtain the microclimatic characteristics are as follows: air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed on two vertical levels, air pressure, surface temperature, direct and diffused solar radiation and surface albedo. The recent version of the Meteorological Radiation Model (MRM) has been used to calculate a solar radiation over the area and to estimate an influence of cloudiness amounts. The height, slope and aspect were accounted at each point with using a digital elevation model. Have been supposed that air temperature and specific humidity vary with altitude only. Net radiation was calculated at all points of the area. Supposed that the difference between the surface temperature and the air temperature is a linear function of net radiation. The empirical coefficient, which depends on wind speed with adjustment of given area. Latent and sensible fluxes are calculated by using the modified Bowen ratio, which varies on the area. Method was tested on field research in Krasnodar region (RF). The meteorological observations were made every three hour on actinometric and gradient sites. The editional gradient site with different orientation of the slope was organized from 400 meters of the main site. Topographic survey of area was made 1x1,3 km in size for a digital elevation model constructing. At all points of the area of radiation and heat balance were calculated. The results of researches are the maps of surface temperature, net radiation, latent and sensible fluxes. The calculations showed that the average value of components of heat balance by area differ significantly from the data observed on meteorological station.

Noise Radiation from Single and Multiple Rod Configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hutcheson, Florence V.; Brooks, Thomas F.

2006-01-01

Acoustic measurements were performed on single and multiple rod configurations to study the effect of Reynolds number, surface roughness, freestream turbulence, proximity and wake interference on the radiated noise. The Reynolds number ranged from 3.8 x 10(exp 3) to 10(exp 5). Directivity measurements were performed to determine how well the dipole assumption for the radiation of vortex shedding noise holds for the different model configurations tested. The dependence of the peak Sound Pressure Level on velocity was also examined. Several concepts for the reduction of the noise radiating from cylindrical rods were tested. It was shown that wire wraps and collar distributions could be used to significantly reduce the noise radiating from rods in tandem configurations.

Combined natural convection and non-gray radiation heat transfer in a horizontal annulus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Yujia; Zhang, Xiaobing; Howell, John R.

2018-02-01

Natural convection and non-gray radiation in an annulus containing a radiative participating gas is investigated. To determine the effect of non-gray radiation, the spectral line based weighted sum of gray gas is adopted to model the gas radiative properties. Case with only surface radiation (transparent medium) is also considered to see the relative contributions of surface radiation and gas radiation. The finite volume method is used to solve the mass, momentum, energy and radiative transfer equations. Comparisons between pure convection, case considering only surface radiation and case considering both gas radiation and surface radiation are made and the results show that radiation is not negligible and gas radiation becomes more important with increasing Rayleigh number (and the annulus size).

Effects of simulated space radiation on immunoassay components for life-detection experiments in planetary exploration missions.

PubMed

Derveni, Mariliza; Hands, Alex; Allen, Marjorie; Sims, Mark R; Cullen, David C

2012-08-01

The Life Marker Chip (LMC) instrument is part of the proposed payload on the ESA ExoMars rover that is scheduled for launch in 2018. The LMC will use antibody-based assays to detect molecular signatures of life in samples obtained from the shallow subsurface of Mars. For the LMC antibodies, the ability to resist inactivation due to space particle radiation (both in transit and on the surface of Mars) will therefore be a prerequisite. The proton and neutron components of the mission radiation environment are those that are expected to have the dominant effect on the operation of the LMC. Modeling of the radiation environment for a mission to Mars led to the calculation of nominal mission fluences for proton and neutron radiation. Various combinations and multiples of these values were used to demonstrate the effects of radiation on antibody activity, primarily at the radiation levels envisaged for the ExoMars mission as well as at much higher levels. Five antibodies were freeze-dried in a variety of protective molecular matrices and were exposed to various radiation conditions generated at a cyclotron facility. After exposure, the antibodies' ability to bind to their respective antigens was assessed and found to be unaffected by ExoMars mission level radiation doses. These experiments indicated that the expected radiation environment of a Mars mission does not pose a significant risk to antibodies packaged in the form anticipated for the LMC instrument.

A boundary-layer model for Mars - Comparison with Viking lander and entry data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haberle, Robert M.; Houben, Howard C.; Hertenstein, Rolf; Herdtle, Tomas

1993-01-01

A 1D boundary-layer model of Mars based on a momentum equation that describes friction, pressure gradient, and Coriolis forces is presented. Frictional forces and convective heating are computed using the level-2 turbulence closure theory of Mellor and Yamada (1974). The model takes into account the radiative effects of CO2 gas and suspended dust particles. Both radiation and convection depend on surface temperatures which are computed from a surface heat budget. Model predictions are compared with available observations from Viking landers. It is concluded that, in general, the model reproduces the basic features of the temperature data. The agreement is particularly good at entry time for the V L-2 site, where the model and observations are within several degrees at all levels for which data are available.

An Assessment of the Surface Longwave Direct Radiative Effect of Airborne Dust in Zhangye China During the Asian Monsoon Year Field Experiment (2008)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansell, Richard A.; Tsay, Si-Chee; Hsu, N. Christina; Ji, Qiang; Bell, Shaun W.; Holben, Brent N.; Ellsworth, Welton J.; Roush, Ted L.; Zhang, Wu; Huang, J.;

Impact of soil moisture and winter wheat height from the Loess Plateau in Northwest China on surface spectral albedo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhenchao; Yang, Jiaxi; Gao, Xiaoqing; Zheng, Zhiyuan; Yu, Ye; Hou, Xuhong; Wei, Zhigang

2018-02-01

The understanding of surface spectral radiation and reflected radiation characteristics of different surfaces in different climate zones aids in the interpretation of regional surface energy transfers and the development of land surface models. This study analysed surface spectral radiation variations and corresponding surface albedo characteristics at different wavelengths as well as the relationship between 5-cm soil moisture and surface albedo on typical sunny days during the winter wheat growth period. The analysis was conducted using observational Loess Plateau winter wheat data from 2015. The results show that the ratio of atmospheric downward radiation to global radiation on typical sunny days is highest for near-infrared wavelengths, followed by visible wavelengths and ultraviolet wavelengths, with values of 57.3, 38.7 and 4.0%, respectively. The ratio of reflected spectral radiation to global radiation varies based on land surface type. The visible radiation reflected by vegetated surfaces is far less than that reflected by bare ground, with surface albedos of 0.045 and 0.27, respectively. Thus, vegetated surfaces absorb more visible radiation than bare ground. The atmospheric downward spectral radiation to global radiation diurnal variation ratios vary for near-infrared wavelengths versus visible and ultraviolet wavelengths on typical sunny days. The near-infrared wavelengths ratio is higher in the morning and evening and lower at noon. The visible and ultraviolet wavelengths ratios are lower in the morning and evening and higher at noon. Visible and ultraviolet wavelength surface albedo is affected by 5-cm soil moisture, demonstrating a significant negative correlation. Excluding near-infrared wavelengths, correlations between surface albedo and 5-cm soil moisture pass the 99% confidence test at each wavelength. The correlation with 5-cm soil moisture is more significant at shorter wavelengths. However, this study obtained surface spectral radiation characteristics that were affected by land surface vegetation coverage as well as by soil physical properties.

Observational determination of surface radiative forcing by CO2 from 2000 to 2010

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

Feldman, Daniel R.; Collins, William D.; Gero, P. Johnathan

2015-02-25

The climatic impact of CO2 and other greenhouse gases is usually quantified in terms of radiative forcing1, calculated as the difference between estimates of the Earth’s radiation field from pre-industrial and present-day concentrations of these gases. Radiative transfer models calculate that the increase in CO2 since 1750 corresponds to a global annual-mean radiative forcing at the tropopause of 1.82 ± 0.19 W m -2 (ref. 2). However, despite widespread scientific discussion and modelling of the climate impacts of well-mixed greenhouse gases, there is little direct observational evidence of the radiative impact of increasing atmospheric CO2. Here we present observationally basedmore » evidence of clear-sky CO2 surface radiative forcing that is directly attributable to the increase, between 2000 and 2010, of 22 parts per million atmospheric CO2. The time series of this forcing at the two locations—the Southern Great Plains and the North Slope of Alaska—are derived from Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer spectra3 together with ancillary measurements and thoroughly corroborated radiative transfer calculations4. The time series both show statistically significant trends of 0.2 W m -2 per decade (with respective uncertainties of ±0.06 W m -2 per decade and ±0.07 W m-2 per decade) and have seasonal ranges of 0.1–0.2 W m -2. This is approximately ten per cent of the trend in downwelling longwave radiation5, 6, 7. These results confirm theoretical predictions of the atmospheric greenhouse effect due to anthropogenic emissions, and provide empirical evidence of how rising CO2 levels, mediated by temporal variations due to photosynthesis and respiration, are affecting the surface energy balance.« less

An ESR study of the UV degradation of FEP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

George, G. A.; Hill, D. J. T.; Odonnell, J. H.; Pomery, P. J.; Rasoul, F.

1992-01-01

Spacecraft in low earth orbit are subjected to significant levels of high energy radiation, including ultraviolet (UV) and visible ultraviolet (VUV) wavelengths. The effects of UV radiation are enhanced over those at the surface of the earth, where the only incident wavelengths are greater than 290 nm. In low earth orbit the incident UV wavelengths extend below 290 nm into the VUV region, where the Lyman alpha-emissions of atomic hydrogen occur at 121 nm. In addition to electromagnetic radiation, in low earth orbit polymer materials may also be subjected to atomic oxygen particle radiation, which will result in direct oxidation of the polymer.

ALARA efforts in nordic BWRs

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

Ingemansson, T.; Lundgren, K.; Elkert, J.

1995-03-01

Some ALARA-related ABB Atom projects are currently under investigation. One of the projects has been ordered by the Swedish Radiation Protection Institute, and two others by the Nordic BWR utilities. The ultimate objective of the projects is to identify and develop methods to significantly decrease the future exposure levels in the Nordic BWRS. As 85% to 90% of the gamma radiation field in the Nordic BWRs originates from Co-60, the only way to significantly decrease the radiation doses is to effect Co and Co-60. The strategy to do this is to map the Co sources and estimate the source strengthmore » of Co from these sources, and to study the possibility to affect the release of Co-60 from the core surfaces and the uptake on system surfaces. Preliminary results indicate that corrosion/erosion of a relatively small number of Stellite-coated valves and/or dust from grinding of Stellite valves may significantly contribute to the Co input to the reactors. This can be seen from a high measured Co/Ni ratio in the feedwater and in the reactor water. If stainless steel is the only source of Co, the Co/Ni ratio would be less than 0.02 as the Co content in the steel is less than 0.2%. The Co/Ni ratio in the reactor water, however, is higher than 0.1, indicating that the major fraction of the Co originates from Stellite-coated valves. There are also other possible explanations for an increase of the radiation fields. The Co-60 inventory on the core surfaces increases approximately as the square of the burn-up level. If the burn-up is increased from 35 to 5 MWd/kgU, the Co-60 inventory on the core surfaces will be doubled. Also the effect on the behavior of Co-60 of different water chemistry and materials conditions is being investigated. Examples of areas studied are Fe and Zn injection, pH-control, and different forms of surface pre-treatments.« less

The Response of the Ocean Thermal Skin Layer to Air-Sea Surface Heat Fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, Elizabeth Wing-See

There is much evidence that the ocean is heating as a result of an increase in concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere from human activities. GHGs absorb infrared radiation and re-emit infrared radiation back to the ocean's surface which is subsequently absorbed. However, the incoming infrared radiation is absorbed within the top micrometers of the ocean's surface which is where the thermal skin layer exists. Thus the incident infrared radiation does not directly heat the upper few meters of the ocean. We are therefore motivated to investigate the physical mechanism between the absorption of infrared radiation and its effect on heat transfer at the air-sea boundary. The hypothesis is that since heat lost through the air-sea interface is controlled by the thermal skin layer, which is directly influenced by the absorption and emission of infrared radiation, the heat flow through the thermal skin layer adjusts to maintain the surface heat loss, assuming the surface heat loss does not vary, and thus modulates the upper ocean heat content. This hypothesis is investigated through utilizing clouds to represent an increase in incoming longwave radiation and analyzing retrieved thermal skin layer vertical temperature profiles from a shipboard infrared spectrometer from two research cruises. The data are limited to night-time, no precipitation and low winds of less than 2 m/s to remove effects of solar radiation, wind-driven shear and possibilities of thermal skin layer disruption. The results show independence of the turbulent fluxes and emitted radiation on the incident radiative fluxes which rules out the immediate release of heat from the absorption of the cloud infrared irradiance back into the atmosphere through processes such as evaporation and increase infrared emission. Furthermore, independence was confirmed between the incoming and outgoing radiative flux which implies the heat sink for upward flowing heat at the air-sea interface is more-or-less fixed. The surplus energy, from absorbing increasing levels of infrared radiation, is found to adjust the curvature of the thermal skin layer such that there is a smaller gradient at the interface between the thermal skin layer and the mixed layer beneath. The vertical conduction of heat from the mixed layer to the surface is therefore hindered while the additional energy within the thermal skin layer is supporting the gradient changes of the skin layer's temperature profile. This results in heat beneath the thermal skin layer, which is a product of the absorption of solar radiation during the day, to be retained and cause an increase in upper ocean heat content. The accuracy of four published skin layer models were evaluated by comparison with the field results. The results show a need to include radiative effects, which are currently absent, in such models as they do not replicate the findings from the field data and do not elucidate the effects of the absorption of infrared radiation.

Subsurface plasma in beam of continuous CO2-laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danytsikov, Y. V.; Dymshakov, V. A.; Lebedev, F. V.; Pismennyy, V. D.; Ryazanov, A. V.

1986-03-01

Experiments performed at the Institute of Atomic Energy established the conditions for formation of subsurface plasma in substances by laser radiation and its characteristics. A quasi-continuous CO2 laser emitting square pulses of 0.1 to 1.0 ms duration and 1 to 10 kW power as well as a continuous CO2 laser served as radiation sources. Radiation was focused on spots 0.1 to 0.5 mm in diameter and maintained at levels ensuring constant power density during the interaction time, while the temperature of the target surface was measured continuously. Metals, graphite and dielectric materials were tested with laser action taking place in air N2 + O2 mixtures, Ar or He atmosphere under pressures of 0.01 to 1.0 atm. Data on radiation intensity thresholds for evaporation and plasma formation were obtained. On the basis of these thresholds, combined with data on energy balance and the temperature profile in plasma layers, a universal state diagram was constructed for subsurface plasma with nonquantified surface temperature and radiation intensity coordinates.

ARM West Antarctic Radiation Experiment (AWARE) Field Campaign Report

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

Lubin, Daniel; Bromwich, David H; Vogelmann, Andrew M

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) West Antarctic Radiation Experiment (AWARE) is the most technologically advanced atmospheric and climate science campaign yet fielded in Antarctica. AWARE was motivated be recent concern about the impact of cryospheric mass loss on global sea level rise. Specifically, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) is now the second largest contributor to rising sea level, after the Greenland Ice Sheet. As steadily warming ocean water erodes the grounding lines of WAIS components where they meet the Amundsen and Bellingshausen Seas, the retreating grounding lines moving inland and downslope on the underlyingmore » terrain imply mechanical instability of the entire WAIS. There is evidence that this point of instability may have already been reached, perhaps signifying more rapid loss of WAIS ice mass. At the same time, the mechanical support provided by adjacent ice shelves, and also the fundamental stability of exposed ice cliffs at the ice sheet grounding lines, will be adversely impacted by a warming atmosphere that causes more frequent episodes of surface melting. The surface meltwater damages the ice shelves and ice cliffs through hydrofracturing. With the increasing concern regarding these rapid cryospheric changes, AWARE was motivated by the need to (a) diagnose the surface energy balance in West Antarctica as related to both summer season climatology and potential surface melting, and (b) improve global climate model (GCM) performance over Antarctica, such that future cryospheric projections can be more reliable.« less

The Relationship Between Surface Temperature Anomaly Time Series and those of OLR, Water Vapor, and Cloud Cover as Observed Using Nine Years of AIRS Version-5 Level-3 Products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Susskind, Joel; Molnar, Gyula; Iredell, Lena

2011-01-01

Outline: (1) Comparison of AIRS and CERES anomaly time series of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and OLR(sub CLR), i.e. Clear Sky OLR (2) Explanation of recent decreases in global and tropical mean values of OLR (3) AIRS "Short-term" Longwave Cloud Radiative Feedback -- A new product

Autonomous portable solar ultraviolet spectroradiometer (APSUS) - a new CCD spectrometer system for localized, real-time solar ultraviolet (280-400 nm) radiation measurement.

PubMed

Hooke, Rebecca; Pearson, Andy; O'Hagan, John

2014-01-01

Terrestrial solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation has significant implications for human health and increasing levels are a key concern regarding the impact of climate change. Monitoring solar UV radiation at the earth's surface is therefore of increasing importance. A new prototype portable CCD (charge-coupled device) spectrometer-based system has been developed that monitors UV radiation (280-400 nm) levels at the earth's surface. It has the ability to deliver this information to the public in real time. Since the instrument can operate autonomously, it is called the Autonomous Portable Solar Ultraviolet Spectroradiometer (APSUS). This instrument incorporates an Ocean Optics QE65000 spectrometer which is contained within a robust environmental housing. The APSUS system can gather reliable solar UV spectral data from approximately April to October inclusive (depending on ambient temperature) in the UK. In this study the new APSUS unit and APSUS system are presented. Example solar UV spectra and diurnal UV Index values as measured by the APSUS system in London and Weymouth in the UK in summer 2012 are shown. © 2014 Crown copyright. Photochemistry and Photobiology © 2014 The American Society of Photobiology. This article is published with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland and Public Health England.

BOREAS RSS-14 Level -3 Gridded Radiometer and Satellite Surface Radiation Images

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Forrest G. (Editor); Nickeson, Jaime (Editor); Hodges, Gary; Smith, Eric A.

2000-01-01

The BOREAS RSS-14 team collected and processed GOES-7 and -8 images of the BOREAS region as part of its effort to characterize the incoming, reflected, and emitted radiation at regional scales. This data set contains surface radiation parameters, such as net radiation and net solar radiation, that have been interpolated from GOES-7 images and AMS data onto the standard BOREAS mapping grid at a resolution of 5 km N-S and E-W. While some parameters are taken directly from the AMS data set, others have been corrected according to calibrations carried out during IFC-2 in 1994. The corrected values as well as the uncorrected values are included. For example, two values of net radiation are provided: an uncorrected value (Rn), and a value that has been corrected according to the calibrations (Rn-COR). The data are provided in binary image format data files. Some of the data files on the BOREAS CD-ROMs have been compressed using the Gzip program. See section 8.2 for details. The data files are available on a CD-ROM (see document number 20010000884), or from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC).

The effect of MLS laser radiation on cell lipid membrane.

PubMed

Pasternak, Kamila; Wróbel, Dominika; Nowacka, Olga; Pieszyński, Ireneusz; Bryszewska, Maria; Kujawa, Jolanta

2018-03-14

Authors of numerous publications have proved the therapeutic effect of laser irradiation on biological material, but the mechanisms at cellular and subcellular level are not yet well understood. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of laser radiation emitted by the MLS M1 system (Multiwave Locked System) at two wavelengths (808 nm continuous and 905 nm pulsed) on the stability and fluidity of liposomes with a lipid composition similar to that of human erythrocyte membrane or made of phosphatidylocholine. Liposomes were exposed to low-energy laser radiation at surface densities 195 mW/cm² (frequency 1,000 Hz) and 230 mW/cm² (frequency 2,000 Hz). Different doses of radiation energy in the range 0-15 J were applied. The surface energy density was within the range 0.46 - 4.9 J/cm ². The fluidity and stability of liposomes subjected to such irradiation changed depending on the parameters of radiation used. Since MLS M1 laser radiation, depending on the parameters used, affects fluidity and stability of liposomes with the lipid content similar to erythrocyte membrane, it may also cause structural and functional changes in cell membranes.

Ground-Level Ozone Following Astrophysical Ionizing Radiation Events: An Additional Biological Hazard?

PubMed

Thomas, Brian C; Goracke, Byron D

2016-01-01

Astrophysical ionizing radiation events such as supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, and solar proton events have been recognized as a potential threat to life on Earth, primarily through depletion of stratospheric ozone and subsequent increase in solar UV radiation at Earth's surface and in the upper levels of the ocean. Other work has also considered the potential impact of nitric acid rainout, concluding that no significant threat is likely. Not yet studied to date is the potential impact of ozone produced in the lower atmosphere following an ionizing radiation event. Ozone is a known irritant to organisms on land and in water and therefore may be a significant additional hazard. Using previously completed atmospheric chemistry modeling, we examined the amount of ozone produced in the lower atmosphere for the case of a gamma-ray burst and found that the values are too small to pose a significant additional threat to the biosphere. These results may be extended to other ionizing radiation events, including supernovae and extreme solar proton events.

Radiation Testing of PICA at the Solar Power Tower

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, Susan M.

2010-01-01

Sandia National Laboratory's Solar Power Tower was used to irradiate specimens of Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA), in order to evaluate whether this thermal protection system material responded differently to potential shock layer radiative heating than to convective heating. Tests were run at 50, 100 and 150 Watts per square centimeter levels of concentrated solar radiation. Experimental results are presented both from spectral measurements on 1- 10 mm thick specimens of PICA, as well as from in-depth temperature measurements on instrumented thicker test specimens. Both spectral measurements and measured in-depth temperature profiles showed that, although it is a porous, low-density material, PICA does not exhibit problematic transparency to the tested high levels of NIR radiation, for all pragmatic cm-to-inch scale thicknesses. PICA acted as a surface absorber to efficiently absorb the incident visible and near infrared incident radiation in the top 2 millimeter layer in the Solar Power Tower tests up to 150 Watts per square centimeter.

An introduction to selective surfaces for solar applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neal, W. E. J.

1983-12-01

The desired characteristics of spectrally selective surfaces for solar thermal applications include a high-level absorption of radiation in the solar region of the spectrum (from 0.3 to 2.5 microns) combined with a low value of emission in the IR region (greater than two microns). There are three energy collector temperature ranges for specific solar applications, taking into account a range from 25 to 40 C for swimming pools, a range from 40 to 150 C for space and water heating and air conditioning, and temperatures above 150 C for the production of steam and the generation of electricity. Flat plate and low concentrating collectors with suitable selective surfaces can be employed in connection with the first two temperature ranges. Various types of selective surfaces are presented in a table, giving attention to the absorptive properties for solar radiation and the emissive properties in the IR region.

Investigation of background radiation levels and geologic unit profiles in Durango, Colorado

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

Triplett, G.H.; Foutz, W.L.; Lesperance, L.R.

1989-11-01

As part of the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has performed radiological surveys on 435 vicinity properties (VPs) in the Durango area. This study was undertaken to establish the background radiation levels and geologic unit profiles in the Durango VP area. During the months of May through June, 1986, extensive radiometric measurements and surface soil samples were collected in the Durango VP area by personnel from ORNL's Grand Junction Office. A majority of the Durango VP surveys were conducted at sites underlain by Quaternary alluvium, older Quaternary gravels, and Cretaceous Lewis and Mancosmore » shales. These four geologic units were selected to be evaluated. The data indicated no formation anomalies and established regional background radiation levels. Durango background radionuclide concentrations in surface soil were determined to be 20.3 {plus minus} 3.4 pCi/g for {sup 40}K, 1.6 {plus minus} 0.5 pCi/g for {sup 226}Ra, and 1.2 {plus minus} 0.3 pCi/g for {sup 232}Th. The Durango background gamma exposure rate was found to be 16.5 {plus minus} 1.3 {mu}R/h. Average gamma spectral count rate measurements for {sup 40}K, {sup 226}Ra and {sup 232}Th were determined to be 553, 150, and 98 counts per minute (cpm), respectively. Geologic unit profiles and Durango background radiation measurements are presented and compared with other areas. 19 refs., 15 figs., 5 tabs.« less

Dielectrics for long term space exposure and spacecraft charging: A briefing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frederickson, A. R.

1989-01-01

Charging of dielectrics is a bulk, not a surface property. Radiation driven charge stops within the bulk and is not quickly conducted to the surface. Very large electric fields develop in the bulk due to this stopped charge. At space radiation levels, it typically requires hours or days for the internal electric fields to reach steady state. The resulting electric fields are large enough to produce electrical failure within the insulator. This type failure is thought to produce nearly all electric discharge anomalies. Radiation also induces bond breakage, creates reactive radicals, displaces atoms and, in general, severely changes the chemistry of the solid state material. Electric fields can alter this process by reacting with charged species, driving them through the solid. Irradiated polymers often lose as much as a percent of their mass, or more, at exposures typical in space. Very different aging or contaminant emission can be induced by the stopped charge electric fields. These radiation effects are detailed.

Effects of solar radiation on hair and photoprotection.

PubMed

Dario, Michelli F; Baby, André R; Velasco, Maria Valéria R

2015-12-01

In this paper the negative effects of solar radiation (ultraviolet, visible and infrared wavelengths) on hair properties like color, mechanical properties, luster, protein content, surface roughness, among others, will be discussed. Despite knowing that radiation damages hair, there are no consensus about the particular effect of each segment of solar radiation on the hair shaft. The hair photoprotection products are primarily targeted to dyed hair, specially auburn pigments, and gray shades. They are usually based on silicones, antioxidants and quaternary chemical UV filters that have more affinity for negatively charged hair surface and present higher efficacy. Unfortunately, there are no regulated parameters, like for skin photoprotection, for efficacy evaluation of hair care products, which makes impossible to compare the results published in the literature. Thus, it is important that researchers make an effort to apply experimental conditions similar to a real level of sun exposure, like dose, irradiance, time, temperature and relative humidity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the effects of historical land cover change on summertime weather and climate in New Jersey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wichansky, Paul Stuart

The 19th-century agrarian landscape of New Jersey (NJ) and the surrounding region has been extensively transformed to the present-day land cover by urbanization, reforestation, and localized areas of deforestation. This study used a mesoscale atmospheric numerical model to investigate the sensitivity of the warm season climate of NJ to these land cover changes. Reconstructed 1880s-era and present-day land cover datasets were used as surface boundary conditions for a set of simulations performed with the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS). Three-member ensembles with historical and present-day land cover were compared to examine the sensitivity of surface air and dewpoint temperatures, rainfall, the individual components of the surface energy budget, horizontal and vertical winds, and the vertical profiles of temperature and humidity to these land cover changes. Mean temperatures for the present-day landscape were 0.3-0.6°C warmer than for the historical landscape over a considerable portion of NJ and the surrounding region, with daily maximum temperatures at least 1.0°C warmer over some of the highly urbanized locations. Reforested regions in the present-day landscape, however, showed a slight cooling. Surface warming was generally associated with repartitioning of net radiation from latent to sensible heat flux, and conversely for cooling. Reduced evapotranspiration from much of the present-day land surface led to dewpoint temperature decreases of 0.3-0.6°C. While urbanization was accompanied by strong surface albedo decreases and increases in net shortwave radiation, reforestation and potential changes in forest composition have generally increased albedos and also enhanced landscape heterogeneity. The increased deciduousness of forests may have further reduced net downward longwave radiation. These land cover changes have modified boundary-layer dynamics by increasing low-level convergence and upper-level divergence in the interior of NJ, especially where sensible heat fluxes have increased for the present-day landscape, hence enhancing uplift in the mid-troposphere. The mesoscale circulations that developed in the present-day ensemble were also more effective at lifting available moisture to higher levels of the boundary layer, lowering dewpoints near the surface but increasing them aloft. Likewise, the sea breeze in coastal areas of NJ in the present-day ensemble had stronger uplift during the afternoon and enhanced moisture transport to higher levels.

Experimental test of liquid droplet radiator performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mattick, A. T.; Simon, M. A.

The liquid droplet radiator (LDR) is a heat rejection system for space power systems wherein an array of heated liquid droplets radiates energy directly to space. The use of submillimeter droplets provides large radiating area-to-mass ratio, resulting in radiator systems which are several times lighter than conventional solid surface radiators. An experiment is described in which the power radiated by an array of 2300 streams of silicone oil droplets is measured to test a previously developed theory of the LDR radiation process. This system would be capable of rejecting several kW of heat in space. Furthermore, it would be suitable as a modular unit of an LDR designed for 100-kW power levels. The experiment provided confirmation of the theoretical dependence of droplet array emissivity on optical depth. It also demonstrated the ability to create an array of more than 1000 droplet streams having a divergence less than 1 degree.

Experimental test of liquid droplet radiator performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mattick, A. T.; Simon, M. A.

1987-01-01

The liquid droplet radiator (LDR) is a heat rejection system for space power systems wherein an array of heated liquid droplets radiates energy directly to space. The use of submillimeter droplets provides large radiating area-to-mass ratio, resulting in radiator systems which are several times lighter than conventional solid surface radiators. An experiment is described in which the power radiated by an array of 2300 streams of silicone oil droplets is measured to test a previously developed theory of the LDR radiation process. This system would be capable of rejecting several kW of heat in space. Furthermore, it would be suitable as a modular unit of an LDR designed for 100-kW power levels. The experiment provided confirmation of the theoretical dependence of droplet array emissivity on optical depth. It also demonstrated the ability to create an array of more than 1000 droplet streams having a divergence less than 1 degree.

Examination of Regional Trends in Cloud Properties over Surface Sites Derived from MODIS and AVHRR using the CERES Cloud Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, W. L., Jr.; Minnis, P.; Bedka, K. M.; Sun-Mack, S.; Chen, Y.; Doelling, D. R.; Kato, S.; Rutan, D. A.

2017-12-01

Recent studies analyzing long-term measurements of surface insolation at ground sites suggest that decadal-scale trends of increasing (brightening) and decreasing (dimming) downward solar flux have occurred at various times over the last century. Regional variations have been reported that range from near 0 Wm-2/decade to as large as 9 Wm-2/decade depending on the location and time period analyzed. The more significant trends have been attributed to changes in overhead clouds and aerosols, although quantifying their relative impacts using independent observations has been difficult, owing in part to a lack of consistent long-term measurements of cloud properties. This paper examines new satellite based records of cloud properties derived from MODIS (2000-present) and AVHRR (1981- present) data to infer cloud property trends over a number of surface radiation sites across the globe. The MODIS cloud algorithm was developed for the NASA Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) project to provide a consistent record of cloud properties to help improve broadband radiation measurements and to better understand cloud radiative effects. The CERES-MODIS cloud algorithm has been modified to analyze other satellites including the AVHRR on the NOAA satellites. Compared to MODIS, obtaining consistent cloud properties over a long period from AVHRR is a much more significant challenge owing to the number of different satellites, instrument calibration uncertainties, orbital drift and other factors. Nevertheless, both the MODIS and AVHRR cloud properties will be analyzed to determine trends, and their level of consistency and correspondence with surface radiation trends derived from the ground-based radiometer data. It is anticipated that this initial study will contribute to an improved understanding of surface solar radiation trends and their relationship to clouds.

Atmospheric constituents and surface-level UVB: Implications for a paleoaltimetry proxy and attempts to reconstruct UV exposure during volcanic episodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Brian C.; Goracke, Byron D.; Dalton, Sean M.

2016-11-01

Chemical and morphological features of spores and pollens have been linked to changes in solar ultraviolet radiation (specifically UVB, 280-315 nm) at Earth's surface. Variation in UVB exposure as inferred from these features has been suggested as a proxy for paleoaltitude; such proxies are important in understanding the uplift history of high altitude plateaus, which in turn is important for testing models of the tectonic processes responsible for such uplift. While UVB irradiance does increase with altitude above sea level, a number of other factors affect the irradiance at any given place and time. In this modeling study we use the TUV atmospheric radiative transfer model to investigate dependence of surface-level UVB irradiance and relative biological impact on a number of constituents in Earth's atmosphere that are variable over long and short time periods. We consider changes in O3 column density, and SO2 and sulfate aerosols due to periods of volcanic activity, including that associated with the formation of the Siberian Traps. We find that UVB irradiance may be highly variable under volcanic conditions and variations in several of these atmospheric constituents can easily mimic or overwhelm changes in UVB irradiance due to changes in altitude. On the other hand, we find that relative change with altitude is not very sensitive to different sets of atmospheric conditions. Any paleoaltitude proxy based on UVB exposure requires confidence that the samples under comparison were located at roughly the same latitude, under very similar O3 and SO2 columns, with similar atmospheric aerosol conditions. In general, accurate estimates of the surface-level UVB exposure at any time and location require detailed radiative transfer modeling taking into account a number of atmospheric factors; this result is important for paleoaltitude proxies as well as attempts to reconstruct the UV environment through geologic time and to tie extinctions, such as the end-Permian mass extinction, to UVB irradiance changes.

Hybrid radiator cooling system

DOEpatents

France, David M.; Smith, David S.; Yu, Wenhua; Routbort, Jules L.

2016-03-15

A method and hybrid radiator-cooling apparatus for implementing enhanced radiator-cooling are provided. The hybrid radiator-cooling apparatus includes an air-side finned surface for air cooling; an elongated vertically extending surface extending outwardly from the air-side finned surface on a downstream air-side of the hybrid radiator; and a water supply for selectively providing evaporative cooling with water flow by gravity on the elongated vertically extending surface.

Use of radiation in biomaterials science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benson, Roberto S.

2002-05-01

Radiation is widely used in the biomaterials science for surface modification, sterilization and to improve bulk properties. Radiation is also used to design of biochips, and in situ photopolymerizable of bioadhesives. The energy sources most commonly used in the irradiation of biomaterials are high-energy electrons, gamma radiation, ultraviolet (UV) and visible light. Surface modification involves placement of selective chemical moieties on the surface of a material by chemical reactions to improve biointeraction for cell adhesion and proliferation, hemocompatibility and water absorption. The exposure of a polymer to radiation, especially ionizing radiation, can lead to chain scission or crosslinking with changes in bulk and surface properties. Sterilization by irradiation is designed to inactivate most pathogens from the surface of biomedical devices. An overview of the use of gamma and UV radiation to improve surface tissue compatibility, bulk properties and surface properties for wear resistance, formation of hydrogels and curing dental sealants and bone adhesives is presented. Gamma and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) irradiated ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) exhibit improvement in surface modulus and hardness. The surface modulus and hardness of UHMWPE showed a dependence on type of radiation, dosage and processing. VUV surface modified e-PTFE vascular grafts exhibit increases in hydrophilicity and improvement towards adhesion of fibrin glue.

High Conductivity Carbon-Carbon Heat Pipes for Light Weight Space Power System Radiators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Juhasz, Albert J.

2008-01-01

Based on prior successful fabrication and demonstration testing of a carbon-carbon heat pipe radiator element with integral fins this paper examines the hypothetical extension of the technology via substitution of high thermal conductivity composites which would permit increasing fin length while still maintaining high fin effectiveness. As a result the specific radiator mass could approach an ultimate asymptotic minimum value near 1.0 kg/m2, which is less than one fourth the value of present day satellite radiators. The implied mass savings would be even greater for high capacity space and planetary surface power systems, which may require radiator areas ranging from hundreds to thousands of square meters, depending on system power level.

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.

Water Resources Data for Illinois - Water Year 2005 (Includes Historical Data)

USGS Publications Warehouse

LaTour, J.K.; Weldon, E.A.; Dupre, D.H.; Halfar, T.M.

2006-01-01

This annual Water-Data Report for Illinois contains current water year (Oct. 1, 2004, to Sept. 30, 2005) and historical data of discharge, stage, water quality and biology of streams; stage of lakes and reservoirs; levels and quality of ground water; and records of precipitation, air temperature, dew point, solar radiation, and wind speed. The current year's (2005) data provided in this report include (1) discharge for 182 surface-water gaging stations and for 9 crest-stage partial-record stations; (2) stage for 33 surface-water gaging stations; (3) water-quality records for 10 surface-water stations; (4) sediment-discharge records for 14 surface-water stations; (5) water-level records for 98 ground-water wells; (6) water-quality records for 17 ground-water wells; (7) precipitation records for 48 rain gages; (8) records of air temperature, dew point, solar radiation and wind speed for 1 meteorological station; and (9) biological records for 6 sample sites. Also included are miscellaneous data collected at various sites not in the systematic data-collection network. Data were collected and compiled as a part of the National Water Information System (NWIS) maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with Federal, State, and local agencies.

Response of Antarctic cryoconite microbial communities to light.

PubMed

Bagshaw, Elizabeth A; Wadham, Jemma L; Tranter, Martyn; Perkins, Rupert; Morgan, Alistair; Williamson, Christopher J; Fountain, Andrew G; Fitzsimons, Sean; Dubnick, Ashley

2016-06-01

Microbial communities on polar glacier surfaces are found dispersed on the ice surface, or concentrated in cryoconite holes and cryolakes, which are accumulations of debris covered by a layer of ice for some or all of the year. The ice lid limits the penetration of photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) to the sediment layer, since the ice attenuates up to 99% of incoming radiation. This suite of field and laboratory experiments demonstrates that PAR is an important control on primary production in cryoconite and cryolake ecosystems. Increased light intensity increased efficiency of primary production in controlled laboratory incubations of debris from the surface of Joyce Glacier, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. However, when light intensity was increased to levels near that received on the ice surface, without the protection of an ice lid, efficiency decreased and measurements of photophysiology showed that the communities suffered light stress. The communities are therefore well adapted to low light levels. Comparison with Arctic cryoconite communities, which are typically not covered by an ice lid for the majority of the ablation season, showed that these organisms were also stressed by high light, so they must employ strategies to protect against photodamage. © FEMS 2016.

Response of Antarctic cryoconite microbial communities to light

PubMed Central

Bagshaw, Elizabeth A.; Wadham, Jemma L.; Tranter, Martyn; Perkins, Rupert; Morgan, Alistair; Williamson, Christopher J.; Fountain, Andrew G.; Fitzsimons, Sean; Dubnick, Ashley

2016-01-01

Microbial communities on polar glacier surfaces are found dispersed on the ice surface, or concentrated in cryoconite holes and cryolakes, which are accumulations of debris covered by a layer of ice for some or all of the year. The ice lid limits the penetration of photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) to the sediment layer, since the ice attenuates up to 99% of incoming radiation. This suite of field and laboratory experiments demonstrates that PAR is an important control on primary production in cryoconite and cryolake ecosystems. Increased light intensity increased efficiency of primary production in controlled laboratory incubations of debris from the surface of Joyce Glacier, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. However, when light intensity was increased to levels near that received on the ice surface, without the protection of an ice lid, efficiency decreased and measurements of photophysiology showed that the communities suffered light stress. The communities are therefore well adapted to low light levels. Comparison with Arctic cryoconite communities, which are typically not covered by an ice lid for the majority of the ablation season, showed that these organisms were also stressed by high light, so they must employ strategies to protect against photodamage. PMID:27095815

Direct and indirect effects of atmospheric conditions and soil moisture on surface energy partitioning revealed by a prolonged drought at a temperate forest site

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

Gu, Lianhong; Meyers, T. P.; Pallardy, Stephen G.

2006-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine the mechanism that controls the variation of surface energy partitioning between latent and sensible heat fluxes at a temperate deciduous forest site in central Missouri, USA. Taking advantage of multiple micrometeorological and ecophysiological measurements and a prolonged drought in the middle of the 2005 growing season at this site, we studied how soil moisture, atmospheric vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and net radiation affected surface energy partitioning. We stratified these factors to minimize potential confounding effects of correlation among them. We found that all three factors had direct effects on surface energy partitioning,more » but more important, all three factors also had crucial indirect effects. The direct effect of soil moisture was characterized by a rapid decrease in Bowen ratio with increasing soil moisture when the soil was dry and by insensitivity of Bowen ratio to variations in soil moisture when the soil was wet. However, the rate of decrease in Bowen ratio when the soil was dry and the level of soil moisture above which Bowen ratio became insensitive to changes in soil moisture depended on atmospheric conditions. The direct effect of increased net radiation was to increase Bowen ratio. The direct effect of VPD was very nonlinear: Increased VPD decreased Bowen ratio at low VPD but increased Bowen ratio at high VPD. The indirect effects were much more complicated. Reduced soil moisture weakened the influence of VPD but enhanced the influence of net adiation on surface energy partitioning. Soil moisture also controlled how net radiation influenced the relationship between surface energy partitioning and VPD and how VPD affected the relationship between surface energy partitioning and net radiation. Furthermore, both increased VPD and increased net radiation enhanced the sensitivity of Bowen ratio to changes in soil moisture and the effect of drought on surface energy partitioning. The direct and indirect effects of atmospheric conditions and soil moisture on surface energy partitioning identified in this paper provide a target for testing atmospheric general circulation models in their representation of land-atmosphere coupling.« less

In situ study on surface roughening in radiation-resistant Ag nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shang, Z.; Li, Jin; Fan, C.; Chen, Y.; Li, Q.; Wang, H.; Shen, T. D.; Zhang, X.

2018-05-01

Metallic materials subjected to heavy ion irradiation experience significant radiation damage. Free surface is a type of effective defect sinks to improve the radiation resistance in metallic materials. However, the radiation resistance of metallic nanowires (NWs) is largely unknown. Here we show, via in situ Kr ion irradiations in a transmission electron microscope, Ag NWs exhibited much better radiation resistance than coarse-grained Ag. Irradiation-induced prominent surface roughening in Ag NWs provides direct evidence for interaction between defect clusters and free surface. Diameter dependent variation of the surface roughness in irradiated Ag NWs has also been observed. This study provides insight on mechanisms of enhanced radiation resistance via free surfaces in metallic NWs.

In situ study on surface roughening in radiation-resistant Ag nanowires.

PubMed

Shang, Z; Li, Jin; Fan, C; Chen, Y; Li, Q; Wang, H; Shen, T D; Zhang, X

2018-05-25

Metallic materials subjected to heavy ion irradiation experience significant radiation damage. Free surface is a type of effective defect sinks to improve the radiation resistance in metallic materials. However, the radiation resistance of metallic nanowires (NWs) is largely unknown. Here we show, via in situ Kr ion irradiations in a transmission electron microscope, Ag NWs exhibited much better radiation resistance than coarse-grained Ag. Irradiation-induced prominent surface roughening in Ag NWs provides direct evidence for interaction between defect clusters and free surface. Diameter dependent variation of the surface roughness in irradiated Ag NWs has also been observed. This study provides insight on mechanisms of enhanced radiation resistance via free surfaces in metallic NWs.

Surface characterization of gallium nitride modified with peptides before and after exposure to ionizing radiation in solution.

PubMed

Berg, Nora G; Nolan, Michael W; Paskova, Tania; Ivanisevic, Albena

2014-12-30

An aqueous surface modification of gallium nitride was employed to attach biomolecules to the surface. The modification was a simple two-step process using a single linker molecule and mild temperatures. The presence of the peptide on the surface was confirmed with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Subsequently, the samples were placed in water baths and exposed to ionizing radiation to examine the effects of the radiation on the material in an environment similar to the body. Surface analysis confirmed degradation of the surface of GaN after radiation exposure in water; however, the peptide molecules successfully remained on the surface following exposure to ionizing radiation. We hypothesize that during radiation exposure of the samples, the radiolysis of water produces peroxide and other reactive species on the sample surface. Peroxide exposure promotes the formation of a more stable layer of gallium oxyhydroxide which passivates the surface better than other oxide species.

Relationship of surface fuels to fire radiative energy as estimated from airborne lidar and thermal infrared imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudak, A. T.; Dickinson, M. B.; Kremens, R.; Loudermilk, L.; O'Brien, J.; Satterberg, K.; Strand, E. K.; Ottmar, R. D.

2013-12-01

Longleaf pine stand structure and function are dependent on frequent fires, so fire managers maintain healthy longleaf pine ecosystems by frequently burning surface fuels with prescribed fires. Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) in the Florida panhandle boasts the largest remnant of longleaf pine forest, providing a productive setting for fire scientists to make multi-scale measurements of fuels, fire behavior, and fire effects in collaboration with Eglin AFB fire managers. Data considered in this analysis were collected in five prescribed burn units: two forested units burned in 2011 and a forested unit and two grassland units burned in 2012. Our objective was to demonstrate the linear relationship between biomass and fire energy that has been shown in the laboratory, but using two independent remotely sensed airborne datasets collected at the unit level: 1) airborne lidar flown over the burn units immediately prior to the burns, and 2) thermal infrared image time series flown over the burn units at 2-3 minute intervals. Airborne lidar point cloud data were reduced to 3 m raster metrics of surface vegetation height and cover, which were in turn used to map surface fuel loads at 3 m resolution. Plot-based measures of prefire surface fuels were used for calibration/validation. Preliminary results based on 2011 data indicate airborne lidar can explain ~30% of variation in surface fuel loads. Multi-temporal thermal infrared imagery (WASP) collected at 3 m resolution were calibrated to units of fire radiative power (FRP), using simultaneous FRP measures from ground-based radiometers, and then temporally integrated to estimate fire radiative energy (FRE) release at the unit level. Prior to AGU, FRP and FRE will be compared to estimates of the same variables derived from ground-based FLIR thermal infrared imaging cameras, each deployed with a nadir view from a tripod, at three sites per burn unit. A preliminary proof-of-concept, comparing FRE derived from a tripod-based FLIR (3.2 MW), to another FLIR deployed with an oblique view from atop a 36 m boom lift (2.1 MW), demonstrated reasonable agreement. Unit-level estimates of FRE will also be compared to estimates of surface fuel consumption (~5 Mg/ha) that were summarized at the unit level from pre- and post-fire clip plots of surface fuel biomass. At AGU, we will also compare predictions of surface fuel loads to estimates of energy release, as mapped at 3 m resolution from these independent remotely sensed data sources. These results will serve to demonstrate our ability to remotely measure and relate fuel loads to fire behavior at a landscape level.

Radiation physics and modelling for off-nadir satellite-sensing of non-Lambertian surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gerstl, S. A.; Simmer, C.

1986-01-01

The primary objective of this paper is to provide a deeper understanding of the physics of satellite remote-sensing when off-nadir observations are considered. Emphasis is placed on the analysis and modeling of atmospheric effects and the radiative transfer of non-Lambertian surface reflectance characteristics from ground-level to satellite locations. The relative importance of spectral, spatial, angular, and temporal reflectance characteristics for satellite-sensed identification of vegetation types in the visible and near-infrared wavelength regions is evaluated. The highest identification value is attributed to angular reflectance signatures. Using radiative transfer calculations to evaluate the atmospheric effects on angular reflectance distributions of vegetation surfaces, atmosphere-invariant angular reflectance features such as the 'hot spot' and the 'persistent valley' are identified. A new atmospheric correction formalism for complete angular reflectance distributions is described. A sample calculation demonstrates that a highly non-Lambertian measured surface reflectance distribution can be retrieved from simulated satellite data in the visible and near infrared to within about 20 percent accuracy for almost all view directions up to 60 deg off-nadir. Thus the high value of angular surface reflectance characteristics (the 'angular signature') for satellite-sensed feature identification is confirmed, which provides a scientific basis for future off-nadir satellite observations.

Effect of Ionizing Radiation on the Mechanical and Structural Properties of Graphite Fiber Reinforced Composites. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolf, Kay Woodroof

1982-01-01

Graphite/epoxy (T300/5208) and graphite/polyimide composites (C6000/PMR 15) were exposed to various levels of 0.5 MeV electron radiation with the maximum dose being 10,000 Mrad. A three point bending test was used to evaluate the ultimate stress and modulus of the composites. In all composites except transverse samples of C6000/PMR 15 ultimate stress values remained approximately constant or increased slightly. The modulus values remained approximately constant for all composite types regardless of the radiation level. Interfacial aspects of composites were studied. Interlaminar shear tests were performed on T300/5208 and C6000/PMR 15 composites irradiated to 10,000 Mrad. There was an initial increase in interlaminar shear strength (up to 1,000 Mrad) followed by a sharp decrease with further radiation exposure. Using scanning electron microscopy no visual differences in the mode of fracture could be detected between ruptured control samples and those exposed to various levels of radiation. Electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) revealed little change in the surface elements present in control and highly irradiated T300/5208 composite samples.

Surface wave chemical detector using optical radiation

DOEpatents

Thundat, Thomas G.; Warmack, Robert J.

2007-07-17

A surface wave chemical detector comprising at least one surface wave substrate, each of said substrates having a surface wave and at least one measurable surface wave parameter; means for exposing said surface wave substrate to an unknown sample of at least one chemical to be analyzed, said substrate adsorbing said at least one chemical to be sensed if present in said sample; a source of radiation for radiating said surface wave substrate with different wavelengths of said radiation, said surface wave parameter being changed by said adsorbing; and means for recording signals representative of said surface wave parameter of each of said surface wave substrates responsive to said radiation of said different wavelengths, measurable changes of said parameter due to adsorbing said chemical defining a unique signature of a detected chemical.

The Martian and extraterrestrial UV radiation environment--1. Biological and closed-loop ecosystem considerations.

PubMed

Cockell, C S; Andrady, A L

1999-01-01

The Martian surface is exposed to both UVC radiation (<280 nm) and higher doses of UVB (280-315 nm) compared to the surface of the Earth. Terrestrial organisms have not evolved to cope with such high levels of UVC and UVB and thus any attempts to introduce organisms to Mars, particularly in closed-loop life support systems that use ambient sunlight, must address this problem. Here we examine the UV radiation environment of Mars with respect to biological systems. Action spectra and UV surface fluxes are used to estimate the UV stress that both DNA and chloroplasts would experience. From this vantage point it is possible to consider appropriate measures to address the problem of the Martian UV environment for future long term human exploration and settlement strategies. Some prospects for improving the UV tolerance of organisms are also discussed. Existing artificial ecosystems such as Biosphere 2 can provide some insights into design strategies pertinent to high UV environments. Some prospects for improving the UV tolerance of organisms are also discussed. The data also have implications for the establishment of closed-loop ecosystems using natural sunlight on the lunar surface and elsewhere in the Solar System.

Implications of summertime marine stratocumulus on the North American climate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, John H. E.

1994-01-01

This study focuses on the effects of summertime stratocumulus over the eastern Pacific. This cloud is linked to the semi-permanent sub-tropical highs that dominate the low-level circulation over the Pacific and Atlantic. Subsidence on the eastern flank of these highs creates an inversion based about 800 m above sea level that caps moist air near the surface. This air overlies cool waters driven by upwelling along the coastal regions of North America. Strong surface north-westerlies mix the boundary layer enough to saturate the air just below the capping inversion. Widespread stratocumulus is thus formed. All calculations were carried out using the GENESIS general circulation model that was run at MSFC. Among the more important properties of the model is that it includes radiative forcing due to absorption of solar radiation and the emission of infrared radiation, interactive clouds (both stratocumulus and cumulus types), exchanges of heat and moisture with the lower boundary. Clouds are interactive in the sense that they impact the circulation by modifying the fields of radiative heating and turbulent fluxes of heat and moisture in the boundary layer. In turn, clouds are modified by the winds through the advection of moisture. In order to isolate the effects of mid- and high-latitude stratocumulus, two runs were made with the model: one with and the other without stratocumulus. The runs were made for a year, but with perpetual July conditions, i.e., solar forcing was fixed. The diurnal solar cycle, however, was allowed for. The sea surface temperature distribution was fixed in both runs to represent climatological July conditions. All dependent variables were represented at 12 surfaces of constant sigma = p/p(sub O), where p is pressure and p(sub O) is surface pressure. To facilitate analysis, model output was transformed to constant pressure surfaces. Structures no smaller in size than 7.5 degrees longitude and 4.5 degrees in latitude were resolved. Smaller features of the circulation were parameterized. The model thus captures synoptic- and planetary-scale circulation features.

Estimation of UV index in the clear-sky using OMI PROFOZ and AERONET data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, H.; Kim, J.; Jeong, U.

2016-12-01

Due to a strong influence to the human health and ecosystem environment, continuous monitoring of the surface-level ultraviolet (UV) radiation is important nowadays. UV index (UVI) is a simple parameter to show the strength of surface UV radiation, therefore UVI has been widely utilized for the purpose of UV monitoring. In this work, we also try to develop our own retrieval algorithm for better estimation of UVI. The amount of UVA (320-400 nm) and UVB (290-320 nm) radiation at the Earth surface depends on the extent of Rayleigh scattering by atmospheric gas molecules, the radiative absorption by ozone, radiative scattering by clouds, and both absorption and scattering by airborne aerosols. Thus advanced consideration of these factors is the essential part to establish the process of UVI estimation. In this study, we estimate UV Index (UVI) at Seoul first in a clear-sky atmosphere, and then validate this estimated UVI comparing to UVI from Brewer spectrophotometer measurements located at Yonsei University in Seoul. We use the Vector Linearized Discrete Ordinate Radiative Transfer (VLIDORT) model version 2.6 for our UVI calculation. To consider the ozone and aerosol influence in a real situation, we input ozone and temperature profiles from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) Aura vertical profile ozone (PROFOZ) data, and aerosol properties from the AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) measurements at Seoul into the model. Inter-comparison of UVI is performed for the year 2011, 2012 and 2014, and resulted in a high correlation coefficient (R=0.95) under clear-sky condition. But a slight overestimation of Brewer UVI occurred under high AOD conditions in clear-sky. Because our UVI algorithm does not account for surface absorbing aerosols, it is lead to systematic overestimation of surface UV irradiances. Therefore, we also investigate the effect of absorbing aerosol on the amount of UV irradiance in the clear-sky over East Asia.

Was There a Significantly Negative Anomaly of Global Land Surface Net Radiation from 2001-2006?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, S.; Jia, A.; Jiang, B.

2016-12-01

Surface net radiation, which characterizes surface energy budget, can be estimated from in-situ measurements, satellite products, model simulations, and reanalysis. Satellite products are usually validated using ground measurements to characterize their uncertainties. The surface net radiation product from the CERES (Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System) has been widely used. After validating it using extensive ground measurements, we also verified that the CERES surface net radiation product is highly accurate. When we evaluated the temporal variations of the averaged global land surface net radiation from the CERES product, we found a significantly negative anomaly starting from 2001, reaching the maximum in 2004, and gradually coming back to normal in 2006. The valley has the magnitude of approximately 3 Wm-2 centered at 2004. After comparing with the high-resolution GLASS (Global LAnd Surface Satellite) net radiation product developed at Beijing Normal University, the CMIP5 model simulations, and the ERA-Interim reanalysis dataset, we concluded that the significant decreasing pattern of land surface net radiation from 2001-2006 is an artifact mainly due to inaccurate longwave net radiation of the CERES surface net radiation product. The current ground measurement networks are not spatially dense enough to capture the false negative anomaly from the CERES product, which calls for more ground measurements.

Meteorological factors controlling year-to-year variations in the spring onset of snow melt over the Arctic sea ice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maksimovich, E.

2010-09-01

The spring onset of snow melt on the Arctic sea ice shows large inter-annual variability. Surface melt triggers positive feedback mechanisms between the albedo, snow properties and thickness, as well as sea ice thickness. Hence, it is important to quantify the factors contributing to inter-annual variability of the melt onset (MO) in various parts of the Arctic Ocean. Meteorological factors controlling surface heat budget and surface melting/freezing are the shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes and the turbulent fluxes of sensible and latent heat. These fluxes depend on the weather conditions, including the radiative impact of clouds, heat advection and wind speed. We make use of SSM/I-based MO time series (Markus, Miller and Stroeve) and the ECMWF ERA Interim reanalysis on the meteorological conditions and surface fluxes, both data sets spanning the period 1989-2008 and covering recent years with a rapid sea ice decline. The advantage is that SSM/I-based MO time series are independent of the ERA-Interim data. Our objective is to investigate if there exists a physically consistent and statistically significant relationship between MO timing and corresponding meteorological conditions. Results based on the regression analysis between the MO timing and seasonal anomalies of surface longwave radiative fluxes reveal strong relationships. Synoptic scale (3-14 days) anomalies in downward longwave radiation are essential in the Western Arctic. Regarding the longer history (20-60 days) the distinct contribution from the downward longwave radiative fluxes is captured within the whole study region. Positive anomalies in the downward longwave radiation dominate over the simultaneous negative anomalies in the downward shortwave radiation. The anomalies in downward radiative fluxes are consistent with the total column water vapor, sea level pressure and 10-m wind direction. Sensible and latent heat fluxes affect surface melt timing in the Beaufort Sea and in the Atlantic sector of the Arctic Basin. Stronger winds strengthen the relationship between the turbulent fluxes and the MO timing. The turbulent surface fluxes in spring are relatively weak, of the order of 1-10W/m2, compared to the downward shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes, which are of the order of 100-150W/m2. As soon as data uncertainties are comparable to the anomaly in turbulent fluxes, statistical relationships found between MO timing and preceding anomaly in turbulent fluxes do not necessarily prove their reasonal-causal relationship. This joint study of SSM/I-based MO record and the ERA-Interim meteorological fields region-wide with a focus on the seasonal transition demonstrates their consistency in time and space. Such result could be regarded as an important indicator that both data sets have the appropriate performance of the surface state in the Arctic Ocean. Nevertheless, an important additional effort is needed for to resolve better the cloud radiative and boundary layer turbulent processes over the sea ice.

Cavitation induced Becquerel effect.

PubMed

Prevenslik, T V

2003-06-01

The observation of an electrical current upon the ultraviolet (UV) illumination of one of a pair of identical electrodes in liquid water, called the Becquerel effect, was made over 150 years ago. More recently, an electrical current was found if the water surrounding one electrode was made to cavitate by focused acoustic radiation, the phenomenon called the cavitation induced Becquerel effect. Since cavitation is known to produce UV light, the electrode may simply absorb the UV light and produce the current by the photo-emission theory of photoelectrochemistry. But the current was found to be semi-logarithmic with the standard electrode potential which is characteristic of the oxidation of the electrode surface in the photo-decomposition theory, and not the photo-emission theory. High bubble collapse temperatures may oxidize the electrode, but this is unlikely because melting was not observed on the electrode surfaces. At ambient temperature, oxidation may proceed by chemical reaction provided a source of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation is available to produce the excited OH* states of water to react with the electrode. The source of VUV radiation is shown to be the spontaneous emission of coherent infrared (IR) radiation from water molecules in particles that form in bubbles because of surface tension, the spontaneous IR emission induced by cavity quantum electrodynamics. The excited OH* states are produced as the IR radiation accumulates to VUV levels in the bubble wall molecules.

Mars science laboratory radiation assessment detector (MSL/RAD) modeling workshop proceedings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassler, Donald M.; Norbury, John W.; Reitz, Günther

2017-08-01

The Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) (Hassler et al., 2012; Zeitlin et al., 2016) onboard the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover (Grotzinger et al., 2012) is a sophisticated charged and neutral particle radiation analyzer developed by an international team of scientists and engineers from Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado as the leading institution, the University of Kiel and the German Aerospace Center in Cologne, Germany. RAD is a compact, powerful instrument capable of distinguishing between ionizing particles and neutral particles and providing neutron, gamma, and charged particle spectra from protons to iron as well as absorbed dose measurements in tissue-equivalent material. During the 6 month cruise to Mars, inside the MSL spacecraft, RAD served as a proxy to validate models of the radiation levels expected inside a spacecraft that future astronauts might experience (Zeitlin et al., 2013). RAD was turned on one day after the landing on August 7, 2012, exactly 100 years to the day after the discovery of cosmic rays on Earth by Victor Hess. These measurements are the first of their kind on the surface of another planet (Hassler et al., 2014), and the radiation data collected by RAD on the surface of Mars will inform projections of crew health risks and the design of protective surface habitats and other countermeasures for future human missions in the coming decades.

Multiwavelength pyrometer for gray and non-gray surfaces in the presence of interfering radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ng, Daniel L. P. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

A method and apparatus for detecting the temperature of gray and non-gray bodies in the presence of interfering radiation are presented. A gray body has a constant emissivity less than 1 and a non-gray body has an emissivity which varies with wavelength. The emissivity and reflectivity of the surface is determined over a range of wavelengths. Spectra are also measured of the extraneous interference radiation source and the surface of the object to be measured in the presence of the extraneous interference radiation source. An auxiliary radiation source is used to determine the reflectivity of the surface and also the emissivity. The measured spectrum of the surfaces in the presence of the extraneous interference radiation source is set equal to the emissivity of the surface multiplied by a Planck function containing a temperature term T plus the surface reflectivity multiplied by the spectrum of the extraneous interference radiation source. The equation is then solved for T to determine the temperature of the surface.

Couplings between the seasonal cycles of surface thermodynamics and radiative fluxes in the semi-arid Sahel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guichard, F.; Kergoat, L.; Mougin, E.; Timouk, F.; Bock, O.; Hiernaux, P.

2009-04-01

A good knowledge of surface fluxes and atmospheric low levels is central to improving our understanding of the West African monsoon. This study provides a quantitative analysis of the peculiar seasonal and diurnal cycles of surface thermodynamics and radiative fluxes encountered in Central Sahel. It is based on a multi-year dataset collected in the Malian Gourma over a sandy soil at 1.5°W-15.3°N (a site referred to as Agoufou) with an automated weather station and a sunphotometer (AERONET), complemented by observations from the AMMA field campaign. The seasonal cycle of this Tropical region is characterized by a broad maximum of temperature in May, following the first minimum of the solar zenith angle by a few weeks, when Agoufou lies within the West African Heat-Low, and a late summer maximum of equivalent potential temperature within the core of the monsoon season, around the second yearly maximum of solar zenith angle, as the temperature reaches its Summer minimum. More broadly, subtle balances between surface air temperature and moisture fields are found on a range of scales. For instance, during the monsoon, apart from August, their opposite daytime fluctuations (warming, drying) lead to an almost flat diurnal cycle of the equivalent potential temperature at the surface. This feature stands out in contrast to other more humid continental regions. Here, the strong dynamics associated with the transition from a drier hot Spring to a brief cooler wet tropical Summer climate involves very large transformations of the diurnal cycles. The Summer increase of surface net radiation, Rnet, is also strong; typically 10-day mean Rnet reaches about 5 times its Winter minimum (~30 W.m-2) in August (~150 W.m-2). A major feature revealed by observations is that this increase is mostly driven by modifications of the surface upwelling fluxes shaped by rainfall events and vegetation phenology (surface cooling and darkening), while the direct impact of atmospheric changes on the total incoming radiation is limited to shorter time scales in Summer over this Central Sahelian location. However, observations also reveal astonishing radiative signatures of the monsoon on the surface incoming radiative flux. The incoming longwave flux does not reach its maximum during the monsoon season when the atmosphere is the most cloudy and humid, but earlier, prior to the onset of rainfall, as the dry and warmer atmosphere suddenly becomes moist. This feature points to the significance of the atmospheric cooling during the monsoon season and of the aerosol amounts in Spring. It also reveals that prior to the rainfall onset, the monsoon flow plays a major role on the diurnal cycle of the low-level temperature, due to its radiative properties. Conversely, the incoming solar radiation at the surface increases slightly from late Spring to the core monsoon season even though the atmosphere becomes moister and cloudier; this again involves the high aerosol optical thickness prevailing in late Spring and early Summer against a weaker shortwave forcing by monsoon clouds. The climatological combination of thermodynamic and radiative variations taking place during the monsoon eventually leads to a positive correlation between the equivalent potential temperature and Rnet. This correlation is, in turn, broadly consistent with an overall positive soil moisture rainfall feedback at this scale. Beyond these Sahelian-specific features, and in agreement with some previous studies, strong links are found between the atmospheric humidity and the net longwave flux, LWnet at the surface all year long, even across the much lower humidity ranges encountered in this region. They point to, and locally quantify the major control of water vapour and water-related processes on the surface-atmosphere thermal coupling as measured by LWnet. Namely, they are found to be more tightly coupled (LWnet closer to 0) when the atmosphere is moister and cloudier. Observational results such as presented here provide valuable ground truth for assessing models over a continental area displaying a challenging variety of surface-atmosphere regimes throughout the year, from a desert-like to a rainy tropical-like climate during the core of the monsoon. Indeed, the mechanisms emphasized by these data do not all comply to existing conceptual schemes.

Radiation effects on MOS devices - dosimetry, annealing, irradiation sequence, and sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stassinopoulos, E. G.; Brucker, G. J.; Van Gunten, O.; Knudson, A. R.; Jordan, T. M.

1983-01-01

This paper reports on some investigations of dosimetry, annealing, irradiation sequences, and radioactive sources, involved in the determination of radiation effects on MOS devices. Results show that agreement in the experimental and theoretical surface to average doses support the use of thermo-luminescent dosimeters (manganese activated calcium fluoride) in specifying the surface dose delivered to thin gate insulators of MOS devices. Annealing measurements indicate the existence of at least two energy levels,,s or a activation energies, for recovery of soft oxide MOS devices after irradiation by electrons, protons, and gammas. Damage sensitivities of MOS devices were found to be independent of combinations and sequences of radiation type or energies. Comparison of various gamma sources indicated a small dependence of damage sensitivity on the Cobalt facility, but a more significant dependence in the case of the Cesium source. These results were attributed to differences in the spectral content of the several sources.

Constraints on the Early Terrestrial Surface UV Environment Relevant to Prebiotic Chemistry.

PubMed

Ranjan, Sukrit; Sasselov, Dimitar D

2017-03-01

The UV environment is a key boundary condition to abiogenesis. However, considerable uncertainty exists as to planetary conditions and hence surface UV at abiogenesis. Here, we present two-stream multilayer clear-sky calculations of the UV surface radiance on Earth at 3.9 Ga to constrain the UV surface fluence as a function of albedo, solar zenith angle (SZA), and atmospheric composition. Variation in albedo and latitude (through SZA) can affect maximum photoreaction rates by a factor of >10.4; for the same atmosphere, photoreactions can proceed an order of magnitude faster at the equator of a snowball Earth than at the poles of a warmer world. Hence, surface conditions are important considerations when computing prebiotic UV fluences. For climatically reasonable levels of CO 2 , fluence shortward of 189 nm is screened out, meaning that prebiotic chemistry is robustly shielded from variations in UV fluence due to solar flares or variability. Strong shielding from CO 2 also means that the UV surface fluence is insensitive to plausible levels of CH 4 , O 2 , and O 3 . At scattering wavelengths, UV fluence drops off comparatively slowly with increasing CO 2 levels. However, if SO 2 and/or H 2 S can build up to the ≥1-100 ppm level as hypothesized by some workers, then they can dramatically suppress surface fluence and hence prebiotic photoprocesses. H 2 O is a robust UV shield for λ < 198 nm. This means that regardless of the levels of other atmospheric gases, fluence ≲198 nm is only available for cold, dry atmospheres, meaning sources with emission ≲198 (e.g., ArF excimer lasers) can only be used in simulations of cold environments with low abundance of volcanogenic gases. On the other hand, fluence at 254 nm is unshielded by H 2 O and is available across a broad range of [Formula: see text], meaning that mercury lamps are suitable for initial studies regardless of the uncertainty in primordial H 2 O and CO 2 levels. Key Words: Radiative transfer-Origin of life-Planetary environments-UV radiation-Prebiotic chemistry. Astrobiology 17, 169-204.

Effect of X-ray flux on polytetrafluoroethylene in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wheeler, D. R.; Pepper, S. V.

1982-01-01

The effect of the X-ray flux in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (STAT) on the constitution of the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) surface has been examined. The radiation dose rate for our specimen was about 10 to the 7th rad/s. The structure, magnitude and binding energy of the C(1s) and F(1s) features of the XPS spectrum and the mass spectrum of gaseous species evolved during irradiation are observed. The strong time dependence of these signals over a period of several hours indicated that the surface constitution of PTFE is greatly affected by this level of radiation dose. The results are consistent with the development of a heavily cross-linked or branched structure in the PTFE surface region and the evolution of short chain fragments into the gas phase.

Interactions of arctic clouds, radiation, and sea ice in present-day and future climates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burt, Melissa Ann

The Arctic climate system involves complex interactions among the atmosphere, land surface, and the sea-ice-covered Arctic Ocean. Observed changes in the Arctic have emerged and projected climate trends are of significant concern. Surface warming over the last few decades is nearly double that of the entire Earth. Reduced sea-ice extent and volume, changes to ecosystems, and melting permafrost are some examples of noticeable changes in the region. This work is aimed at improving our understanding of how Arctic clouds interact with, and influence, the surface budget, how clouds influence the distribution of sea ice, and the role of downwelling longwave radiation (DLR) in climate change. In the first half of this study, we explore the roles of sea-ice thickness and downwelling longwave radiation in Arctic amplification. As the Arctic sea ice thins and ultimately disappears in a warming climate, its insulating power decreases. This causes the surface air temperature to approach the temperature of the relatively warm ocean water below the ice. The resulting increases in air temperature, water vapor and cloudiness lead to an increase in the surface downwelling longwave radiation, which enables a further thinning of the ice. This positive ice-insulation feedback operates mainly in the autumn and winter. A climate-change simulation with the Community Earth System Model shows that, averaged over the year, the increase in Arctic DLR is three times stronger than the increase in Arctic absorbed solar radiation at the surface. The warming of the surface air over the Arctic Ocean during fall and winter creates a strong thermal contrast with the colder surrounding continents. Sea-level pressure falls over the Arctic Ocean and the high-latitude circulation reorganizes into a shallow "winter monsoon." The resulting increase in surface wind speed promotes stronger surface evaporation and higher humidity over portions of the Arctic Ocean, thus reinforcing the ice-insulation feedback. In the second half of this study, we explore the effects of super-parameterization on the Arctic climate by evaluating a number of key atmospheric characteristics that strongly influence the regional and global climate. One aspect in particular that we examine is the occurrence of Arctic weather states. Observations show that during winter the Arctic exhibits two preferred and persistent states --- a radiatively clear and an opaquely cloudy state. These distinct regimes are influenced by the phase of the clouds and affect the surface radiative fluxes. We explore the radiative and microphysical effects of these Arctic clouds and the influence on these regimes in two present-day climate simulations. We compare simulations performed with the Community Earth System Model, and its super-parameterized counterpart (SP-CESM). We find that the SP-CESM is able to better reproduce both of the preferred winter states, compared to CESM, and has an overall more realistic representation of the Arctic climate.

The Enceladus Ionizing Radiation Environment: Implications for Biomolecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teodoro, L. A.; Elphic, R. C.; Davila, A. F.; McKay, C.; Dartnell, L.

2016-12-01

Enceladus' subsurface ocean is a possible abode for life, but it is inaccessible with current technology. However, icy particles and vapor are being expelled into space through surface fractures known as Tiger Stripes, forming a large plume centered in the South Polar Terrains. Direct chemical analyses by Cassini have revealed salts and organic compounds in a significant fraction of plume particles, which suggests that the subsurface ocean is the main source of materials in the plume (i.e. frozen ocean spray). While smaller icy particles in the plume reach escape velocity and feed Saturn's E-ring, larger particles fall back on the moon's surface, where they accumulate as icy mantling deposits at practically all latitudes. The organic content of these fall-out materials could be of great astrobiological relevance. Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs) that strike both Enceladus' surface and the lofted icy particles produce ionizing radiation in the form of high-energy electrons, protons, gamma rays, neutrons and muons. An additional source of ionizing radiation is the population of energetic charged particles in Saturn's magnetosphere. The effects of ionizing radiation in matter always involve the destruction of chemical bonds and the creation of free radicals. Both affect organic matter, and can damage or destroy biomarkers over time. Using ionizing radiation transport codes, we recreated the radiation environment on the surface of Enceladus, and evaluated its possible effects on organic matter (including biomarkers) in the icy mantling deposits. Here, we present full Monte-Carlo simulations of the nuclear reactions induced by the GCRs hitting Enceladus's surface using a code based on the GEANT-4 toolkit for the transport of particles. To model the GCR primary spectra for Z= 1-26 (protons to iron nuclei) we assumed the CREAME96 model under solar minimum, modified to take into account Enceladus' location. We considered bulk compositions of: i) pure water ice, ii) water ice and organics (1-10%), and iii) water ice, organics and salts (up to 2%). The computed flux of ionizing radiation is converted into dosage at the molecular level using a "biologically-weighted" scheme, which provides an estimate of the biomarkers' survival time.

Climatic data for Mirror Lake, West Thornton, New Hampshire, 1984

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sturrock, A.M.; Buso, D.C.; Scarborough, J.L.; Winter, T.C.

1986-01-01

Research on the hydrology of Mirror lake, (north-central) New Hampshire includes study of evaporation. Presented here are those climatic data needed for energy-budget and mass-transfer studies, including: temperature of lake water surface; dry-bulb and wet-bulb air temperatures; wind speed at 3 levels above the water surface; and solar and atmospheric radiation. Data are collected at raft and land stations. (USGS)

A mechanistic model of environmental oxygen influence on the deterministic effects to human skin from space radiations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores-McLaughlin, John

During human spaceflight missions, controlled variation of atmospheric pressure and oxygen concentration from a sea-level based normal to hyperoxic levels may occur as part of operational procedure. This activity is of interest because it provides the relevant radiation exposure and dynamic oxygen concentration parameters that may lead to varying radiation sensitivity in the skin and other organs. Tumor hypoxia has been indicated as a primary factor in the decrease in efficacy of radiation therapy. These oxygen concentration effects have been largely demonstrated with low-LET radiations and to a lesser degree with high-LET primary radiations such as protons and heavy ions common in space exposure. In order to analyze the variation of oxygen concentration in human skin from spaceflight activities, a mathematical model of oxygen transport through the human cardiorespiratory system with pulmonary and cutaneous intake was implemented. Oxygen concentration was simulated at the various skin layers, from dermis to epidermis. Skin surface radiation doses and spectra from relatively high flux Solar Particle Events (SPEs) were calculated by the PHITS radiation transport code over a range of spacecraft and spacesuit thicknesses in terms of aluminum equivalence. A series of anatomical skin and shielding thicknesses were chosen to encompass the scope of radiation exposure levels as indicated by existing NASA skin phantom studies. To model the influence of oxygen with radiation exposure, microdosimetric oxygen fixation simulations were implemented using the Monte-Carlo-Damage-Simulation (MCDS) code. From these outputs, occurrence of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) and relative biological effect (RBE) from radiation exposure with oxygen concentration dependence was established and correlated to spaceflight activities. It was determined that minimal but observable oxygen concentration transients occur in skin during environmental oxygen changes in spaceflight. The most significant transients occurred in the thickest epidermal layers with relatively high amounts of diffusion. Accordingly, these thickest epidermal layers also showed the greatest spaceflight induced transients of RBE relative to sea-level based atmosphere exposures.

Smart, passive sun facing surfaces

DOEpatents

Hively, Lee M.

1996-01-01

An article adapted for selectively utilizing solar radiation comprises an absorptive surface and a reflective surface, the absorptive surface and the reflective surface oriented to absorb solar radiation when the sun is in a relatively low position, and to reflect solar radiation when the sun is in a relatively high position.

Smart, passive sun facing surfaces

DOEpatents

Hively, L.M.

1996-04-30

An article adapted for selectively utilizing solar radiation comprises an absorptive surface and a reflective surface, the absorptive surface and the reflective surface oriented to absorb solar radiation when the sun is in a relatively low position, and to reflect solar radiation when the sun is in a relatively high position. 17 figs.

How much can Greenland melt? An upper bound on mass loss from the Greenland Ice Sheet through surface melting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, X.; Bassis, J. N.

2015-12-01

With observations showing accelerated mass loss from the Greenland Ice Sheet due to surface melt, the Greenland Ice Sheet is becoming one of the most significant contributors to sea level rise. The contribution of the Greenland Ice Sheet o sea level rise is likely to accelerate in the coming decade and centuries as atmospheric temperatures continue to rise, potentially triggering ever larger surface melt rates. However, at present considerable uncertainty remains in projecting the contribution to sea level of the Greenland Ice Sheet both due to uncertainty in atmospheric forcing and the ice sheet response to climate forcing. Here we seek an upper bound on the contribution of surface melt from the Greenland to sea level rise in the coming century using a surface energy balance model coupled to an englacial model. We use IPCC Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP8.5, RCP6, RCP4.5, RCP2.6) climate scenarios from an ensemble of global climate models in our simulations to project the maximum rate of ice volume loss and related sea-level rise associated with surface melting. To estimate the upper bound, we assume the Greenland Ice Sheet is perpetually covered in thick clouds, which maximize longwave radiation to the ice sheet. We further assume that deposition of black carbon darkens the ice substantially turning it nearly black, substantially reducing its albedo. Although assuming that all melt water not stored in the snow/firn is instantaneously transported off the ice sheet increases mass loss in the short term, refreezing of retained water warms the ice and may lead to more melt in the long term. Hence we examine both assumptions and use the scenario that leads to the most surface melt by 2100. Preliminary models results suggest that under the most aggressive climate forcing, surface melt from the Greenland Ice Sheet contributes ~1 m to sea level by the year 2100. This is a significant contribution and ignores dynamic effects. We also examined a lower bound, assuming negligible longwave radiation and albedo near the maximum observed for freshly fallen snow. Even under this scenarios preliminary estimates suggest tens of centimeters of sea level rise by 2100.

Space Weather and the Ground-Level Solar Proton Events of the 23rd Solar Cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shea, M. A.; Smart, D. F.

2012-10-01

Solar proton events can adversely affect space and ground-based systems. Ground-level events are a subset of solar proton events that have a harder spectrum than average solar proton events and are detectable on Earth's surface by cosmic radiation ionization chambers, muon detectors, and neutron monitors. This paper summarizes the space weather effects associated with ground-level solar proton events during the 23rd solar cycle. These effects include communication and navigation systems, spacecraft electronics and operations, space power systems, manned space missions, and commercial aircraft operations. The major effect of ground-level events that affect manned spacecraft operations is increased radiation exposure. The primary effect on commercial aircraft operations is the loss of high frequency communication and, at extreme polar latitudes, an increase in the radiation exposure above that experienced from the background galactic cosmic radiation. Calculations of the maximum potential aircraft polar route exposure for each ground-level event of the 23rd solar cycle are presented. The space weather effects in October and November 2003 are highlighted together with on-going efforts to utilize cosmic ray neutron monitors to predict high energy solar proton events, thus providing an alert so that system operators can possibly make adjustments to vulnerable spacecraft operations and polar aircraft routes.

Refining surface net radiation estimates in arid and semi-arid climates of Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golkar, Foroogh; Rossow, William B.; Sabziparvar, Ali Akbar

2018-06-01

Although the downwelling fluxes exhibit space-time scales of dependency on characteristic of atmospheric variations, especially clouds, the upward fluxes and, hence the net radiation, depends on the variation of surface properties, particularly surface skin temperature and albedo. Evapotranspiration at the land surface depends on the properties of that surface and is determined primarily by the net surface radiation, mostly absorbed solar radiation. Thus, relatively high spatial resolution net radiation data are needed for evapotranspiration studies. Moreover, in more arid environments, the diurnal variations of surface (air and skin) temperature can be large so relatively high (sub-daily) time resolution net radiation is also needed. There are a variety of radiation and surface property products available but they differ in accuracy, space-time resolution and information content. This situation motivated the current study to evaluate multiple sources of information to obtain the best net radiation estimate with the highest space-time resolution from ISCCP FD dataset. This study investigates the accuracy of the ISCCP FD and AIRS surface air and skin temperatures, as well as the ISCCP FD and MODIS surface albedos and aerosol optical depths as the leading source of uncertainty in ISCCP FD dataset. The surface air temperatures, 10-cm soil temperatures and surface solar insolation from a number of surface sites are used to judge the best combinations of data products, especially on clear days. The corresponding surface skin temperatures in ISCCP FD, although they are known to be biased somewhat high, disagreed more with AIRS measurements because of the mismatch of spatial resolutions. The effect of spatial resolution on the comparisons was confirmed using the even higher resolution MODIS surface skin temperature values. The agreement of ISCCP FD surface solar insolation with surface measurements is good (within 2.4-9.1%), but the use of MODIS aerosol optical depths as an alternative was checked and found to not improve the agreement. The MODIS surface albedos differed from the ISCCP FD values by no more than 0.02-0.07, but because these differences are mostly at longer wavelengths, they did not change the net solar radiation very much. Therefore to obtain the best estimate of surface net radiation with the best combination of spatial and temporal resolution, we developed a method to adjust the ISCCP FD surface longwave fluxes using the AIRS surface air and skin temperatures to obtain the higher spatial resolution of the latter (45 km), while retaining the 3-h time intervals of the former. Overall, the refinements reduced the ISCCP FD longwave flux magnitudes by about 25.5-42.1 W/m2 RMS (maximum difference -27.5 W/m2 for incoming longwave radiation and -59 W/m2 for outgoing longwave radiation) with the largest differences occurring at 9:00 and 12:00 UTC near local noon. Combining the ISCCP FD net shortwave radiation data and the AIRS-modified net longwave radiation data changed the total net radiation for summertime by 4.64 to 61.5 W/m2 and for wintertime by 1.06 to 41.88 W/m2 (about 11.1-39.2% of the daily mean).

An Overview of the Naval Research Laboratory Ocean Surface Flux (NFLUX) System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

May, J. C.; Rowley, C. D.; Barron, C. N.

2016-02-01

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) ocean surface flux (NFLUX) system is an end-to-end data processing and assimilation system used to provide near-real time satellite-based surface heat flux fields over the global ocean. Swath-level air temperature (TA), specific humidity (QA), and wind speed (WS) estimates are produced using multiple polynomial regression algorithms with inputs from satellite sensor data records from the Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder, the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A, the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder, and the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-2 sensors. Swath-level WS estimates are also retrieved from satellite environmental data records from WindSat, the MetOp scatterometers, and the Oceansat scatterometer. Swath-level solar and longwave radiative flux estimates are produced utilizing the Rapid Radiative Transfer Model for Global Circulation Models (RRTMG). Primary inputs to the RRTMG include temperature and moisture profiles and cloud liquid and ice water paths from the Microwave Integrated Retrieval System. All swath-level satellite estimates undergo an automated quality control process and are then assimilated with atmospheric model forecasts to produce 3-hourly gridded analysis fields. The turbulent heat flux fields, latent and sensible heat flux, are determined from the Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Response Experiment (COARE) 3.0 bulk algorithms using inputs of TA, QA, WS, and a sea surface temperature model field. Quality-controlled in situ observations over a one-year time period from May 2013 through April 2014 form the reference for validating ocean surface state parameter and heat flux fields. The NFLUX fields are evaluated alongside the Navy's operational global atmospheric model, the Navy Global Environmental Model (NAVGEM). NFLUX is shown to have smaller biases and lower or similar root mean square errors compared to NAVGEM.

Cirrus clouds properties derived from polarized micro pulse lidar (p-mpl) observations at the atmospheric observatory `el arenosillo' (sw iberian peninsula): a case study for radiative implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Águila, Ana del; Gómez, Laura; Vilaplana, José Manuel; Sorribas, Mar; Córdoba-Jabonero, Carmen

2018-04-01

Cirrus (Ci) clouds are involved in Climate Change concerns since they affect the radiative balance of the atmosphere. Recently, a polarized Micro Pulse Lidar (P-MPL), standard system within NASA/MPLNET has been deployed at the INTA/Atmospheric Observatory `El Arenosillo' (ARN), located in the SW Iberian Peninsula. Hence, the INTA/P-MPL system is used for Ci detection over that station for the first time. Radiative effects of a Ci case observed over ARN are examined, as reference for future long-term Ci observations. Optical and macrophysical properties are retrieved, and used for radiative transfer simulations. Data are compared to the measured surface radiation levels and all-sky images simultaneously performed at the ARN station.

Atmospheric expansion in runaway greenhouse atmospheres: the inner edge of the habitable zone depends on planet mass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldblatt, C.; Zahnle, K. J.

2014-12-01

As a wet planet becomes hot, evaporation of the ocean provides a thick steam atmosphere. As the atmosphere thickens, the level at which optical depth is unity (whence radiative emission and absorption dominantly occur) rises into the atmosphere, first for thermal wavelengths and later for solar wavelengths. Consequently, two radiation limits emerge. First, an asymptotic limit on the thermal radiation, as the level at which thermal emission occurs tends towards a fixed temperature, decoupled from surface temperature. Next, a limit the albedo of the planet, as all incoming sunlight is either reflected or absorbed in the atmosphere and almost none reaches the surface. A runaway greenhouse occurs when the product of co-albedo and area-averaged incoming sunlight exceeds the thermal radiation limit. Earth today is perilously close to this [1].Returning to the first sentence, we generate a thick atmosphere: the height of optical depth of unity becomes a non-trivial fraction of the planetary radius. Hence the area of the absorbing and emitting surfaces increase. Thermal emission wins slightly, as this occurs higher, increasing thermal emission in all cases. The underlying tendency is for a larger thermal limit for heavier planets due to pressure effects, making these appear more resistant to a runaway. However, atmospheric expansion affects light planets more, making these seem much more resilient. The least resilient planet would be between Mars-size and Venus-size (Figure 1). It would be foolish to regard small planets as habitable. As the atmospheres become large, so does the problem of atmospheric escape. Theoretical considerations show hydrodynamic escape to happen disastrously for a Europa-size planet. The observation is that Mars is too feeble to hold on to any hefty atmosphere, even far from the Sun as it is, is probably relevant too. The take home points for habitable zone nerds are: (1) planet size matters (2) for small planets, atmospheric escape from a "moist greenhouse" state, with habitable surface temperatures, is the mortal wound. [1] Goldblatt, C., Robinson, T.D., Zahnle, K.J. & Crisp, D., Low simulated radiation limit for runaway greenhouse climates, Nat. Geosci, 6, 661-667, doi:10.1038/NGEO1892

The formation of ice sails

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fowler, A. C.; Mayer, C.

2017-11-01

Debris-covered glaciers are prone to the formation of a number of supraglacial geomorphological features, and generally speaking, their upper surfaces are far from level surfaces. Some of these features are due to radiation screening or enhancing properties of the debris cover, but theoretical explanations of the consequent surface forms are in their infancy. In this paper we consider a theoretical model for the formation of "ice sails", which are regularly spaced bare ice features which are found on debris-covered glaciers in the Karakoram.

Cellular and Molecular Level Responses After Radiofrequency Radiation Exposure, Alone or in Combination with X-rays or Chemicals

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-07-27

cell surface marker CD22 , which plays a role in early B-cell activation, is present within the cytoplasm of all B- cells, but expressed only on the...surface of a subpopulation of those cells. CD22 is an activation receptor associated with cell proliferation of small resting B-cells, and acts as an...adhesion molecule mediating the binding of B-cells to other hematopoietic cells (Stamenkovic & Seed, 1990). The CD22 surface glycoprotein is the putative

Some observations on the greenhouse effect at the Earth's surface.

PubMed

Akitt, J W

2018-01-05

It is shown that the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and water vapour reflect back to the surface, all IR radiation originating at the surface within their respective spectral bands. This reflection occurs in a very thin layer at the surface, not much over 12cm in thickness. Heat is lost from the surface by heat exchange with the atmosphere and by loss of radiation. About 52% of radiation leaves the surface in two principal window regions but this is not enough to account for the earth's equilibrium temperature. This window radiation seems to disappear quite quickly and is replaced by black body radiation. It is this which eventually contributes to the earth's radiation balance, and has to originate approximately between 40 and 50km altitude where the temperature is about correct, near 255K. Doubling the CO 2 concentration increases the surface temperature by about 0.9°C and this need not have any influence higher up in the atmosphere. The surface temperature seems indeed to have no direct influence on the earth's external radiation balance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Some observations on the greenhouse effect at the Earth's surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akitt, J. W.

2018-01-01

It is shown that the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and water vapour reflect back to the surface, all IR radiation originating at the surface within their respective spectral bands. This reflection occurs in a very thin layer at the surface, not much over 12 cm in thickness. Heat is lost from the surface by heat exchange with the atmosphere and by loss of radiation. About 52% of radiation leaves the surface in two principal window regions but this is not enough to account for the earth's equilibrium temperature. This window radiation seems to disappear quite quickly and is replaced by black body radiation. It is this which eventually contributes to the earth's radiation balance, and has to originate approximately between 40 and 50 km altitude where the temperature is about correct, near 255 K. Doubling the CO2 concentration increases the surface temperature by about 0.9 °C and this need not have any influence higher up in the atmosphere. The surface temperature seems indeed to have no direct influence on the earth's external radiation balance.

Ultraviolet and visible radiation at Barrow, Alaska: Climatology and influencing factors on the basis of version 2 National Science Foundation network data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernhard, Germar; Booth, Charles R.; Ehramjian, James C.; Stone, Robert; Dutton, Ellsworth G.

2007-05-01

Spectral ultraviolet (UV) and visible irradiance has been measured near Barrow, Alaska (71°N, 157°W), between 1991 and 2005 with a SUV-100 spectroradiometer. The instrument is part of the U.S. National Science Foundation's UV Monitoring Network. Here we present results based on the recently produced "version 2" data release, which supersedes published "version 0" data. Cosine error and wavelength-shift corrections applied to the new version increased biologically effective UV dose rates by 0-10%. Corrected clear-sky measurements of different years are typically consistent to within ±3%. Measurements were complemented with radiative transfer model calculations to retrieve total ozone and surface albedo from measured spectra and for the separation of the different factors influencing UV and visible radiation. A climatology of UV and visible radiation was established, focusing on annual cycles, trends, and the effect of clouds. During several episodes in spring of abnormally low total ozone, the daily UV dose at 305 nm exceeded the climatological mean by up to a factor of 2.6. Typical noontime UV Indices during summer vary between 2 and 4; the highest UV Index measured was 5.0 and occurred when surface albedo was unusually high. Radiation levels in the UV-A and visible exhibit a strong spring-autumn asymmetry. Irradiance at 345 nm peaks on approximately 20 May, 1 month before the solstice. This asymmetry is caused by increased cloudiness in autumn and high albedo in spring, when the snow covered surface enhances downwelling UV irradiance by up to 57%. Clouds reduce UV radiation at 345 nm on average by 4% in March and by more than 40% in August. Aerosols reduce UV by typically 5%, but larger reductions were observed during Arctic haze events. Stratospheric aerosols from the Pinatubo eruption in 1991 enhanced spectral irradiance at 305 nm for large solar zenith angles. The year-to-year variations of spectral irradiance at 305 nm and of the UV Index are mostly caused by variations in total ozone and cloudiness. Changes in surface albedo that may occur in the future can have a marked impact on UV levels between May and July. No statistically significant trends in monthly mean noontime irradiance were found.

An accurate laser radiometer for determining visible exposure times.

PubMed

Royston, D D

1985-01-01

A laser light radiometer has been developed for the Electro-Optics Branch of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). The radiometer measures direct laser radiation emitted in the visible spectrum. Based upon this measurement, the instrument's microprocessor automatically determines at what time duration the exposure to the measured laser radiation would exceed either the class I accessible emission limits of the Federal Performance Standard for laser products or the maximum permissible exposure limits of laser user safety standards. The instrument also features automatic background level compensation, pulse measurement capability, and self-diagnosis. Measurement of forward surface illumination levels preceding HpD photoradiation therapy is possible.

10 CFR 835.1101 - Control of material and equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

....1101 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OCCUPATIONAL RADIATION PROTECTION Radioactive Contamination Control... section, material and equipment in contamination areas, high contamination areas, and airborne radioactivity areas shall not be released to a controlled area if: (1) Removable surface contamination levels on...

Investigation of low leakage current radiation detectors on n-type 4H-SiC epitaxial layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Khai V.; Chaudhuri, Sandeep K.; Mandal, Krishna C.

2014-09-01

The surface leakage current of high-resolution 4H-SiC epitaxial layer Schottky barrier detectors has been improved significantly after surface passivations of 4H-SiC epitaxial layers. Thin (nanometer range) layers of silicon dioxide (SiO2) and silicon nitride (Si3N4) were deposited on 4H-SiC epitaxial layers using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) on 20 μm thick n-type 4H-SiC epitaxial layers followed by the fabrication of large area (~12 mm2) Schottky barrier radiation detectors. The fabricated detectors have been characterized through current-voltage (I-V), capacitance-voltage (C-V), and alpha pulse height spectroscopy measurements; the results were compared with that of detectors fabricated without surface passivations. Improved energy resolution of ~ 0.4% for 5486 keV alpha particles was observed after passivation, and it was found that the performance of these detectors were limited by the presence of macroscopic and microscopic crystal defects affecting the charge transport properties adversely. Capacitance mode deep level transient studies (DLTS) revealed the presence of a titanium impurity related shallow level defects (Ec-0.19 eV), and two deep level defects identified as Z1/2 and Ci1 located at Ec-0.62 and ~ Ec-1.40 eV respectively.

[Ecological and economic approaches to removing radioactively dangerous objects from service].

PubMed

Korenkov, I P; Lashchenova, T N; Neveĭkin, P P; Shandala, N K; Veselov, E I; Maksimova, O A

2011-01-01

The paper considers major ecological and economic problems when removing radiation dangerous objects from service and rehabilitating the areas, which require their solution: the absence of specific guidelines for ranking the contaminated lands exposed to radioactive and chemical pollution from the potential risk to the population and environment; no clear criteria for ceasing area rehabilitation works; radiation exposure levels for the population living in the areas after rehabilitation; allowable levels of residual specific activity, and levels of heavy metals in soil, surface and underground water and bed sediment. The cost such works is the most important and decisive problem. A decision-making algorithm consisting of three main blocks: organizational-technical, engineering, geological and medicoecological measures is proposed to solve managerial, economic, and scientific problems.

State-specific enhancement of Cl+ and Cl- desorption for SiCl4 adsorbed on a Si(100) surface following Cl 2 p and Si 2 p core-level excitations.

PubMed

Chen, J M; Lu, K T

2001-04-02

State-specific desorption for SiCl4 adsorbed on a Si(100) surface at approximately 90 K with variable coverage following the Cl 2p and Si 2p core-level excitations has been investigated using synchrotron radiation. The Cl+ yields show a significant enhancement following the Cl 2p-->8a*1 excitation. The Cl- yields are notably enhanced at the 8a*1 resonance at both Cl 2p and Si 2p edges. The enhancement of the Cl- yield occurs through the formation of highly excited states of the adsorbed molecules. These results provide some new dissociation processes from adsorbates on surfaces via core-level excitation.

Changing Surface-Atmosphere Energy Exchange and Refreezing Capacity of the Lower Accumulation Area, West Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charalampidis, C.; van As, D.; Machguth, H.; Smeets, P.; van den Broeke, M. R.; Box, J. E.

2014-12-01

We present five years (2009-2013) of automatic weather station (AWS) data from the lower accumulation area (1840 m above sea level) of the Kangerlussuaq region, western Greenland ice sheet. The summers of 2010 and 2012 were both exceptionally warm, but only 2012 resulted in negative surface mass budget (SMB) and surface runoff. The observed runoff was due to a large ice fraction in the upper 10 m of firn that prevented melt water from percolating to available pore space below. Analysis of the in situ data reveals a relatively low 2012 summer albedo of ~0.7 as melt water was present at the surface. Consequently, during the 2012 melt season the surface absorbed 30% (213 MJ m-2) more solar radiation than in 2010. We drive a surface energy balance model with the AWS data to evaluate the seasonal and interannual variability of all surface energy fluxes. The model is able to reproduce the observed melt rates as well as the SMB for each season. While the drive for melt is solar radiation, year-to-year differences are controlled by terrestrial radiation, apart from 2012 when solar radiation dominated melt. Sensitivity tests reveal that 72% of the excess solar energy in 2012 was used for melt, corresponding to 40% (0.67 m) of the 2012 surface ablation. The remaining ablation (0.99 m) was primarily due to the relatively high atmospheric temperatures up to +2.6 °C daily average, indicating that 2012 would have been a negative SMB year in the lower accumulation area even without the melt-albedo feedback. Longer time series of SMB, regional temperature and remotely sensed albedo (MODIS) suggest that 2012 was the first negative SMB year with the lowest albedo at this elevation on record. The warming conditions of the last years resulted in enhanced melt and reduction of the refreezing capacity of the lower accumulation area. If the warming continues the lower accumulation area will be transformed into superimposed ice.

Estimation of background radiation doses for the Peninsular Malaysia's population by ESR dosimetry of tooth enamel.

PubMed

Rodzi, Mohd; Zhumadilov, Kassym; Ohtaki, Megu; Ivannikov, Alexander; Bhattacharjee, Deborshi; Fukumura, Akifumi; Hoshi, Masaharu

2011-08-01

Background radiation dose is used in dosimetry for estimating occupational doses of radiation workers or determining radiation dose of an individual following accidental exposure. In the present study, the absorbed dose and the background radiation level are determined using the electron spin resonance (ESR) method on tooth samples. The effect of using different tooth surfaces and teeth exposed with single medical X-rays on the absorbed dose are also evaluated. A total of 48 molars of position 6-8 were collected from 13 district hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia. Thirty-six teeth had not been exposed to any excessive radiation, and 12 teeth had been directly exposed to a single X-ray dose during medical treatment prior to extraction. There was no significant effect of tooth surfaces and exposure with single X-rays on the measured absorbed dose of an individual. The mean measured absorbed dose of the population is 34 ± 6.2 mGy, with an average tooth enamel age of 39 years. From the slope of a regression line, the estimated annual background dose for Peninsular Malaysia is 0.6 ± 0.3 mGy y(-1). This value is slightly lower than the yearly background dose for Malaysia, and the radiation background dose is established by ESR tooth measurements on samples from India and Russia.

Irradiating of Bulk Soybeans: Influence on Their Functional and Sensory Properties for Soyfood Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chia, Chiew-Ling; Wilson, Lester A.; Boylston, Terri; Perchonok, Michele; French, Stephen

2006-01-01

Soybeans were chosen for lunar and planetary missions, where soybeans will be supplied in bulk or grown locally, due to their nutritive value and ability to produce oil and protein for further food applications. However, soybeans must be processed into foods prior to consumption. Radiation that soybeans would be exposed to during bulk storage prior to and during a Mars mission may influence their germination and functional properties. The influence of radiation includes the affect of surface pasteurization to ensure the astronauts safety from food-borne illnesses (HACCP, CCP), and the affect of the amount of radiation the soybeans receive during a Mars mission. Decreases in the amount of natural antioxidants free radical formation, and oxidation-induced changes in the soybean will influence the nutritional value, texture, color, and aroma of soyfoods. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of pasteurization and sterilization surface radiation on whole soybeans using gamma and electron beam radiation. The influence of 0, 1, 5, 10, and 30kGy on microbial load, germination rate, ease of processing, and quality of soymilk and tofu were determined. Surface radiation of whole dry soybeans using electron beam or gamma rays from 1-30kGy did provide microbial safety for the astronauts. However, the lower dose levels had surviving yeasts and molds. These doses caused oxidative changes that resulted in soymilk and tofu with rancid aromas. GC-MS of the aroma compounds using SPME Headspace confirmed the presence of lipid oxidation compounds. Soybean germination ability was reduced as radiation dosage increased. While lower doses may reduce these problems, the ability to insure microbial safety of bulk soybeans will be lost. Counter measures could include vacuum packaging, nitrogen flushing, added antioxidants, and radiating under freezing conditions. Doses below 1kGy need to be investigated further to determine the influence of the radiation encountered during Mars missions.

Experimental validation of finite element and boundary element methods for predicting structural vibration and radiated noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seybert, A. F.; Wu, T. W.; Wu, X. F.

1994-01-01

This research report is presented in three parts. In the first part, acoustical analyses were performed on modes of vibration of the housing of a transmission of a gear test rig developed by NASA. The modes of vibration of the transmission housing were measured using experimental modal analysis. The boundary element method (BEM) was used to calculate the sound pressure and sound intensity on the surface of the housing and the radiation efficiency of each mode. The radiation efficiency of each of the transmission housing modes was then compared to theoretical results for a finite baffled plate. In the second part, analytical and experimental validation of methods to predict structural vibration and radiated noise are presented. A rectangular box excited by a mechanical shaker was used as a vibrating structure. Combined finite element method (FEM) and boundary element method (BEM) models of the apparatus were used to predict the noise level radiated from the box. The FEM was used to predict the vibration, while the BEM was used to predict the sound intensity and total radiated sound power using surface vibration as the input data. Vibration predicted by the FEM model was validated by experimental modal analysis; noise predicted by the BEM was validated by measurements of sound intensity. Three types of results are presented for the total radiated sound power: sound power predicted by the BEM model using vibration data measured on the surface of the box; sound power predicted by the FEM/BEM model; and sound power measured by an acoustic intensity scan. In the third part, the structure used in part two was modified. A rib was attached to the top plate of the structure. The FEM and BEM were then used to predict structural vibration and radiated noise respectively. The predicted vibration and radiated noise were then validated through experimentation.

Tandem Cylinder Noise Predictions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lockard, David P.; Khorrami, Mehdi R.; CHoudhari, Meelan M.; Hutcheson, Florence V.; Brooks, Thomas F.; Stead, Daniel J.

2007-01-01

In an effort to better understand landing-gear noise sources, we have been examining a simplified configuration that still maintains some of the salient features of landing-gear flow fields. In particular, tandem cylinders have been studied because they model a variety of component level interactions. The present effort is directed at the case of two identical cylinders spatially separated in the streamwise direction by 3.7 diameters. Experimental measurements from the Basic Aerodynamic Research Tunnel (BART) and Quiet Flow Facility (QFF) at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) have provided steady surface pressures, detailed off-surface measurements of the flow field using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), hot-wire measurements in the wake of the rear cylinder, unsteady surface pressure data, and the radiated noise. The experiments were conducted at a Reynolds number of 166 105 based on the cylinder diameter. A trip was used on the upstream cylinder to insure a fully turbulent shedding process and simulate the effects of a high Reynolds number flow. The parallel computational effort uses the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes solver CFL3D with a hybrid, zonal turbulence model that turns off the turbulence production term everywhere except in a narrow ring surrounding solid surfaces. The current calculations further explore the influence of the grid resolution and spanwise extent on the flow and associated radiated noise. Extensive comparisons with the experimental data are used to assess the ability of the computations to simulate the details of the flow. The results show that the pressure fluctuations on the upstream cylinder, caused by vortex shedding, are smaller than those generated on the downstream cylinder by wake interaction. Consequently, the downstream cylinder dominates the noise radiation, producing an overall directivity pattern that is similar to that of an isolated cylinder. Only calculations based on the full length of the model span were able to capture the complete decay in the spanwise correlation, thereby producing reasonable noise radiation levels.

Evaluation of different models to estimate the global solar radiation on inclined surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demain, C.; Journée, M.; Bertrand, C.

2012-04-01

Global and diffuse solar radiation intensities are, in general, measured on horizontal surfaces, whereas stationary solar conversion systems (both flat plate solar collector and solar photovoltaic) are mounted on inclined surface to maximize the amount of solar radiation incident on the collector surface. Consequently, the solar radiation incident measured on a tilted surface has to be determined by converting solar radiation from horizontal surface to tilted surface of interest. This study evaluates the performance of 14 models transposing 10 minutes, hourly and daily diffuse solar irradiation from horizontal to inclined surface. Solar radiation data from 8 months (April to November 2011) which include diverse atmospheric conditions and solar altitudes, measured on the roof of the radiation tower of the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium in Uccle (Longitude 4.35°, Latitude 50.79°) were used for validation purposes. The individual model performance is assessed by an inter-comparison between the calculated and measured solar global radiation on the south-oriented surface tilted at 50.79° using statistical methods. The relative performance of the different models under different sky conditions has been studied. Comparison of the statistical errors between the different radiation models in function of the clearness index shows that some models perform better under one type of sky condition. Putting together different models acting under different sky conditions can lead to a diminution of the statistical error between global measured solar radiation and global estimated solar radiation. As models described in this paper have been developed for hourly data inputs, statistical error indexes are minimum for hourly data and increase for 10 minutes and one day frequency data.

Optimized Radiator Geometries for Hot Lunar Thermal Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ochoa, Dustin

2013-01-01

The optimum radiator configuration in hot lunar thermal environments is one in which the radiator is parallel to the ground and has no view to the hot lunar surface. However, typical spacecraft configurations have limited real estate available for top-mounted radiators, resulting in a desire to use the spacecraft's vertically oriented sides. Vertically oriented, flat panel radiators will have a large view factor to the lunar surface, and thus will be subjected to significant incident lunar infrared heat. Consequently, radiator fluid temperatures will need to exceed approximately 325 K (assuming standard spacecraft radiator optical properties) in order to provide positive heat rejection at lunar noon. Such temperatures are too high for crewed spacecraft applications in which a heat pump is to be avoided. A recent study of vertically oriented radiator configurations subjected to lunar noon thermal environments led to the discovery of a novel radiator concept that yielded positive heat rejection at lower fluid temperatures. This radiator configuration, called the Intense Thermal Infrared Reflector (ITIR), has exhibited superior performance to all previously analyzed concepts in terms of heat rejection in the lunar noon thermal environment. A key benefit of ITIR is the absence of louvers or other moving parts and its simple geometry (no parabolic shapes). ITIR consists of a specularly reflective shielding surface and a diffuse radiating surface joined to form a horizontally oriented V-shape (shielding surface on top). The point of intersection of these surfaces is defined by two angles, those which define the tilt of each surface with respect to the local horizontal. The optimum set of these angles is determined on a case-by-case basis. The idea assumes minimal conductive heat transfer between shielding and radiating surfaces, and a practical design would likely stack sets of these surfaces on top of one another to reduce radiator thickness.

Estimating the Longwave Radiation Underneath the Forest Canopy in Snow-dominated Setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Y.; Kumar, M.; Link, T. E.

2017-12-01

Forest canopies alter incoming longwave radiation at the land surface, thus influencing snow cover energetics. The snow surface receives longwave radiation from the sky as well as from surrounding vegetation. The longwave radiation from trees is determined by its skin temperature, which shows significant heterogeneity depending on its position and morphometric attributes. Here our goal is to derive an effective tree temperature that can be used to estimate the longwave radiation received by the land surface pixel. To this end, we implement these three steps: 1) derive a relation between tree trunk surface temperature and the incident longwave radiation, shortwave radiation, and air temperature; 2) develop an inverse model to calculate the effective temperature by establishing a relationship between the effective temperature and the actual tree temperature; and 3) estimate the effective temperature using widely measured variables, such as solar radiation and forest density. Data used to derive aforementioned relations were obtained at the University of Idaho Experimental Forest, in northern Idaho. Tree skin temperature, incoming longwave radiation, solar radiation received by the tree surface, and air temperature were measured at an isolated tree and a tree within a homogeneous forest stand. Longwave radiation received by the land surface and the sky view factors were also measured at the same two locations. The calculated effective temperature was then compared with the measured tree trunk surface temperature. Additional longwave radiation measurements with pyrgeometer arrays were conducted under forests with different densities to evaluate the relationship between effective temperature and forest density. Our preliminary results show that when exposed to direct shortwave radiation, the tree surface temperature shows a significant difference from the air temperature. Under cloudy or shaded conditions, the tree surface temperature closely follows the air temperature. The effective tree temperature follows the air temperature in a dense forest stand, although it is significantly larger than the air temperature near the isolated tree. This discrepancy motivates us to explore ways to represent the effective tree temperature for stands with different densities.

Simulation of within-canopy radiation exchange

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Radiation exchange at the surface plays a critical role in the surface energy balance, plant microclimate, and plant growth. The ability to simulate the surface energy balance and the microclimate within the plant canopy is contingent upon simulation of the surface radiation exchange. A validation a...

Suppression of sound radiation to far field of near-field acoustic communication system using evanescent sound field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujii, Ayaka; Wakatsuki, Naoto; Mizutani, Koichi

2016-01-01

A method of suppressing sound radiation to the far field of a near-field acoustic communication system using an evanescent sound field is proposed. The amplitude of the evanescent sound field generated from an infinite vibrating plate attenuates exponentially with increasing a distance from the surface of the vibrating plate. However, a discontinuity of the sound field exists at the edge of the finite vibrating plate in practice, which broadens the wavenumber spectrum. A sound wave radiates over the evanescent sound field because of broadening of the wavenumber spectrum. Therefore, we calculated the optimum distribution of the particle velocity on the vibrating plate to reduce the broadening of the wavenumber spectrum. We focused on a window function that is utilized in the field of signal analysis for reducing the broadening of the frequency spectrum. The optimization calculation is necessary for the design of window function suitable for suppressing sound radiation and securing a spatial area for data communication. In addition, a wide frequency bandwidth is required to increase the data transmission speed. Therefore, we investigated a suitable method for calculating the sound pressure level at the far field to confirm the variation of the distribution of sound pressure level determined on the basis of the window shape and frequency. The distribution of the sound pressure level at a finite distance was in good agreement with that obtained at an infinite far field under the condition generating the evanescent sound field. Consequently, the window function was optimized by the method used to calculate the distribution of the sound pressure level at an infinite far field using the wavenumber spectrum on the vibrating plate. According to the result of comparing the distributions of the sound pressure level in the cases with and without the window function, it was confirmed that the area whose sound pressure level was reduced from the maximum level to -50 dB was extended. Additionally, we designed a sound insulator so as to realize a similar distribution of the particle velocity to that obtained using the optimized window function. Sound radiation was suppressed using a sound insulator put above the vibrating surface in the simulation using the three-dimensional finite element method. On the basis of this finding, it was suggested that near-field acoustic communication which suppressed sound radiation can be realized by applying the optimized window function to the particle velocity field.

Surface Cleaning Techniques: Ultra-Trace ICP-MS Sample Preparation and Assay of HDPE

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

Overman, Nicole R.; Hoppe, Eric W.; Addleman, Raymond S.

2013-06-01

The world’s most sensitive radiation detection and assay systems depend upon ultra-low background (ULB) materials to reduce unwanted radiological backgrounds. Herein, we evaluate methods to clean HDPE, a material of interest to ULB systems and the means to provide rapid assay of surface and bulk contamination. ULB level material and ultra-trace level detection of actinide elements is difficult to attain, due to the introduction of contamination from sample preparation equipment such as pipette tips, sample vials, forceps, etc. and airborne particulate. To date, literature available on the cleaning of such polymeric materials and equipment for ULB applications and ultra-trace analysesmore » is limited. For these reasons, a study has been performed to identify an effective way to remove surface contamination from polymers in an effort to provide improved instrumental detection limits. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) was utilized to assess the effectiveness of a variety of leachate solutions for removal of inorganic uranium and thorium surface contamination from polymers, specifically high density polyethylene (HDPE). HDPE leaching procedures were tested to optimize contaminant removal of thorium and uranium. Calibration curves for thorium and uranium ranged from 15 ppq (fg/mL) to 1 ppt (pg/mL). Detection limits were calculated at 6 ppq for uranium and 7 ppq for thorium. Results showed the most effective leaching reagent to be clean 6 M nitric acid for 72 hour exposures. Contamination levels for uranium and thorium found in the leachate solutions were significant for ultralow level radiation detection applications.« less

The Impact of Radiation Changes on the Terrestrial Carbon Sink over the Post Pinatubo Period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitch, S.; Mercado, L. M.; Bellouin, N.; Boucher, O.; Huntingford, C.; Cox, P. M.

2008-12-01

The amount of solar radiation reaching the earth surface is one of the major drivers of plant photosynthesis and therefore changes in radiation are likely to indirectly have an effect on the terrestrial carbon cycle. For example, changes in surface radiation that lead to increasing diffuse surface irradiance are reported to enhance plant photosynthesis (Gu et al., 2003, Niyogi et al., 2004, Oliveira et al., 2007, Roderick et al., 2001). Solar radiation reaching the land surface has changed over the industrial era due to aerosols emitted from volcanoes and various anthropogenic sources (Kvalevag and Myhre, 2007). Such changes in total surface radiation are accompanied by changes in direct and diffuse surface solar radiation. Recent major volcanic events include the eruptions of el Chichón in 1986 and Mount Pinatubo in 1991. In this study we estimate the impact of changes in surface radiation on photosynthetic carbon uptake during the Post Pinatubo period. We use an offline version of the Hadley Centre land surface scheme (Mercado et al., 2007) modified to account for variations in direct and diffuse radiation on sunlit and shaded canopy photosynthesis. We use meteorological forcing from the Climate Research Unit Data set. Additionally short wave and photosynthetic active radiation are reconstructed from the Hadley centre climate model, which accounts for the scattering and absorption of light by tropospheric and stratospheric aerosols. We describe the development of the land carbon cycle through the Pinatubo event and diagnose the impact of changes in diffuse radiation on the atmospheric [CO2] growth-rate

Outpatient radioiodine therapy for thyroid cancer: a safe nuclear medicine procedure.

PubMed

Willegaignon, José; Sapienza, Marcelo; Ono, Carla; Watanabe, Tomoco; Guimarães, Maria Inês; Gutterres, Ricardo; Marechal, Maria Helena; Buchpiguel, Carlos

2011-06-01

To evaluate the dosimetric effect of outpatient radioiodine therapy for thyroid cancer in members of a patient's family and their living environment, when using iodine-131 doses reaching 7.4 GBq. The following parameters were thus defined: (a) whole-body radiation doses to caregivers, (b) the production of contaminated solid waste, and (c) radiation potential and surface contamination within patients' living quarters. In total, 100 patients were treated on an outpatient basis, taking into consideration their acceptable living conditions, interests, and willingness to comply with medical and radiation safety guidelines. Both the caregivers and the radiation dose potentiality inside patients' residences were monitored by using thermoluminescent dosimeters. Surface contamination and contaminated solid wastes were identified and measured with a Geiger-Müller detector. A total of 90 monitored individuals received a mean dose of 0.27 (±0.28) mSv, and the maximum dose registered was 1.6 mSv. The mean value for the potential dose within all living quarters was 0.31 (±0.34) mSv, and the mean value per monitored surface was 5.58 Bq/cm(2) for all the 1659 points measured. The overall production of contaminated solid wastes was at a low level, being about 3 times less than the exemption level indicated by the International Atomic Energy Agency. This study indicates that the treatment of thyroid cancer by applying radioiodine activities up to 7.4 GBq, on an outpatient basis, is a safe procedure, especially when supervised by qualified professionals. This alternative therapy should be a topic for careful discussion considering the high potential for reducing costs in healthcare and improving patient acceptance.

Earth-atmosphere system and surface reflectivities in arid regions from LANDSAT multispectral scanner measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Otterman, J.; Fraser, R. S.

1976-01-01

Programs for computing atmospheric transmission and scattering solar radiation were used to compute the ratios of the Earth-atmosphere system (space) directional reflectivities in the vertical direction to the surface reflectivity, for the four bands of the LANDSAT multispectral scanner (MSS). These ratios are presented as graphs for two water vapor levels, as a function of the surface reflectivity, for various sun elevation angles. Space directional reflectivities in the vertical direction are reported for selected arid regions in Asia, Africa and Central America from the spectral radiance levels measured by the LANDSAT MSS. From these space reflectivities, surface vertical reflectivities were computed applying the pertinent graphs. These surface reflectivities were used to estimate the surface albedo for the entire solar spectrum. The estimated albedos are in the range 0.34-0.52, higher than the values reported by most previous researchers from space measurements, but are consistent with laboratory measurements.

Adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction and bismuth shielding for evaluation of dose reduction to the eye and image quality during head CT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Myeong Seong; Choi, Jiwon; Kim, Sun Young; Kweon, Dae Cheol

2014-03-01

There is a concern regarding the adverse effects of increasing radiation doses due to repeated computed tomography (CT) scans, especially in radiosensitive organs and portions thereof, such as the lenses of the eyes. Bismuth shielding with an adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) algorithm was recently introduced in our clinic as a method to reduce the absorbed radiation dose. This technique was applied to the lens of the eye during CT scans. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reduction in the absorbed radiation dose and to determine the noise level when using bismuth shielding and the ASIR algorithm with the GE DC 750 HD 64-channel CT scanner for CT of the head of a humanoid phantom. With the use of bismuth shielding, the noise level was higher in the beam-hardening artifact areas than in the revealed artifact areas. However, with the use of ASIR, the noise level was lower than that with the use of bismuth alone; it was also lower in the artifact areas. The reduction in the radiation dose with the use of bismuth was greatest at the surface of the phantom to a limited depth. In conclusion, it is possible to reduce the radiation level and slightly decrease the bismuth-induced noise level by using a combination of ASIR as an algorithm process and bismuth as an in-plane hardware-type shielding method.

Numerical solution of fluid flow and heat tranfer problems with surface radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahuja, S.; Bhatia, K.

1995-01-01

This paper presents a numerical scheme, based on the finite element method, to solve strongly coupled fluid flow and heat transfer problems. The surface radiation effect for gray, diffuse and isothermal surfaces is considered. A procedure for obtaining the view factors between the radiating surfaces is discussed. The overall solution strategy is verified by comparing the available results with those obtained using this approach. An analysis of a thermosyphon is undertaken and the effect of considering the surface radiation is clearly explained.

Dust Propagation and Radiation In the Presence of a Low-level Jet in Central China on March 17, 2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDowell, B. K.; Chen, S. H.

2014-12-01

Suspended dust in the air can directly change the energy budget in the atmosphere and at the surface through scattering and absorption of radiation. Thus, dust can potentially modify the development of weather systems. To explore the dust-radiation effects on weather systems, a dust model was developed based on the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The calculations of dust processes in the WRF dust model include emission, advection, boundary layer mixing, cumulus mixing, dust-radiation interaction, wet scavenging, and sedimentation. Due to a high vertical spatial resolution near the surface a time splitting method was applied to the calculation of dust sedimentation to relax the numerical time step. The "Hexi Corridor" is the historical name given to a string of oases along the northern slope of the Tibetan Plateau that formed a relatively easy transportation route between eastern China and central Asia. As trade developed over the centuries, this route became known as the Silk Road. This corridor also marks the transition from the relatively flat Gobi desert area in northern China to the elevated mountains of the Tibetan Plateau. These mountains present a southern barrier to the paths of dust storms that develop during spring outbreaks of the Mongolian Cyclone. In March of 2010, a series of dust storms developed in the Gobi Desert north of the Hexi Corridor that transported massive amounts of dust eastward to central and northeastern China, Korea and Japan. On March 17 during this event, a low-level jet developed along the northern perimeter of the Plateau, in alignment with upper level winds and the Hexi Corridor. Over the course of the day, a well-defined short-duration dust plume was emitted in the southern Gobi desert area and was transported over 1300 km in a southeast direction, over the Loess Plateau and into the Gansu Province. In this study, the interactions of synoptic conditions with regional topography that led to the development of the low-level jet are evaluated. A dust model based on the Weather Research and Forecasting Model V3.2.1 is used to investigate the interaction of dust and radiation on air temperatures in and around the plume, dust emission and transport, and the resulting regional radiative forcing in the presence of the low-level jet.

Quasi-analytical treatment of spatially averaged radiation transfer in complex terrain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Löwe, H.; Helbig, N.

2012-04-01

We provide a new quasi-analytical method to compute the topographic influence on the effective albedo of complex topography as required for meteorological, land-surface or climate models. We investigate radiative transfer in complex terrain via the radiosity equation on isotropic Gaussian random fields. Under controlled approximations we derive expressions for domain averages of direct, diffuse and terrain radiation and the sky view factor. Domain averaged quantities are related to a type of level-crossing probability of the random field which is approximated by longstanding results developed for acoustic scattering at ocean boundaries. This allows us to express all non-local horizon effects in terms of a local terrain parameter, namely the mean squared slope. Emerging integrals are computed numerically and fit formulas are given for practical purposes. As an implication of our approach we provide an expression for the effective albedo of complex terrain in terms of the sun elevation angle, mean squared slope, the area averaged surface albedo, and the direct-to-diffuse ratio of solar radiation. As an application, we compute the effective albedo for the Swiss Alps and discuss possible generalizations of the method.

SUDOQU, a new dose-assessment methodology for radiological surface contamination.

PubMed

van Dillen, Teun; van Dijk, Arjan

2018-06-12

A new methodology has been developed for the assessment of the annual effective dose resulting from removable and fixed radiological surface contamination. It is entitled SUDOQU (SUrface DOse QUantification) and it can for instance be used to derive criteria for surface contamination related to the import of non-food consumer goods, containers and conveyances, e.g., limiting values and operational screening levels. SUDOQU imposes mass (activity)-balance equations based on radioactive decay, removal and deposition processes in indoor and outdoor environments. This leads to time-dependent contamination levels that may be of particular importance in exposure scenarios dealing with one or a few contaminated items only (usually public exposure scenarios, therefore referred to as the 'consumer' model). Exposure scenarios with a continuous flow of freshly contaminated goods also fall within the scope of the methodology (typically occupational exposure scenarios, thus referred to as the 'worker model'). In this paper we describe SUDOQU, its applications, and its current limitations. First, we delineate the contamination issue, present the assumptions and explain the concepts. We describe the relevant removal, transfer, and deposition processes, and derive equations for the time evolution of the radiological surface-, air- and skin-contamination levels. These are then input for the subsequent evaluation of the annual effective dose with possible contributions from external gamma radiation, inhalation, secondary ingestion (indirect, from hand to mouth), skin contamination, direct ingestion and skin-contact exposure. The limiting effective surface dose is introduced for issues involving the conservatism of dose calculations. SUDOQU can be used by radiation-protection scientists/experts and policy makers in the field of e.g. emergency preparedness, trade and transport, exemption and clearance, waste management, and nuclear facilities. Several practical examples are worked out demonstrating the potential applications of the methodology. . Creative Commons Attribution license.

Potential approaches to the spectroscopic characterization of high performance polymers exposed to energetic protons and heavy ions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suleman, Naushadalli K.

1991-01-01

A potential limitation to human activity on the lunar surface or in deep space is the exposure of the crew to unacceptably high levels of penetrating space radiations. The radiations of most concerns for such missions are high-energy protons emitted during solar flares, and galactic cosmic rays which are high-energy ions ranging from protons to iron. The development of materials for effective shielding from energetic space radiations will clearly require a greater understanding of the underlying mechanisms of radiation-induced damage in bulk materials. This can be accomplished in part by the detailed spectroscopic characterization of bulk materials that were exposed to simulated space radiations. An experimental data base thus created can then be used in conjunction with existing radiation transport codes in the design and fabrication of effective radiation shielding materials. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy was proven very useful in elucidating radiation effects in polymers (high performance polymers are often an important components of structural composites).

A theoretical model of fuselage pressure levels due to fan tones radiated from the intake of an installed turbofan aero-engine.

PubMed

Gaffney, James; McAlpine, Alan; Kingan, Michael J

2018-06-01

An existing theoretical model to predict the pressure levels on an aircraft's fuselage is improved by incorporating a more physically realistic method to predict fan tone radiation from the intake of an installed turbofan aero-engine. Such a model can be used as part of a method to assess cabin noise. Fan tone radiation from a turbofan intake is modelled using the exact solution for the radiated pressure from a spinning mode exiting a semi-infinite cylindrical duct immersed in a uniform flow. This approach for a spinning duct mode incorporates scattering/diffraction by the intake lip, enabling predictions of the radiated pressure valid in both the forward and aft directions. The aircraft's fuselage is represented by an infinitely long, rigid cylinder. There is uniform flow aligned with the cylinder, except close to the cylinder's surface where there is a constant-thickness boundary layer. In addition to single mode calculations it is shown how the model may be used to rapidly calculate a multi-mode incoherent radiation from the engine intake. Illustrative results are presented which demonstrate the relative importance of boundary-layer shielding both upstream and downstream of the source, as well as examples of the fuselage pressure levels due to a multi-mode tonal source at high Helmholtz number.

How do Greenhouse Gases Warm the Ocean? Investigation of the Response of the Ocean Thermal Skin Layer to Air-Sea Surface Heat Fluxes.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, E.; Minnett, P. J.

2016-12-01

There is much evidence that the ocean is heating due to an increase in concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere from human activities. GHGs absorbs infrared (IR) radiation and re-emits the radiation back to the ocean's surface which is subsequently absorbed resulting in a rise in the ocean heat content. However, the incoming longwave radiation, LWin, is absorbed within the top micrometers of the ocean's surface, where the thermal skin layer (TSL) exists and does not directly heat the upper few meters of the ocean. We are therefore motivated to investigate the physical mechanism between the absorption of IR radiation and its effect on heat transfer at the air-sea boundary. The hypothesis is that since heat lost through the air-sea interface is controlled by the TSL, which is directly influenced by the absorption and emission of IR radiation, the heat flow through the TSL adjusts to maintain the surface heat loss, and thus modulates the upper ocean heat content. This hypothesis is investigated through utilizing clouds to represent an increase in LWin and analyzing retrieved TSL vertical profiles from a shipboard IR spectrometer from two research cruises. The data is limited to night-time, no precipitation and low winds of < 2 m/s to remove effects of solar radiation, wind-driven shear and possibilities of TSL disruption. The results show independence between the turbulent fluxes and radiative fluxes which rules out the immediate release of heat from the absorption of the cloud infrared irradiance back into the atmosphere through processes such as evaporation. Instead, we observe the surplus energy, from absorbing increasing levels of LWin, adjusts the curvature of the TSL such that there is a lower gradient at the interface between the TSL and the mixed layer. The release of heat stored within the mixed layer is therefore hindered while the additional energy within the TSL is cycled back into the atmosphere. This results in heat beneath the TSL, which is a product of the absorption of solar radiation during the day, to be retained and cause an increase in upper ocean heat content.

Adjusting the tasseled cap brightness and greenness factors for atmospheric path radiance and absorption on a pixel by pixel basis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, R. D.; Slater, P. N.; Pinter, P. J. (Principal Investigator)

1982-01-01

A radiative transfer model was used to convert ground measured reflectances into the radiance at the top of the atmosphere, for several levels of atmospheric path radiance. The radiance in MSS7 (0.8 to 1.1 m) was multiplied by the transmission fraction for atmospheres having different levels of precipitable water. The radiance values were converted to simulated LANDSAT digital counts for four path radiance levels and four levels of precipitable water. These values were used to calculate the Kauth-Thomas brightness, greenness, yellowness, and nonsuch factors. Brightness was affected by surface conditions and path radiance. Greenness was affected by surface conditions, path radiance, and precipitable water. Yellowness was affected by path radiance and nonsuch by precipitable water, and both factors changed only slightly with surface conditions. Yellowness and nonsuch were used to adjust brightness and greenness to produce factors that were affected only by surface conditions such as soils and vegetation, and not by path radiance and precipitable water.

Analysis of the Diurnal Cycle and Cloud Effects on the Surface Radiation Budget of the SURFRAD Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, C. N.; Augustine, J. A.; McComiskey, A. C.

2017-12-01

The NOAA Earth Systems Research Laboratory (ESRL) Global Monitoring Division (GMD) operates a network of seven surface radiation budget sites (SURFRAD) across the continental United States. The SURFRAD network was established in 1993 with the primary objective to support climate research with accurate, continuous, long-term measurements of the surface radiation budget over the United States and is a major contributor to the WMO international Baseline Surface Radiation Network. The data from the SURFRAD sites have been used in many studies including trend analyses of surface solar brightening (Long et al, 2009; Augustine and Dutton, 2013; Gan et al., 2015). These studies have focused mostly on long term aggregate trends. Here we will present results of studies that take a closer look across the years of the cloud influence on the surface radiation budget components partitioned by seasonal and diurnal analyses, and using derived quantities now available from the SURFRAD data archive produced by the Radiative Flux Analysis value added processing. The results show distinct differences between the sites surface radiative energy budgets and cloud radiative effects due to their differing climates and latitudinal locations.

Epidermal Homeostasis and Radiation Responses in a Multiscale Tissue Modeling Framework

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hu, Shaowen; Cucinotta, Francis A.

2013-01-01

The surface of skin is lined with several thin layers of epithelial cells that are maintained throughout life time by a small population of stem cells. High dose radiation exposures could injure and deplete the underlying proliferative cells and induce cutaneous radiation syndrome. In this work we propose a multiscale computational model for skin epidermal dynamics that links phenomena occurring at the subcellular, cellular, and tissue levels of organization, to simulate the experimental data of the radiation response of swine epidermis, which is closely similar to human epidermis. Incorporating experimentally measured histological and cell kinetic parameters, we obtain results of population kinetics and proliferation indexes comparable to observations in unirradiated and acutely irradiated swine experiments. At the sub-cellular level, several recently published Wnt signaling controlled cell-cycle models are applied and the roles of key components and parameters are analyzed. Based on our simulation results, we demonstrate that a moderate increase of proliferation rate for the survival proliferative cells is sufficient to fully repopulate the area denuded by high dose radiation, as long as the integrity of underlying basement membrane is maintained. Our work highlights the importance of considering proliferation kinetics as well as the spatial organization of tissues when conducting in vivo investigations of radiation responses. This integrated model allow us to test the validity of several basic biological rules at the cellular level and sub-cellular mechanisms by qualitatively comparing simulation results with published research, and enhance our understanding of the pathophysiological effects of ionizing radiation on skin.

Characterizing energy budget variability at a Sahelian site: a test of NWP model behaviour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mackie, Anna; Palmer, Paul I.; Brindley, Helen

2017-12-01

We use observations of surface and top-of-the-atmosphere (TOA) broadband radiation fluxes determined from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement programme mobile facility, the Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB) and Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) instruments and a range of meteorological variables at a site in the Sahel to test the ability of the ECMWF Integrated Forecasting System cycle 43r1 to describe energy budget variability. The model has daily average biases of -12 and 18 W m-2 for outgoing longwave and reflected shortwave TOA radiation fluxes, respectively. At the surface, the daily average bias is 12(13) W m-2 for the longwave downwelling (upwelling) radiation flux and -21(-13) W m-2 for the shortwave downwelling (upwelling) radiation flux. Using multivariate linear models of observation-model differences, we attribute radiation flux discrepancies to physical processes, and link surface and TOA fluxes. We find that model biases in surface radiation fluxes are mainly due to a low bias in ice water path (IWP), poor description of surface albedo and model-observation differences in surface temperature. We also attribute observed discrepancies in the radiation fluxes, particularly during the dry season, to the misrepresentation of aerosol fields in the model from use of a climatology instead of a dynamic approach. At the TOA, the low IWP impacts the amount of reflected shortwave radiation while biases in outgoing longwave radiation are additionally coupled to discrepancies in the surface upwelling longwave flux and atmospheric humidity.

49 CFR 173.441 - Radiation level limitations and exclusive use provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...; or in the case of a flat-bed style vehicle, at any point on the vertical planes projected from the... external surface of the vehicle; (3) 0.1 mSv/h (10 mrem/h) at any point 2 m (6.6 feet) from the outer lateral surfaces of the vehicle (excluding the top and underside of the vehicle); or in the case of a flat...

A radiosity-based model to compute the radiation transfer of soil surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Feng; Li, Yuguang

2011-11-01

A good understanding of interactions of electromagnetic radiation with soil surface is important for a further improvement of remote sensing methods. In this paper, a radiosity-based analytical model for soil Directional Reflectance Factor's (DRF) distributions was developed and evaluated. The model was specifically dedicated to the study of radiation transfer for the soil surface under tillage practices. The soil was abstracted as two dimensional U-shaped or V-shaped geometric structures with periodic macroscopic variations. The roughness of the simulated surfaces was expressed as a ratio of the height to the width for the U and V-shaped structures. The assumption was made that the shadowing of soil surface, simulated by U or V-shaped grooves, has a greater influence on the soil reflectance distribution than the scattering properties of basic soil particles of silt and clay. Another assumption was that the soil is a perfectly diffuse reflector at a microscopic level, which is a prerequisite for the application of the radiosity method. This radiosity-based analytical model was evaluated by a forward Monte Carlo ray-tracing model under the same structural scenes and identical spectral parameters. The statistics of these two models' BRF fitting results for several soil structures under the same conditions showed the good agreements. By using the model, the physical mechanism of the soil bidirectional reflectance pattern was revealed.

Radiological characterization survey of the former Diamond Magnesium Company Company site, 720 Fairport-Nursery Road, Painesville, Ohio (DMP001, DMP002)

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

Foley, R.D.; Carrier, R.F.

1991-12-01

At the request of the US Department of Energy (DOE), a group from Oak Ridge National Laboratory performed an investigative radiological survey at the former Diamond Magnesium Company (DMC) site at 720 Fairport-Nursery Road, Painesville, Ohio, in September 1990. The purpose of the survey was to determine if the site is contaminated with radioactive residues as a result of federal government operation in the development of nuclear energy for defense-related projects. The survey of the site, separate parcels of which are currently owned by the Uniroyal Chemical Company (DMP001) and the Lonza Chemical Company (DMP002), included a gamma scan overmore » the ground surface, determination of gamma exposure rates at the surface and at 1 m above the surface at grid points, collection and radionuclide analysis of soil samples, and directly measured radiation levels inside three buildings used during original DMC processing. Results of the survey revealed widespread radiological contamination outdoors on the Uniroyal property and several isolated spots of elevated radiation levels on the Lonza property. The contaminants consisted of radium, uranium, and thorium in surface and subsurface soil in concentrations exceeding DOE guidelines for the release of property for unrestricted use.« less

Radiological characterization survey of the former Diamond Magnesium Company Company site, 720 Fairport-Nursery Road, Painesville, Ohio (DMP001, DMP002)

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

Foley, R.D.; Carrier, R.F.

At the request of the US Department of Energy (DOE), a group from Oak Ridge National Laboratory performed an investigative radiological survey at the former Diamond Magnesium Company (DMC) site at 720 Fairport-Nursery Road, Painesville, Ohio, in September 1990. The purpose of the survey was to determine if the site is contaminated with radioactive residues as a result of federal government operation in the development of nuclear energy for defense-related projects. The survey of the site, separate parcels of which are currently owned by the Uniroyal Chemical Company (DMP001) and the Lonza Chemical Company (DMP002), included a gamma scan overmore » the ground surface, determination of gamma exposure rates at the surface and at 1 m above the surface at grid points, collection and radionuclide analysis of soil samples, and directly measured radiation levels inside three buildings used during original DMC processing. Results of the survey revealed widespread radiological contamination outdoors on the Uniroyal property and several isolated spots of elevated radiation levels on the Lonza property. The contaminants consisted of radium, uranium, and thorium in surface and subsurface soil in concentrations exceeding DOE guidelines for the release of property for unrestricted use.« less

The Effect of Topographic Shadowing by Ice on Irradiance in the Greenland Ice Sheet Ablation Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leidman, S. Z.; Rennermalm, A. K.; Ryan, J.; Cooper, M. G.; Smith, L. C.

2017-12-01

Accurately predicting runoff contributions to global sea level rise requires more refined surface mass balance (SMB) models of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS). Topographic shadowing has shown to be important in the SMB of snow-covered regions, yet SMB models for the GrIS generally ignore how surface topography affects spatial variability of incoming solar radiation on a surface. In the ablation zone of Southwest Greenland, deeply incised supraglacial drainage features, fracturing, and large-scale bed deformation result in extensive areas of rough surface topography. This topography blocks direct radiation such that shadowed areas receive less energy for melting while other topographic features such as peaks recieve more energy. In this study, we quantify how shadowing from local topography features changes incoming solar radiation. We apply the ArcGIS Pro Solar Radiation Toolset to calculate the direct and diffuse irradiance in sunlit and shadowed areas by determining the sun's movement for every half hour increment of 2016. Multiple digital elevation models (DEMs) with spatial resolutions ranging from 0.06 to 5m were derived from fixed wing and quadcopter UAV imagery collected in summer 2016 and the ArcticDEM dataset. Our findings show that shadowing significantly decreases irradiance compared to smoothed surfaces where local topography is removed. This decrease is exponentially proportional to the DEM pixel sized with 5m DEMs only able to capture a small percentage of the effect. Applying these calculations to the ArcticDEM to cover a larger study area indicates that decreases in irradiance are nonlinearly proportional to elevation with highly crevassed areas showing a larger effect from shadowing. Even so, shading at higher elevations reduces irradiance enough to result in several centimeters snow water equivalence (SWE) per year of over-prediction of runoff in SMB models. Furthermore, analysis of solar radiation products shows that shadowing predicts albedo variability far better than a range of variables derived from UAV imagery mosaics including slope, aspect, elevation, or the distance to dark surface features. In summary, implementation of the effect of shadowing on irradiance should therefore be considered for accurate surface mass balance calculations for the Greenland ice sheet.

Direct radiative effects induced by intense desert dust outbreaks over the broader Mediterranean basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gkikas, Antonis; Obiso, Vincenzo; Vendrell, Lluis; Basart, Sara; Jorba, Oriol; Pérez Garcia-Pando, Carlos; Hatzianastassiou, Nikos; Gassó, Santiago; Baldasano, Jose Maria

2016-04-01

Throughout the year, under favorable conditions, massive loads of mineral particles originating in the northern African and Middle East deserts are transported over the Mediterranean basin. Due to their composition and size, dust aerosols perturb the Earth-Atmosphere system's energy budget interacting directly with the shortwave (SW) and longwave (LW) radiation. The present study aims to compute the Mediterranean dust outbreaks' direct radiative effects (DREs) as well as to assess the effect of including dust DREs in numerical simulations of a regional model. To this aim, 20 intense dust outbreaks have been selected based on their spatial coverage and intensity. Their identification, over the period 2000-2013, has been achieved through an objective and dynamic algorithm which utilizes as inputs daily satellite retrievals derived by the MODIS-Terra, EP-TOMS and OMI-Aura sensors. For each outbreak, two simulations of the NMMB/BSC-Dust model were made for a forecast period of 84 hours, with the model initialized at 00 UTC of the day when the dust outbreak was ignited, activating (RADON) and deactivating (RADOFF) dust-radiation interactions. The simulation domain covers the northern Africa, the Middle East and Europe at 0.25° x 0.25° horizontal resolution, for 40 hybrid sigma pressure levels up to 50 hPa. The instantaneous and regional DREs have been calculated at the top of the atmosphere (TOA), into the atmosphere (ATMAB), and at surface, for the downwelling (SURF) and the absorbed (NETSURF) radiation, for the SW, LW and NET (SW+LW) radiation. The interaction between dust aerosols and NET radiation, locally leads to an atmospheric warming (DREATMAB) by up to 150 Wm-2, a surface cooling (DRENETSURF) by up to 250 Wm-2 and a reduction of the downwelling radiation at the surface (DRESURF) by up to 300 Wm-2. At TOA, DREs are mainly negative (down to -150 Wm-2) indicating a cooling of the Earth-Atmosphere system, although positive values (up to 50 Wm-2) are encountered over desert areas. The mean regional NET DREs, under clear-sky conditions, vary between -10 to 2, -3 to 25, -35 to 3 and -22 to 3 Wm-2 for TOA, ATMAB, SURF and NETSURF, respectively. According to our results, dust outbreaks can cause a decrease of temperature at 2 meters by 4 °C during daytime while an increase of a similar magnitude is found at night. Moreover, negative feedbacks on dust emissions and aerosol optical depth are observed when dust-radiation interactions are activated. Our analysis clearly shows that taking into account the dust radiative effects in numerical simulations (RADON) the model's ability to reproduce the temperature fields as well as the downwelling radiation fluxes at the surface is improved. The former is confirmed by the evaluation of the model's outputs against ERA-Interim reanalyses datasets and weather stations observations (Integrated Surface Database, ISD) while the latter is justified through the comparison of model's downwelling SW/LW radiation fluxes at the surface with ground measurements from 6 Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) stations. A similar analysis is also attempted for the dust aerosol optical depth at 550 nm using the AERONET ground retrievals as reference measurements.

High Tc superconductors as thermal radiation shields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeller, A. F.

1990-06-01

The feasibility of using high-Tc superconductor films as IR-radiation shields for liquid-helium-temperature dewars is investigated. Calculations show that a Ba-Ca-Sr-Cu-O superconductor with Tc of 110 K, combined with a liquid-nitrogen temperature shield with an emissivity of 0.03 should produce an upper limit to the radiative heat transfer of 15 mW/sq m. The reduction of reflectivity depends on the field level and the extent of field penetration into the superconductor film, whose surface also would provide magnetic shielding for low magnetic fields. Such shields, providing both magnetic and thermal radiation shielding would be useful for spaceborne applications where exposure to the degrading effects of moist air would not be a problem.

RADIATION PRESERVATION OF SELECTED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. An Analysis of R&D Programing and Market Factors

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

None

1961-01-01

Strawberries, peaches, citrus fruits, grapes, and tomatoes were irradiated experimentally. Results are inconclusive, but indications of both shelf-life extension and unfaqorable radiation effects were observed at dose levels below 500,000 rads. These are promising commodities for radiation sterilization in terms of value, present shelf-life, incidence and amount of spoilage, ard existing methods of preservation. The packing house is a logical location for the radiation source. Hourly capacities in the neighborhood of 10 tons per hour for the commercial facility are appropriate. Because of seasonal and geographical spread of harvesting, facilities adaptable to several crops and portable facilities deserve consideration. Preliminarymore » results are presented from studies on the wholesomeness of irradiated foods, but more work will be required for grapes, strawberries, and tomatoes. The radiation levels and types of radiation used for pasteurization theoretically could cre ate extremely minute amounts of radioactivity. Technical knowledge is sufficient to permit engineering work on a source of radiation for pilot-plant operation. Surface irradiation technology, so far relatively undeveloped, could offer an alternative with the possibility of lower costs. Economic feasibility cannot be determined until later because cost estimates are preliminary and the potential benefits are not adequately known. (auth)« less

Graphite and ablative material response to CO2 laser, carbon-arc, and xenon-arc radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brewer, W. D.

1976-01-01

The behavior was investigated of graphite and several charring ablators in a variety of high-radiative heat-flux environments. A commercial-grade graphite and nine state-of-the-art charring ablators were subjected to various radiative environments produced by a CO2 laser and a carbon arc. Graphite was also tested in xenon-arc radiation. Heat-flux levels ranged from 10 to 47 MW/sq m. Tests were conducted in air, nitrogen, helium, and a CO2-N2 mixture which simulated the Venus atmosphere. The experimental results were compared with theoretical results obtained with a one-dimensional charring-ablator analysis and a two-dimensional subliming-ablator analysis. Neither the graphite nor the charring ablators showed significant differences in appearance or microstructure after testing in the different radiative environments. The performance of phenolic nylon and graphite was predicted satisfactorily with existing analyses and published material property data. Good agreement between experimental and analytical results was obtained by using sublimation parameters from a chemical nonequilibrium analysis of graphite sublimation. Some charring ablators performed reasonably well and could withstand radiative fluxes of the level encountered in certain planetary entries. Other materials showed excessive surface recession and/or large amounts of cracking and spalling, and appear to be unsuitable for severe radiative environments.

Titanized silica-based stationary phases prepared with thermally and microwave-immobilized poly(methyloctylsiloxane).

PubMed

Fonseca, Dania A; Collins, Kenneth E; Collins, Carol H

2004-03-19

Silica supports having their surface modified with titanium oxide were prepared and coated with poly(methyloctylsiloxane) (PMOS). Subsequently, immobilization of the polysiloxane was induced by thermal treatment or microwave radiation. The thermal treatment was carried out for different times (4, 8, 16 and 24 h) at temperatures ranging between 100 and 220 degrees C. For PMOS immobilization by microwave radiation, 452, 520 and 586 W power levels and exposure times of 5, 15 and 30 min were used. After extraction of non-immobilized polymer, the chromatographic properties of the phases were evaluated. The phase immobilized at 120 degrees C for 8 h presented the best chromatographic parameters, suggesting that the quantity of acidic hydroxyl groups on the support surface was reduced, resulting in fewer undesirable interactions of a basic solute with the silanols not removed or covered on the support surface.

Reverse Current Blocking Diodes for Flexible Solar Array Protection

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-04-01

the general ’ Tic, ici~cjluir; foreign nations. T1->*.:. ti~c!chnical report has been reviewed and is approved for L .D. Man i c/GS - 3 :P’rojcct nm r...To generate the figures, a set of thermal radiative properties for the diodes and substrate had to be assumed. A second surface mirror made of...simulated nuclear weapon generated gamma pulses. Dose rates of varying levels were delivered by "two radiation effects machines. Lower dose rate

Extension of On-Surface Radiation Condition (OSRC) Theory to Full-Vector Electromagnetic Wave Scattering by Three-Dimensional Conducting, Dielectric, and Coated Targets

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-08-27

rever"_? if necessary and identify by block number) FIELD SUB- GROUP Electromagnetic wave scattering, radiation boundary -. ... conditions, finite...international engineering electromagnetics symposia and in related journals has risen from a level of less than 10 per year (published primarily by my group ) to...Rzpoxs and Non -Refereed Papers: 3, as follows- I. D. S. Katz, A. Taflove, J. P. Brooks and E. Harrigan, "Large-scale methods in computational

Radiated noise from commercial ships in the Gulf of Maine: implications for whale/vessel collisions.

PubMed

Allen, J Kaitlyn; Peterson, Michael L; Sharrard, George V; Wright, Dana L; Todd, Sean K

2012-09-01

To understand mysticete acoustic-based detection of ships, radiated noise from high-speed craft, cruise ships, catamarans and fishing vessels was recorded June-September 2009. Calibrated acoustic data (<2500 Hz) from a vertical hydrophone array was combined with ship passage information. A cruise ship had the highest broadband source level, while a fishing vessel had the lowest. Ship noise radiated asymmetrically and varied with depth. Bow null-effect acoustic shadow zones were observed for all ship classes and were correlated with ship-length-to-draft-ratios. These shadow zones may reduce ship detection by near-surface mysticetes.

CAUSES: Diagnosis of the Summertime Warm Bias in CMIP5 Climate Models at the ARM Southern Great Plains Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chengzhu; Xie, Shaocheng; Klein, Stephen A.; Ma, Hsi-yen; Tang, Shuaiqi; Van Weverberg, Kwinten; Morcrette, Cyril J.; Petch, Jon

2018-03-01

All the weather and climate models participating in the Clouds Above the United States and Errors at the Surface project show a summertime surface air temperature (T2 m) warm bias in the region of the central United States. To understand the warm bias in long-term climate simulations, we assess the Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project simulations from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5, with long-term observations mainly from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program Southern Great Plains site. Quantities related to the surface energy and water budget, and large-scale circulation are analyzed to identify possible factors and plausible links involved in the warm bias. The systematic warm season bias is characterized by an overestimation of T2 m and underestimation of surface humidity, precipitation, and precipitable water. Accompanying the warm bias is an overestimation of absorbed solar radiation at the surface, which is due to a combination of insufficient cloud reflection and clear-sky shortwave absorption by water vapor and an underestimation in surface albedo. The bias in cloud is shown to contribute most to the radiation bias. The surface layer soil moisture impacts T2 m through its control on evaporative fraction. The error in evaporative fraction is another important contributor to T2 m. Similar sources of error are found in hindcast from other Clouds Above the United States and Errors at the Surface studies. In Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project simulations, biases in meridional wind velocity associated with the low-level jet and the 500 hPa vertical velocity may also relate to T2 m bias through their control on the surface energy and water budget.

Evaluation of Millstone-2 steam generator chemical decontamination

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

Snyder, D.T.; Blok, J.

The steam generator channel heads at Millstone-2 were decontaminated prior to carrying out extensive maintenance work in 1983. Isotopic gamma ray measurements were made of the inner channel head surfaces before and after the decontamination to evaluate the effectiveness of the process. The Combustion Engineering/Kraftwerk Union chemical decontamination, by itself, provided a decontamination factor ranging from 2.7 to 6.6 for the various steam generator surfaces. The corresponding average dose rate reduction factor, based on gross-gamma radiation surveys, was approximately 1.5 to 2.5. Following the chemical treatment, high pressure water flushing reduced the radiation levels still further, to an average overallmore » dose reduction factor of 5.3 to 7.2.« less

Charged particle detectors with active detector surface for partial energy deposition of the charged particles and related methods

DOEpatents

Gerts, David W; Bean, Robert S; Metcalf, Richard R

2013-02-19

A radiation detector is disclosed. The radiation detector comprises an active detector surface configured to generate charge carriers in response to charged particles associated with incident radiation. The active detector surface is further configured with a sufficient thickness for a partial energy deposition of the charged particles to occur and permit the charged particles to pass through the active detector surface. The radiation detector further comprises a plurality of voltage leads coupled to the active detector surface. The plurality of voltage leads is configured to couple to a voltage source to generate a voltage drop across the active detector surface and to separate the charge carriers into a plurality of electrons and holes for detection. The active detector surface may comprise one or more graphene layers. Timing data between active detector surfaces may be used to determine energy of the incident radiation. Other apparatuses and methods are disclosed herein.

Detailed real-time infrared radiation simulation applied to the sea surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xuemin; Wu, Limin; Long, Liang; Zhang, Lisha

2018-01-01

In this paper, the infrared radiation characteristics of sea background have been studied. First, MODTRAN4.0 was used to calculate the transmittance of mid-infrared and far-infrared, and the solar spectral irradiance, the atmospheric and sea surface radiation. Secondly, according to the JONSWAP sea spectrum model, the different sea conditions grid model based on gravity wave theory was generated. The spectral scattering of the sun and the atmospheric background radiation was studied. The total infrared radiation of the sea surface was calculated. Finally, the infrared radiation of a piece of sea surface was mapped to each pixel of the detector, and the infrared radiation is simulated. The conclusion is that solar radiance has a great influence on the infrared radiance. When the detector angle is close to the sun's height angle, there will be bright spots on the sea surface.

Texturing Carbon-carbon Composite Radiator Surfaces Utilizing Atomic Oxygen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raack, Taylor

2004-01-01

Future space nuclear power systems will require radiator technology to dissipate excess heat created by a nuclear reactor. Large radiator fins with circulating coolant are in development for this purpose and an investigation of how to make them most efficient is underway. Maximizing the surface area while minimizing the mass of such radiator fins is critical for obtaining the highest efficiency in dissipating heat. Processes to develop surface roughness are under investigation to maximize the effective surface area of a radiator fin. Surface roughness is created through several methods including oxidation and texturing. The effects of atomic oxygen impingement on carbon-carbon surfaces are currently being investigated for texturing a radiator surface. Early studies of atomic oxygen impingement in low Earth orbit indicate significant texturing due to ram atomic oxygen. The surface morphology of the affected surfaces shows many microscopic cones and valleys which have been experimentally shown to increase radiation emittance. Further study of this morphology proceeded in the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF). Atomic oxygen experiments on the LDEF successfully duplicated the results obtained from materials in spaceflight by subjecting samples to 4.5 eV atomic oxygen from a fixed ram angle. These experiments replicated the conical valley morphology that was seen on samples subjected to low Earth orbit.

Shielding concepts for low-background proportional counter arrays in surface laboratories

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

Aalseth, Craig E.; Humble, Paul H.; Mace, Emily K.

2016-02-01

Development of ultra low background gas proportional counters has made the contribution from naturally occurring radioactive isotopes – primarily and activity in the uranium and thorium decay chains – inconsequential to instrumental sensitivity levels when measurements are performed in above ground surface laboratories. Simple lead shielding is enough to mitigate against gamma rays as gas proportional counters are already relatively insensitive to naturally occurring gamma radiation. The dominant background in these surface laboratory measurements using ultra low background gas proportional counters is due to cosmic ray generated muons, neutrons, and protons. Studies of measurements with ultra low background gas proportionalmore » counters in surface and underground laboratories as well as radiation transport Monte Carlo simulations suggest a preferred conceptual design to achieve the highest possible sensitivity from an array of low background gas proportional counters when operated in a surface laboratory. The basis for a low background gas proportional counter array and the preferred shielding configuration is reported, especially in relation to measurements of radioactive gases having low energy decays such as 37Ar.« less

Gamma irradiation alters fatigue-crack behavior and fracture toughness in 1900H and GUR 1050 UHMWPE.

PubMed

Cole, Jantzen C; Lemons, Jack E; Eberhardt, Alan W

2002-01-01

Pitting and delamination remain causative factors of polyethylene failure in total knee replacement. Gamma irradiation induces cross linking in ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, which has been shown to improve wear resistance. Irradiation may reduce fracture toughness and fatigue strength, however, and the effects of irradiation are dependent upon the resin, processing technique, and radiation dose. The effects of varying levels of gamma irradiation (0, 33, 66, and 100 kGy) on the fracture toughness and fatigue-crack resistance of UHMWPE, isostatically molded from 1900H and GUR 1050 resins, were examined. Paris law regressions were performed to quantify fatigue-crack propagation rates as functions of change in stress intensity, and J-integral methods were used to quantify the elastic-plastic fracture toughness. The results indicated that gamma irradiation reduced the resistance of both materials to fatigue-crack growth, and that the reductions were radiation dosage and resin dependent. Irradiation at any level was detrimental to the fracture toughness of the 1900H specimens. Irradiation at 33 kGy increased fracture toughness for the GUR 1050 specimens, and substantial reductions were observed only at the highest irradiation level. Scanning electron microscopy of the fracture surface revealed diamond-like fracture patterns of the nonirradiated specimens indicative of ductile, multilevel fracture. Pronounced striations were apparent on these fracture surfaces, oriented perpendicular to the direction of crack growth. The striations appeared as folds in surface layers of the GUR 1050 specimens. At the highest irradiation levels, the striations were nearly eliminated on the fracture surfaces of the 1900H specimens, and were markedly less severe for the GUR 1050. These results demonstrated that at higher irradiation levels the materials became more brittle in fatigue, with less ductile folding and tearing of the fracture surfaces. Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res (Appl Biomater) 63: 559-566, 2002

Differences in rates of decrease of environmental radiation dose rates by ground surface property in Fukushima City after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident.

PubMed

Kakamu, Takeyasu; Kanda, Hideyuki; Tsuji, Masayoshi; Kobayashi, Daisuke; Miyake, Masao; Hayakawa, Takehito; Katsuda, Shin-ichiro; Mori, Yayoi; Okouchi, Toshiyasu; Hazama, Akihiro; Fukushima, Tetsuhito

2013-01-01

After the Great East Japan Earthquake on 11 March 2011, the environmental radiation dose in Fukushima City increased. On 11 April, 1 mo after the earthquake, the environmental radiation dose rate at various surfaces in the same area differed greatly by surface property. Environmental radiation measurements continue in order to determine the estimated time to 50% reduction in environmental radiation dose rates by surface property in order to make suggestions for decontamination in Fukushima. The measurements were carried out from 11 April to 11 November 2011. Forty-eight (48) measurement points were selected, including four kinds of ground surface properties: grass (13), soil (5), artificial turf (7), and asphalt (23). Environmental radiation dose rate was measured at heights of 100 cm above the ground surface. Time to 50% reduction of environmental radiation dose rates was estimated for each ground surface property. Radiation dose rates on 11 November had decreased significantly compared with those on 11 April for all surface properties. Artificial turf showed the longest time to 50% reduction (544.32 d, standard error: 96.86), and soil showed the shortest (213.20 d, standard error: 35.88). The authors found the environmental radiation dose rate on artificial materials to have a longer 50% reduction time than that on natural materials. These results contribute to determining an order of priority for decontamination after nuclear disasters.

Influence of inhomogeneous surface heat capacity on the estimation of radiative response coefficients in a two-zone energy balance model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Jungmin; Choi, Yong-Sang

2018-04-01

Observationally constrained values of the global radiative response coefficient are pivotal to assess the reliability of modeled climate feedbacks. A widely used approach is to measure transient global radiative imbalance related to surface temperature changes. However, in this approach, a potential error in the estimate of radiative response coefficients may arise from surface inhomogeneity in the climate system. We examined this issue theoretically using a simple two-zone energy balance model. Here, we dealt with the potential error by subtracting the prescribed radiative response coefficient from those calculated within the two-zone framework. Each zone was characterized by the different magnitude of the radiative response coefficient and the surface heat capacity, and the dynamical heat transport in the atmosphere between the zones was parameterized as a linear function of the temperature difference between the zones. Then, the model system was forced by randomly generated monthly varying forcing mimicking time-varying forcing like an observation. The repeated simulations showed that inhomogeneous surface heat capacity causes considerable miscalculation (down to -1.4 W m-2 K-1 equivalent to 31.3% of the prescribed value) in the global radiative response coefficient. Also, the dynamical heat transport reduced this miscalculation driven by inhomogeneity of surface heat capacity. Therefore, the estimation of radiative response coefficients using the surface temperature-radiation relation is appropriate for homogeneous surface areas least affected by the exterior.

Radiation budget changes with dry forest clearing in temperate Argentina.

PubMed

Houspanossian, Javier; Nosetto, Marcelo; Jobbágy, Esteban G

2013-04-01

Land cover changes may affect climate and the energy balance of the Earth through their influence on the greenhouse gas composition of the atmosphere (biogeochemical effects) but also through shifts in the physical properties of the land surface (biophysical effects). We explored how the radiation budget changes following the replacement of temperate dry forests by crops in central semiarid Argentina and quantified the biophysical radiative forcing of this transformation. For this purpose, we computed the albedo and surface temperature for a 7-year period (2003-2009) from MODIS imagery at 70 paired sites occupied by native forests and crops and calculated the radiation budget at the tropopause and surface levels using a columnar radiation model parameterized with satellite data. Mean annual black-sky albedo and diurnal surface temperature were 50% and 2.5 °C higher in croplands than in dry forests. These contrasts increased the outgoing shortwave energy flux at the top of the atmosphere in croplands by a quarter (58.4 vs. 45.9 W m(-2) ) which, together with a slight increase in the outgoing longwave flux, yielded a net cooling of -14 W m(-2) . This biophysical cooling effect would be equivalent to a reduction in atmospheric CO2 of 22 Mg C ha(-1) , which involves approximately a quarter to a half of the typical carbon emissions that accompany deforestation in these ecosystems. We showed that the replacement of dry forests by crops in central Argentina has strong biophysical effects on the energy budget which could counterbalance the biogeochemical effects of deforestation. Underestimating or ignoring these biophysical consequences of land-use changes on climate will certainly curtail the effectiveness of many warming mitigation actions, particularly in semiarid regions where high radiation load and smaller active carbon pools would increase the relative importance of biophysical forcing. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

CAUSES: Attribution of Surface Radiation Biases in NWP and Climate Models near the U.S. Southern Great Plains

DOE PAGES

Van Weverberg, K.; Morcrette, C. J.; Petch, J.; ...

2018-02-28

Many Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) and climate models exhibit too warm lower tropospheres near the midlatitude continents. The warm bias has been shown to coincide with important surface radiation biases that likely play a critical role in the inception or the growth of the warm bias. This paper presents an attribution study on the net radiation biases in nine model simulations, performed in the framework of the CAUSES project (Clouds Above the United States and Errors at the Surface). Contributions from deficiencies in the surface properties, clouds, water vapor, and aerosols are quantified, using an array of radiation measurement stationsmore » near the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Southern Great Plains site. Furthermore, an in-depth analysis is shown to attribute the radiation errors to specific cloud regimes. The net surface shortwave radiation is overestimated in all models throughout most of the simulation period. Cloud errors are shown to contribute most to this overestimation, although nonnegligible contributions from the surface albedo exist in most models. Missing deep cloud events and/or simulating deep clouds with too weak cloud radiative effects dominate in the cloud-related radiation errors. Some models have compensating errors between excessive occurrence of deep cloud but largely underestimating their radiative effect, while other models miss deep cloud events altogether. Surprisingly, even the latter models tend to produce too much and too frequent afternoon surface precipitation. This suggests that rather than issues with the triggering of deep convection, cloud radiative deficiencies are related to too weak convective cloud detrainment and too large precipitation efficiencies.« less

CAUSES: Attribution of Surface Radiation Biases in NWP and Climate Models near the U.S. Southern Great Plains

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

Van Weverberg, K.; Morcrette, C. J.; Petch, J.

Many Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) and climate models exhibit too warm lower tropospheres near the midlatitude continents. The warm bias has been shown to coincide with important surface radiation biases that likely play a critical role in the inception or the growth of the warm bias. This paper presents an attribution study on the net radiation biases in nine model simulations, performed in the framework of the CAUSES project (Clouds Above the United States and Errors at the Surface). Contributions from deficiencies in the surface properties, clouds, water vapor, and aerosols are quantified, using an array of radiation measurement stationsmore » near the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Southern Great Plains site. Furthermore, an in-depth analysis is shown to attribute the radiation errors to specific cloud regimes. The net surface shortwave radiation is overestimated in all models throughout most of the simulation period. Cloud errors are shown to contribute most to this overestimation, although nonnegligible contributions from the surface albedo exist in most models. Missing deep cloud events and/or simulating deep clouds with too weak cloud radiative effects dominate in the cloud-related radiation errors. Some models have compensating errors between excessive occurrence of deep cloud but largely underestimating their radiative effect, while other models miss deep cloud events altogether. Surprisingly, even the latter models tend to produce too much and too frequent afternoon surface precipitation. This suggests that rather than issues with the triggering of deep convection, cloud radiative deficiencies are related to too weak convective cloud detrainment and too large precipitation efficiencies.« less

CAUSES: Attribution of Surface Radiation Biases in NWP and Climate Models near the U.S. Southern Great Plains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Weverberg, K.; Morcrette, C. J.; Petch, J.; Klein, S. A.; Ma, H.-Y.; Zhang, C.; Xie, S.; Tang, Q.; Gustafson, W. I.; Qian, Y.; Berg, L. K.; Liu, Y.; Huang, M.; Ahlgrimm, M.; Forbes, R.; Bazile, E.; Roehrig, R.; Cole, J.; Merryfield, W.; Lee, W.-S.; Cheruy, F.; Mellul, L.; Wang, Y.-C.; Johnson, K.; Thieman, M. M.

2018-04-01

Many Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) and climate models exhibit too warm lower tropospheres near the midlatitude continents. The warm bias has been shown to coincide with important surface radiation biases that likely play a critical role in the inception or the growth of the warm bias. This paper presents an attribution study on the net radiation biases in nine model simulations, performed in the framework of the CAUSES project (Clouds Above the United States and Errors at the Surface). Contributions from deficiencies in the surface properties, clouds, water vapor, and aerosols are quantified, using an array of radiation measurement stations near the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Southern Great Plains site. Furthermore, an in-depth analysis is shown to attribute the radiation errors to specific cloud regimes. The net surface shortwave radiation is overestimated in all models throughout most of the simulation period. Cloud errors are shown to contribute most to this overestimation, although nonnegligible contributions from the surface albedo exist in most models. Missing deep cloud events and/or simulating deep clouds with too weak cloud radiative effects dominate in the cloud-related radiation errors. Some models have compensating errors between excessive occurrence of deep cloud but largely underestimating their radiative effect, while other models miss deep cloud events altogether. Surprisingly, even the latter models tend to produce too much and too frequent afternoon surface precipitation. This suggests that rather than issues with the triggering of deep convection, cloud radiative deficiencies are related to too weak convective cloud detrainment and too large precipitation efficiencies.

The Energy Budget at the Earth’s Surface: Photosynthesis Under Field Condition: Solar Radiation Balance and Photosynthetic Efficiency.

DTIC Science & Technology

40-cm level in corn that is 300 cm high. Calculations indicate maximum thermal efficiency of photosynthesis under the experimental conditions to be 40 percent of the yield obtained from laboratory grown chlorella . (Author)

An analysis of the relationship between cloud anomalies and sea surface temperature anomalies in a global circulation model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peterson, Thomas C.; Barnett, Tim P.; Roeckner, Erich; Vonder Haar, Thomas H.

1992-01-01

The relationship between the sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) and the anomalies of the monthly mean cloud cover (including the high-level, low-level, and total cloud cover), the outgoing longwave radiation, and the reflected solar radiation was analyzed using a least absolute deviations regression at each grid point over the open ocean for a 6-yr period. The results indicate that cloud change in association with a local 1-C increase in SSTAs cannot be used to predict clouds in a potential future world where all the oceans are 1-C warmer than at present, because much of the observed cloud changes are due to circulation changes, which in turn are related not only to changes in SSTAs but to changes in SSTA gradients. However, because SSTAs are associated with changes in the local ocean-atmosphere moisture and heat fluxes as well as significant changes in circulation (such as ENSO), SSTAs can serve as a surrogate for many aspects of global climate change.

Quantifying the Impact of Background Atmospheric Stability on Air-Ice-Ocean Interactions the Arctic Ocean During the Fall Freeze-Up

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guest, P. S.; Persson, O. P. G.; Blomquist, B.; Fairall, C. W.

2016-02-01

"Background" stability refers to the effect of vertical virtual temperature variations above the surface layer on fluxes within the surface layer. This is different from the classical surface layer stability quantified by the Obhukhov length scale. In most locations, changes in the background stability do not have a significant direct impact on surface fluxes. However in polar regions, where there is usually a strong low-level temperature inversion capping the boundary layer, changes in background stability can have big impacts on surface fluxes. Therefore, in the Arctic, there is potential for a positive feedback effect between ice cover and surface wind speed (and momentum flux) due to the background stability effects. As the surface becomes more ice free, heat fluxes from the surface weaken the temperature inversion which in turn increases the surface wind speed which further increases the surface turbulent heat fluxes and removes more sea ice by melting or advection. It is not clear how important feedbacks involving the background stability are during the fall freeze up of the Arctic Ocean; that will be the focus of this study. As part of an ONR-sponsored cruise in the fall of 2015 to examine sea state and boundary layer processes in the Beaufort Sea on the R/V Sikuliaq, the authors will perform a variety of surface layer and upper level atmospheric measurements of temperature, humidity and wind vector using ship platform instruments, radiosonde weather balloons, tethered balloons, kites, and miniature quad-rotor unmanned aerial vehicles. In addition, the authors will deploy a full suite of turbulent and radiational flux measurements from the vessel. These measurements will be used to quantify the impact of changing surface conditions on atmospheric structure and vice-versa. The goal is to directly observe how the surface and atmosphere above the surface layer interact and feedback with each other through radiational and turbulent fluxes.

Validation of the Martilli's Urban Boundary Layer Scheme with measurements from two mid-latitude European cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamdi, R.; Schayes, G.

2005-07-01

The Martilli's urban parameterization scheme is improved and implemented in a mesoscale model in order to take into account the typical effects of a real city on the air temperature near the ground and on the surface exchange fluxes. The mesoscale model is run on a single column using atmospheric data and radiation recorded above roof level as forcing. Here, the authors validate the Martilli's urban boundary layer scheme using measurements from two mid-latitude European cities: Basel, Switzerland and Marseilles, France. For Basel, the model performance is evaluated with observations of canyon temperature, surface radiation, and energy balance fluxes obtained during the Basel urban boundary layer experiment (BUBBLE). The results show that the urban parameterization scheme is able to reproduce the generation of the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect over urban area and represents correctly most of the behavior of the fluxes typical of the city center of Basel, including the large heat uptake by the urban fabric and the positive sensible heat flux at night. For Marseilles, the model performance is evaluated with observations of surface temperature, canyon temperature, surface radiation, and energy balance fluxes collected during the field experiments to constrain models of atmospheric pollution and transport of emissions (ESCOMPTE) and its urban boundary layer (UBL) campaign. At both urban sites, vegetation cover is less than 20%, therefore, particular attention was directed to the ability of the Martilli's urban boundary layer scheme to reproduce the observations for the Marseilles city center, where the urban parameters and the synoptic forcing are totally different from Basel. Evaluation of the model with wall, road, and roof surface temperatures gave good results. The model correctly simulates the net radiation, canyon temperature, and the partitioning between the turbulent and storage heat fluxes.

Validation of Martilli's urban boundary layer scheme with measurements from two mid-latitude European cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamdi, R.; Schayes, G.

2007-08-01

Martilli's urban parameterization scheme is improved and implemented in a mesoscale model in order to take into account the typical effects of a real city on the air temperature near the ground and on the surface exchange fluxes. The mesoscale model is run on a single column using atmospheric data and radiation recorded above roof level as forcing. Here, the authors validate Martilli's urban boundary layer scheme using measurements from two mid-latitude European cities: Basel, Switzerland and Marseilles, France. For Basel, the model performance is evaluated with observations of canyon temperature, surface radiation, and energy balance fluxes obtained during the Basel urban boundary layer experiment (BUBBLE). The results show that the urban parameterization scheme represents correctly most of the behavior of the fluxes typical of the city center of Basel, including the large heat uptake by the urban fabric and the positive sensible heat flux at night. For Marseilles, the model performance is evaluated with observations of surface temperature, canyon temperature, surface radiation, and energy balance fluxes collected during the field experiments to constrain models of atmospheric pollution and transport of emissions (ESCOMPTE) and its urban boundary layer (UBL) campaign. At both urban sites, vegetation cover is less than 20%, therefore, particular attention was directed to the ability of Martilli's urban boundary layer scheme to reproduce the observations for the Marseilles city center, where the urban parameters and the synoptic forcing are totally different from Basel. Evaluation of the model with wall, road, and roof surface temperatures gave good results. The model correctly simulates the net radiation, canyon temperature, and the partitioning between the turbulent and storage heat fluxes.

Using a spatially-distributed hydrologic biogeochemistry model to study the spatial variation of carbon processes in a Critical Zone Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Y.; Eissenstat, D. M.; Davis, K. J.; He, Y.

2015-12-01

Forest carbon processes are affected by soil moisture, soil temperature and solar radiation. Most of the current biogeochemical models are 1-D and represent one point in space. Therefore they can neither resolve topographically driven hill-slope soil moisture patterns, nor simulate the nonlinear effects of soil moisture on carbon processes. A spatially-distributed biogeochemistry model, Flux-PIHM-BGC, has been developed by coupling the Biome-BGC (BBGC) model with a coupled physically-based land surface hydrologic model, Flux-PIHM. Flux-PIHM incorporates a land-surface scheme (adapted from the Noah land surface model) into the Penn State Integrated Hydrologic Model (PIHM). Because PIHM is capable of simulating lateral water flow and deep groundwater, Flux-PIHM is able to represent the link between groundwater and the surface energy balance, as well as the land surface heterogeneities caused by topography. Flux-PIHM-BGC model was tested at the Susquehanna/Shale Hills critical zone observatory (SSHCZO). The abundant observations at the SSHCZO, including eddy covariance fluxes, soil moisture, groundwater level, sap flux, stream discharge, litterfall, leaf area index, aboveground carbon stock, and soil carbon efflux, provided an ideal test bed for the coupled model. Model results show that when uniform solar radiation is used, vegetation carbon and soil carbon are positively correlated with soil moisture in space, which agrees with the observations within the watershed. When topographically-driven solar radiation is used, however, the wetter valley floor becomes radiation limited, and produces less vegetation and soil carbon than the drier hillslope due to the assumption that canopy height is uniform in the watershed. This contradicts with the observations, and suggests that a tree height model with dynamic allocation model are needed to reproduce the spatial variation of carbon processes within a watershed.

An Algorithm for the Retrieval of 30-m Snow-Free Albedo from Landsat Surface Reflectance and MODIS BRDF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shuai, Yanmin; Masek, Jeffrey G.; Gao, Feng; Schaaf, Crystal B.

2011-01-01

We present a new methodology to generate 30-m resolution land surface albedo using Landsat surface reflectance and anisotropy information from concurrent MODIS 500-m observations. Albedo information at fine spatial resolution is particularly useful for quantifying climate impacts associated with land use change and ecosystem disturbance. The derived white-sky and black-sky spectral albedos maybe used to estimate actual spectral albedos by taking into account the proportion of direct and diffuse solar radiation arriving at the ground. A further spectral-to-broadband conversion based on extensive radiative transfer simulations is applied to produce the broadband albedos at visible, near infrared, and shortwave regimes. The accuracy of this approach has been evaluated using 270 Landsat scenes covering six field stations supported by the SURFace RADiation Budget Network (SURFRAD) and Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Southern Great Plains (ARM/SGP) network. Comparison with field measurements shows that Landsat 30-m snow-free shortwave albedos from all seasons generally achieve an absolute accuracy of +/-0.02 - 0.05 for these validation sites during available clear days in 2003-2005,with a root mean square error less than 0.03 and a bias less than 0.02. This level of accuracy has been regarded as sufficient for driving global and regional climate models. The Landsat-based retrievals have also been compared to the operational 16-day MODIS albedo produced every 8-days from MODIS on Terra and Aqua (MCD43A). The Landsat albedo provides more detailed landscape texture, and achieves better agreement (correlation and dynamic range) with in-situ data at the validation stations, particularly when the stations include a heterogeneous mix of surface covers.

Remote monitoring of emission activity level from NPP using radiofrequencies 1420, 1665, 1667 MHz in real time.

PubMed

Kolotkov, Gennady; Penin, Sergei

2013-01-01

The Fukushima nuclear accident showed the importance of timely monitoring and detection of radioactive emissions released from enterprises of the nuclear fuel cycle. Nuclear power plants (NPP) working continuously are a stationary source of gas-aerosol emissions which presented in a ground surface layer persistently. Following radioactive emission, untypical effects can be observed, for example: the occurrences of areas with increased ionization, and increased concentration of some gases caused by photochemical reactions. The gases themselves and their characteristic radiation can be markers of radioactivity and can be monitored by a passive method. Hydrogen atom (H) and hydroxyl radical (OH) are formed in a radioactive plume by radiolysis of water molecules and other hydrogen-containing air components by the high energy electrons from beta-decay of radionuclides. The hydrogen atom and hydroxyl radical can spontaneously radiate at 1420 MHz and 1665-1667 MHz respectively. The passive method of remote monitoring of radiation levels using radio-frequencies of H and OH from radioactive emissions of NPP is described. The model data is indicative of the monitoring of radiation levels using these frequencies. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CERES FLASHFlux: CERES Data Products for Science and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawaengphokhai, P.; Stackhouse, P. W.; Kratz, D. P.; Gupta, S. K.; Wilber, A. C.

2013-12-01

The Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) Fast Longwave And SHortwave Radiative Fluxes (FLASHFlux) data products were introduced at the NASA Langley Research Center to address the needs of the science community for global surface and top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiative fluxes on a near real-time basis. This has been accomplished by enhancing the speed of CERES processing using simplified calibration and averaging techniques to produce daily TOA fluxes and fast radiation parameterizations to produce daily surface fluxes within a week of satellite observation. While the resulting products are not considered to be sufficiently accurate for studying long-term climate trends, they satisfy the needs for many near real-time scientific data analyses and industrial applications. Currently, FLASHFlux produces daily Level-2 Single Scanner Footprint (SSF) and Level-3 Temporally Interpolated and Spatially Averaged (TISA) data products. The SSF products are derived for the cross-track CERES instrument on Terra and Aqua separately. The TISA data products are derived using measurements from the CERES instruments from Terra and Aqua together. TOA fluxes from SSF have been used to validate flux products from CloudSat and Megha-Tropiques and are available within about 4 days of real-time.. Additionally, we show the usefulness of the FLASHFlux TISA top-of-atmosphere data products for near real term application such as extending the CERES Energy Balance And Filled (EBAF) data to assess Earth's radiation budget variability as presented in the State of the Climate 2012. The FLASHFlux SSF and TISA employ the Langley Parameterize Shortwave Algorithm (LPSA) and Langley Parameterize Longwave Algorithm (LPLA) to derive daily surface flux estimates within about 6-7 days of satellite observation. Preliminary surface validation of the FLASHFlux Version3A shows underestimation less than 5 Wm-2 for downward longwave flux and less than 20 Wm-2 for downward shortwave flux. Improvement in cloud transmission algorithm is currently being investigated to address the underestimation in LPSA. Nevertheless, we illustrate the usefulness of the surface TISA data products, particularly the daily averaged solar fluxes, in the monitoring solar power systems either standalone or attached to buildings. The daily solar flux products are shown to correlate well to surface measurements and solar system output.

Impact of Albedo Contrast Between Cirrus and Boundary-Layer Clouds on Climate Sensitivity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chou, Ming-Dah; Lindzen, R. S.; Hou, A. Y.; Lau, William K. M. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

In assessing the iris effect suggested by Lindzen et al. (2001), Fu et al. (2001) found that the response of high-level clouds to the sea surface temperature had an effect of reducing the climate sensitivity to external radiative forcing, but the effect was not as strong as LCH found. This weaker reduction in climate sensitivity was due to the smaller contrasts in albedos and effective emitting temperatures between cirrus clouds and the neighboring regions. FBH specified the albedos and the outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) in the LCH 3.5-box radiative-convective model by requiring that the model radiation budgets at the top of the atmosphere be consistent with that inferred from the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE). In point of fact, the constraint by radiation budgets alone is not sufficient for deriving the correct contrast in radiation properties between cirrus clouds and the neighboring regions, and the approach of FBH to specifying those properties is, we feel inappropriate for assessing the iris effect.

Long-Wave Radiation Divergence over Water and Land from Measurement and Calculation (Die Langwellige Strahlungsdivergenz ueber Wasser und ueber dem Festen Boden nach Messung und Rechnung),

DTIC Science & Technology

surface temperature field. If these are eliminated, which is relatively simple over a water surface, the differences between calculated and measured...divergences at these levels is less than 20%, on the average. The relative variation of the divergence with height is somewhat greater over water than over land, due to the different temperature profiles. (Author)

Biological Technologies for Life Beyond Low Earth Orbit (BT4LBLEO): Study Introductions and Synopsis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hines, John W.

2011-01-01

The study will address the following mission concerns: -Extended human presence in the environments of deep space as well as the Moon and Mars will require a solid biological understanding of the integrated effects of diminished gravity, enhanced radiation, and transit- and destination-specific variables from the sub-cellular to the whole organism level. -Biological and associated technologies for biological and robotic precursor missions to realize future objectives for space colonization. -Surfaces, gravity levels, radiation environments, and atmospheres of these nearest neighbors are radically different in chemical and geological make-up from those on our home planet, and all of these contributory effects must be considered.

Inclusion of Solar Elevation Angle in Land Surface Albedo Parameterization Over Bare Soil Surface.

PubMed

Zheng, Zhiyuan; Wei, Zhigang; Wen, Zhiping; Dong, Wenjie; Li, Zhenchao; Wen, Xiaohang; Zhu, Xian; Ji, Dong; Chen, Chen; Yan, Dongdong

2017-12-01

Land surface albedo is a significant parameter for maintaining a balance in surface energy. It is also an important parameter of bare soil surface albedo for developing land surface process models that accurately reflect diurnal variation characteristics and the mechanism behind the solar spectral radiation albedo on bare soil surfaces and for understanding the relationships between climate factors and spectral radiation albedo. Using a data set of field observations, we conducted experiments to analyze the variation characteristics of land surface solar spectral radiation and the corresponding albedo over a typical Gobi bare soil underlying surface and to investigate the relationships between the land surface solar spectral radiation albedo, solar elevation angle, and soil moisture. Based on both solar elevation angle and soil moisture measurements simultaneously, we propose a new two-factor parameterization scheme for spectral radiation albedo over bare soil underlying surfaces. The results of numerical simulation experiments show that the new parameterization scheme can more accurately depict the diurnal variation characteristics of bare soil surface albedo than the previous schemes. Solar elevation angle is one of the most important factors for parameterizing bare soil surface albedo and must be considered in the parameterization scheme, especially in arid and semiarid areas with low soil moisture content. This study reveals the characteristics and mechanism of the diurnal variation of bare soil surface solar spectral radiation albedo and is helpful in developing land surface process models, weather models, and climate models.

Response of inorganic materials to laser - plasma EUV radiation focused with a lobster eye collector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartnik, Andrzej; Fiedorowicz, Henryk; Jarocki, Roman; Kostecki, Jerzy; Szczurek, Miroslaw; Havlikova, Radka; Pína, Ladislav; Švéda, Libor; Inneman, Adolf

2007-05-01

A single photon of EUV radiation carries enough energy to break any chemical bond or excite electrons from inner atomic shells. It means that the radiation regardless of its intensity can modify chemical structure of molecules. It is the reason that the radiation even with low intensity can cause fragmentation of long chains of organic materials and desorption of small parts from their surface. In this work interaction of EUV radiation with inorganic materials was investigated. Different inorganic samples were irradiated with a 10 Hz laser - plasma EUV source based on a gas puff target. The radiation was focused on a sample surface using a lobster eye collector. Radiation fluence at the surface reached 30 mJ/cm2 within a wavelength range 7 - 20 nm. In most cases there was no surface damage even after several minutes of irradiation. In some cases there could be noticed discolouration of an irradiated surface or evidences of thermal effects. In most cases however luminescent and scattered radiation was observed. The luminescent radiation was emitted in different wavelength ranges. It was recorded in a visible range of radiation and also in a wide wavelength range including UV, VUV and EUV. The radiation was especially intense in a case of non-metallic chemical compounds.

Assessment of Aerosol Optical Property and Radiative Effect for the Layer Decoupling Cases over the Northern South China Sea During the 7-SEAS Dongsha Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pani, Shantau Kumar; Wang, Sheng-Hsiang; Lin, Neng-Huei; Tsay, Si-Chee; Lolli, Simone; Chuang, Ming-Tung; Lee, Chung-Te; Chantara, Somporn; Yu, Jin-Yi

2016-01-01

The aerosol radiative effect can be modulated by the vertical distribution and optical properties of aerosols, particularly when aerosol layers are decoupled. Direct aerosol radiative effects over the northern South China Sea (SCS) were assessed by incorporating an observed data set of aerosol optical properties obtained from the Seven South East Asian Studies (7-SEAS)/Dongsha Experiment into a radiative transfer model. Aerosol optical properties for a two-layer structure of aerosol transport were estimated. In the radiative transfer calculations, aerosol variability (i.e., diversity of source region, aerosol type, and vertical distribution) for the complex aerosol environment was also carefully quantified. The column-integrated aerosol optical depth (AOD) at 500nm was 0.1-0.3 for near-surface aerosols and increased 1-5 times in presence of upper layer biomass-burning aerosols. A case study showed the strong aerosol absorption (single-scattering albedo (omega) approx. = 0.92 at 440nm wavelength) exhibited by the upper layer when associated with predominantly biomass-burning aerosols, and the omega (approx. = 0.95) of near-surface aerosols was greater than that of the upper layer aerosols because of the presence of mixed type aerosols. The presence of upper level aerosol transport could enhance the radiative efficiency at the surface (i.e., cooling) and lower atmosphere (i.e., heating) by up to -13.7 and +9.6W/sq m2 per AOD, respectively. Such enhancement could potentially modify atmospheric stability, can influence atmospheric circulation, as well as the hydrological cycle over the tropical and low-latitude marginal northern SCS.

Assessment of aerosol optical property and radiative effect for the layer decoupling cases over the northern South China Sea during the 7-SEAS/Dongsha Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pani, Shantanu Kumar; Wang, Sheng-Hsiang; Lin, Neng-Huei; Tsay, Si-Chee; Lolli, Simone; Chuang, Ming-Tung; Lee, Chung-Te; Chantara, Somporn; Yu, Jin-Yi

2016-05-01

The aerosol radiative effect can be modulated by the vertical distribution and optical properties of aerosols, particularly when aerosol layers are decoupled. Direct aerosol radiative effects over the northern South China Sea (SCS) were assessed by incorporating an observed data set of aerosol optical properties obtained from the Seven South East Asian Studies (7-SEAS)/Dongsha Experiment into a radiative transfer model. Aerosol optical properties for a two-layer structure of aerosol transport were estimated. In the radiative transfer calculations, aerosol variability (i.e., diversity of source region, aerosol type, and vertical distribution) for the complex aerosol environment was also carefully quantified. The column-integrated aerosol optical depth (AOD) at 500 nm was 0.1-0.3 for near-surface aerosols and increased 1-5 times in presence of upper layer biomass-burning aerosols. A case study showed the strong aerosol absorption (single-scattering albedo (ω) ≈ 0.92 at 440 nm wavelength) exhibited by the upper layer when associated with predominantly biomass-burning aerosols, and the ω (≈0.95) of near-surface aerosols was greater than that of the upper layer aerosols because of the presence of mixed type aerosols. The presence of upper level aerosol transport could enhance the radiative efficiency at the surface (i.e., cooling) and lower atmosphere (i.e., heating) by up to -13.7 and +9.6 W m-2 per AOD, respectively. Such enhancement could potentially modify atmospheric stability, can influence atmospheric circulation, as well as the hydrological cycle over the tropical and low-latitude marginal northern SCS.

Clouds and the extratropical circulation response to global warming in a hierarchy of global atmosphere models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voigt, A.

2017-12-01

Climate models project that global warming will lead to substantial changes in extratropical jet streams. Yet, many quantitative aspects of warming-induced jet stream changes remain uncertain, and recent work has indicated an important role of clouds and their radiative interactions. Here, I will investigate how cloud-radiative changes impact the zonal-mean extratropical circulation response under global warming using a hierarchy of global atmosphere models. I will first focus on aquaplanet setups with prescribed sea-surface temperatures (SSTs), which reproduce the model spread found in realistic simulations with interactive SSTs. Simulations with two CMIP5 models MPI-ESM and IPSL-CM5A and prescribed clouds show that half of the circulation response can be attributed to cloud changes. The rise of tropical high-level clouds and the upward and poleward movement of midlatitude high-level clouds lead to poleward jet shifts. High-latitude low-level cloud changes shift the jet poleward in one model but not in the other. The impact of clouds on the jet operates via the atmospheric radiative forcing that is created by the cloud changes and is qualitatively reproduced in a dry Held-Suarez model, although the latter is too sensitive because of its simplified treatment of diabatic processes. I will then show that the aquaplanet results also hold when the models are used in a realistic setup that includes continents and seasonality. I will further juxtapose these prescribed-SST simulations with interactive-SST simulations and show that atmospheric and surface cloud-radiative interactions impact the jet poleward jet shifts in about equal measure. Finally, I will discuss the cloud impact on regional and seasonal circulation changes.

CERES Clouds and Radiative Swath (CRS) data in HDF. (CER_CRS_Terra-FM2-MODIS_Edition2B)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wielicki, Bruce A. (Principal Investigator)

The Clouds and Radiative Swath (CRS) product contains one hour of instantaneous Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) data for a single scanner instrument. The CRS contains all of the CERES SSF product data. For each CERES footprint on the SSF the CRS also contains vertical flux profiles evaluated at four levels in the atmosphere: the surface, 500-, 70-, and 1-hPa. The CRS fluxes and cloud parameters are adjusted for consistency with a radiative transfer model and adjusted fluxes are evaluated at the four atmospheric levels for both clear-sky and total-sky. [Location=GLOBAL] [Temporal_Coverage: Start_Date=1998-01-01; Stop_Date=2001-10-31] [Spatial_Coverage: Southernmost_Latitude=-90; Northernmost_Latitude=90; Westernmost_Longitude=-180; Easternmost_Longitude=180] [Data_Resolution: Temporal_Resolution=1 hour; Temporal_Resolution_Range=Hourly - < Daily].

CERES Clouds and Radiative Swath (CRS) data in HDF (CER_CRS_TRMM-PFM-VIRS_Edition2C)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wielicki, Bruce A. (Principal Investigator)

The Clouds and Radiative Swath (CRS) product contains one hour of instantaneous Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) data for a single scanner instrument. The CRS contains all of the CERES SSF product data. For each CERES footprint on the SSF the CRS also contains vertical flux profiles evaluated at four levels in the atmosphere: the surface, 500-, 70-, and 1-hPa. The CRS fluxes and cloud parameters are adjusted for consistency with a radiative transfer model and adjusted fluxes are evaluated at the four atmospheric levels for both clear-sky and total-sky. [Location=GLOBAL] [Temporal_Coverage: Start_Date=1998-01-01; Stop_Date=2000-03-31] [Spatial_Coverage: Southernmost_Latitude=-90; Northernmost_Latitude=90; Westernmost_Longitude=-180; Easternmost_Longitude=180] [Data_Resolution: Temporal_Resolution=1 hour; Temporal_Resolution_Range=Hourly - < Daily].

CERES Clouds and Radiative Swath (CRS) data in HDF. (CER_CRS_Terra-FM2-MODIS_Edition2A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wielicki, Bruce A. (Principal Investigator)

The Clouds and Radiative Swath (CRS) product contains one hour of instantaneous Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) data for a single scanner instrument. The CRS contains all of the CERES SSF product data. For each CERES footprint on the SSF the CRS also contains vertical flux profiles evaluated at four levels in the atmosphere: the surface, 500-, 70-, and 1-hPa. The CRS fluxes and cloud parameters are adjusted for consistency with a radiative transfer model and adjusted fluxes are evaluated at the four atmospheric levels for both clear-sky and total-sky. [Location=GLOBAL] [Temporal_Coverage: Start_Date=1998-01-01; Stop_Date=2001-10-31] [Spatial_Coverage: Southernmost_Latitude=-90; Northernmost_Latitude=90; Westernmost_Longitude=-180; Easternmost_Longitude=180] [Data_Resolution: Temporal_Resolution=1 hour; Temporal_Resolution_Range=Hourly - < Daily].

TopoSCALE v.1.0: downscaling gridded climate data in complex terrain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiddes, J.; Gruber, S.

2014-02-01

Simulation of land surface processes is problematic in heterogeneous terrain due to the the high resolution required of model grids to capture strong lateral variability caused by, for example, topography, and the lack of accurate meteorological forcing data at the site or scale it is required. Gridded data products produced by atmospheric models can fill this gap, however, often not at an appropriate spatial resolution to drive land-surface simulations. In this study we describe a method that uses the well-resolved description of the atmospheric column provided by climate models, together with high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs), to downscale coarse-grid climate variables to a fine-scale subgrid. The main aim of this approach is to provide high-resolution driving data for a land-surface model (LSM). The method makes use of an interpolation of pressure-level data according to topographic height of the subgrid. An elevation and topography correction is used to downscale short-wave radiation. Long-wave radiation is downscaled by deriving a cloud-component of all-sky emissivity at grid level and using downscaled temperature and relative humidity fields to describe variability with elevation. Precipitation is downscaled with a simple non-linear lapse and optionally disaggregated using a climatology approach. We test the method in comparison with unscaled grid-level data and a set of reference methods, against a large evaluation dataset (up to 210 stations per variable) in the Swiss Alps. We demonstrate that the method can be used to derive meteorological inputs in complex terrain, with most significant improvements (with respect to reference methods) seen in variables derived from pressure levels: air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and incoming long-wave radiation. This method may be of use in improving inputs to numerical simulations in heterogeneous and/or remote terrain, especially when statistical methods are not possible, due to lack of observations (i.e. remote areas or future periods).

Frozen waterfall (or ice cascade) growth and decay: a thermodynamic approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gauthier, Francis; Montagnat, Maurine; Weiss, Jérôme; Allard, Michel; Hétu, Bernard

2013-04-01

The ice volume evolution of an ice cascade was studied using a thermodynamic model. The model was developed from meteorological data collected in the vicinity of the waterfall and validated from ice volume measurements estimated from terrestrial LiDAR images. The ice cascade forms over a 45 m high rockwall located in northern Gaspésie, Québec, Canada. Two stages of formation were identified. During the first stage, the growth is mainly controlled by air convection around the flowing and freefalling water. The ice cascade growth rate increases with the decreasing air temperature below 0°C and when the water flow reaches its lowest level. During the second stage, the ice cascade covers the entire rockwall surface, water flow is isolated from the outside environment and ice volume increases asymptotically. Heat is evacuated from the water flow through the ice cover by conduction. The growth is mainly controlled by the radiation energy balance but more specifically by the longwave radiation emitted at the ice surface during the night. In spring, melting of the ice cascade is clearly dependant on the sensible heat carried by the increasing water flow and the diffuse solar radiation received at the ice surface during the day.

The enhancement of biological ocular UV radiation on beaches compared to the radiation on grass.

PubMed

Liu, Guang-Cong; Wang, Fang; Gao, Yan-Yan; Yang, Zheng; Hu, Li-Wen; Gao, Qian; Ri, Jun-Chol; Liu, Yang

2014-12-01

The influence of albedo on ocular UV exposure has seldom been reported. This paper aimed to explore the enhancement effect on measured ocular UV radiation due to a sand surface compared to measured ocular UV radiation due to a grass surface. We measured ambient and ocular UV radiation over the beach and grass surface in Sanya City of China (18.4°N, 109.7°E). The experimental apparatus was composed of a manikin and a dual-detector spectrometer. Integration of both UVA and UVB radiation was used to denote UV radiation. Then biologically effective ocular UVB radiation (UVBE) and the ratios of UVBE of two surfaces were calculated. Maximum of ocular UV radiation versus time over the two surfaces is bimodal. UVBE on the beach is significantly larger than UVBE on the sand, and UVBE peaked at different solar elevation angle (SEA) over the two surfaces (about 53° and 40° on the beach and grass, respectively, according to Bayesian regression). The maximum of ocular UVBE ratios is greater than two, which peaked SEA was about 50°. One hour's cumulative radiation under sunny weather exceeds thresholds for photokeratitis, conjunctivitis and lens damage. Higher albedo significantly increased biological ocular UV radiation. Tourists on tropical beaches should take protective measures and avoid facing the sun directly, especially when SEA is around 50°. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A dynamical stabilizer in the climate system: a mechanism suggested by a simple model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bates, J. R.

1999-05-01

A simple zonally averaged hemispheric model of the climate system is constructed, based on energy equations for two ocean basins separated at 30° latitude with the surface fluxes calculated explicitly. A combination of empirical input and theoretical calculation is used to determine an annual mean equilibrium climate for the model and to study its stability with respect to small perturbations. The insolation, the mean albedos and the equilibrium temperatures for the two model zones are prescribed from observation. The principal agent of interaction between the zones is the vertically integrated poleward transport of atmospheric angular momentum across their common boundary. This is parameterized using an empirical formula derived from a multiyear atmospheric data set. The surface winds are derived from the angular momentum transport assuming the atmosphere to be in a state of dynamic balance on the climatic timescales of interest. A further assumption that the air sea temperature difference and low level relative humidity remain fixed at their mean observed values then allows the surface fluxes of latent and sensible heat to be calculated. Results from a radiative model, which show a positive lower tropospheric water vapour/infrared radiative feedback on SST perturbations in both zones, are used to calculate the net upward infrared radiative fluxes at the surface. In the model's equilibrium climate, the principal processes balancing the solar radiation absorbed at the surface are evaporation in the tropical zone and net infrared radiation in the extratropical zone. The stability of small perturbations about the equilibrium is studied using a linearized form of the ocean energy equations. Ice-albedo and cloud feedbacks are omitted and attention is focussed on the competing effects of the water vapour/infrared radiative feedback and the turbulent surface flux and oceanic heat transport feedbacks associated with the angular momentum cycle. The perturbation equations involve inter-zone coupling and have coefficients dependent on the values of the equilibrium fluxes and the sensitivity of the angular momentum transport. Analytical solutions for the perturbations are obtained. These provide criteria for the stability of the equilibrium climate. If the evaporative feedback on SST perturbations is omitted, the equilibrium climate is unstable due to the influence of the water vapour/infrared radiative feedback, which dominates over the effects of the sensible heat and ocean heat transport feedbacks. The inclusion of evaporation gives a negative feedback which is of sufficient strength to stabilize the system. The stabilizing mechanism involves wind and humidity factors in the evaporative fluxes that are of comparable magnitude. Both factors involve the angular momentum transport. In including angular momentum and calculating the surface fluxes explicitly, the model presented here differs from the many simple climate models based on the Budyko Sellers formulation. In that formulation, an atmospheric energy balance equation is used to eliminate surface fluxes in favour of top-of-the-atmosphere radiative fluxes and meridional atmospheric energy transports. In the resulting models, infrared radiation appears as a stabilizing influence on SST perturbations and the dynamical stabilizing mechanism found here cannot be identified.

Origin of dislocation luminescence centers and their reorganization in p-type silicon crystal subjected to plastic deformation and high temperature annealing.

PubMed

Pavlyk, Bohdan; Kushlyk, Markiyan; Slobodzyan, Dmytro

2017-12-01

Changes of the defect structure of silicon p-type crystal surface layer under the influence of plastic deformation and high temperature annealing in oxygen atmosphere were investigated by deep-level capacitance-modulation spectroscopy (DLCMS) and IR spectroscopy of molecules and atom vibrational levels. Special role of dislocations in the surface layer of silicon during the formation of its energy spectrum and rebuilding the defective structure was established. It is shown that the concentration of linear defects (N ≥ 10 4  cm -2 ) enriches surface layer with electrically active complexes (dislocation-oxygen, dislocation-vacancy, and dislocation-interstitial atoms of silicon) which are an effective radiative recombination centers.

Silicon and germanium nanoparticles with tailored surface chemistry as novel inorganic fiber brightening agents.

PubMed

Deb-Choudhury, Santanu; Prabakar, Sujay; Krsinic, Gail; Dyer, Jolon M; Tilley, Richard D

2013-07-31

Low-molecular-weight organic molecules, such as coumarins and stilbenes, are used commercially as fluorescent whitening agents (FWAs) to mask photoyellowing and to brighten colors in fabrics. FWAs achieve this by radiating extra blue light, thus changing the hue and also adding to the brightness. However, organic FWAs can rapidly photodegrade in the presence of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, exacerbating the yellowing process through a reaction involving singlet oxygen species. Inorganic nanoparticles, on the other hand, can provide a similar brightening effect with the added advantage of photostability. We report a targeted approach in designing new inorganic silicon- and germanium-based nanoparticles, functionalized with hydrophilic (amine) surface terminations as novel inorganic FWAs. When applied on wool, by incorporation in a sol-gel Si matrix, the inorganic FWAs improved brightness properties, demonstrated enhanced photostability toward UV radiation, especially the germanium nanoparticles, and also generated considerably lower levels of reactive oxygen species compared to a commercial stilbene-based organic FWA, Uvitex NFW.

Novel low-cost millimeter-wave system for road surface characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Busuioc, Dan; Anstey, Kyle; Rappaport, Carey; Birken, Ralf; Doughty, Jeffrey; Wang, Ming

2011-04-01

A novel low-cost low-complexity design based on Radar technology operating at millimeter wave is presented for the characterization of road surface conditions in real-time. At frequencies of 24-77 GHz the wavelength is long enough to obtain slight penetration in the top 1-2" of asphalt or concrete surface, but is also short enough to resolve details such as crack or pothole depth/etc. The Radar system operates by continuously outputting radiation and sampling the roadway-reflected radiation through a receiver-downconverter-sampler system. In initial laboratory testing, the received signal strength was observed to obey the inverse distance 1/R2 relationship. The received signal is further dependent on the incidence angle between the plane of the sensor and the plane of the roadway. One observation from this is the need of auxiliary sensors for determining the distance above the road surface as well as providing incident angle data. The sensor was further mounted on a movable cart used to measure the reflected signal on a variety of road surfaces (smooth, rough, surface defects, and environment factors such as various levels of moisture). By comparing measurements of the material after soaking to measurements in the dry state, there is substantial differentiation in measurements, which indicates the ability to measure the porosity of various materials. Lastly the sensor bandwidth provides the capability to measure surface roughness illustrated in the standard deviation of measurement data. On a macroscopic level, the aggregate in a roadway acts as a series of random scatterers and rough roadways or roadways with surface voids show a large variance between measurements of nearby points.

Study of UV cloud modification factors in Southern Patagonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolfram, Elian A.; Orte, Facundo; Salvador, Jacobo; Quiroga, Jonathan; D'Elia, Raúl; Antón, Manuel; Alados-Arboledas, Lucas; Quel, Eduardo

2017-02-01

Anthropogenic perturbation of the ozone layer has induced change in the amount of UV radiation that reaches the Earth's surface, mainly through the Antarctic ozone hole, making the ozone and ultraviolet (UV) radiation two important issues in the study of Earth atmosphere in the scientific community. Also the clouds have been identified as the main modulator of UV amount in short time scales and produce the main source of uncertainty in the projection of surface UV level as consequence of projected ozone recovery. While clouds can decrease direct radiation, they can produce an increase in the diffuse component, and as consequence the surface UV radiation may be higher than an equivalent clear sky scenario for several minutes. In particular this situation can be important when low ozone column and partially cloud cover skies happen simultaneously. These situations happen frequently in southern Patagonia, where the CEILAP Lidar Division has established the Atmospheric Observatory of Southern Patagonia, an atmospheric remote sensing site near the city of Río Gallegos (51°55'S, 69°14'W). In this paper, the impact of clouds over the UV radiation is investigated by the use of ground based measurements from the passive remote sensing instruments operating at this site, mainly of broad and moderate narrow band filter radiometers. We analyzed the UV Index obtained from a multiband filter radiometer GUV-541 (UVI) [Biospherical Inc.] installed in the Observatorio Atmosférico de la Patagonia Austral, Río Gallegos, since 2005. Cloud modification factors (CMF, ratio between the measured UV radiation in a cloudy sky and the simulated radiation under cloud-free conditions) are evaluated for the study site. The database used in this work covers the period 2005-2012 for spring and summer seasons, when the ozone hole can affect these subpolar regions. CMF higher than 1 are found during spring and summer time, when lower total ozone columns, higher solar elevations and high cloud cover occur simultaneously, producing extreme erythemal irradiance at ground surface. Enhancements as high as 25% were registered. The maximum duration of the enhancement was around 30 minute. This produces dangerous sunbathing situations for the Río Gallegos citizen.

Background canceling surface alpha detector

DOEpatents

MacArthur, D.W.; Allander, K.S.; Bounds, J.A.

1996-06-11

A background canceling long range alpha detector which is capable of providing output proportional to both the alpha radiation emitted from a surface and to radioactive gas emanating from the surface. The detector operates by using an electrical field between first and second signal planes, an enclosure and the surface or substance to be monitored for alpha radiation. The first and second signal planes are maintained at the same voltage with respect to the electrically conductive enclosure, reducing leakage currents. In the presence of alpha radiation and radioactive gas decay, the signal from the first signal plane is proportional to both the surface alpha radiation and to the airborne radioactive gas, while the signal from the second signal plane is proportional only to the airborne radioactive gas. The difference between these two signals is proportional to the surface alpha radiation alone. 5 figs.

Background canceling surface alpha detector

DOEpatents

MacArthur, Duncan W.; Allander, Krag S.; Bounds, John A.

1996-01-01

A background canceling long range alpha detector which is capable of providing output proportional to both the alpha radiation emitted from a surface and to radioactive gas emanating from the surface. The detector operates by using an electrical field between first and second signal planes, an enclosure and the surface or substance to be monitored for alpha radiation. The first and second signal planes are maintained at the same voltage with respect to the electrically conductive enclosure, reducing leakage currents. In the presence of alpha radiation and radioactive gas decay, the signal from the first signal plane is proportional to both the surface alpha radiation and to the airborne radioactive gas, while the signal from the second signal plane is proportional only to the airborne radioactive gas. The difference between these two signals is proportional to the surface alpha radiation alone.

On the intrinsic timescales of temporal variability in measurements of the surface solar radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bengulescu, Marc; Blanc, Philippe; Wald, Lucien

2018-01-01

This study is concerned with the intrinsic temporal scales of the variability in the surface solar irradiance (SSI). The data consist of decennial time series of daily means of the SSI obtained from high-quality measurements of the broadband solar radiation impinging on a horizontal plane at ground level, issued from different Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) ground stations around the world. First, embedded oscillations sorted in terms of increasing timescales of the data are extracted by empirical mode decomposition (EMD). Next, Hilbert spectral analysis is applied to obtain an amplitude-modulation-frequency-modulation (AM-FM) representation of the data. The time-varying nature of the characteristic timescales of variability, along with the variations in the signal intensity, are thus revealed. A novel, adaptive null hypothesis based on the general statistical characteristics of noise is employed in order to discriminate between the different features of the data, those that have a deterministic origin and those being realizations of various stochastic processes. The data have a significant spectral peak corresponding to the yearly variability cycle and feature quasi-stochastic high-frequency variability components, irrespective of the geographical location or of the local climate. Moreover, the amplitude of this latter feature is shown to be modulated by variations in the yearly cycle, which is indicative of nonlinear multiplicative cross-scale couplings. The study has possible implications on the modeling and the forecast of the surface solar radiation, by clearly discriminating the deterministic from the quasi-stochastic character of the data, at different local timescales.

Operational surface UV radiation product from GOME-2 and AVHRR/3 data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kujanpää, J.; Kalakoski, N.

2015-05-01

The surface ultraviolet (UV) radiation product, version 1.20, generated operationally in the framework of the Satellite Application Facility on Ozone and Atmospheric Chemistry Monitoring (O3M SAF) of the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) is described. The product is based on the total ozone column derived from the measurements of the second Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME-2) instrument aboard EUMETSAT's polar orbiting meteorological operational (Metop) satellites. The input total ozone product is generated by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) also within the O3M SAF framework. Polar orbiting satellites provide global coverage but infrequent sampling of the diurnal cloud cover. The diurnal variation of the surface UV radiation is extremely strong due to modulation by solar elevation and rapidly changing cloud cover. At the minimum, one sample of the cloud cover in the morning and another in the afternoon are needed to derive daily maximum and daily integrated surface UV radiation quantities. This is achieved by retrieving cloud optical depth from the channel 1 reflectance of the third Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR/3) instrument aboard both Metop in the morning orbit (daytime descending node around 09:30 LT) and Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellites (POES) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the afternoon orbit (daytime ascending node around 14:30 LT). In addition, more overpasses are used at high latitudes where the swaths of consecutive orbits overlap. The input satellite data are received from EUMETSAT's Multicast Distribution System (EUMETCast) using commercial telecommunication satellites for broadcasting the data to the user community. The surface UV product includes daily maximum dose rates and integrated daily doses with different biological weighting functions, integrated UVB and UVA radiation, solar noon UV Index and daily maximum photolysis frequencies of ozone and nitrogen dioxide at the surface level. The quantities are computed in a 0.5° × 0.5° regular latitude-longitude grid and stored as daily files in the hierarchical data format (HDF5) within two weeks from sensing. The product files are archived in the O3M SAF distributed archive and can be ordered via the EUMETSAT Data Centre.

Process for sensing defects on a smooth cylindrical interior surface in tubing

DOEpatents

Dutton, G. Wayne

1987-11-17

The cylindrical interior surface of small diameter metal tubing is optically inspected to determine surface roughness by passing a slightly divergent light beam to illuminate the entire interior surface of the tubing. Impingement of the input light beam components on any rough spots on the interior surface generates forward and backward scattered radiation components. The forward scattered components can be measured by blocking direct and specular radiation components exiting the tubing while allowing the forward scattered radiation to travel past the blocking location. Collecting optics are employed to converge the forward scattered radiation onto a photodetector generating a signal indicative of surface roughness. In the back scattered mode, back scattered radiation exiting the tubing through the entrance opening is reflected 90.degree. by a beam splitter towards collecting optics and a photodetector. Alternatively, back scattered radiation can be transmitted through a fiber optic bundle towards the collecting optics. The input light beam can be supplied through a white light fiber optic bundle mounted coaxial with the first bundle.

Process for sensing defects on a smooth cylindrical interior surface in tubing

DOEpatents

Dutton, G.W.

1987-11-17

The cylindrical interior surface of small diameter metal tubing is optically inspected to determine surface roughness by passing a slightly divergent light beam to illuminate the entire interior surface of the tubing. Impingement of the input light beam components on any rough spots on the interior surface generates forward and backward scattered radiation components. The forward scattered components can be measured by blocking direct and specular radiation components exiting the tubing while allowing the forward scattered radiation to travel past the blocking location. Collecting optics are employed to converge the forward scattered radiation onto a photodetector generating a signal indicative of surface roughness. In the back scattered mode, back scattered radiation exiting the tubing through the entrance opening is reflected 90[degree] by a beam splitter towards collecting optics and a photodetector. Alternatively, back scattered radiation can be transmitted through a fiber optic bundle towards the collecting optics. The input light beam can be supplied through a white light fiber optic bundle mounted coaxial with the first bundle. 6 figs.

Process and apparatus for sensing defects on a smooth cylindrical surface in tubing

DOEpatents

Dutton, G.W.

1985-08-05

The cylindrical interior surface of small diameter metal tubing is optically inspected to determine surface roughness by passing a slightly divergent light beam to illuminate the entire interior surface of the tubing. Impingement of the input light beam components on any rough spots on the interior surface generates forward and backward scattered radiation components. The forward scattered components can be measured by blocking direct and specular radiation components exiting the tubing while allowing the forward scattered radiation to travel past the blocking location. Collecting optics are employed to converge the forward scattered radiation onto a photodetector generating a signal indicative of surface roughness. In the back scattered mode, back scattered radiation exiting the tubing through the entrance opening is reflected 90/sup 0/ by a beam splitter towards collecting optics and a photodetector. Alternatively, back scattered radiation can be transmitted through a fiber optic bundle towards the collecting optics. The input light beam can be supplied through a white light fiber optic bundle mounted coaxial with the first bundle.

Periodic acoustic radiation from a low aspect ratio propeller

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muench, John David

An experimental program was conducted with the objective of providing high fidelity measurements of propeller inflow, unsteady blade surface pressures, and discrete acoustic radiation over a wide range of speeds. Anechoic wind tunnel experiments were preformed using the SISUP propeller. The upstream stator blades generate large wake deficits that result in periodic unsteady blade forces that acoustically radiate at blade passing frequency and higher harmonics. The experimental portion of this research successfully measured the inflow velocity, blade span unsteady pressures and directive characteristics of the blade-rate radiated noise associated with this complex propeller geometry while the propeller was operating on design. The spatial harmonic decomposition of the inflow revealed significant coefficients at 8, 16 and 24. The magnitude of the unsteady blade forces scale as U4 and linearly shift in frequency with speed. The magnitude of the discrete frequency acoustic levels associated with blade rate scale as U6 and also shift linearly with speed. At blade-rate, the far-field acoustic directivity has a dipole-like directivity oriented perpendicular to the inflow. At the first harmonic of blade-rate, the far-field directivity is not as well defined. The experimental inflow and blade surface pressure results were used to generate an acoustic prediction at blade rate based on a blade strip theory model developed by Blake (1986). The predicted acoustic levels were compared to the experimental results. The model adequately predicts the measured sound field at blade rate at 120 ft/sec. Radiated noise at blade-rate for 120 ft/s can be described by a dipole, whose orientation is perpendicular to the flow and is generated by the interaction of the rotating propeller with the 8th harmonic of the inflow. At blade-rate for 60 ft/s, the model under predicts measured levels. At the first harmonic of blade-rate, for 120 ft/s, the sound field is described as a combination of dipole sources, one generated by the 16 th harmonic, perpendicular to the inflow, and the other generated by the 12th harmonic of the inflow parallel to the inflow. At the first harmonic of blade-rate for 60 ft/s, the model under predicts measured levels.

The effects of ultraviolet-B radiation on freshwater invertebrates: Experiments with a solar simulator

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hurtubise, R.D.; Havel, J.E.; Little, E.E.

1998-01-01

There is concern that decreases in stratospheric ozone will lead to hazardous levels of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation at the Earth's surface. In clear water, UV-B may penetrate to significant depths. The purpose of the current study was to compare the sensitivity of freshwater invertebrates to UV-B. We used a solar simulator, calibrated to match local ambient solar radiation, to expose five species of freshwater invertebrates to enhanced levels of UV-B radiation. UV-B measurements in a eutrophic pond revealed that 10% of the irradiance penetrated to 30-cm depth and 1% to 57-cm depth. The irradiance at the upper 5-20 cm was comparable to levels used in the simulator. Median lethal dose (LD50) values were determined for the cladocerans Ceriodaphnia reticulata, Scapholeberis kingii (two induced color morphs), and Daphnia magna; the ostracod Cyprinotus incongruens; and the amphipod Hyalella azteca. Among the species, 96-h LD50 estimates were quite variable, ranging from 4.2 to 84.0 ??W cm-2. These estimates indicated S. kingii to be highly sensitive and H. azteca, C. reticulata, and D. magna to be moderately sensitive, whereas the ostracod C. incongruens was very tolerant to UV-B radiation. Overall, this study suggests that, in shallow ponds without physical refuges, UV-B radiation would have the strongest effects upon cladocerans and amphipods occurring in the water column, whereas ostracods would be better protected.

Assessment of Global Annual Atmospheric Energy Balance from Satellite Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Bing; Stackhouse, Paul; Minnis, Patrick; Wielicki, Bruce A.; Hu, Yongxiang; Sun, Wenbo; Fan, Tai-Fang (Alice); Hinkelman, Laura

2008-01-01

Global atmospheric energy balance is one of the fundamental processes for the earth's climate system. This study uses currently available satellite data sets of radiative energy at the top of atmosphere (TOA) and surface and latent and sensible heat over oceans for the year 2000 to assess the global annual energy budget. Over land, surface radiation data are used to constrain assimilated results and to force the radiation, turbulent heat, and heat storage into balance due to a lack of observation-based turbulent heat flux estimations. Global annual means of the TOA net radiation obtained from both direct measurements and calculations are close to zero. The net radiative energy fluxes into the surface and the surface latent heat transported into the atmosphere are about 113 and 86 Watts per square meter, respectively. The estimated atmospheric and surface heat imbalances are about -8 9 Watts per square meter, values that are within the uncertainties of surface radiation and sea surface turbulent flux estimates and likely systematic biases in the analyzed observations. The potential significant additional absorption of solar radiation within the atmosphere suggested by previous studies does not appear to be required to balance the energy budget the spurious heat imbalances in the current data are much smaller (about half) than those obtained previously and debated at about a decade ago. Progress in surface radiation and oceanic turbulent heat flux estimations from satellite measurements significantly reduces the bias errors in the observed global energy budgets of the climate system.

Comparison of radiation parametrizations within the HARMONIE-AROME NWP model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rontu, Laura; Lindfors, Anders V.

2018-05-01

Downwelling shortwave radiation at the surface (SWDS, global solar radiation flux), given by three different parametrization schemes, was compared to observations in the HARMONIE-AROME numerical weather prediction (NWP) model experiments over Finland in spring 2017. Simulated fluxes agreed well with each other and with the observations in the clear-sky cases. In the cloudy-sky conditions, all schemes tended to underestimate SWDS at the daily level, as compared to the measurements. Large local and temporal differences between the model results and observations were seen, related to the variations and uncertainty of the predicted cloud properties. The results suggest a possibility to benefit from the use of different radiative transfer parametrizations in a NWP model to obtain perturbations for the fine-resolution ensemble prediction systems. In addition, we recommend usage of the global radiation observations for the standard validation of the NWP models.

Surface Power Radiative Cooling Tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaughn, Jason; Schneider, Todd

2006-01-01

Terrestrial nuclear power plants typically maintain their temperature through convective cooling, such as water and forced air. However, the space environment is a vacuum environment, typically 10-8 Torr pressure, therefore in proposed missions to the lunar surface, power plants would have to rely on radiative cooling to remove waste heat. Also, the Martian surface has a very tenuous atmosphere (e.g. ~5 Torr CO2), therefore, the main heat transfer method on the Martian surface is also radiative. Because of the lack of atmosphere on the Moon and the tenuous atmosphere on Mars, surface power systems on both the Lunar and Martian surface must rely heavily on radiative heat transfer. Because of the large temperature swings on both the lunar and the Martian surfaces, trying to radiate heat is inefficient. In order to increase power system efficiency, an effort is underway to test various combinations of materials with high emissivities to demonstrate their ability to survive these degrading atmospheres to maintain a constant radiator temperature improving surface power plant efficiency. An important part of this effort is the development of a unique capability that would allow the determination of a materials emissivity at high temperatures. A description of the test capability as well as initial data is presented.

Optimized mounting of a polyethylene naphthalate scintillation material in a radiation detector.

PubMed

Nakamura, Hidehito; Yamada, Tatsuya; Shirakawa, Yoshiyuki; Kitamura, Hisashi; Shidara, Zenichiro; Yokozuka, Takayuki; Nguyen, Philip; Kanayama, Masaya; Takahashi, Sentaro

2013-10-01

Polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) has great potential as a scintillation material for radiation detection. Here the optimum mounting conditions to maximize the light collection efficiency from PEN in a radiation detector are discussed. To this end, we have determined light yields emitted from irradiated PEN for various optical couplings between the substrate and the photodetector, and for various substrate surface treatments. The results demonstrate that light extraction from PEN is more sensitive to the optical couplings due to its high refractive index. We also assessed the extent of radioactive impurities in PEN as background sources and found that the impurities are equivalent to the environmental background level. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Atmospheric structure favoring high sea surface temperatures in the western equatorial Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wirasatriya, Anindya; Kawamura, Hiroshi; Shimada, Teruhisa; Hosoda, Kohtaro

2016-10-01

We investigated the atmospheric processes over high sea surface temperature called Hot Event (HE) in the western equatorial Pacific from climatological analysis and a case study of the HE which began on 28 May 2003 (hereafter, HE030528). Climatological analysis shows that during the development stage of HE, solar radiation inside the HE area is higher than its climatology and wind speed is lower than the decay stage. During the decay stage, strong westerly wind often occurs inside HE area. The case study of HE030528 shows that the suppressed convection above high SST area resulted from the deep convection from the northern and southern areas outside HE. The suppressed convection created a band-shaped structure of low cloud cover along HE area increasing solar radiation during the development stage. Thus, the theory of "remote convection" was supported for the HE030528 formation mechanisms. The large sea level pressure gradient magnitude between the southern side of the terrain gap and the northern coast of the Solomon Islands, through which strong wind blew, indicated the role of land topography for the increase of wind speed during the decay of HE030528. Moreover, surface wind had an important role to influence the variability of solar radiation during the occurrence of HE030528 by controlling the water vapor supply in the upper troposphere through surface evaporation and surface convergence variation. Thus, surface wind was the key factor for HE030528 occurrence. The representativeness of HE030528 and the possible relation between HE and Madden-Julian Oscillation are also discussed.

Measuring the greenhouse effect and radiative forcing through the atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Philipona, Rolf; Kräuchi, Andreas; Brocard, Emmanuel

2013-04-01

In spite of a large body of existing measurements of incoming shortwave solar radiation and outgoing longwave terrestrial radiation at the Earth's surface and at the top of the atmosphere, there are few observations documenting how radiation profiles change through the atmosphere - information that is necessary to fully quantify the greenhouse effect of the Earth's atmosphere. Using weather balloons and specific radiometer equipped radiosondes, we continuously measured shortwave and longwave radiation fluxes from the surface of the Earth up to altitudes of 35 kilometers in the upper stratosphere. Comparing radiation profiles from night measurements with different amounts of water vapor, we show evidence of large greenhouse forcing. We show, that under cloud free conditions, water vapor increases with Clausius-Clapeyron ( 7% / K), and longwave downward radiation at the surface increases by 8 Watts per square meter per Kelvin. The longwave net radiation however, shows a positive increase (downward) of 2.4 Watts per square meter and Kelvin at the surface, which decreases with height and shows a similar but negative increase (upward) at the tropopause. Hence, increased tropospheric water vapor increases longwave net radiation towards the ground and towards space, and produces a heating of 0.42 Kelvin per Watt per square meter at the surface. References: Philipona et al., 2012: Solar and thermal radiation profiles and radiative forcing measured through the atmosphere. Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, L13806, doi: 10.1029/2012GL052087.

Remote sensing of solar radiation absorbed and reflected by vegetated land surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myneni, Ranga B.; Asrar, Ghassem; Tanre, Didier; Choudhury, Bhaskar J.

1992-01-01

1D and 3D radiative-transfer models have been used to investigate the problem of remotely sensed determination of vegetated land surface-absorbed and reflected solar radiation. Calculations were conducted for various illumination conditions to determine surface albedo, soil- and canopy-absorbed photosynthetically active and nonactive radiation, and normalized difference vegetation index. Simple predictive models are developed on the basis of the relationships among these parameters.

Further comparison of MODTRAN 5 to measured data in the UV band

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Leon; Richardson, Mark; Ayling, Richard; Barlow, Nick

2014-10-01

The ability to accurately model background radiation from the sun is important in understanding the operation of missile systems with ultraviolet (UV) guard channels. In theory a missile system's UV channel detects a target's silhouette, caused by its `negative contrast' with respect to background UV radiation. The variation in background levels of UV will therefore have an effect on the operability of a missile system that utilises a UV channel. In this paper an update on the measurement and comparison of background UV-A radiation to data produced by Moderate Resolution Atmospheric Transmission 5 (MODTRAN®5) is given. In the past surface flux and radiance data calculated using MODTRAN®5 has been compared to data from the World Ozone and Ultraviolet Data Centre (WOUDC) archive, and measurements taken by the author at the Defence Academy of the UK. With the aid of spectral measurement equipment, new measurements have been made and compared with the radiance profiles produced by MODTRAN®5, including measurements made throughout both winter and summer months. Also discussed are the effects of scattering and absorption by different cloud types on the amount of radiation observed at the Earth's surface.

Gamma-ray bursts as a threat to life on Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, B. C.

2009-07-01

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are likely to have made a number of significant impacts on the Earth during the last billion years. The gamma radiation from a burst within a few kiloparsecs would quickly deplete much of the Earth's protective ozone layer, allowing an increase in solar ultraviolet radiation reaching the surface. This radiation is harmful to life, damaging DNA and causing sunburn. In addition, NO2 produced in the atmosphere would cause a decrease in visible sunlight reaching the surface and could cause global cooling. Nitric acid rain could stress portions of the biosphere, but the increased nitrate deposition could be helpful to land plants. We have used a two-dimensional atmospheric model to investigate the effects on the Earth's atmosphere of GRBs delivering a range of fluences, at various latitudes, at the equinoxes and solstices, and at different times of day. We have estimated DNA damage levels caused by increased solar UVB radiation, reduction in solar visible light due to NO2 opacity, and deposition of nitrates through rainout of HNO3. In this paper we give a concise review of this work and discuss current and future work on extending and improving our estimates of the terrestrial impact of a GRB.

The Global Energy Balance Archive (GEBA) version 2017: a database for worldwide measured surface energy fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wild, Martin; Ohmura, Atsumu; Schär, Christoph; Müller, Guido; Folini, Doris; Schwarz, Matthias; Zyta Hakuba, Maria; Sanchez-Lorenzo, Arturo

2017-08-01

The Global Energy Balance Archive (GEBA) is a database for the central storage of the worldwide measured energy fluxes at the Earth's surface, maintained at ETH Zurich (Switzerland). This paper documents the status of the GEBA version 2017 dataset, presents the new web interface and user access, and reviews the scientific impact that GEBA data had in various applications. GEBA has continuously been expanded and updated and contains in its 2017 version around 500 000 monthly mean entries of various surface energy balance components measured at 2500 locations. The database contains observations from 15 surface energy flux components, with the most widely measured quantity available in GEBA being the shortwave radiation incident at the Earth's surface (global radiation). Many of the historic records extend over several decades. GEBA contains monthly data from a variety of sources, namely from the World Radiation Data Centre (WRDC) in St. Petersburg, from national weather services, from different research networks (BSRN, ARM, SURFRAD), from peer-reviewed publications, project and data reports, and from personal communications. Quality checks are applied to test for gross errors in the dataset. GEBA has played a key role in various research applications, such as in the quantification of the global energy balance, in the discussion of the anomalous atmospheric shortwave absorption, and in the detection of multi-decadal variations in global radiation, known as global dimming and brightening. GEBA is further extensively used for the evaluation of climate models and satellite-derived surface flux products. On a more applied level, GEBA provides the basis for engineering applications in the context of solar power generation, water management, agricultural production and tourism. GEBA is publicly accessible through the internet via http://www.geba.ethz.ch. Supplementary data are available at https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.873078.

The influence of surface type on the absorbed radiation by a human under hot, dry conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardin, A. W.; Vanos, J. K.

2018-01-01

Given the predominant use of heat-retaining materials in urban areas, numerous studies have addressed the urban heat island mitigation potential of various "cool" options, such as vegetation and high-albedo surfaces. The influence of altered radiational properties of such surfaces affects not only the air temperature within a microclimate, but more importantly the interactions of long- and short-wave radiation fluxes with the human body. Minimal studies have assessed how cool surfaces affect thermal comfort via changes in absorbed radiation by a human ( R abs) using real-world, rather than modeled, urban field data. The purpose of the current study is to assess the changes in the absorbed radiation by a human—a critical component of human energy budget models—based on surface type on hot summer days (air temperatures > 38.5∘C). Field tests were conducted using a high-end microclimate station under predominantly clear sky conditions over ten surfaces with higher sky view factors in Lubbock, Texas. Three methods were used to measure and estimate R abs: a cylindrical radiation thermometer (CRT), a net radiometer, and a theoretical estimation model. Results over dry surfaces suggest that the use of high-albedo surfaces to reduce overall urban heat gain may not improve acute human thermal comfort in clear conditions due to increased reflected radiation. Further, the use of low-cost instrumentation, such as the CRT, shows potential in quantifying radiative heat loads within urban areas at temporal scales of 5-10 min or greater, yet further research is needed. Fine-scale radiative information in urban areas can aid in the decision-making process for urban heat mitigation using non-vegetated urban surfaces, with surface type choice is dependent on the need for short-term thermal comfort, or reducing cumulative heat gain to the urban fabric.

The "Chocolate Experiment"--A Demonstration of Radiation Absorption by Different Colored Surfaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fung, Dennis

2015-01-01

In the typical "cookbook" experiment comparing the radiation absorption rates of different colored surfaces, students' hands are commonly used as a measurement instrument to demonstrate that dull black and silvery surfaces are good and poor absorbers of radiation, respectively. However, college students are often skeptical about using…

WCRP surface radiation budget shortwave data product description, version 1.1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitlock, C. H.; Charlock, T. P.; Staylor, W. F.; Pinker, R. T.; Laszlo, I.; Dipasquale, R. C.; Ritchey, N. A.

1993-01-01

Shortwave radiative fluxes which reach the Earth's surface are key elements that influence both atmospheric and oceanic circulation. The World Climate Research Program has established the Surface Radiation Budget climatology project with the ultimate goal of determining the various components of the surface radiation budget from satellite data on a global scale. This report describes the first global product that is being produced and archived as part of that effort. The interested user can obtain the monthly global data sets free of charge using e-mail procedures.

Development of an Urban Multilayer Radiation Scheme and Its Application to the Urban Surface Warming Potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aoyagi, Toshinori; Takahashi, Shunji

2012-02-01

To investigate how a three-dimensional structure such as an urban canyon can affect urban surface warming, we developed an urban multilayer radiation scheme. The complete consideration of multiple scattering of shortwave and longwave radiation using the radiosity method is an important feature of the present scheme. A brief description of this scheme is presented, followed by evaluations that compare its results with observations of the effective albedo and radiative temperature for urban blocks. Next, we calculate the urban surface warming potential (USWP), defined as the difference between the daily mean radiative temperature of urban surfaces (which are assumed to be black bodies), including their canyon effects and the daily mean temperature of a flat surface with the same material properties, under a radiative equilibrium state. Assuming standard material properties (albedo and emissivity of 0.4 and 0.9, respectively), we studied the sensitivity of the USWP to various aspect ratios of building heights to road widths. The results show that the temporally-averaged surface temperature of an urban area can be higher than that of a flat surface. In addition, we determined the overestimation of the effective temperature of urban surfaces induced by the overestimation of the radiation distribution to the walls when one uses a single-layer scheme for urban block arrays that have a low sky-view factor less than around 0.5.

Radiation fluxes at the FIFE site

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walter-Shea, Elizabeth A.; Blad, Blaine L.; Zara, Pedro; Vining, Roel; Hays, Cynthia J.; Mesarch, Mark A.

1993-01-01

The main objective of the International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project (ISLSCP) has been stated as 'the development of techniques that may be applied to satellite observations of the radiation reflected and emitted from the Earth to yield quantitative information concerning land surface climatological conditions'. The major field study, FIFE (the First ISLSCP Field Experiment), was conducted in 1987-89 to accomplish this objective. Four intensive field campaigns (IFC's) were carried out in 1987 and one in 1989. Factors contributing to observed reflected radiation from the FIFE site must be understood before the radiation observed by satellites can be used to quantify surface processes. Our last report (Walter-Shea et al., 1992b) focused on slope effects on incoming and outgoing shortwave radiation and net radiation from data collected in 1989. We report here on the final analysis of the slope data as well as results from thermal radiation studies conducted during the FIFE experiment. The specific areas reported are the following: (1) analysis of slope effects on measured reflectance values and estimates of surface albedo; (2) using remotely-measured surface temperatures as a means of estimating sensible heat flux from the Konza Prairie; (3) extracting canopy temperatures from remotely-measured composite surface temperatures; (4) modeling the measured composite temperature of partially vegetated surfaces; and (5) estimating gap distribution in partially vegetated surfaces from reflectance measurements.

Radiation fluxes at the FIFE site. Final report, 1 January 1991-31 July 1992

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

Walter-Shea, E.A.; Blad, B.L.; Zara, P.

1993-01-01

The main objective of the International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project (ISLSCP) has been stated as 'the development of techniques that may be applied to satellite observations of the radiation reflected and emitted from the Earth to yield quantitative information concerning land surface climatological conditions'. The major field study, FIFE (the First ISLSCP Field Experiment), was conducted in 1987-89 to accomplish this objective. Four intensive field campaigns (IFC's) were carried out in 1987 and one in 1989. Factors contributing to observed reflected radiation from the FIFE site must be understood before the radiation observed by satellites can be used tomore » quantify surface processes. Our last report (Walter-Shea et al.) focused on slope effects on incoming and outgoing shortwave radiation and net radiation from data collected in 1989. We report here on the final analysis of the slope data as well as results from thermal radiation studies conducted during the FIFE experiment. The specific areas reported are the following: (1) analysis of slope effects on measured reflectance values and estimates of surface albedo; (2) using remotely-measured surface temperatures as a means of estimating sensible heat flux from the Konza Prairie; (3) extracting canopy temperatures from remotely-measured composite surface temperatures; (4) modeling the measured composite temperature of partially vegetated surfaces; and (5) estimating gap distribution in partially vegetated surfaces from reflectance measurements.« less

Ultraviolet radiation exposure from UV-transilluminators.

PubMed

Akbar-Khanzadeh, Farhang; Jahangir-Blourchian, Mahdi

2005-10-01

UV-transilluminators use ultraviolet radiation (UVR) to visualize proteins, DNA, RNA, and their precursors in a gel electrophoresis procedure. This study was initiated to evaluate workers' exposure to UVR during their use of UV-transilluminators. The levels of irradiance of UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C were determined for 29 UV-transilluminators at arbitrary measuring locations of 6, 25, 62, and 125 cm from the center of the UV-transilluminator's filter surface in the direction of the operator's head. The operators (faculty, research staff, and graduate students) worked within 62 cm of the transilluminators, with most subjects commonly working at < or =25 cm from the UV-transilluminator's filter surface. Daily exposure time ranged from 1 to 60 min. Actinic hazard (effective irradiance level of UVR) was also determined for three representative UV-transilluminators at arbitrary measuring locations of 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, and 50 cm from these sets' filter surface in the direction of the operator's head. The allowable exposure time for these instruments was less than 20 sec within 15 cm, less than 35 sec within 25 cm, and less than 2 min within 50 cm from the UV-transilluminators' filter surface. The results of this study suggest that the use of UV-transilluminators exposes operators to levels of UVR in excess of exposure guidelines. It is recommended that special safety training be provided for the affected employees and that exposure should be controlled by one or the combination of automation, substitution, isolation, posted warning signs, shielding, and/or personal protective equipment.

Numerical Simulations for Landing Gear Noise Generation and Radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, Philip J.; Long, Lyle N.

2002-01-01

Aerodynamic noise from a landing gear in a uniform flow is computed using the Ffowcs Williams -Hawkings (FW-H) equation. The time accurate flow data on the surface is obtained using a finite volume flow solver on an unstructured and. The Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings equation is solved using surface integrals over the landing gear surface and over a permeable surface away from the landing gear. Two geometric configurations are tested in order to assess the impact of two lateral struts on the sound level and directivity in the far-field. Predictions from the Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings code are compared with direct calculations by the flow solver at several observer locations inside the computational domain. The permeable Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings surface predictions match those of the flow solver in the near-field. Far-field noise calculations coincide for both integration surfaces. The increase in drag observed between the two landing gear configurations is reflected in the sound pressure level and directivity mainly in the streamwise direction.

Earth-atmosphere system and surface reflectivities in arid regions from Landsat MSS data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Otterman, J.; Fraser, R. S.

1976-01-01

Previously developed programs for computing atmospheric transmission and scattering of the solar radiation are used to compute the ratios of the earth-atmosphere system (space) directional reflectivities in the nadir direction to the surface Lambertian reflectivity, for the four bands of the Landsat multispectral scanner (MSS). These ratios are presented as graphs for two water vapor levels, as a function of the surface reflectivity, for various sun elevation angles. Space directional reflectivities in the vertical direction are reported for selected arid regions in Asia, Africa, and Central America from the spectral radiance levels measured by the Landsat MSS. From these space reflectivities, surface reflectivities are computed applying the pertinent graphs. These surface reflectivities are used to estimate the surface albedo for the entire solar spectrum. The estimated albedos are in the range 0.34-0.52, higher than the values reported by most previous researchers from space measurements, but are consistent with laboratory and in situ measurements.

Radiation Measurements in Cruise and on Mars by the MSL Radiation Assessment Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeitlin, C. J.; Hassler, D.; Wimmer-Schweingruber, R. F.; Appel, J. K.; Boehm, E.; Boettcher, S.; Brinza, D.; Burmeister, S.; Cucinotta, F.; Ehresmann, B.; Guo, J.; Kohler, J.; Lohf, H.; Martin, C.; Posner, A.; Rafkin, S. C.; Reitz, G.; Team, M.

2013-12-01

The Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) is one of ten science instruments on the Curiosity rover. The RAD team's science objectives include the measurement of radiation dose (a purely physical quantity) and dose equivalent (a derived quantity that can be related to cancer risk) on the surface of Mars. In addition, RAD acquired data for most of the cruise to Mars, from Dec. 2011 through July 2012, providing a measurement of the radiation environment under conditions similar to those expected on a human trip to Mars or other deep space destinations. The dose and dose equivalent measurements made during cruise have been published, but are presented in more detail here. Rates measured in cruise are compared to similar measurements made during Curiosity's first 269 sols on the surface of Mars. In the simplest picture, one expects rates to be a factor of two lower on the surface of a large airless body compared to free space, owing to the two-pi shielding geometry. The situation on Mars is complicated by the non-negligible shielding effects of the atmosphere, particularly in Gale Crater where diurnal variations in atmospheric column depth are significant. The diurnal variations - caused by the well-known thermal tides on Mars - result in reduced shielding of the surface in the afternoon as compared to the night and early morning hours. A major challenge in analyzing the surface data is the treatment of the background radiation dose coming from Curiosity's Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG). Prior to launch, RAD acquired data in the full cruise configuration so that this background could be measured with only sea-level cosmic ray muons present - that is, almost all of what was measured was due to the RTG. Those effects could therefore be subtracted from the cruise measurements in a straightforward way. However, the situation on the surface is somewhat different than in cruise, in that the mass that was present above RAD - and caused scattering of particles into the detector - is no longer there. The RTG-induced dose rate in the surface configuration must therefore be less than it was in the cruise configuration, but there is no way to get a direct measurement of the background. Quantifying the change in RTG background is difficult but essential, as the subtraction affects every aspect of the dosimetry. Two approaches have been developed and yield roughly similar results. The differences allow us to estimate the uncertainties arising from the RTG subtraction, and propagate those into the dosimetry results.

The effect of the eye's surface topography on the total irradiance of ultraviolet radiation on the inner canthus.

PubMed

Birt, Benjamin; Cowling, Ian; Coyne, Steve; Michael, Greg

2007-04-02

Basal cell carcinoma is the most commonly occurring skin cancer in sub tropical climates. The link between ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and basal cell carcinomas (BCC) is strong. Numerous studies have investigated the spatial distribution of BCCs over the head and neck region and the relative UVR dose, with little or no correlation found between the UVR dose and occurrence rates. This is particularly noted in the inner canthus region. The inner canthus' field of view is restricted by the eye brow ridge, eye orbit and the cheek bone. Yet, the occurrence rate here of BCC's when compared to other regions that are more directly exposed to the environment is significantly higher. A possible causal effect for the increase in occurrence rate in this region is the focussed reflection of UVR from the tear film surface associated with the eye not previously considered in earlier studies. This paper investigates the potential for the surface topography of the eye to reflect focussed radiation towards the inner canthus using a ray tracing programme where the analysis is conducted at a cellular level. Defined hot spots, or striations, of increased irradiation were evidenced across the surface of the inner canthus. This increase in irradiation was not observed with macroscopic detectors which also possibly explain why this increased dose has not previously been detected during environmental measurements with large detectors on manikins or humans.

Terahertz NDE of Stressed Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels - Initial Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madaras, Eric I.; Seebo, Jeffrey P.; Anatasi, Robert F.

2009-01-01

Terahertz radiation nondestructive evaluation was applied to a set of Kevlar composite overwrapped pressure vessel bottles that had undergone a series of thermal and pressure tests to simulate stress rupture effects. The bottles in these nondestructive evaluation tests were bottles that had not ruptured but had survived various times at the elevated load and temperature levels. Some of the bottles showed evidence of minor composite failures. The terahertz radiation did detect visible surface flaws, but did not detect any internal chemical or material degradation of the thin overwraps.

Improved power efficiency for very-high-temperature solar-thermal-cavity receivers

DOEpatents

McDougal, A.R.; Hale, R.R.

1982-04-14

This invention is an improved solar energy cavity receiver for exposing materials and components to high temperatures. The receiver includes a housing having an internal reflective surface defining a cavity and having an inlet for admitting solar radiation thereto. A photothermal absorber is positiond in the cavity to receive radiation from the inlet. A reflective baffle is positioned between the absorber and the inlet to severely restrict the re-radiation of energy through the inlet. The front surface of the baffle defines a narrow annulus with the internal reflective surface of the housing. The front surface of the baffle is contoured to reflect incoming radiation onto the internal surface of the housing, from which it is reflected through the annulus and onto the front surface of the absorber. The back surface of the baffle intercepts radiation from the front of the absorber. With this arrangement, a high percentage of the solar power input is retained in the cavity; thus, high internal temperatues are attained.

Power efficiency for very high temperature solar thermal cavity receivers

DOEpatents

McDougal, Allan R.; Hale, Robert R.

1984-01-01

This invention is an improved solar energy cavity receiver for exposing materials and components to high temperatures. The receiver includes a housing having an internal reflective surface defining a cavity and having an inlet for admitting solar radiation thereto. A photothermal absorber is positioned in the cavity to receive radiation from the inlet. A reflective baffle is positioned between the absorber and the inlet to severely restrict the re-radiation of energy through the inlet. The front surface of the baffle defines a narrow annulus with the internal reflective surface of the housing. The front surface of the baffle is contoured to reflect incoming radiation onto the internal surface of the housing, from which it is reflected through the annulus and onto the front surface of the absorber. The back surface of the baffle intercepts infrared radiation from the front of the absorber. With this arrangement, a high percentage of the solar power input is retained in the cavity; thus, high internal temperatures are attained.

Integral Radiator and Storage Tank

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burke, Kenneth A.; Miller, John R.; Jakupca, Ian; Sargi,Scott

2007-01-01

A simplified, lightweight system for dissipating heat of a regenerative fuel- cell system would include a heat pipe with its evaporator end placed at the heat source and its condenser end integrated into the wall of the regenerative fuel cell system gas-storage tanks. The tank walls act as heat-radiating surfaces for cooling the regenerative fuel cell system. The system was conceived for use in outer space, where radiation is the only physical mechanism available for transferring heat to the environment. The system could also be adapted for use on propellant tanks or other large-surface-area structures to convert them to space heat-radiating structures. Typically for a regenerative fuel cell system, the radiator is separate from the gas-storage tanks. By using each tank s surface as a heat-radiating surface, the need for a separate, potentially massive radiator structure is eliminated. In addition to the mass savings, overall volume is reduced because a more compact packaging scheme is possible. The underlying tank wall structure provides ample support for heat pipes that help to distribute the heat over the entire tank surface. The heat pipes are attached to the outer surface of each gas-storage tank by use of a high-thermal conductance, carbon-fiber composite-material wrap. Through proper choice of the composite layup, it is possible to exploit the high longitudinal conductivity of the carbon fibers (greater than the thermal conductivity of copper) to minimize the unevenness of the temperature distribution over the tank surface, thereby helping to maximize the overall heat-transfer efficiency. In a prototype of the system, the heat pipe and the composite wrap contribute an average mass of 340 g/sq m of radiator area. Lightweight space radiator panels have a mass of about 3,000 g/sq m of radiator area, so this technique saves almost 90 percent of the mass of separate radiator panels. In tests, the modified surface of the tank was found to have an emissivity of 0.85. The composite wrap remained tightly bound to the surface of the tank throughout the testing in thermal vacuum conditions.

User's Manual: Routines for Radiative Heat Transfer and Thermometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Risch, Timothy K.

2016-01-01

Determining the intensity and spectral distribution of radiation emanating from a heated surface has applications in many areas of science and engineering. Areas of research in which the quantification of spectral radiation is used routinely include thermal radiation heat transfer, infrared signature analysis, and radiation thermometry. In the analysis of radiation, it is helpful to be able to predict the radiative intensity and the spectral distribution of the emitted energy. Presented in this report is a set of routines written in Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington) and incorporating functions specific to Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington) that are useful for predicting the radiative behavior of heated surfaces. These routines include functions for calculating quantities of primary importance to engineers and scientists. In addition, the routines also provide the capability to use such information to determine surface temperatures from spectral intensities and for calculating the sensitivity of the surface temperature measurements to unknowns in the input parameters.

On the role of radiation and dimensionality in predicting flow opposed flame spread over thin fuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Chenthil; Kumar, Amit

2012-06-01

In this work a flame-spread model is formulated in three dimensions to simulate opposed flow flame spread over thin solid fuels. The flame-spread model is coupled to a three-dimensional gas radiation model. The experiments [1] on downward spread and zero gravity quiescent spread over finite width thin fuel are simulated by flame-spread models in both two and three dimensions to assess the role of radiation and effect of dimensionality on the prediction of the flame-spread phenomena. It is observed that while radiation plays only a minor role in normal gravity downward spread, in zero gravity quiescent spread surface radiation loss holds the key to correct prediction of low oxygen flame spread rate and quenching limit. The present three-dimensional simulations show that even in zero gravity gas radiation affects flame spread rate only moderately (as much as 20% at 100% oxygen) as the heat feedback effect exceeds the radiation loss effect only moderately. However, the two-dimensional model with the gas radiation model badly over-predicts the zero gravity flame spread rate due to under estimation of gas radiation loss to the ambient surrounding. The two-dimensional model was also found to be inadequate for predicting the zero gravity flame attributes, like the flame length and the flame width, correctly. The need for a three-dimensional model was found to be indispensable for consistently describing the zero gravity flame-spread experiments [1] (including flame spread rate and flame size) especially at high oxygen levels (>30%). On the other hand it was observed that for the normal gravity downward flame spread for oxygen levels up to 60%, the two-dimensional model was sufficient to predict flame spread rate and flame size reasonably well. Gas radiation is seen to increase the three-dimensional effect especially at elevated oxygen levels (>30% for zero gravity and >60% for normal gravity flames).

Programmable thermal emissivity structures based on bioinspired self-shape materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Athanasopoulos, N.; Siakavellas, N. J.

2015-12-01

Programmable thermal emissivity structures based on the bioinspired self-shape anisotropic materials were developed at macro-scale, and further studied theoretically at smaller scale. We study a novel concept, incorporating materials that are capable of transforming their shape via microstructural rearrangements under temperature stimuli, while avoiding the use of exotic shape memory materials or complex micro-mechanisms. Thus, programmed thermal emissivity behaviour of a surface is achievable. The self-shape structure reacts according to the temperature of the surrounding environment or the radiative heat flux. A surface which incorporates self-shape structures can be designed to quickly absorb radiative heat energy at low temperature levels, but is simultaneously capable of passively controlling its maximum temperature in order to prevent overheating. It resembles a “game” of colours, where two or more materials coexist with different values of thermal emissivity/ absorptivity/ reflectivity. The transformation of the structure conceals or reveals one of the materials, creating a surface with programmable - and therefore, variable- effective thermal emissivity. Variable thermal emissivity surfaces may be developed with a total hemispherical emissivity ratio (ɛEff_H/ɛEff_L) equal to 28.

Heat transfer to an unconfined ceiling from an impinging buoyant diffusion flame

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weng, W. G.; Hasemi, Y.

2006-05-01

Impinging flames are used in fire safety research, industrial heating and melting, and aerospace applications. Multiple modes of heat transfer, such as natural convection, forced convection and thermal radiation, etc. are commonly important in those processes. However, the detailed heat transfer mechanisms are not well understood. In this paper, a model is developed to calculate the thermal response of an unconfined nonburning ceiling from an impinging buoyant diffusion flame. This model uses an algorithm for conduction into the ceiling material. It takes account of heat transfer due to radiation from the fire source to the ceiling surface, and due to reradiation from the ceiling surface to other items. Using experimental data, the convective heat transfer coefficient at lower surface is deduced from this model. In addition, the predicted heat fluxes are compared with the existing experimental data, and the comparison results validate the presented model. It is indicated that this model can be used to predict radial-dependent surface temperature histories under a variety of different realistic levels of fire energy generation rates and fire-to-ceiling separation distance.

Programmable thermal emissivity structures based on bioinspired self-shape materials

PubMed Central

Athanasopoulos, N.; Siakavellas, N. J.

2015-01-01

Programmable thermal emissivity structures based on the bioinspired self-shape anisotropic materials were developed at macro-scale, and further studied theoretically at smaller scale. We study a novel concept, incorporating materials that are capable of transforming their shape via microstructural rearrangements under temperature stimuli, while avoiding the use of exotic shape memory materials or complex micro-mechanisms. Thus, programmed thermal emissivity behaviour of a surface is achievable. The self-shape structure reacts according to the temperature of the surrounding environment or the radiative heat flux. A surface which incorporates self-shape structures can be designed to quickly absorb radiative heat energy at low temperature levels, but is simultaneously capable of passively controlling its maximum temperature in order to prevent overheating. It resembles a “game” of colours, where two or more materials coexist with different values of thermal emissivity/ absorptivity/ reflectivity. The transformation of the structure conceals or reveals one of the materials, creating a surface with programmable – and therefore, variable- effective thermal emissivity. Variable thermal emissivity surfaces may be developed with a total hemispherical emissivity ratio (εEff_H/εEff_L) equal to 28. PMID:26635316

Role of surface plasmon polaritons and other waves in the radiation of resonant optical dipole antennas

PubMed Central

Jia, Hongwei; Liu, Haitao; Zhong, Ying

2015-01-01

The radiation of an electric dipole emitter can be drastically enhanced if the emitter is placed in the nano-gap of a metallic dipole antenna. By assuming that only surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are excited on the antenna, we build up an intuitive pure-SPP model that is able to comprehensively predict the electromagnetic features of the antenna radiation, such as the total or radiative emission rate and the far-field radiation pattern. With the model we can distinguish the respective contributions from SPPs and from other surface waves to the antenna radiation. It is found that for antennas with long arms that support higher-order resonances, SPPs provide a dominant contribution to the antenna radiation, while for other cases, the contribution of surface waves other than SPPs should be considered. The model reveals an intuitive picture that the enhancement of the antenna radiation is due to surface waves that are resonantly excited on the two antenna arms and that are further coupled into the nano-gap or scattered into free space. From the model we can derive a phase-matching condition that predicts the antenna resonance and the resultant enhanced radiation. The model is helpful for a physical understanding and intuitive design of antenna devices. PMID:25678191

Dependence of global radiation on cloudiness and surface albedo in Tartu, Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tooming, H.

The dependence of global and diffuse radiation on surface albedo due to multiple reflection of radiation between the surface and the atmosphere (base of clouds) is found on the basis of data obtained at the Tartu-Tõravere Actinometric Station over the period 1955-2000. It is found that the monthly totals of global radiation increase by up to 1.38-1.88 times, particularly in the winter half-year between November and March, when snow cover albedo may be high. A semi-empirical formula is derived for calculating with sufficient accuracy the monthly totals of global radiation, considering the amount of cloudiness and the surface albedo. In the time series of the monthly total by global radiation a downward trend occurs in winter months. A decrease in global radiation by up to 20% in the past 46 years can be explained primarily by a relatively high negative trend in the snow cover duration and surface albedo (up to -0.24). As a result, days are growing darker, a new phenomenon associated with climate change, which undoubtedly affects human mood to some extent.

Colour centres and nanostructures on the surface of laser crystals

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

Kulagin, N A

2012-11-30

This paper presents a study of structural and radiationinduced colour centres in the bulk and ordered nanostructures on the surface of doped laser crystals: sapphire, yttrium aluminium garnet and strontium titanate. The influence of thermal annealing, ionising radiation and plasma exposure on the spectroscopic properties of high-purity materials and crystals containing Ti, V and Cr impurities is examined. Colour centres resulting from changes in the electronic state of impurities and plasma-induced surface modification of the crystals are studied by optical, EPR and X-ray spectroscopies, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. X-ray line valence shift measurements are used to assessmore » changes in the electronic state of some impurity and host ions in the bulk and on the surface of oxide crystals. Conditions are examined for the formation of one- and two-level arrays of ordered crystallites 10{sup -10} to 10{sup -7} m in size on the surface of crystals doped with irongroup and lanthanoid ions. The spectroscopic properties of the crystals are analysed using ab initio self-consistent field calculations for Me{sup n+} : [O{sup 2-}]{sub k} clusters. (interaction of laser radiation with matter. laser plasma)« less

Climate Response to Negative Greenhouse Gas Radiative Forcing in Polar Winter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flanner, M. G.; Huang, X.; Chen, X.; Krinner, G.

2018-02-01

Greenhouse gas (GHG) additions to Earth's atmosphere initially reduce global outgoing longwave radiation, thereby warming the planet. In select environments with temperature inversions, however, increased GHG concentrations can actually increase local outgoing longwave radiation. Negative top of atmosphere and effective radiative forcing (ERF) from this situation give the impression that local surface temperatures could cool in response to GHG increases. Here we consider an extreme scenario in which GHG concentrations are increased only within the warmest layers of winter near-surface inversions of the Arctic and Antarctic. We find, using a fully coupled Earth system model, that the underlying surface warms despite the GHG addition exerting negative ERF and cooling the troposphere in the vicinity of the GHG increase. This unique radiative forcing and thermal response is facilitated by the high stability of the polar winter atmosphere, which inhibit thermal mixing and amplify the impact of surface radiative forcing on surface temperature. These findings also suggest that strategies to exploit negative ERF via injections of short-lived GHGs into inversion layers would likely be unsuccessful in cooling the planetary surface.

Use of a Hybrid Edge Node-Centroid Node Approach to Thermal Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peabody, Hume L.

2010-01-01

A recent proposal submitted for an ESA mission required that models be delivered in ESARAD/ESAT AN formats. ThermalDesktop was the preferable analysis code to be used for model development with a conversion done as the final step before delivery. However, due to some differences between the capabilities of the two codes, a unique approach was developed to take advantage of the edge node capability of ThermalDesktop while maintaining the centroid node approach used by ESARAD. In essence, two separate meshes were used: one for conduction and one for radiation. The conduction calculations were eliminated from the radiation surfaces and the capacitance and radiative calculations were eliminated from the conduction surfaces. The resulting conduction surface nodes were coincident with all nodes of the radiation surface and were subsequently merged, while the nodes along the edges remained free. Merging of nodes on the edges of adjacent surfaces provided the conductive links between surfaces. Lastly, all nodes along edges were placed into the subnetwork and the resulting supernetwork included only the nodes associated with radiation surfaces. This approach had both benefits and disadvantages. The use of centroid, surface based radiation reduces the overall size of the radiation network, which is often the most computationally intensive part of the modeling process. Furthermore, using the conduction surfaces and allowing ThermalDesktop to calculate the conduction network can save significant time by not having to manually generate the couplings. Lastly, the resulting GMM/TMM models can be exported to formats which do not support edge nodes. One drawback, however, is the necessity to maintain two sets of surfaces. This requires additional care on the part of the analyst to ensure communication between the conductive and radiative surfaces in the resulting overall network. However, with more frequent use of this technique, the benefits of this approach can far outweigh the additional effort.

Use of a Hybrid Edge Node-Centroid Node Approach to Thermal Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peabody, Hume L.

2010-01-01

A recent proposal submitted for an ESA mission required that models be delivered in ESARAD/ESATAN formats. ThermalDesktop was the preferable analysis code to be used for model development with a conversion done as the final step before delivery. However, due to some differences between the capabilities of the two codes, a unique approach was developed to take advantage of the edge node capability of ThermalDesktop while maintaining the centroid node approach used by ESARAD. In essence, two separate meshes were used: one for conduction and one for radiation. The conduction calculations were eliminated from the radiation surfaces and the capacitance and radiative calculations were eliminated from the conduction surfaces. The resulting conduction surface nodes were coincident with all nodes of the radiation surface and were subsequently merged, while the nodes along the edges remained free. Merging of nodes on the edges of adjacent surfaces provided the conductive links between surfaces. Lastly, all nodes along edges were placed into the subnetwork and the resulting supernetwork included only the nodes associated with radiation surfaces. This approach had both benefits and disadvantages. The use of centroid, surface based radiation reduces the overall size of the radiation network, which is often the most computationally intensive part of the modeling process. Furthermore, using the conduction surfaces and allowing ThermalDesktop to calculate the conduction network can save significant time by not having to manually generate the couplings. Lastly, the resulting GMM/TMM models can be exported to formats which do not support edge nodes. One drawback, however, is the necessity to maintain two sets of surfaces. This requires additional care on the part of the analyst to ensure communication between the conductive and radiative surfaces in the resulting overall network. However, with more frequent use of this technique, the benefits of this approach can far outweigh the additional effort.

Radiation Beamline Testbeds for the Simulation of Planetary and Spacecraft Environments for Human and Robotic Mission Risk Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilkins, Richard

2010-01-01

The Center for Radiation Engineering and Science for Space Exploration (CRESSE) at Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, Texas, USA, is establishing an integrated, multi-disciplinary research program on the scientific and engineering challenges faced by NASA and the international space community caused by space radiation. CRESSE focuses on space radiation research directly applicable to astronaut health and safety during future long term, deep space missions, including Martian, lunar, and other planetary body missions beyond low earth orbit. The research approach will consist of experimental and theoretical radiation modeling studies utilizing particle accelerator facilities including: 1. NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) at Brookhaven National Laboratory; 2. Proton Synchrotron at Loma Linda University Medical Center; and 3. Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Specifically, CRESSE investigators are designing, developing, and building experimental test beds that simulate the lunar and Martian radiation environments for experiments focused on risk assessment for astronauts and instrumentation. The testbeds have been designated the Bioastronautics Experimental Research Testbeds for Environmental Radiation Nostrum Investigations and Education (BERT and ERNIE). The designs of BERT and ERNIE will allow for a high degree of flexibility and adaptability to modify experimental configurations to simulate planetary surface environments, planetary habitats, and spacecraft interiors. In the nominal configuration, BERT and ERIE will consist of a set of experimental zones that will simulate the planetary atmosphere (Solid CO2 in the case of the Martian surface.), the planetary surface, and sub-surface regions. These experimental zones can be used for dosimetry, shielding, biological, and electronic effects radiation studies in support of space exploration missions. BERT and ERNIE are designed to be compatible with the experimental areas associated with the above facilities. CRESSE has broad expertise in space radiation in the areas of space radiation environment modeling, Monte-Carlo radiation transport modeling, space radiation instrumentation and dosimetry, radiation effects on electronics, and multi-functional composite shielding materials. The BERT and ERNIE testbeds will be utilized in individual and collaborative research incorporating this expertise. The research goal is to maximize the technical readiness level (TRL) of radiation instrumentation for human and robotic missions, optimizing the return value of CRESSE for NASA exploration and international co-operative missions. Outcomes and knowledge from research utilizing BERT and ERNIE will be applied to a variety of scientific and engineering disciplines vital for safe and reliable execution of future space exploration missions, which can be negatively impacted by the space radiation environment. The testbeds will be central to a variety of university educational activities and educational goals of NASA. Specifically, BERT and ERNIE will enhance educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines for engineering and science students at PVAMU, a historically black college/university. Preliminary data on prototype testbed configurations, including simulated lunar regolith (JSC-1A stimulant based on Apollo 11 samples), regolith/polyethylene composites, and dry ice, will be presented to demonstrate the usefulness of BERT and ERNIE in radiation beam line experiments.

Radiation beamline testbeds for the simulation of planetary and spacecraft environments for human and robotic mission risk assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilkins, Richard

The Center for Radiation Engineering and Science for Space Exploration (CRESSE) at Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, Texas, USA, is establishing an integrated, multi-disciplinary research program on the scientific and engineering challenges faced by NASA and the inter-national space community caused by space radiation. CRESSE focuses on space radiation research directly applicable to astronaut health and safety during future long term, deep space missions, including Martian, lunar, and other planetary body missions beyond low earth orbit. The research approach will consist of experimental and theoretical radiation modeling studies utilizing particle accelerator facilities including: 1. NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) at Brookhaven National Laboratory; 2. Proton Synchrotron at Loma Linda University Med-ical Center; and 3. Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Specifically, CRESSE investigators are designing, developing, and building experimental test beds that simulate the lunar and Martian radiation environments for experiments focused on risk assessment for astronauts and instrumentation. The testbeds have been designated the Bioastronautics Experimental Research Testbeds for Environmental Radiation Nostrum Investigations and Education (BERT and ERNIE). The designs of BERT and ERNIE will allow for a high degree of flexibility and adaptability to modify experimental configurations to simulate planetary surface environments, planetary habitats, and spacecraft interiors. In the nominal configuration, BERT and ERIE will consist of a set of experimental zones that will simulate the planetary atmosphere (Solid CO2 in the case of the Martian surface.), the planetary surface, and sub-surface regions. These experimental zones can be used for dosimetry, shielding, biological, and electronic effects radiation studies in support of space exploration missions. BERT and ERNIE are designed to be compatible with the experimental areas associated with the above facilities. CRESSE has broad expertise in space radiation in the areas of space radiation environment modeling, Monte-Carlo radiation transport modeling, space radiation instrumentation and dosimetry, radiation effects on electronics, and multi-functional composite shielding materi-als. The BERT and ERNIE testbeds will be utilized in individual and collaborative research incorporating this expertise. The research goal is to maximize the technical readiness level (TRL) of radiation instrumentation for human and robotic missions, optimizing the return value of CRESSE for NASA exploration and international co-operative missions. Outcomes and knowledge from research utilizing BERT and ERNIE will be applied to a variety of scien-tific and engineering disciplines vital for safe and reliable execution of future space exploration missions, which can be negatively impacted by the space radiation environment. The testbeds will be central to a variety of university educational activities and educational goals of NASA. Specifically, BERT and ERNIE will enhance educational opportunities in science, technol-ogy, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines for engineering and science students at PVAMU, a historically black college/university. Preliminary data on prototype testbed configurations, including simulated lunar regolith (JSC-1A stimulant based on Apollo 11 samples), regolith/polyethylene composites, and dry ice, will be presented to demonstrate the usefulness of BERT and ERNIE in radiation beam line experiments.

Influence of Clouds On The Surface Radiative Balance For Two Mediterranean Sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bortoli, D.; Costa, M. J.; Nardino, M.

Clouds strongly affect the Earth's climate influencing the surface radiative balance by reducing the incident solar radiation and increasing the downward longwave flux. Al- though the quantitative impact of clouds on the surface radiative balance is necessarily associated with great uncertainties due to the complexity and variation of the under- lying parameters, cloud radiative forcing is one of the main regulating factors of the Earth's climate. The present work aims at determining the effect of cloud coverage on the surface radiative balance, in order to contribute for a better understanding of local variations in the Mediterranean climate. Measurements of the cloud cover index (CCI) require the presence of an observer capable of quantifying cloud amounts in the sky in sight above the measurements' site. Since such measurements are not always available the cloud cover index is re- trieved using two different methodologies. On one hand the CCI is computed from the surface radiometer measurements throughout a parameterisation. On the other it is retrieved using a bi-spectral algorithm based on the METEOSAT satellite measure- ments from the visible and infrared spectral regions. Results of the CCI are compared with co-located observations to perform a general check against the available "ground truth". At the same time the CCI values obtained from both methodologies are inter- compared. Results of the CCI and their implications on the surface radiative balance are presented for the two Mediterranean sites selected, one located in Italy and the other in the south of Portugal. The cloud radiative forcing calculations show a cooling effect of the surface in presence of clouds for both sites. Moreover, a seasonal dependence is obtained, with a stronger cooling effect during summer. Acknowledgements: The work was supported by Instituto de Cooperação Científica e Tecnológica Internacional (ICCTI) - Portugal and Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) - Italy, through the bilateral agreement "Study of cloud and aerosol radiative forcing on the surface radiative balance".

Cherenkov emission of terahertz surface plasmon polaritons from a superluminal optical spot on a structured metal surface.

PubMed

Bakunov, M I; Tsarev, M V; Hangyo, M

2009-05-25

We propose to launch terahertz surface plasmon polaritons on a structured metal surface by using a femtosecond laser pulse obliquely incident on a strip of an electro-optic material deposited on the surface. The laser pulse creates a nonlinear polarization that moves along the strip with a superluminal velocity and emits surface terahertz waves via the Cherenkov radiation mechanism. We calculate the radiated fields and frequency distribution of the radiated energy for a grooved perfect-conductor surface with a GaAs strip illuminated by Ti:sapphire laser. This technique can be used to perform surface terahertz spectroscopy.

Ground radiation tests and flight atomic oxygen tests of ITO protective coatings for Galileo Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bouquet, Frank L.; Maag, Carl R.

1986-01-01

Radiation simulation tests (protons and electrons) were performed along with atomic oxygen flight tests aboard the Shuttle to space qualify the surface protective coatings. The results, which contributed to the selection of indium-tin-oxide (ITO) coated polyester as the material for the thermal blankets of the Galileo Spacecraft, are given here. Two candidate materials, polyester and Fluorglas, were radiation-tested to determine changes at simulated Jovian radiation levels. The polyester exhibited a smaller weight loss (2.8) than the Fluorglas (8.8 percent). Other changes of polyester are given. During low-earth orbit, prior to transit to Jupiter, the thermal blankets would be exposed to atomic oxygen. Samples of uncoated and ITO-coated polyesters were flown on the Shuttle. Qualitative results are given which indicated that the ITO coating protected the underlying polyester.

Multisource Estimation of Long-term Global Terrestrial Surface Radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, L.; Sheffield, J.

2017-12-01

Land surface net radiation is the essential energy source at the earth's surface. It determines the surface energy budget and its partitioning, drives the hydrological cycle by providing available energy, and offers heat, light, and energy for biological processes. Individual components in net radiation have changed historically due to natural and anthropogenic climate change and land use change. Decadal variations in radiation such as global dimming or brightening have important implications for hydrological and carbon cycles. In order to assess the trends and variability of net radiation and evapotranspiration, there is a need for accurate estimates of long-term terrestrial surface radiation. While large progress in measuring top of atmosphere energy budget has been made, huge discrepancies exist among ground observations, satellite retrievals, and reanalysis fields of surface radiation, due to the lack of observational networks, the difficulty in measuring from space, and the uncertainty in algorithm parameters. To overcome the weakness of single source datasets, we propose a multi-source merging approach to fully utilize and combine multiple datasets of radiation components separately, as they are complementary in space and time. First, we conduct diagnostic analysis of multiple satellite and reanalysis datasets based on in-situ measurements such as Global Energy Balance Archive (GEBA), existing validation studies, and other information such as network density and consistency with other meteorological variables. Then, we calculate the optimal weighted average of multiple datasets by minimizing the variance of error between in-situ measurements and other observations. Finally, we quantify the uncertainties in the estimates of surface net radiation and employ physical constraints based on the surface energy balance to reduce these uncertainties. The final dataset is evaluated in terms of the long-term variability and its attribution to changes in individual components. The goal of this study is to provide a merged observational benchmark for large-scale diagnostic analyses, remote sensing and land surface modeling.

Effects of Gas-Phase Radiation and Detailed Kinetics on the Burning and Extinction of a Solid Fuel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rhatigan, Jennifer L.

2001-01-01

This is the first attempt to analyze both radiation and detailed kinetics on the burning and extinction of a solid fuel in a stagnation-point diffusion flame. We present a detailed and comparatively accurate computational model of a solid fuel flame along with a quantitative study of the kinetics mechanism, radiation interactions, and the extinction limits of the flame. A detailed kinetics model for the burning of solid trioxane (a trimer of formaldehyde) is coupled with a narrowband radiation model, with carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and water vapor as the gas-phase participating media. The solution of the solid trioxane diffusion flame over the flammable regime is presented in some detail, as this is the first solution of a heterogeneous trioxane flame. We identify high-temperature and low-temperature reaction paths for the heterogeneous trioxane flame. We then compare the adiabatic solution to solutions that include Surface radiation only and gas-phase and surface radiation using a black surface model. The analysis includes discussion of detailed flame chemistry over the flammable regime and, in particular, at the low stretch extinction limit. We emphasize the low stretch regime of the radiatively participating flame, since this is the region representative of microgravity flames. When only surface radiation is included, two extinction limits exist (the blow-off limit, and the low stretch radiative limit), and the burning rate and maximum flame temperatures are lower, as expected. With the inclusion of surface and gas-phase radiation, results show that, while flame temperatures are lower, the burning rate of the trioxane diffusion flame may actually increase at low stretch rate due to radiative feedback from the flame to the surface.

Diffusion length measurement using the scanning electron microscope. [for silicon solar cell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weizer, V. G.

1975-01-01

The present work describes a measuring technique employing the scanning electron microscope in which values of the true bulk diffusion length are obtained. It is shown that surface recombination effects can be eliminated through application of highly doped surface field layers. The effects of high injection level and low-high junction current generation are investigated. Results obtained with this technique are compared to those obtained by a penetrating radiation (X-ray) method, and a close agreement is found. The SEM technique is limited to cells that contain a back surface field layer.

Ultrafast all-optical switching and error-free 10 Gbit/s wavelength conversion in hybrid InP-silicon on insulator nanocavities using surface quantum wells

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

Bazin, Alexandre; Monnier, Paul; Beaudoin, Grégoire

Ultrafast switching with low energies is demonstrated using InP photonic crystal nanocavities embedding InGaAs surface quantum wells heterogeneously integrated to a silicon on insulator waveguide circuitry. Thanks to the engineered enhancement of surface non radiative recombination of carriers, switching time is obtained to be as fast as 10 ps. These hybrid nanostructures are shown to be capable of achieving systems level performance by demonstrating error free wavelength conversion at 10 Gbit/s with 6 mW switching powers.

Solar Radiation on Mars: Tracking Photovoltaic Array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Appelbaum, Joseph; Flood, Dennis J.; Crutchik, Marcos

1994-01-01

A photovoltaic power source for surface-based operation on Mars can offer many advantages. Detailed information on solar radiation characteristics on Mars and the insolation on various types of collector surfaces are necessary for effective design of future planned photovoltaic systems. In this article we have presented analytical expressions for solar radiation calculation and solar radiation data for single axis (of various types) and two axis tracking surfaces and compared the insulation to horizontal and inclined surfaces. For clear skies (low atmospheric dust load) tracking surfaces resulted in higher insolation than stationary surfaces, whereas for highly dusty atmospheres, the difference is small. The insolation on the different types of stationary and tracking surfaces depend on latitude, season and optical depth of the atmosphere, and the duration of system operation. These insolations have to be compared for each mission.

Abnormal photothermal effect of laser radiation on highly defect oxide bronze nanoparticles under the sub-threshold excitation of absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulyaev, P.; Kotvanova, M.; Omelchenko, A.

2017-05-01

The mechanism of abnormal photo-thermal effect of laser radiation on nanoparticles of oxide bronzes has been proposed in this paper. The basic features of the observed effect are: a) sub-threshold absorption of laser radiation by the excitation of donor-like levels formed in the energy gap due to superficial defects of the oxide bronze nano-crystals; b) an interband radiationless transition of energy of excitation on deep triplet levels and c) consequent recombination occurring at the plasmon absorption. K or Na atoms thermally intercalated to the octahedral crystal structure of TiO2 in the wave SHS combustion generate acceptor levels in the gap. The prepared oxide bronzes of the non-stoichiometric composition NaxTiO2 and KxTiO2 were examined by high resolution TEM, and then grinded in a planetary mill with powerful dispersion energy density up to 4000 J/g. This made it possible to obtain nanoparticles about 50 nm with high surface defect density (1017-1019 cm-2 at a depth of 10 nm). High photo-thermal effect of laser radiation on the defect nanocrystals observed after its impregnation into cartilaginous tissue exceeds 7 times in comparison with the intact ones.

Influence of two different IR radiators on the antioxidative potential of the human skin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darvin, M. E.; Patzelt, A.; Meinke, M.; Sterry, W.; Lademann, J.

2009-03-01

Resonance Raman spectroscopy was used for the fast in vivo detection of the concentration of carotenoid antioxidant substances such as beta-carotene and lycopene in human skin and for the measurement of their degradation dynamics, subsequent to infrared (IR) irradiation emitted by two different IR radiators applied at the same power density. One of the radiators was equipped with a water filter in front of the radiation source (WIRA) and the other was a usual broadband system without a water filter (standard IR radiator - SIR). It was found that the SIR exerted a higher influence on the degradation of carotenoids in the skin than the WIRA. Furthermore, all twelve volunteers who participated in the study felt that the irradiation with the SIR was disagreeably warmer on the skin surface compared to the WIRA, in spite of the same power density values for both radiators on the skin surface. The average degradation magnitude of the carotenoids in the skin of all volunteers after an IR irradiation was determined at 23% for WIRA and 33% for the SIR. A correlation (R2 ~ 0.6) was found between the individual level of carotenoids in the skin of the volunteers and the magnitude of degradation of the carotenoids for both IR radiators. Taking the previous investigations into consideration, which clearly showed production of free radicals in the skin subsequent to IR irradiation, it can be concluded that during the application of WIRA irradiation on the skin, fewer radicals are produced in comparison to the SIR.

The Diurnal Cycle in TOGA-COARE: Regional Scale Model Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tao, W.-K.; Jia, Y.

1999-01-01

The diurnal variation of precipitation processes over the tropics is a well-known phenomenon and has been studied using surface rainfall data, radar reflectivity data, and satellite-derived cloudiness and precipitation. Recently, analyzed observations from Tropical Oceans and Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Response Experiment (TOGA COARE) in the tropical western Pacific ocean to study the relevant mechanisms producing diurnal variation of precipitation. They found that the diurnal Sea surface temperature (SST) cycle is important for afternoon showers in the undisturbed periods and diurnal radiative processes for nocturnal rainfall. Cloud resolving models (CRMS) have been used to determine the mechanisms associated with diurnal variation of precipitating processes. CRMs allow explicit cloud-radiation and air-sea interactive processes. However, CRMs can be only used for idealized simulations (i.e., no feedback between clouds and their embedded large-scale environments; cyclic lateral boundary conditions and idealized initial conditions). In this study, the Penn State/NCAR Mesoscale Model (MM5) with improved physics (i.e., cloud microphysics, radiation, land-soil-vegetation-surface processes, and TOGA COARE flux scheme) and a multiple level nesting technique (covers the TOGA COARE LSA/IFA with a 54 km grid and can nest down to 18, 6 and possibly even 2 km) will be adopted for studying the diurnal variations of rainfall. We will examine precipitation processes over open ocean and over land. We will also perform sensitivity tests to determine how the radiative forcing and diurnal SST cycle affects the development of convection.

The Radiation Environment on the Martian Surface and during MSL's Cruise to Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassler, Donald M.; Zeitlin, Cary; Wimmer-Schweingruber, Robert F.; Ehresmann, Bent; Rafkin, Scot; Martin, Cesar; Boettcher, Stephan; Koehler, Jan; Guo, Jingnan; Brinza, David E.; Reitz, Guenther; Posner, Arik; the MSL Science Team

2013-04-01

An important part of assessing present and past habitability of Mars is to understand and characterize "life limiting factors" on the surface, such as the radiation environment. Radiation exposure is also a major concern for future human missions and characterizing the radiation environment, both on the surface of Mars and inside the spacecraft during the cruise to Mars, provides critical information to aid in the planning for future human exploration of Mars. RAD was the first MSL instrument to start collecting data, beginning its science investigation during cruise (10 days after launch) and making the first ever measurements of the radiation environment on another planet. RAD is an energetic particle analyzer designed to characterize a broad spectrum of energetic particle radiation including galactic cosmic rays, solar energetic particles, and secondary neutrons created both in the Mars atmosphere and regolith. RAD observations consist of a time series of periodic (typically hourly) measurements of charged particles from protons (Z=1) up to iron (Z=26) for energies above >10 MeV/nucleon, as well as neutrons from 10 to ~ 100 MeV. These synoptic observations are designed to characterize both the short term variability associated with the onset of solar energetic particle events as well as the long term variability of galactic cosmic rays over the solar cycle. RAD measurements will also be used to quantify the flux of biologically hazardous radiation at the surface of Mars today, and determine how these fluxes vary on diurnal, seasonal, solar cycle and episodic (flare, storm) timescales. These measurements will allow calculations of the depth in rock or soil to which this flux, when integrated over long timescales, provides a lethal dose for known terrestrial organisms. Through such measurements, we can learn how deep below the surface life would have to be, or have been in the past, to be protected. This talk will discuss the results obtained during the ~7 months of cruise observations, which included good characterization of the radiation dose inside MSL. The radiation environment inside the MSL spacecraft is not unlike that expected inside a future manned spacecraft in deep space. Modeling of the effective shielding inside the MSL spacecraft (backshell, heat shield, descent stage, etc.) shows that the average shielding provided by MSL is similar to that of the International Space Station, as well as that being assumed for future manned vehicles. During the 221 days of cruise observations, RAD measured the charged particle flux and dose from galactic cosmic rays as well as significant dose enhancements from 5 solar energetic particle events observed during this period. Even with the level of shielding inside MSL, these solar energetic particle events contributed significantly to the cumulative dose and dose equivalent. Finally, we will present the first-ever measurements of the radiation environment on the surface of Mars. With increased solar activity as we approach the next solar maximum (expected in 2013), direct measurements of the contribution from solar energetic particle events to the total effective dose on the surface of Mars, as well as the contribution from atmospheric and albedo neutrons, will be increasingly important. RAD is supported by NASA (HEOMD) under JPL subcontract #1273039 to SwRI, and by DLR in Germany under contract with Christian-Albrechts-Universitat (CAU).

The Radiation Environment on the Martian Surface and during MSL's Cruise to Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassler, D. M.; Zeitlin, C.; Wimmer-Schweingruber, R. F.

2012-12-01

An important part of assessing present and past habitability of Mars is to understand and characterize "life limiting factors" on the surface, such as the radiation environment. Radiation exposure is also a major concern for future human missions and characterizing the radiation environment, both on the surface of Mars and inside the spacecraft during the cruise to Mars, provides critical information to aid in the planning for future human exploration of Mars. RAD was the first MSL instrument to start collecting data, beginning its science investigation during cruise (10 days after launch) and making the first ever measurements of the radiation environment on another planet. RAD is an energetic particle analyzer designed to characterize a broad spectrum of energetic particle radiation including galactic cosmic rays, solar energetic particles, and secondary neutrons created both in the Mars atmosphere and regolith. RAD observations consist of a time series of periodic (typically hourly) measurements of charged particles from protons (Z=1) up to iron (Z=26) for energies above >10 MeV/nucleon, as well as neutrons from 10 to ~ 100 MeV. These synoptic observations are designed to characterize both the short term variability associated with the onset of solar energetic particle events as well as the long term variability of galactic cosmic rays over the solar cycle. RAD measurements will also be used to quantify the flux of biologically hazardous radiation at the surface of Mars today, and determine how these fluxes vary on diurnal, seasonal, solar cycle and episodic (flare, storm) timescales. These measurements will allow calculations of the depth in rock or soil to which this flux, when integrated over long timescales, provides a lethal dose for known terrestrial organisms. Through such measurements, we can learn how deep below the surface life would have to be, or have been in the past, to be protected. This talk will discuss the results obtained during the ~7 months of cruise observations, which included good characterization of the radiation dose inside MSL. The radiation environment inside the MSL spacecraft is not unlike that expected inside a future manned spacecraft in deep space. Modeling of the effective shielding inside the MSL spacecraft (backshell, heat shield, descent stage, etc.) shows that the average shielding provided by MSL is similar to that of the International Space Station, as well as that being assumed for future manned vehicles. During the 221 days of cruise observations, RAD measured the charged particle flux and dose from galactic cosmic rays as well as significant dose enhancements from 5 solar energetic particle events observed during this period. Even with the level of shielding inside MSL, these solar energetic particle events contributed significantly to the cumulative dose and dose equivalent. Finally, we will present the first-ever measurements of the radiation environment on the surface of Mars. With increased solar activity as we approach the next solar maximum (expected in 2013), direct measurements of the contribution from solar energetic particle events to the total effective dose on the surface of Mars, as well as the contribution from atmospheric and albedo neutrons, will be increasingly important. RAD is supported by NASA (HEOMD) under JPL subcontract #1273039 to SwRI, and by DLR in Germany under contract with Christian-Albrechts-Universitat (CAU).

Implications of Warm Rain in Shallow Cumulus and Congestus Clouds for Large-Scale Circulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nuijens, Louise; Emanuel, Kerry; Masunaga, Hirohiko; L'Ecuyer, Tristan

2017-11-01

Space-borne observations reveal that 20-40% of marine convective clouds below the freezing level produce rain. In this paper we speculate what the prevalence of warm rain might imply for convection and large-scale circulations over tropical oceans. We present results using a two-column radiative-convective model of hydrostatic, nonlinear flow on a non-rotating sphere, with parameterized convection and radiation, and review ongoing efforts in high-resolution modeling and observations of warm rain. The model experiments investigate the response of convection and circulation to sea surface temperature (SST) gradients between the columns and to changes in a parameter that controls the conversion of cloud condensate to rain. Convection over the cold ocean collapses to a shallow mode with tops near 850 hPa, but a congestus mode with tops near 600 hPa can develop at small SST differences when warm rain formation is more efficient. Here, interactive radiation and the response of the circulation are crucial: along with congestus a deeper moist layer develops, which leads to less low-level radiative cooling, a smaller buoyancy gradient between the columns, and therefore a weaker circulation and less subsidence over the cold ocean. The congestus mode is accompanied with more surface precipitation in the subsiding column and less surface precipitation in the deep convecting column. For the shallow mode over colder oceans, circulations also weaken with more efficient warm rain formation, but only marginally. Here, more warm rain reduces convective tops and the boundary layer depth—similar to Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) studies—which reduces the integrated buoyancy gradient. Elucidating the impact of warm rain can benefit from large-domain high-resolution simulations and observations. Parameterizations of warm rain may be constrained through collocated cloud and rain profiling from ground, and concurrent changes in convection and rain in subsiding and convecting branches of circulations may be revealed from a collocation of space-borne sensors, including the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) and upcoming Aeolus missions.

Diffusion length measurements using the scanning electron microscope. [in semiconductor devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weizer, V. G.

1975-01-01

A measurement technique employing the scanning electron microscope is described in which values of the true bulk diffusion length are obtained. It is shown that surface recombination effects can be eliminated through the application of highly doped surface field layers. The influence of high injection level effects and low-high junction current generation on the resulting measurement was investigated. Close agreement is found between the diffusion lengths measured by this method and those obtained using a penetrating radiation technique.

Lead Detection and Mapping with Reference to Relationships Between Scale, Sensor Characteristics, Surface Conditions and Atmospheric Properties

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-10-01

satellite-derived products and to understand in a more quantitative manner the benefits of different sensor systems . While there have been studies of...radiation balance of the surface/atmosphere system in the Arctic (Curry et al., 1990; Curry et al., 1989a; Curry et al., 1989b) and 4) high level cirrus...characteristics of the target or imaging system . In such a context it assumes that a given lead pixel is completely within the FOV of the satellite

The biological effects of space radiation during long stays in space.

PubMed

Ohnishi, Ken; Ohnishi, Takeo

2004-12-01

Many space experiments are scheduled for the International Space Station (ISS). Completion of the ISS will soon become a reality. Astronauts will be exposed to low-level background components from space radiation including heavy ions and other high-linear energy transfer (LET) radiation. For long-term stay in space, we have to protect human health from space radiation. At the same time, we should recognize the maximum permissible doses of space radiation. In recent years, physical monitoring of space radiation has detected about 1 mSv per day. This value is almost 150 times higher than that on the surface of the Earth. However, the direct effects of space radiation on human health are currently unknown. Therefore, it is important to measure biological dosimetry to calculate relative biological effectiveness (RBE) for human health during long-term flight. The RBE is possibly modified by microgravity. In order to understand the exact RBE and any interaction with microgravity, the ISS centrifugation system will be a critical tool, and it is hoped that this system will be in operation as soon as possible.

Electrodynamic Dust Shield Technology for Thermal Radiators Used in Lunar Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calle, Carlos I.; Hogue, Michael D.; Snyder, Sarah J.; Clements, Sidney J.; Johansen, Michael R.; Chen, Albert

2011-01-01

Two general types of thermal radiators are being considered for lunar missions: coated metallic surfaces and Second Surface Mirrors. Metallic surfaces are coated with a specially formulated white paint that withstands the space environment and adheres well to aluminium, the most common metal used in space hardware. AZ-93 White Thermal Control Paint, developed for the space program, is an electrically conductive inorganic coating that offers thermal control for spacecraft. It is currently in use on satellite surfaces (Fig 1). This paint withstands exposure to atomic oxygen, charged particle radiation, and vacuum ultraviolet radiation form 118 nm to 170 nm while reflecting 84 to 85% of the incident solar radiation and emitting 89-93% of the internal heat generated inside the spacecraft.

Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) Hazelwood Interim Storage Site annual site environmental report. Calendar year 1985. [FUSRAP

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

Not Available

1986-04-01

The Hazelwood Interim Storage Site (HISS) is presently used for the storage of low-level radioactively contaminated soils. Monitoring results show that the HISS is in compliance with DOE concentration guides and radiation protection standards. Derived Concentration Guides (DCGs) represent the concentrations of radionuclides in air or water that would limit the radiation dose to 100 mrem/y. The applicable limits have been revised since the 1984 environmental monitoring report was published. The limits applied in 1984 were based on a radiation protection standard of 500 mrem/y; the limits applied for 1985 are based on a standard of 100 mrem/y. The HISSmore » is part of the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP), a DOE program to decontaminate or otherwise control sites where low-level radioactive contamination remains from the early years of the nation's atomic energy program. To determine whether the site is in compliance with DOE standards, environmental measurements are expressed as percentages of the applicable DCG, while the calculated doses to the public are expressed as percentages of the applicable radiation protection standard. The monitoring program at the HISS measures uranium, radium, and thorium concentrations in surface water, groundwater, and sediment; radon gas concentrations in air; and external gamma radiation exposure rates. Potential radiation doses to the public are also calculated. The HISS was designated for remedial action under FUSRAP because radioactivity above applicable limits was found to exist at the site and its vicinity. Elevated levels of radiation still exist in areas where remedial action has not yet been completed.« less

Diffracted and head waves associated with waves on nonseparable surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barger, Raymond L.

1992-01-01

A theory is presented for computing waves radiated from waves on a smooth surface. With the assumption that attention of the surface wave is due only to radiation and not to dissipation in the surface material, the radiation coefficient is derived in terms of the attenuation factor. The excitation coefficient is determined by the reciprocity condition. Formulas for the shape and the spreading of the radiated wave are derived, and some sample calculations are presented. An investigation of resonant phase matching for nonseparable surfaces is presented with a sample calculation. A discussion of how such calculations might be related to resonant frequencies of nonseparable thin shell structures is included. A description is given of nonseparable surfaces that can be modeled in the vector that facilitates use of the appropriate formulas of differential geometry.

EXOMARS IRAS (DOSE) radiation measurements.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Federico, C.; Di Lellis, A. M.; Fonte, S.; Pauselli, C.; Reitz, G.; Beaujean, R.

The characterization and the study of the radiations on their interaction with organic matter is of great interest in view of the human exploration on Mars. The Ionizing RAdiation Sensor (IRAS) selected in the frame of the ExoMars/Pasteur ESA mission is a lightweight particle spectrometer combining various techniques of radiation detection in space. It characterizes the first time the radiation environment on the Mars surface, and provide dose and dose equivalent rates as precursor information absolutely necessary to develop ways to mitigate the radiation risks for future human exploration on Mars. The Martian radiation levels are much higher than those found on Earth and they are relatively low for space. Measurements on the surface will show if they are similar or not to those seen in orbit (modified by the presence of ``albedo'' neutrons produced in the regolith and by the thin Martian atmosphere). IRAS consists of a telescope based on segmented silicon detectors of about 40\\userk\\milli\\metre\\user;k diameter and 300\\user;k\\micro\\metre\\user;k thickness, a segmented organic scintillator, and of a thermoluminescence dosimeter. The telescope will continuously monitor temporal variation of the particle count rate, the dose rate, particle and LET (Linear Energy Transfer) spectra. Tissue equivalent BC430 scintillator material will be used to measure the neutron dose. Neutrons are selected by a criteria requiring no signal in the anti-coincidence. Last, the passive thermoluminescence dosimeter, based on LiF:Mg detectors, regardless the on board operation timing, will measure the total dose accumulated during the exposure period and due to beta and gamma radiation, with a responsivity very close to that of a human tissue.

A Study of The Direct Aerosol Forcing At Ground Level For A Pollution Event During The Escompte Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallet, M.; Roger, J. C.; Dubuisson, P.; Putaud, J. P.; van Dingenen, R.; Despiau, S.

Radiative forcing by aerosol particles is one of the largest source of uncertainties in predicting climate change (IPCC, 2001). Indeed, quantitative estimates of this effect are still uncertain due to little knowledge of these atmospheric particles. Atmospheric particles influence the Earth's radiation balance both directly and indirectly. The indi- rect effect denotes the effect of aerosols acting as cloud condensation nuclei, possibly modifying cloud albedo and cloud lifetime. The direct effect is due to scattering and absorption of radiation and each of these processes depends mainly on the refractive index and the size distribution of aerosol particles. During the ESCOMPTE campaign, which took place in coastal Mediterranean area during the summer 2001, we estimated these aerosol micro-physical properties during a pollution event at two different sites. The first is an urban site (the city of Marseille), and the second is a rural area located fifty kilometers inland. The aerosol size distribution was measured with an SMPS for the particles with radii < 1 µm, and an optical counter for r > 1 µm. The chemi- cal composition (including different ionic compounds , dust, elemental and organic carbon) was deduced from chromatography analysis. The aerosol optical properties calculated from measured aerosol physical and chemical properties at ground level (from Mie theory) are used as input to a shortwave radiative transfer model. Then, this model is used to calculate the diurnally averaged direct aerosol forcing at surface and to compare this values with those measured from the ARAT aircraft and surface pyranometer during the campaign.

Enhanced multifunctional paint for detection of radiation

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

Farmer, Joseph C.; Moses, Edward Ira; Rubenchik, Alexander M.

An enhanced multifunctional paint apparatus, systems, and methods for detecting radiation on a surface include providing scintillation particles; providing an enhance neutron absorptive material; providing a binder; combining the scintillation particles, the enhance neutron absorptive material, and the binder creating a multifunctional paint; applying the multifunctional paint to the surface; and monitoring the surface for detecting radiation.

Gulf War Illnesses: Understanding of Health Effects From Depleted Uranium Evolving But Safety Training Needed

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-03-01

against enemy munitions. Depleted uranium is a low- level radioactive heavy metal , and concerns have surfaced about whether exposure to it could be a...radioactive heavy metal , the potential for health effects are twofold: effects from radiation and effects from chemical toxicity. Two recent expert...depleted uranium safety training. Background Depleted uranium (DU), a low-level radioactive heavy metal , is a by- product of the process used to

Surface radiation budget for climate applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suttles, J. T. (Editor); Ohring, G. (Editor)

1986-01-01

The Surface Radiation Budget (SRB) consists of the upwelling and downwelling radiation fluxes at the surface, separately determined for the broadband shortwave (SW) (0 to 5 micron) and longwave (LW) (greater than 5 microns) spectral regions plus certain key parameters that control these fluxes, specifically, SW albedo, LW emissivity, and surface temperature. The uses and requirements for SRB data, critical assessment of current capabilities for producing these data, and directions for future research are presented.

A Global Model Simulation of Aerosol Effects of Surface Radiation Budget- Toward Understanding of the "Dimming to Brightening" Transition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chin, Mian; Diehl, Thomas; Bian, Huisheng; Yu, Hongbin

2008-01-01

We present a global model study on the role aerosols play in the change of solar radiation at Earth's surface that transitioned from a decreasing (dimming) trend to an increasing (brightening) trend. Our primary objective is to understand the relationship between the long-term trends of aerosol emission, atmospheric burden, and surface solar radiation. More specifically, we use the recently compiled comprehensive global emission datasets of aerosols and precursors from fuel combustion, biomass burning, volcanic eruptions and other sources from 1980 to 2006 to simulate long-term variations of aerosol distributions and optical properties, and then calculate the multi-decadal changes of short-wave radiative fluxes at the surface and at the top of the atmosphere by coupling the GOCART model simulated aerosols with the Goddard radiative transfer model. The model results are compared with long-term observational records from ground-based networks and satellite data. We will address the following critical questions: To what extent can the observed surface solar radiation trends, known as the transition from dimming to brightening, be explained by the changes of anthropogenic and natural aerosol loading on global and regional scales? What are the relative contributions of local emission and long-range transport to the surface radiation budget and how do these contributions change with time?

Prediction of light aircraft interior sound pressure level using the room equation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atwal, M.; Bernhard, R.

1984-01-01

The room equation is investigated for predicting interior sound level. The method makes use of an acoustic power balance, by equating net power flow into the cabin volume to power dissipated within the cabin using the room equation. The sound power level transmitted through the panels was calculated by multiplying the measured space averaged transmitted intensity for each panel by its surface area. The sound pressure level was obtained by summing the mean square sound pressures radiated from each panel. The data obtained supported the room equation model in predicting the cabin interior sound pressure level.

Increase of hole-drilling speed by using packs of laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorny, Sergey G.; Grigoriev, A. M.; Lopota, Vitaliy A.; Turichin, Gleb A.

1999-09-01

For realization of the optimum mode of hole drilling the packs of laser pulses of high intensity were used, when average level of intensity of radiation is not too high, that reduces specific energy of destruction, and the peak intensity is reasonably great, that the pulse of pressure of effect at evaporation has completely deleted the liquid from the zone of processing. The high peak intensity of radiation permits in this case to place a target not in focus of a optical system, creating on its surface the image with the help of masks. It permits to receive in metal plates the holes of any section, to execute marking of surfaces and deep engraving of sample material with the help of laser. With the using of focused radiation the cutting of thin materials can be executed without a auxiliary gas. The condition of melt replacement is excess of power of recoil pressure above the power of viscous forces and forces of inertia. The decision of the hydrodynamic problem permits to evaluate the necessary parameters of laser radiation, frequency and longitude of packs of pulses which provide increases of process speed in several times. The conducted experiments confirm the indicated theoretical analysis of process of removing of the material under action of packs of pulses of laser radiation. The given process is realized in laser technological installations for holes drilling and marks of materials.

Assessing exposure to granite countertops--Part 1: Radiation.

PubMed

Myatt, Theodore A; Allen, Joseph G; Minegishi, Taeko; McCarthy, William B; Stewart, James H; Macintosh, David L; McCarthy, John F

2010-05-01

Humans are continuously exposed to low levels of ionizing radiation. Known sources include radon, soil, cosmic rays, medical treatment, food, and building products such as gypsum board and concrete. Little information exists about radiation emissions and associated doses from natural stone finish materials such as granite countertops in homes. To address this knowledge gap, gross radioactivity, gamma ray activity, and dose rate were determined for slabs of granite marketed for use as countertops. Annual effective radiation doses were estimated from measured dose rates and human activity patterns while accounting for the geometry of granite countertops in a model kitchen. Gross radioactivity, gamma activity, and dose rate varied significantly among and within slabs of granite with ranges for median levels at the slab surface of ND to 3000 cpm, ND to 98,000 cpm, and ND to 1.5E-4 mSv/h, respectively. The maximum activity concentrations of the (40)K, (232)Th, and (226)Ra series were 2715, 231, and 450 Bq/kg, respectively. The estimated annual radiation dose from spending 4 h/day in a hypothetical kitchen ranged from 0.005 to 0.18 mSv/a depending on the type of granite. In summary, our results show that the types of granite characterized in this study contain varying levels of radioactive isotopes and that their observed emissions are consistent with those reported in the scientific literature. We also conclude from our analyses that these emissions are likely to be a minor source of external radiation dose when used as countertop material within the home and present a negligible risk to human health.

The role of global cloud climatologies in validating numerical models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

HARSHVARDHAN

1991-01-01

Reliable estimates of the components of the surface radiation budget are important in studies of ocean-atmosphere interaction, land-atmosphere interaction, ocean circulation and in the validation of radiation schemes used in climate models. The methods currently under consideration must necessarily make certain assumptions regarding both the presence of clouds and their vertical extent. Because of the uncertainties in assumed cloudiness, all these methods involve perhaps unacceptable uncertainties. Here, a theoretical framework that avoids the explicit computation of cloud fraction and the location of cloud base in estimating the surface longwave radiation is presented. Estimates of the global surface downward fluxes and the oceanic surface net upward fluxes were made for four months (April, July, October and January) in 1985 to 1986. These estimates are based on a relationship between cloud radiative forcing at the top of the atmosphere and the surface obtained from a general circulation model. The radiation code is the version used in the UCLA/GLA general circulation model (GCM). The longwave cloud radiative forcing at the top of the atmosphere as obtained from Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) measurements is used to compute the forcing at the surface by means of the GCM-derived relationship. This, along with clear-sky fluxes from the computations, yield maps of the downward longwave fluxes and net upward longwave fluxes at the surface. The calculated results are discussed and analyzed. The results are consistent with current meteorological knowledge and explainable on the basis of previous theoretical and observational works; therefore, it can be concluded that this method is applicable as one of the ways to obtain the surface longwave radiation fields from currently available satellite data.

TEM observations of radiation damage in tungsten irradiated by 20 MeV W ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciupiński, Ł.; Ogorodnikova, O. V.; Płociński, T.; Andrzejczuk, M.; Rasiński, M.; Mayer, M.; Kurzydłowski, K. J.

2013-12-01

Polycrystalline, recrystallized W targets were subjected to implantation with 20 MeV W6+ ions in order to simulate radiation damage caused by fusion neutrons. Three samples with cumulative damage of 0.01, 0.1 and 0.89 dpa were produced. The near-surface zone of each sample has been analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). To this end, lamellae oriented perpendicularly to the targets implanted surface were milled out using focused ion beam (FIB). A reference lamella from non-irradiated, recrystallized W target was also prepared to estimate the damage introduced during FIB processing. TEM studies revealed a complex microstructure of the damaged zones as well as its evolution with cumulative damage level. The experimentally observed damage depth agrees very well with the one calculated using the Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter (SRIM) software.

Detecting Upward Directed Charged Particle Fluxes in the Mars Science Laboratory Radiation Assessment Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Appel, J. K.; Köehler, J.; Guo, J.; Ehresmann, B.; Zeitlin, C.; Matthiä, D.; Lohf, H.; Wimmer-Schweingruber, R. F.; Hassler, D.; Brinza, D. E.; Böhm, E.; Böttcher, S.; Martin, C.; Burmeister, S.; Reitz, G.; Rafkin, S.; Posner, A.; Peterson, J.; Weigle, G.

2018-01-01

The Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity, operating on the surface of Mars, is exposed to radiation fluxes from above and below. Galactic Cosmic Rays travel through the Martian atmosphere, producing a modified spectrum consisting of both primary and secondary particles at ground level. These particles produce an upward directed secondary particle spectrum as they interact with the Martian soil. Here we develop a method to distinguish the upward and downward directed particle fluxes in the Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) instrument, verify it using data taken during the cruise to Mars, and apply it to data taken on the Martian surface. We use a combination of Geant4 and Planetocosmics modeling to find discrimination criteria for the flux directions. After developing models of the cruise phase and surface shielding conditions, we compare model-predicted values for the ratio of upward to downward flux with those found in RAD observation data. Given the quality of available information on Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft and rover composition, we find generally reasonable agreement between our models and RAD observation data. This demonstrates the feasibility of the method developed and tested here. We additionally note that the method can also be used to extend the measurement range and capabilities of the RAD instrument to higher energies.

Inhibition of Ultraviolet B-Induced Expression of the Proinflammatory Cytokines TNF-α and VEGF in the Cornea by Fucoxanthin Treatment in a Rat Model.

PubMed

Chen, Shiu-Jau; Lee, Ching-Ju; Lin, Tzer-Bin; Liu, Hsiang-Jui; Huang, Shuan-Yu; Chen, Jia-Zeng; Tseng, Kuang-Wen

2016-01-07

Ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation is the most common cause of radiation damage to the eyeball and is a risk factor for human corneal damage. We determined the protective effect of fucoxanthin, which is a carotenoid found in common edible seaweed, on ocular tissues against oxidative UVB-induced corneal injury. The experimental rats were intravenously injected with fucoxanthin at doses of 0.5, 5 mg/kg body weight/day or with a vehicle before UVB irradiation. Lissamine green for corneal surface staining showed that UVB irradiation caused serious damage on the corneal surface, including severe epithelial exfoliation and deteriorated epithelial smoothness. Histopathological lesion examination revealed that levels of proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), significantly increased. However, pretreatment with fucoxanthin inhibited UVB radiation-induced corneal disorders including evident preservation of corneal surface smoothness, downregulation of proinflammatory cytokine expression, and decrease of infiltrated polymorphonuclear leukocytes from UVB-induced damage. Moreover, significant preservation of the epithelial integrity and inhibition of stromal swelling were also observed after UVB irradiation in fucoxanthin-treated groups. Pretreatment with fucoxanthin may protect against UVB radiation-induced corneal disorders by inhibiting expression of proinflammatory factors, TNF-α, and VEGF and by blocking polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration.

Tropical Storm Blas off the Pacific Coast of Mexico

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-07-14

Tropical Storm Blas as observed by the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder AIRS onboard NASA Aqua in the year 2004. The major contribution to radiation (infrared light) that AIRS channels sense comes from different levels in the atmosphere, depending upon the channel wavelength. To create the movie, a set of AIRS channels were selected which probe the atmosphere at progressively deeper levels. If there were no clouds, the color in each frame would be nearly uniform until the Earth's surface is encountered. The tropospheric air temperature warms at a rate of 6 K (about 11 F) for each kilometer of descent toward the surface. Thus the colors would gradually change from cold to warm as the movie progresses. Clouds block the infrared radiation. Thus wherever there are clouds we can penetrate no deeper in infrared. The color remains fixed as the movie progresses, for that area of the image is "stuck" to the cloud top temperature. The coldest temperatures around 220 K (about -65 F) come from altitudes of about 10 miles. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00436

Relationships between aerodynamic roughness and land use and land cover in Baltimore, Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nicholas, F.W.; Lewis, J.E.

1980-01-01

Urbanization changes the radiative, thermal, hydrologic, and aerodynamic properties of the Earth's surface. Knowledge of these surface characteristics, therefore, is essential to urban climate analysis. Aerodynamic or surface roughness of urban areas is not well documented, however, because of practical constraints in measuring the wind profile in the presence of large buildings. Using an empirical method designed by Lettau, and an analysis of variance of surface roughness values calculated for 324 samples averaging 0.8 hectare (ha) of land use and land cover sample in Baltimore, Md., a strong statistical relation was found between aerodynamic roughness and urban land use and land cover types. Assessment of three land use and land cover systems indicates that some of these types have significantly different surface roughness characteristics. The tests further indicate that statistically significant differences exist in estimated surface roughness values when categories (classes) from different land use and land cover classification systems are used as surrogates. A Level III extension of the U.S. Geological Survey Level II land use and land cover classification system provided the most reliable results. An evaluation of the physical association between the aerodynamic properties of land use and land cover and the surface climate by numerical simulation of the surface energy balance indicates that changes in surface roughness within the range of values typical of the Level III categories induce important changes in the surface climate.

Global Precipitation Measurement, Validation, and Applications Integrated Hydrologic Validation to Improve Physical Precipitation Retrievals for GPM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peters-Lidar, Christa D.; Tian, Yudong; Kenneth, Tian; Harrison, Kenneth; Kumar, Sujay

2011-01-01

Land surface modeling and data assimilation can provide dynamic land surface state variables necessary to support physical precipitation retrieval algorithms over land. It is well-known that surface emission, particularly over the range of frequencies to be included in the Global Precipitation Measurement Mission (GPM), is sensitive to land surface states, including soil properties, vegetation type and greenness, soil moisture, surface temperature, and snow cover, density, and grain size. In order to investigate the robustness of both the land surface model states and the microwave emissivity and forward radiative transfer models, we have undertaken a multi-site investigation as part of the NASA Precipitation Measurement Missions (PMM) Land Surface Characterization Working Group. Specifically, we will demonstrate the performance of the Land Information System (LIS; http://lis.gsfc.nasa.gov; Peters-Lidard et aI., 2007; Kumar et al., 2006) coupled to the Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation (JCSDA's) Community Radiative Transfer Model (CRTM; Weng, 2007; van Deist, 2009). The land surface is characterized by complex physical/chemical constituents and creates temporally and spatially heterogeneous surface properties in response to microwave radiation scattering. The uncertainties in surface microwave emission (both surface radiative temperature and emissivity) and very low polarization ratio are linked to difficulties in rainfall detection using low-frequency passive microwave sensors (e.g.,Kummerow et al. 2001). Therefore, addressing these issues is of utmost importance for the GPM mission. There are many approaches to parameterizing land surface emission and radiative transfer, some of which have been customized for snow (e.g., the Helsinki University of Technology or HUT radiative transfer model;) and soil moisture (e.g., the Land Surface Microwave Emission Model or LSMEM).

Use of a Lunar Outpost for Developing Space Settlement Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Purves, Lloyd R.

2008-01-01

The type of polar lunar outpost being considered in the NASA Vision for Space Exploration (VSE) can effectively support the development of technologies that will not only significantly enhance lunar exploration, but also enable long term crewed space missions, including space settlement. The critical technologies are: artificial gravity, radiation protection, Closed Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS) and In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). These enhance lunar exploration by extending the time an astronaut can remain on the moon and reducing the need for supplies from Earth, and they seem required for space settlement. A polar lunar outpost provides a location to perform the research and testing required to develop these technologies, as well as to determine if there are viable countermeasures that can reduce the need for Earth-surface-equivalent gravity and radiation protection on long human space missions. The types of spinning space vehicles or stations envisioned to provide artificial gravity can be implemented and tested on the lunar surface, where they can create any level of effective gravity above the 1/6 Earth gravity that naturally exists on the lunar surface. Likewise, varying degrees of radiation protection can provide a natural radiation environment on the lunar surface less than or equal to 1/2 that of open space at 1 AU. Lunar ISRU has the potential of providing most of the material needed for radiation protection, the centrifuge that provides artificial gravity; and the atmosphere, water and soil for a CELSS. Lunar ISRU both saves the cost of transporting these materials from Earth and helps define the requirements for ISRU on other planetary bodies. Biosphere II provides a reference point for estimating what is required for an initial habitat with a CELSS. Previous studies provide initial estimates of what would be required to provide such a lunar habitat with the gravity and radiation environment of the Earth s surface. While much preparatory work can be accomplished with existing capabilities such as the ISS, the full implementation of a lunar habitat with an Earth-like environment will require the development of a lunar mission architecture that goes beyond VSE concepts. The proven knowledge of how to build such a lunar habitat can then be applied to various approaches for space settlement.

Under an Orange Sky: The Many Implications of Organic Haze for Earthlike Planets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arney, Giada; Domagal-Goldman, Shawn D.; Meadows, Victoria S.; Wolf, Eric; Schwieterman, Edward W.; Charnay, Benjamin; Claire, Mark; Hebrard, Eric

2015-11-01

Geochemical evidence suggests Archean Earth was intermittently enshrouded in an organic haze resulting from methane photolysis. Hazy exoplanets may be common, and hazes can significantly impact the environment of habitable planets. Earth is frequently studied as an analog for habitable exoplanets, and Archean Earth is the most alien planet we have geochemical data for. We have used 1D photochemical-climate and radiative transfer simulations to examine the climate, surface radiation environment, and spectra of Archean Earth with fractal hydrocarbon haze. We find that haze would have strongly impacted Earth’s climate, lowering the planetary surface temperature by 20-30 K. However, this cooling can be countered by concentrations of greenhouses gases consistent with geochemical constraints. For example, an atmosphere with 2% CO2, 0.37% CH4 and a self-consistent hydrocarbon haze has a globally averaged surface temperature of 274 K, which GCM models have shown is consistent with a large open ocean fraction (Charnay et al 2013). The cooling from haze means that there exists a “hazy habitable zone” closer to the star than the traditional habitable zone boundaries. Our results suggest that the hazy habitable zone can extend to the distance of Venus. An organic haze produces strong, remotely detectable spectral features, especially at wavelengths < 0.5 μm, reddening the planet’s color. The strong absorption of UV radiation by this haze means it could have provided a UV shield for the Archean Earth prior to the rise of oxygen when there was no ozone layer: we show that an organic haze can block 97% of the surface-incident UVC (λ < 0.28 μm) radiation compared to a haze-free planet. UVC radiation directly dissociates DNA, and it is blocked by ozone in the modern atmosphere. Organic hazes may therefore benefit surface biospheres on Earth and similar exoplanets. Finally, assuming geochemical constraints on the Archean atmospheric composition, we show that abiotic levels of methane flux to the atmosphere are insufficient to form an organic haze. For Earthlike exoplanets, organic haze may therefore be a novel type of spectral biosignature.

Short-term variability of gamma radiation at the ARM Eastern North Atlantic facility (Azores).

PubMed

Barbosa, S M; Miranda, P; Azevedo, E B

2017-06-01

This work addresses the short-term variability of gamma radiation measured continuously at the Eastern North Atlantic (ENA) facility located in the Graciosa island (Azores, 39N; 28W), a fixed site of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement programme (ARM). The temporal variability of gamma radiation is characterized by occasional anomalies over a slowly-varying signal. Sharp peaks lasting typically 2-4 h are coincident with heavy precipitation and result from the scavenging effect of precipitation bringing radon progeny from the upper levels to the ground surface. However the connection between gamma variability and precipitation is not straightforward as a result of the complex interplay of factors such as the precipitation intensity, the PBL height, the cloud's base height and thickness, or the air mass origin and atmospheric concentration of sub-micron aerosols, which influence the scavenging processes and therefore the concentration of radon progeny. Convective precipitation associated with cumuliform clouds forming under conditions of warming of the ground relative to the air does not produce enhancements in gamma radiation, since the drop growing process is dominated by the fast accretion of liquid water, resulting in the reduction of the concentration of radionuclides by dilution. Events of convective precipitation further contribute to a reduction in gamma counts by inhibiting radon release from the soil surface and by attenuating gamma rays from all gamma-emitting elements on the ground. Anomalies occurring in the absence of precipitation are found to be associated with a diurnal cycle of maximum gamma counts before sunrise decreasing to a minimum in the evening, which are observed in conditions of thermal stability and very weak winds enabling the build-up of near surface radon progeny during the night. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Martian Neutron Energy Spectrometer (MANES)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maurer, R. H.; Roth, D. R.; Kinnison, J. D.; Goldsten, J. O.; Fainchtein, R.; Badhwar, G.

2000-01-01

High energy charged particles of extragalactic, galactic, and solar origin collide with spacecraft structures and planetary atmospheres. These primaries create a number of secondary particles inside the structures or on the surfaces of planets to produce a significant radiation environment. This radiation is a threat to long term inhabitants and travelers for interplanetary missions and produces an increased risk of carcinogenesis, central nervous system (CNS) and DNA damage. Charged particles are readily detected; but, neutrons, being electrically neutral, are much more difficult to monitor. These secondary neutrons are reported to contribute 30-60% of the dose equivalent in the Shuttle and MIR station. The Martian atmosphere has an areal density of 37 g/sq cm primarily of carbon dioxide molecules. This shallow atmosphere presents fewer mean free paths to the bombarding cosmic rays and solar particles. The secondary neutrons present at the surface of Mars will have undergone fewer generations of collisions and have higher energies than at sea level on Earth. Albedo neutrons produced by collisions with the Martian surface material will also contribute to the radiation environment. The increased threat of radiation damage to humans on Mars occurs when neutrons of higher mean energy traverse the thin, dry Martian atmosphere and encounter water in the astronaut's body. Water, being hydrogeneous, efficiently moderates the high energy neutrons thereby slowing them as they penetrate deeply into the body. Consequently, greater radiation doses can be deposited in or near critical organs such as the liver or spleen than is the case on Earth. A second significant threat is the possibility of a high energy heavy ion or neutron causing a DNA double strand break in a single strike.

Influence of radiant energy exchange on the determination of convective heat transfer rates to Orbiter leeside surfaces during entry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Throckmorton, D. A.

1982-01-01

Temperatures measured at the aerodynamic surface of the Orbiter's thermal protection system (TPS), and calorimeter measurements, are used to determine heating rates to the TPS surface during atmospheric entry. On the Orbiter leeside, where convective heating rates are low, it is possible that a significant portion of the total energy input may result from solar radiation, and for the wing, cross radiation from the hot (relatively) Orbiter fuselage. In order to account for the potential impact of these sources, values of solar- and cross-radiation heat transfer are computed, based upon vehicle trajectory and attitude information and measured surface temperatures. Leeside heat-transfer data from the STS-2 mission are presented, and the significance of solar radiation and fuselage-to-wing cross-radiation contributions to total energy input to Orbiter leeside surfaces is assessed.

Spatially Complete Global Spectral Surface Albedos: Value-Added Datasets Derived from Terra MODIS Land Products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moody, Eric G.; King, Michael D.; Platnick, Steven; Schaaf, Crystal B.; Gao, Feng

2004-01-01

Land surface albedo is an important parameter in describing the radiative properties of the earth s surface as it represents the amount of incoming solar radiation that is reflected from the surface. The amount and type of vegetation of the surface dramatically alters the amount of radiation that is reflected; for example, croplands that contain leafy vegetation will reflect radiation very differently than blacktop associated with urban areas. In addition, since vegetation goes through a growth, or phenological, cycle, the amount of radiation that is reflected changes over the course of a year. As a result, albedo is both temporally and spatially dependant upon global location as there is a distribution of vegetated surface types and growing conditions. Land surface albedo is critical for a wide variety of earth system research projects including but not restricted to remote sensing of atmospheric aerosol and cloud properties from space, ground-based analysis of aerosol optical properties from surface-based sun/sky radiometers, biophysically-based land surface modeling of the exchange of energy, water, momentum, and carbon for various land use categories, and surface energy balance studies. These projects require proper representation of the surface albedo s spatial, spectral, and temporal variations, however, these representations are often lacking in datasets prior to the latest generation of land surface albedo products.

An experimental and theoretical study of radiative extinction of diffusion flames

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wichman, Indrek S.; Atreya, A.

1994-01-01

Our work was primarily theoretical and numerical. We investigated the simplified modeling of heat losses in diffusion flames, then we 'ramped up' the level of complexity in each successive study until the final chapter discussed the general problem of soot/flame interaction. With regard to the specific objective of studying radiative extinction, we conclude that in the steady case a self-extinguishing zero-g flame is unlikely to occur. The soot volume fractions are too small. On the other hand, our work does provide rational means for assessing the mixture of chemical energy release and radiative heat release. It also provides clues for suitable 'tailoring' this balance. Thus heat fluxes to surrounding surfaces can be substantially increased by exploiting and modifying its sooting capability.

Survey of Materials Problems Resulting from Low-Pressure and Radiation Environment in Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lad, Robert A.

1960-01-01

On the basis of our present knowledge of the space environment, one might state that the exposure of materials to the radiation environment will present problems mainly with the impairment of the transparency of plastics and ionic solids due to ultraviolet radiation and with surface sputtering effects on emissivity and other thin film properties. The high vacuum in space will be of greater consequence in that it will render useless some members of practically all of the material classes. However, adequate solutions to most problems can be anticipated if enough information is at hand. This survey indicates that information is lacking at levels from the basic to the applied. A partial list of research areas in need of attack is included.

Climate Effect of Greenhouse Gas: Warming or Cooling is Determined by Temperature Gradient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shia, R.

2011-12-01

The instantaneous radiative forcing (IRF) at the top of the atmosphere (ToA) is the initial change of the total energy in the climate system when the concentration of greenhouse gas (GHG) increases. In my previous presentation at the 2010 Fall AGU meeting (A11J-02, "Mechanism of Radiative Forcing of Greenhouse Gas its Implication to the Global Warming"), it was demonstrated that IRF at TOA is generated by moving up of the emission weighting function. Thus, the temperature gradient plays a critical role in determining the climate effect of GHG. In this presentation the change of the outgoing infrared radiation flux at ToA is studied from a perturbation point of view. After the cancellation between the changes in the outgoing radiation flux from the surface emission and from the reemission of the atmosphere, the derivative of the outgoing flux to the concentration of GHG is found to be proportional to the temperature gradients below the level where the concentration of GHG changes. Therefore, the greenhouse gas contribute only to the magnitude of the radiative forcing, the temperature gradients decide the direction of the radiative forcing, i.e. warming or cooling, in addition to contributing to its magnitude. In response to the question "Does the negative IRF at ToA lead to the surface cooling or it only cools the upper part of the atmosphere?" the Eddington grey radiative equilibrium model is modified to simulate different scenarios. The original model has been used to illustrate the warming effect of GHG in textbooks of the atmospheric physics. It is modified by adding source terms from the absorption of the solar flux and the internal energy exchange in the atmosphere. In two cases the modified model generates atmospheres with a large and warm stratosphere and negative IRF at ToA when GHG increases by 25%. This negative radiative forcing can lead to the cooling of the atmosphere all the way down to the surface. The implications of the cooling effect of GHG to the climate change, including paleoclimatology and the prerequests for climate models to include cooling effect of GHG properly are discussed.

Evaluation of Himawari-8 surface downwelling solar radiation by ground-based measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damiani, Alessandro; Irie, Hitoshi; Horio, Takashi; Takamura, Tamio; Khatri, Pradeep; Takenaka, Hideaki; Nagao, Takashi; Nakajima, Takashi Y.; Cordero, Raul R.

2018-04-01

Observations from the new Japanese geostationary satellite Himawari-8 permit quasi-real-time estimation of global shortwave radiation at an unprecedented temporal resolution. However, accurate comparisons with ground-truthing observations are essential to assess their uncertainty. In this study, we evaluated the Himawari-8 global radiation product AMATERASS using observations recorded at four SKYNET stations in Japan and, for certain analyses, from the surface network of the Japanese Meteorological Agency in 2016. We found that the spatiotemporal variability of the satellite estimates was smaller than that of the ground observations; variability decreased with increases in the time step and spatial domain. Cloud variability was the main source of uncertainty in the satellite radiation estimates, followed by direct effects caused by aerosols and bright albedo. Under all-sky conditions, good agreement was found between satellite and ground-based data, with a mean bias in the range of 20-30 W m-2 (i.e., AMATERASS overestimated ground observations) and a root mean square error (RMSE) of approximately 70-80 W m-2. However, results depended on the time step used in the validation exercise, on the spatial domain, and on the different climatological regions. In particular, the validation performed at 2.5 min showed largest deviations and RMSE values ranging from about 110 W m-2 for the mainland to a maximum of 150 W m-2 in the subtropical region. We also detected a limited overestimation in the number of clear-sky episodes, particularly at the pixel level. Overall, satellite-based estimates were higher under overcast conditions, whereas frequent episodes of cloud-induced enhanced surface radiation (i.e., measured radiation was greater than expected clear-sky radiation) tended to reduce this difference. Finally, the total mean bias was approximately 10-15 W m-2 under clear-sky conditions, mainly because of overall instantaneous direct aerosol forcing efficiency in the range of 120-150 W m-2 per unit of aerosol optical depth (AOD). A seasonal anticorrelation between AOD and global radiation differences was evident at all stations and was also observed within the diurnal cycle.

Observed Reduction In Surface Solar Radiation - Aerosol Forcing Versus Cloud Feedback?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liepert, B.

The solar radiation reaching the ground is a key parameter for the climate system. It drives the hydrological cycle and numerous biological processes. Surface solar radi- ation revealed an estimated 7W/m2 or 4% decline at sites worldwide from 1961 to 1990. The strongest decline occurred at the United States sites with 19W/m2 or 10%. Increasing air pollution and hence direct and indirect aerosol effect, as we know today can only explain part of the reduction in solar radiation. Increasing cloud optical thick- ness - possibly due to global warming - is a more likely explanation for the observed reduction in solar radiation in the United States. The analysis of surface solar radiation data will be shown and compared with GCM results of the direct and indirect aerosol effect. It will be argued that the residual declines in surface solar radiation is likely due to cloud feedback.

Quantifying the relationship between PM2.5 concentration, visibility and planetary boundary layer height for long-lasting haze and fog-haze mixed events in Beijing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luan, Tian; Guo, Xueliang; Guo, Lijun; Zhang, Tianhang

2018-01-01

Air quality and visibility are strongly influenced by aerosol loading, which is driven by meteorological conditions. The quantification of their relationships is critical to understanding the physical and chemical processes and forecasting of the polluted events. We investigated and quantified the relationship between PM2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter is 2.5 µm and less) mass concentration, visibility and planetary boundary layer (PBL) height in this study based on the data obtained from four long-lasting haze events and seven fog-haze mixed events from January 2014 to March 2015 in Beijing. The statistical results show that there was a negative exponential function between the visibility and the PM2.5 mass concentration for both haze and fog-haze mixed events (with the same R2 of 0.80). However, the fog-haze events caused a more obvious decrease of visibility than that for haze events due to the formation of fog droplets that could induce higher light extinction. The PM2.5 concentration had an inversely linear correlation with PBL height for haze events and a negative exponential correlation for fog-haze mixed events, indicating that the PM2.5 concentration is more sensitive to PBL height in fog-haze mixed events. The visibility had positively linear correlation with the PBL height with an R2 of 0.35 in haze events and positive exponential correlation with an R2 of 0.56 in fog-haze mixed events. We also investigated the physical mechanism responsible for these relationships between visibility, PM2.5 concentration and PBL height through typical haze and fog-haze mixed event and found that a double inversion layer formed in both typical events and played critical roles in maintaining and enhancing the long-lasting polluted events. The variations of the double inversion layers were closely associated with the processes of long-wave radiation cooling in the nighttime and short-wave solar radiation reduction in the daytime. The upper-level stable inversion layer was formed by the persistent warm and humid southwestern airflow, while the low-level inversion layer was initially produced by the surface long-wave radiation cooling in the nighttime and maintained by the reduction of surface solar radiation in the daytime. The obvious descending process of the upper-level inversion layer induced by the radiation process could be responsible for the enhancement of the low-level inversion layer and the lowering PBL height, as well as high aerosol loading for these polluted events. The reduction of surface solar radiation in the daytime could be around 35 % for the haze event and 94 % for the fog-haze mixed event. Therefore, the formation and subsequent descending processes of the upper-level inversion layer should be an important factor in maintaining and strengthening the long-lasting severe polluted events, which has not been revealed in previous publications. The interactions and feedbacks between PM2.5 concentration and PBL height linked by radiation process caused a more significant and long-lasting deterioration of air quality and visibility in fog-haze mixed events. The interactions and feedbacks of all processes were particularly strong when the PM2.5 mass concentration was larger than 150-200 µg m-3.

Radiation Environments on Mars and Their Implications for Terrestrial Planetary Habitability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, I.; Kasting, J. F.

2009-12-01

The understanding of the surface and subsurface radiation environments of a terrestrial planet such as Mars is crucial to its potential past and/or present habitability. Despite this, the subject of high energy radiation is rarely contemplated within the field of Astrobiology as an essential factor determining the realistic parameter space for the development and preservation of life. Furthermore, not much is known of the radiation environment on the surface of Mars due to the fact that no real data exist on this contribution. There are no direct measurements available as no surface landers/probes have ever carried nuclear radiation detection equipment to characterize the interactions arising from cosmic ray bombardment, solar particle events and the atmosphere striking the planetary surface. The first mission set to accomplish this task, the Mars Science Laboratory, is not scheduled to launch until 2011. Presented here are some of such simulations performed with the HZETRN NASA code offering radiation depth profiles as well as a characterization of the diverse radiation environments. A discussion of the implications that these projected doses would have on terrestrial planetary habitability on Mars is presented as well as its implications for the habitability of terrestrial planets elsewhere. This work does not provide an estimate of the UV radiation fields on the Martian surface instead it focuses on the high energy radiation fields as composed by galactic cosmic rays (GCRs)

Slope effects on shortwave radiation components and net radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walter-Shea, Elizabeth A.; Blad, Blaine L.; Hays, Cynthia J.; Mesarch, Mark A.

1992-01-01

The main objective of the International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project (ISLSCP) has been stated as 'the development of techniques that may be applied to satellite observations of the radiation reflected and emitted from the Earth to yield quantitative information concerning land surface climatological conditions.' The major field study, FIFE (the First ISLSCP Field Experiment), was conducted in 1978-89 to accomplish this objective. Four intensive field campaigns (IFC's) were carried out in 1987 and one in 1989. Factors contributing to observed reflected radiation from the FIFE site must be understood before the radiation observed by satellites can be used to quantify surface processes. Analysis since our last report has focused on slope effects on incoming and outgoing shortwave radiation and net radiation from data collected in 1989.

Coherent and tunable terahertz radiation from graphene surface plasmon polaritons excited by an electron beam

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

Liu, Shenggang, E-mail: liusg@uestc.edu.cn; Hu, Min; Chen, Xiaoxing

2014-05-19

Although surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) resonance in graphene can be tuned in the terahertz regime, transforming such SPPs into coherent terahertz radiation has not been achieved. Here, we propose a graphene-based coherent terahertz radiation source with greatly enhanced intensity. The radiation works at room temperature, it is tunable and can cover the whole terahertz regime. The radiation intensity generated with this method is 400 times stronger than that from SPPs at a conventional dielectric or semiconducting surface and is comparable to that from the most advanced photonics source such as a quantum cascade laser. The physical mechanism for this strongmore » radiation is presented. The phase diagrams defining the parameters range for the occurrence of radiation is also shown.« less

Relationships between surface solar radiation and wheat yield in Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernandez-Barrera, Sara; Rodriguez-Puebla, Concepción

2017-04-01

Here we examine the role of solar radiation to describe wheat-yield variability in Spain. We used Partial Least Square regression to capture the modes of surface solar radiation that drive wheat-yield variability. We will show that surface solar radiation introduces the effects of teleconnection patterns on wheat yield and also it is associated with drought and diurnal temperature range. We highlight the importance of surface solar radiation to obtain models for wheat-yield projections because it could reduce uncertainty with respect to the projections based on temperatures and precipitation variables. In addition, the significance of the model based on surface solar radiation is greater than the previous one based on drought and diurnal temperature range (Hernandez-Barrera et al., 2016). According to our results, the increase of solar radiation over Spain for 21st century could force a wheat-yield decrease (Hernandez-Barrera et al., 2017). Hernandez-Barrera S., Rodríguez-Puebla C. and Challinor A.J. 2016 Effects of diurnal temperature range and drought on wheat yield in Spain. Theoretical and Applied Climatology. DOI: 10.1007/s00704-016-1779-9 Hernandez-Barrera S., Rodríguez-Puebla C. 2017 Wheat yield in Spain and associated solar radiation patterns. International Journal of Climatology. DOI: 10.1002/joc.4975

Method for high-accuracy reflectance measurements in the 2.5-microm region.

PubMed

Richter, Rudolf; Müller, Andreas

2003-02-20

Reflectance measurement with spectroradiometers in the solar wavelength region (0.4-2.5 microm) are frequently conducted in the laboratory or in the field to characterize surface materials of artificial and natural targets. The spectral surface reflectance is calculated as the ratio of the signals obtained over the target surface and a reference panel, yielding a relative reflectance value. If the reflectance of the reference panel is known, the absolute target reflectance can be computed. This standard measurement technique assumes that the signal at the radiometer is due completely to reflected target and reference radiation. However, for field measurements in the 2.4-2.5-microm region with the Sun as the illumination source, the emitted thermal radiation is not a negligible part of the signal even at ambient temperatures, because the atmospheric transmittance, and thus the solar illumination level, is small in the atmospheric absorption regions. A new method is proposed that calculates reflectance values in the 2.4-2.5-microm region while it accounts for the reference panel reflectance and the emitted radiation. This technique needs instruments with noise-equivalent radiances of 2 orders of magnitude below currently commercially available instruments and requires measurement of the surface temperatures of target and reference. If the reference panel reflectance and temperature effects are neglected, the standard method yields reflectance errors up to 0.08 and 0.15 units for 7- and 2-nm bandwidth instruments, respectively. For the new method the corresponding errors can be reduced to approximately 0.01 units for the surface temperature range of 20-35 degrees C.

A comprehensive sensitivity analysis of the WRF model for air quality applications over the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borge, Rafael; Alexandrov, Vassil; José del Vas, Juan; Lumbreras, Julio; Rodríguez, Encarnacion

Meteorological inputs play a vital role on regional air quality modelling. An extensive sensitivity analysis of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was performed, in the framework of the Integrated Assessment Modelling System for the Iberian Peninsula (SIMCA) project. Up to 23 alternative model configurations, including Planetary Boundary Layer schemes, Microphysics, Land-surface models, Radiation schemes, Sea Surface Temperature and Four-Dimensional Data Assimilation were tested in a 3 km spatial resolution domain. Model results for the most significant meteorological variables, were assessed through a series of common statistics. The physics options identified to produce better results (Yonsei University Planetary Boundary Layer, WRF Single-Moment 6-class microphysics, Noah Land-surface model, Eta Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory longwave radiation and MM5 shortwave radiation schemes) along with other relevant user settings (time-varying Sea Surface Temperature and combined grid-observational nudging) where included in a "best case" configuration. This setup was tested and found to produce more accurate estimation of temperature, wind and humidity fields at surface level than any other configuration for the two episodes simulated. Planetary Boundary Layer height predictions showed a reasonable agreement with estimations derived from routine atmospheric soundings. Although some seasonal and geographical differences were observed, the model showed an acceptable behaviour overall. Despite being useful to define the most appropriate setup of the WRF model for air quality modelling over the Iberian Peninsula, this study provides a general overview of WRF sensitivity and can constitute a reference for future mesoscale meteorological modelling exercises.

DNDO Report: Predicting Solar Modulation Potentials for Modeling Cosmic Background Radiation

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

Behne, Patrick Alan

The modeling of the detectability of special nuclear material (SNM) at ports and border crossings requires accurate knowledge of the background radiation at those locations. Background radiation originates from two main sources, cosmic and terrestrial. Cosmic background is produced by high-energy galactic cosmic rays (GCR) entering the atmosphere and inducing a cascade of particles that eventually impact the earth’s surface. The solar modulation potential represents one of the primary inputs to modeling cosmic background radiation. Usosokin et al. formally define solar modulation potential as “the mean energy loss [per unit charge] of a cosmic ray particle inside the heliosphere…” Modulationmore » potential, a function of elevation, location, and time, shares an inverse relationship with cosmic background radiation. As a result, radiation detector thresholds require adjustment to account for differing background levels, caused partly by differing solar modulations. Failure to do so can result in higher rates of false positives and failed detection of SNM for low and high levels of solar modulation potential, respectively. This study focuses on solar modulation’s time dependence, and seeks the best method to predict modulation for future dates using Python. To address the task of predicting future solar modulation, we utilize both non-linear least squares sinusoidal curve fitting and cubic spline interpolation. This material will be published in transactions of the ANS winter meeting of November, 2016.« less

Arctic ocean radiative fluxes and cloud forcing estimated from the ISCCP C2 cloud dataset, 1983-1990

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schweiger, Axel J.; Key, Jeffrey R.

1994-01-01

Radiative fluxes and cloud forcings for the ocean areas of the Arctic are computed from the monthly cloud product of the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) for 1983-90. Spatially averaged short-wave fluxes are compared well with climatological values, while downwelling longwave fluxes are significantly lower. This is probably due to the fact that the ISCCP cloud amounts are underestimates. Top-of-the-atmosphere radiative fluxes are in excellent agreement with measurements from the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE). Computed cloud forcings indicate that clouds have a warming effect at the surface and at the top of the atmosphere during winter and a cooling effect during summer. The net radiative effect of clouds is larger at the surface during winter but greater at the top of the atmosphere during summer. Overall the net radiative effect of clouds at the top of the atmosphere is one of cooling. This is in contrast to a previous result from ERBE data showing arctic cloud forcings have a net warming effect. Sensitivities to errors in input parameters are generally greater during winter with cloud amount being the most important paarameter. During summer the surface radiation balance is most sensitive to errors in the measurements of surface reflectance. The results are encouraging, but the estimated error of 20 W/sq m in surface net radiative fluxes is too large, given that estimates of the net radiative warming effect due to a doubling of CO2 are on the order of 4 W/sq m. Because it is difficult to determine the accuracy of results with existing in situ observations, it is recommended that the development of improved algorithms for the retrieval of surface radiative properties be accompanied by the simultaneous assembly of validation datasets.

UV sensitivity of planktonic net community production in ocean surface waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Regaudie-de-Gioux, Aurore; Agustí, Susana; Duarte, Carlos M.

2014-05-01

The net plankton community metabolism of oceanic surface waters is particularly important as it more directly affects the partial pressure of CO2 in surface waters and thus the air-sea fluxes of CO2. Plankton communities in surface waters are exposed to high irradiance that includes significant ultraviolet blue (UVB, 280-315 nm) radiation. UVB radiation affects both photosynthetic and respiration rates, increase plankton mortality rates, and other metabolic and chemical processes. Here we test the sensitivity of net community production (NCP) to UVB of planktonic communities in surface waters across contrasting regions of the ocean. We observed here that UVB radiation affects net plankton community production at the ocean surface, imposing a shift in NCP by, on average, 50% relative to the values measured when excluding partly UVB. Our results show that under full solar radiation, the metabolic balance shows the prevalence of net heterotrophic community production. The demonstration of an important effect of UVB radiation on NCP in surface waters presented here is of particular relevance in relation to the increased UVB radiation derived from the erosion of the stratospheric ozone layer. Our results encourage design future research to further our understanding of UVB effects on the metabolic balance of plankton communities.

Studies of the net surface radiative flux from satellite radiances during FIFE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frouin, Robert

1993-01-01

Studies of the net surface radiative flux from satellite radiances during First ISLSCP Field Experiment (FIFE) are presented. Topics covered include: radiative transfer model validation; calibration of VISSR and AVHRR solar channels; development and refinement of algorithms to estimate downward solar and terrestrial irradiances at the surface, including photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) and surface albedo; verification of these algorithms using in situ measurements; production of maps of shortwave irradiance, surface albedo, and related products; analysis of the temporal variability of shortwave irradiance over the FIFE site; development of a spectroscopy technique to estimate atmospheric total water vapor amount; and study of optimum linear combinations of visible and near-infrared reflectances for estimating the fraction of PAR absorbed by plants.

Geomagnetic South Atlantic Anomaly and global sea level rise: A direct connection?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Santis, A.; Qamili, E.; Spada, G.; Gasperini, P.

2012-01-01

We highlight the existence of an intriguing and to date unreported relationship between the surface area of the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) of the geomagnetic field and the current trend in global sea level rise. These two geophysical variables have been growing coherently during the last three centuries, thus strongly suggesting a causal relationship supported by some statistical tests. The monotonic increase of the SAA surface area since 1600 may have been associated with an increased inflow of radiation energy through the inner Van Allen belt with a consequent warming of the Earth's atmosphere and finally global sea level rise. An alternative suggestive and original explanation is also offered, in which pressure changes at the core-mantle boundary cause surface deformations and relative sea level variations. Although we cannot establish a clear connection between SAA dynamics and global warming, the strong correlation between the former and global sea level supports the idea that global warming may be at least partly controlled by deep Earth processes triggering geomagnetic phenomena, such as the South Atlantic Anomaly, on a century time scale.

An analysis of the radiation from apertures in curved surfaces by the geometrical theory of diffraction. [ray technique for electromagnetic fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pathak, P. H.; Kouyoumjian, R. G.

1974-01-01

In this paper the geometrical theory of diffraction is extended to treat the radiation from apertures of slots in convex perfectly conducting surfaces. It is assumed that the tangential electric field in the aperture is known so that an equivalent infinitesimal source can be defined at each point in the aperture. Surface rays emanate from this source which is a caustic of the ray system. A launching coefficient is introduced to describe the excitation of the surface ray modes. If the field radiated from the surface is desired, the ordinary diffraction coefficients are used to determine the field of the rays shed tangentially from the surface rays. The field of the surface ray modes is not the field on the surface; hence if the mutual coupling between slots is of interest, a second coefficient related to the launching coefficient must be employed. In the region adjacent to the shadow boundary, the component of the field directly radiated from the source is represented by Fock-type functions. In the illuminated region the incident radiation from the source (this does not include the diffracted field components) is treated by geometrical optics. This extension of the geometrical theory of diffraction is applied to calculate the radiation from slots on elliptic cylinders, spheres, and spheroids.

Numerical Simulations of Turbulent Molecular Clouds Regulated by Radiation Feedback Forces. II. Radiation-Gas Interactions and Outflows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raskutti, Sudhir; Ostriker, Eve C.; Skinner, M. Aaron

2017-12-01

Momentum deposition by radiation pressure from young, massive stars may help to destroy molecular clouds and unbind stellar clusters by driving large-scale outflows. We extend our previous numerical radiation hydrodynamic study of turbulent star-forming clouds to analyze the detailed interaction between non-ionizing UV radiation and the cloud material. Our simulations trace the evolution of gas and star particles through self-gravitating collapse, star formation, and cloud destruction via radiation-driven outflows. These models are idealized in that we include only radiation feedback and adopt an isothermal equation of state. Turbulence creates a structure of dense filaments and large holes through which radiation escapes, such that only ˜50% of the radiation is (cumulatively) absorbed by the end of star formation. The surface density distribution of gas by mass as seen by the central cluster is roughly lognormal with {σ }{ln{{Σ }}}=1.3{--}1.7, similar to the externally projected surface density distribution. This allows low surface density regions to be driven outwards to nearly 10 times their initial escape speed {v}{esc}. Although the velocity distribution of outflows is broadened by the lognormal surface density distribution, the overall efficiency of momentum injection to the gas cloud is reduced because much of the radiation escapes. The mean outflow velocity is approximately twice the escape speed from the initial cloud radius. Our results are also informative for understanding galactic-scale wind driving by radiation, in particular, the relationship between velocity and surface density for individual outflow structures and the resulting velocity and mass distributions arising from turbulent sources.

Spatially Complete Global Surface Albedos Derived from Terra/MODIS Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, Michael D.; Moody, Eric G.; Schaaf, Crystal B.; Platnick, Steven

2006-01-01

Spectral land surface albedo is an important parameter for describing the radiative properties of the Earth. Accordingly it reflects the consequences of natural and human interactions, such as anthropogenic, meteorological, and phenological effects, on global and local climatological trends. Consequently, albedos are integral parts in a variety of research areas, such as general circulation models (GCMs), energy balance studies, modeling of land use and land use change, and biophysical, oceanographic, and meteorological studies. , Over five years of land surface anisotropy, diffuse bihemispherical (white-sky) albedo and direct beam directional hemispherical (black-sky) albedo from observations acquired by the MODIS instruments aboard NASA s Terra and Aqua satellite platforms have provided researchers with unprecedented spatial, spectral, and temporal information on the land surface s radiative characteristics. However, roughly 30% of the global land surface, on an annual equal-angle basis, is obscured due to persistent and transient cloud cover, while another 207% is obscured due to ephemeral and seasonal snow effects. This precludes the MOD43B3 albedo products from being directly used in some remote sensing and ground-based applications, climate models, and global change research projects. To provide researchers with the requisite spatially complete global snow-free land surface albedo dataset, an ecosystem-dependent temporal interpolation technique was developed to fill missing or lower quality data and snow covered values from the official MOD43B3 dataset with geophysically realistic values. The method imposes pixel-level and local regional ecosystem-dependent phenological behavior onto retrieved pixel temporal data in such a way as to maintain pixel-level spatial and spectral detail and integrity. The phenological curves are derived from statistics based on the MODIS MOD12Q1 IGBP land cover classification product geolocated with the MOD43B3 data.

Direct Aerosol Radiative Forcing: Calculations and Measurements from the Tropospheric

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, P. B.; Hignett, P.; Stowe, L. L.; Livingston, J. M.; Kinne, S.; Wong, J.; Chan, K. Roland (Technical Monitor)

1997-01-01

Radiative forcing is defined as the change in the net (downwelling minus upwelling) radiative flux at a given level in the atmosphere. This net flux is the radiative power density available to drive climatic processes in the earth-atmosphere system below that level. Recent research shows that radiative forcing by aerosol particles is a major source of uncertainty in climate predictions. To reduce those uncertainties, TARFOX was designed to determine direct (cloud-free) radiative forcing by the aerosols in one of the world's major industrial pollution plumes--that flowing from the east coast of the US over the Atlantic Ocean. TARFOX measured a variety of aerosol radiative effects (including direct forcing) while simultaneously measuring the chemical, physical, and optical properties of the aerosol particles causing those effects. The resulting data sets permit a wide variety of tests of the consistency, or closure, among the measurements and the models that link them. Because climate predictions use the same or similar model components, closure tests help to assess and reduce prediction uncertainties. In this work we use the TARFOX-determined aerosol, gas, and surface properties to compute radiative forcing for a variety of aerosol episodes, with inadvisable optical depths ranging from 0.07 to 0.6. We calculate forcing by several techniques with varying degrees of sophistication, in part to test the range of applicability of simplified techniques--which are often the only ones feasible in climate predictions by general circulation models (GCMs). We then compare computed forcing to that determined from: (1) Upwelling and downwelling fluxes (0.3-0.7 mm and 0.7-3.0 mm) measured by radiometers on the UK MRF C-130. and (2) Daily average cloud-free absorbed solar and emitted thermal radiative flux at the top of the atmosphere derived from the AVHRR radiometer on the NOAA- 14 satellite. The calculations and measurements all yield aerosol direct radiative forcing in the range -50 to -190 W sq m per unit inadvisable optical depth. The magnitudes are about 15 to 100 times larger than the global-average direct forcing expected for the global-average sulfate aerosol optical depth of 0.04. The reasons for the larger forcing in TARFOX include the relatively large optical depths and the focus on cloud-free, daytime conditions over the dark ocean surface. These are the conditions that produce the actual major radiative forcing events that contribute to any global-average climate effect. Detailed comparisons of calculated and measured forcings for specific events are used for more refined tests of closure.

Satellite-based climate data records of surface solar radiation from the CM SAF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trentmann, Jörg; Cremer, Roswitha; Kothe, Steffen; Müller, Richard; Pfeifroth, Uwe

2017-04-01

The incoming surface solar radiation has been defined as an essential climate variable by GCOS. Long term monitoring of this part of the earth's energy budget is required to gain insights on the state and variability of the climate system. In addition, climate data sets of surface solar radiation have received increased attention over the recent years as an important source of information for solar energy assessments, for crop modeling, and for the validation of climate and weather models. The EUMETSAT Satellite Application Facility on Climate Monitoring (CM SAF) is deriving climate data records (CDRs) from geostationary and polar-orbiting satellite instruments. Within the CM SAF these CDRs are accompanied by operational data at a short time latency to be used for climate monitoring. All data from the CM SAF is freely available via www.cmsaf.eu. Here we present the regional and the global climate data records of surface solar radiation from the CM SAF. The regional climate data record SARAH (Surface Solar Radiation Dataset - Heliosat, doi: 10.5676/EUM_SAF_CM/SARAH/V002) is based on observations from the series of Meteosat satellites. SARAH provides 30-min, daily- and monthly-averaged data of the effective cloud albedo, the solar irradiance (incl. spectral information), the direct solar radiation (horizontal and normal), and the sunshine duration from 1983 to 2015 for the full view of the Meteosat satellite (i.e, Europe, Africa, parts of South America, and the Atlantic ocean). The data sets are generated with a high spatial resolution of 0.05° allowing for detailed regional studies. The global climate data record CLARA (CM SAF Clouds, Albedo and Radiation dataset from AVHRR data, doi: 10.5676/EUM_SAF_CM/CLARA_AVHRR/V002) is based on observations from the series of AVHRR satellite instruments. CLARA provides daily- and monthly-averaged global data of the solar irradiance (SIS) from 1982 to 2015 with a spatial resolution of 0.25°. In addition to the solar surface radiation also the longwave surface radiation as well as surface albedo and numerous cloud properties are provided in CLARA. Here we provide an overview of the climate data records of the surface solar radiation and present the results of the quality assessment of both climate data records against available surface reference observations, e.g., from the BSRN and the GEBA data archive.

Atmospheric electromagnetic pulse propagation effects from thick targets in a terawatt laser target chamber.

PubMed

Remo, John L; Adams, Richard G; Jones, Michael C

2007-08-20

Generation and effects of atmospherically propagated electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) initiated by photoelectrons ejected by the high density and temperature target surface plasmas from multiterawatt laser pulses are analyzed. These laser radiation pulse interactions can significantly increase noise levels, thereby obscuring data (sometimes totally) and may even damage sensitive probe and detection instrumentation. Noise effects from high energy density (approximately multiterawatt) laser pulses (approximately 300-400 ps pulse widths) interacting with thick approximately 1 mm) metallic and dielectric solid targets and dielectric-metallic powder mixtures are interpreted as transient resonance radiation associated with surface charge fluctuations on the target chamber that functions as a radiating antenna. Effective solutions that minimize atmospheric EMP effects on internal and proximate electronic and electro-optical equipment external to the system based on systematic measurements using Moebius loop antennas, interpretations of signal periodicities, and dissipation indicators determining transient noise origin characteristics from target emissions are described. Analytic models for the effect of target chamber resonances and associated noise current and temperature in a probe diode laser are described.

Atmospheric electromagnetic pulse propagation effects from thick targets in a terawatt laser target chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Remo, John L.; Adams, Richard G.; Jones, Michael C.

2007-08-01

Generation and effects of atmospherically propagated electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) initiated by photoelectrons ejected by the high density and temperature target surface plasmas from multiterawatt laser pulses are analyzed. These laser radiation pulse interactions can significantly increase noise levels, thereby obscuring data (sometimes totally) and may even damage sensitive probe and detection instrumentation. Noise effects from high energy density (approximately multiterawatt) laser pulses (˜300-400 ps pulse widths) interacting with thick (˜1 mm) metallic and dielectric solid targets and dielectric-metallic powder mixtures are interpreted as transient resonance radiation associated with surface charge fluctuations on the target chamber that functions as a radiating antenna. Effective solutions that minimize atmospheric EMP effects on internal and proximate electronic and electro-optical equipment external to the system based on systematic measurements using Moebius loop antennas, interpretations of signal periodicities, and dissipation indicators determining transient noise origin characteristics from target emissions are described. Analytic models for the effect of target chamber resonances and associated noise current and temperature in a probe diode laser are described.

Investigation of stability, consistency, and oil oxidation of emulsion filled gel prepared by inulin and rice bran oil using ultrasonic radiation.

PubMed

Nourbehesht, Newsha; Shekarchizadeh, Hajar; Soltanizadeh, Nafiseh

2018-04-01

Inulin, rice bran oil and rosemary essential oil were used to produce high quality emulsion filled gel (EFG) using ultrasonic radiation. Response surface methodology was used to investigate the effects of oil content, inulin content and power of ultrasound on the stability and consistency of prepared EFG. The process conditions were optimized by conducting experiments at five different levels. Second order polynomial response surface equations were developed indicating the effect of variables on EFG stability and consistency. The oil content of 18%; inulin content of 44.6%; and power of ultrasound of 256 W were found to be the optimum conditions to achieve the best EFG stability and consistency. Microstructure and rheological properties of prepared EFG were investigated. Oil oxidation as a result of using ultrasonic radiation was also investigated. The increase of oxidation products and the decrease of total phenolic compounds as well as radical scavenging activity of antioxidant compounds showed the damaging effect of ultrasound on the oil quality of EFG. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impacts of Trees on Urban Environment in the Contiguous United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, C.; Upreti, R.; Wang, Z.; Yang, J.

2017-12-01

Mounting empirical evidence shows that urban trees are effective in mitigating the thermal stress in the built environment, whereas large scale numerical simulations remain scarce. In this study, we evaluated the effects of shade trees on the built environment in terms of radiative cooling, pedestrian thermal comfort, and surface energy balance, carried out over the contiguous United States (CONUS). A coupled Weather Research and Forecasting-urban modeling system was adopted, incorporating exclusively the radiative shading effect of urban trees. Results show that on average the mean 2-m air temperature in urban areas decreases by 3.06 ˚C, and the 2-m relative humidity increases by 13.62% over the entire CONUS with the shading effect. Analysis of pedestrian thermal comfort shows that shade trees help to improve summer thermal comfort level, but could be detrimental in the winter for Northern cities. In addition, it was found that trees alter the surface energy balance by primarily enhancing the radiative cooling, leading to significant re-distribution of the sensible heat while leaving the ground heat storage comparatively intact.

Effects of sunlight exposure on grapevine powdery mildew development.

PubMed

Austin, Craig N; Wilcox, Wayne F

2012-09-01

Natural and artificially induced shade increased grapevine powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator) severity in the vineyard, with foliar disease severity 49 to 75% higher relative to leaves in full sun, depending on the level of natural shading experienced and the individual experiment. Cluster disease severities increased by 20 to 40% relative to those on check vines when ultraviolet (UV) radiation was filtered from sunlight reaching vines in artificial shading experiments. Surface temperatures of leaves in full sunlight averaged 5 to 8°C higher than those in natural shade, and in one experiment, filtering 80% of all wavelengths of solar radiation, including longer wavelengths responsible for heating irradiated tissues, increased disease more than filtering UV alone. In controlled environment experiments, UV-B radiation reduced germination of E. necator conidia and inhibited both colony establishment (hyphal formation and elongation) and maturity (latent period). Inhibitory effects of UV-B radiation were significantly greater at 30°C than at 20 or 25°C. Thus, sunlight appears to inhibit powdery mildew development through at least two mechanisms, i.e., (i) UV radiation's damaging effects on exposed conidia and thalli of the pathogen; and (ii) elevating temperatures of irradiated tissues to a level supraoptimal or inhibitory for pathogen development. Furthermore, these effects are synergistic at temperatures near the upper threshold for disease development.

Measurement of internal radiation exposure among decontamination workers in villages near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

PubMed

Tsubokura, Masaharu; Nihei, Masahiko; Sato, Katsumi; Masaki, Shin; Sakuma, Yu; Kato, Shigeaki; Sugimoto, Amina; Nomura, Shuhei; Matsumura, Tomoko; Miyazaki, Makoto; Hayano, Ryugo; Shibuya, Kenji; Kami, Masahiro; Sasaki, Taro

2013-10-01

Decontamination workers may face a high risk of exposure to internal irradiation through inhalation during decontamination activities; there is, however, little previous research on the levels of internal contamination during decontamination procedures. The authors reviewed the medical records, including whole body counter measurements, of decontamination workers in villages near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant to assess their levels of internal radiation exposure. In total, 83 decontamination workers were enrolled in this study. They were regularly engaged in decontamination activities in highly contaminated areas where surface 137Cs deposition density was over 100 kBq m-2. The present study showed low levels of internal exposure among the decontamination workers near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. The cesium burdens of all the decontamination workers were below detection limits. They had reported no acute health problems. The resuspension of radioactive materials may cause minimal internal contamination during decontamination activities.

Performance of light sources and radiation sensors under low gravity realized by parabolic airplane flights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirai, Hiroaki; Kitaya, Yoshiaki; Hirai, Takehiro

A fundamental study was conducted to establish an experimental system for space farming. Since to ensure optimal light for plant cultivation in space is of grave importance, this study examined the performance of light sources and radiation sensors under microgravity conditions created during the parabolic airplane flight. Three kinds of light sources, a halogen bulb, a fluorescent tube, and blue and red LEDs, and ten models of radiation sensors available in the market were used for the experiment. Surface temperature of the light sources, output signals from the radiation sensors, spectroscopic characteristics were measured at the gravity levels of 0.01, 1.0 and 1.8 G for 20 seconds each during parabolic airplane flights. As a result, the performance of the halogen lamp was affected the most by the gravity level among the three light sources. Under the microgravity conditions which do not raise heat convection, the temperature of the halogen lamp rose and the output of the radiation sensors increased. Spectral distributions of the halogen lamp indicated that peak wavelength appeared the highest at the level of 0.01G, which contributed to the increase in light intensity. In the case of red and blue LEDs, which are promising light sources in space farming, the temperature of both LED chips rose but irradiance from red LED increased and that from blue LED decreased under microgravity conditions due to the different thermal characteristics.

Surface and top-of-atmosphere radiative feedback kernels for CESM-CAM5

DOE PAGES

Pendergrass, Angeline G.; Conley, Andrew; Vitt, Francis M.

2018-02-21

Radiative kernels at the top of the atmosphere are useful for decomposing changes in atmospheric radiative fluxes due to feedbacks from atmosphere and surface temperature, water vapor, and surface albedo. Here we describe and validate radiative kernels calculated with the large-ensemble version of CAM5, CESM1.1.2, at the top of the atmosphere and the surface. Estimates of the radiative forcing from greenhouse gases and aerosols in RCP8.5 in the CESM large-ensemble simulations are also diagnosed. As an application, feedbacks are calculated for the CESM large ensemble. The kernels are freely available at https://doi.org/10.5065/D6F47MT6, and accompanying software can be downloaded from https://github.com/apendergrass/cam5-kernels.

Mars' surface radiation environment measured with the Mars Science Laboratory's Curiosity rover.

PubMed

Hassler, Donald M; Zeitlin, Cary; Wimmer-Schweingruber, Robert F; Ehresmann, Bent; Rafkin, Scot; Eigenbrode, Jennifer L; Brinza, David E; Weigle, Gerald; Böttcher, Stephan; Böhm, Eckart; Burmeister, Soenke; Guo, Jingnan; Köhler, Jan; Martin, Cesar; Reitz, Guenther; Cucinotta, Francis A; Kim, Myung-Hee; Grinspoon, David; Bullock, Mark A; Posner, Arik; Gómez-Elvira, Javier; Vasavada, Ashwin; Grotzinger, John P

2014-01-24

The Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) on the Mars Science Laboratory's Curiosity rover began making detailed measurements of the cosmic ray and energetic particle radiation environment on the surface of Mars on 7 August 2012. We report and discuss measurements of the absorbed dose and dose equivalent from galactic cosmic rays and solar energetic particles on the martian surface for ~300 days of observations during the current solar maximum. These measurements provide insight into the radiation hazards associated with a human mission to the surface of Mars and provide an anchor point with which to model the subsurface radiation environment, with implications for microbial survival times of any possible extant or past life, as well as for the preservation of potential organic biosignatures of the ancient martian environment.

Surface and top-of-atmosphere radiative feedback kernels for CESM-CAM5

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

Pendergrass, Angeline G.; Conley, Andrew; Vitt, Francis M.

Radiative kernels at the top of the atmosphere are useful for decomposing changes in atmospheric radiative fluxes due to feedbacks from atmosphere and surface temperature, water vapor, and surface albedo. Here we describe and validate radiative kernels calculated with the large-ensemble version of CAM5, CESM1.1.2, at the top of the atmosphere and the surface. Estimates of the radiative forcing from greenhouse gases and aerosols in RCP8.5 in the CESM large-ensemble simulations are also diagnosed. As an application, feedbacks are calculated for the CESM large ensemble. The kernels are freely available at https://doi.org/10.5065/D6F47MT6, and accompanying software can be downloaded from https://github.com/apendergrass/cam5-kernels.

Arc-textured high emittance radiator surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banks, Bruce A. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

High emittance radiator surfaces are produced by arc-texturing. This process produces such a surface on a metal by scanning it with a low voltage electric arc from a carbon electrode in an inert environment.

Europa Surface Radiation Environment for Lander Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, John F.; Sturner, Steven J.

2006-01-01

The Jovian magnetospheric particle environment at Europa's surface is critical to assessment of landed astrobiological experiments in three respects: (1) the landing site must be chosen for the best prospects for detectable organic or inorganic signs of Life, e.g. regions of freshly emergent flows from the subsurface; (2) lander systems must reach the surface through the Jovian magnetospheric environment and operate long enough on the surface to return useful data; (3) lander instrumentation must be capable of detecting signs of life in the context of the local environmental radiation and associated chemistry. The Galileo, Voyager, and Pioneer missions have provided a wealth of data on energetic particle intensities throughout the Jovian magnetosphere including from many flybys of Europa. cumulative radiation dosages for spacecraft enroute to Europa can be well characterized, but knowledge of the surface radiation environment is very limited. Energetic electrons should primarily impact the trailing hemisphere with decreasing intensity towards the center of the leading hemisphere and are the most significant radiation component down to meter depths in the surface regolith due to secondary interactions. Observed surface distribution for sulfates is suggestive of electron irradiation but may have alternative interpretations. Having much-larger magnetic gyroradii than electrons, energetic protons and heavier ions irradiate more of the global surface. The particular orientations of electron, proton, and ion gyromotion would project into corresponding directional (e.g., east-west) anisotropies of particle flu into the surface. Particular topographic features at the landing site may therefore offer shielding from part of the incident radiation.

The cloud-radiative processes and its modulation by sea-ice cover and stability as derived from a merged C3M Data product.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nag, B.

2016-12-01

The polar regions of the world constitute an important sector in the global energy balance. Among other effects responsible for the change in the sea-ice cover like ocean circulation and ice-albedo feedback, the cloud-radiation feedback also plays a vital role in modulation of the Arctic environment. However the annual cycle of the clouds is very poorly represented in current global circulation models. This study aims to take advantage of a merged C3M data (CALIPSO, CloudSat, CERES, and MODIS) product from the NASA's A-Train Series to explore the sea-ice and atmospheric conditions in the Arctic on a spatial coverage spanning 70N to 80N. This study is aimed at the interactions or the feedbacks processes among sea-ice, clouds and the atmosphere. Using a composite approach based on a classification due to surface type, it is found that limitation of the water vapour influx from the surface due to change in phase at the surface featuring open oceans or marginal sea-ice cover to complete sea-ice cover is a major determinant in the modulation of the atmospheric moisture and its impacts. The impact of the cloud-radiative effects in the Arctic is found to vary with sea-ice cover and seasonally. The effect of the marginal sea-ice cover becomes more and more pronounced in the winter. The seasonal variation of the dependence of the atmospheric moisture on the surface and the subsequent feedback effects is controlled by the atmospheric stability measured as a difference between the potential temperature at the surface and the 700hPa level. It is found that a stronger stability cover in the winter is responsible for the longwave cloud radiative feedback in winter which is missing during the summer. A regional analysis of the same suggests that most of the depiction of the variations observed is contributed from the North Atlantic region.

Surface factors governing the stratocumulus breakup and evolution in southern West Africa: A LES study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedruzo-Bagazgoitia, Xabier; Lohou, Fabienne; Dione, Cheikh; Lothon, Marie; Kalthoff, Norbert; Adler, Bianca; Babić, Karmen; Vilà-Guerau de Arellano, Jordi

2017-04-01

The role of boundary-layer clouds as part of the Western African Monsoon system is investigated. The system encompasses the interaction between large-scale phenomena such as the (southerly) monsoon flow, the African Easterly Jet and the (northerly) Harmattan wind, and the role of smaller scale processes driven by turbulence and the sea-vegetation transition on the lower troposphere, such as the frequently observed nocturnal low-level jet. As observed during the DACCIWA project campaign, low stratocumulus clouds recurrently appear inland during the night, sometimes prevailing until the next afternoon while in other cases they break up in the morning and disappear or transform to convective clouds. These observations rise two research questions: Do surface conditions affect the cloud breakup? Is the direct or diffuse character of radiation relevant for the cloud transition? In our study we focus on the local effect of the surface and radiation on the breakup of stratocumulus and the subsequent transition to convective clouds during the morning transition. We design an idealized Large Eddy Simulation (LES) experiment in which the surface is coupled to the cloud dynamics based on radiosoundings launched during the campaign at the supersite of Savé (Benin), which is located about 180 km north of the Gulf of Guinea. This experiment includes the most relevant factors for the evolution of the boundary layer and stratocumulus in the morning. By systematically breaking down the complexity of the system, we study the relevance of atmospheric stability (by modifying the atmospheric lapse rates), and the partition of evaporation and sensible heat flux on the evolution, break up and transition of the stratocumulus cloud layer. Previous studies have shown that diffuse radiation controlled by clouds and aerosols can locally enhance evaporation. Therefore, particular emphasize is put on the determination of the role of direct and diffuse radiation during the cloud transition on the vegetated canopy, and the impact on the surface fluxes and cloud dynamics.

NASA/GEWEX Surface Radiation Budget: First Results From The Release 4 GEWEX Integrated Data Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stackhouse, Paul; Cox, Stephen; Gupta, Shashi; Mikovitz, J. Colleen; zhang, taiping

2016-04-01

The NASA/GEWEX Surface Radiation Budget (SRB) project produces shortwave and longwave surface and top of atmosphere radiative fluxes for the 1983-near present time period. Spatial resolution is 1 degree. The current release 3 (available at gewex-srb.larc.nasa.gov) uses the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) DX product for pixel level radiance and cloud information. This product is subsampled to 30 km. ISCCP is currently recalibrating and recomputing their entire data series, to be released as the H product, at 10km resolution. The ninefold increase in pixel number should help improve the RMS of the existing products and allow for future higher resolution SRB gridded product (e.g. 0.5 degree). In addition to the input data improvements, several important algorithm improvements have been made. Most notable has been the adaptation of Angular Distribution Models (ADMs) from CERES to improve the initial calculation of shortwave TOA fluxes, from which the surface flux calculations follow. Other key input improvements include a detailed aerosol history using the Max Planck Institut Aerosol Climatology (MAC), temperature and moisture profiles from HIRS, and new topography, surface type, and snow/ice. Here we present results for the improved GEWEX Shortwave and Longwave algorithm (GSW and GLW) with new ISCCP data, the various other improved input data sets and the incorporation of many additional internal SRB model improvements. As of the time of abstract submission, results from 2007 have been produced with ISCCP H availability the limiting factor. More SRB data will be produced as ISCCP reprocessing continues. The SRB data produced will be released as part of the Release 4.0 Integrated Product, recognizing the interdependence of the radiative fluxes with other GEWEX products providing estimates of the Earth's global water and energy cycle (I.e., ISCCP, SeaFlux, LandFlux, NVAP, etc.).

Device and Method of Scintillating Quantum Dots for Radiation Imaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burke, Eric R. (Inventor); DeHaven, Stanton L. (Inventor); Williams, Phillip A. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

A radiation imaging device includes a radiation source and a micro structured detector comprising a material defining a surface that faces the radiation source. The material includes a plurality of discreet cavities having openings in the surface. The detector also includes a plurality of quantum dots disclosed in the cavities. The quantum dots are configured to interact with radiation from the radiation source, and to emit visible photons that indicate the presence of radiation. A digital camera and optics may be used to capture images formed by the detector in response to exposure to radiation.

Global Surface Net-Radiation at 5 km from MODIS Terra

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

Verma, Manish; Fisher, Joshua; Mallick, Kaniska

Reliable and fine resolution estimates of surface net-radiation are required for estimating latent and sensible heat fluxes between the land surface and the atmosphere. However, currently, fine resolution estimates of net-radiation are not available and consequently it is challenging to develop multi-year estimates of evapotranspiration at scales that can capture land surface heterogeneity and are relevant for policy and decision-making. We developed and evaluated a global net-radiation product at 5 km and 8-day resolution by combining mutually consistent atmosphere and land data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board Terra. Comparison with net-radiation measurements from 154 globally distributedmore » sites (414 site-years) from the FLUXNET and Surface Radiation budget network (SURFRAD) showed that the net-radiation product agreed well with measurements across seasons and climate types in the extratropics (Wilmott's index ranged from 0.74 for boreal to 0.63 for Mediterranean sites). Mean absolute deviation between the MODIS and measured net-radiation ranged from 38.0 ± 1.8 W.m -2 in boreal to 72.0 ± 4.1 W.m -2 in the tropical climates. The mean bias was small and constituted only 11%, 0.7%, 8.4%, 4.2%, 13.3%, and 5.4% of the mean absolute error in daytime net-radiation in boreal, Mediterranean, temperate-continental, temperate, semi-arid, and tropical climate, respectively. To assess the accuracy of the broader spatiotemporal patterns, we upscaled error-quantified MODIS net-radiation and compared it with the net-radiation estimates from the coarse spatial (1° x 1°) but high temporal resolution gridded net-radiation product from the Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES). Our estimates agreed closely with the net-radiation estimates from the CERES. Difference between the two was less than 10W.m -2 in 94% of the total land area. MODIS net-radiation product will be a valuable resource for the science community studying turbulent fluxes and energy budget at the Earth's surface.« less

Global Surface Net-Radiation at 5 km from MODIS Terra

DOE PAGES

Verma, Manish; Fisher, Joshua; Mallick, Kaniska; ...

2016-09-06

Reliable and fine resolution estimates of surface net-radiation are required for estimating latent and sensible heat fluxes between the land surface and the atmosphere. However, currently, fine resolution estimates of net-radiation are not available and consequently it is challenging to develop multi-year estimates of evapotranspiration at scales that can capture land surface heterogeneity and are relevant for policy and decision-making. We developed and evaluated a global net-radiation product at 5 km and 8-day resolution by combining mutually consistent atmosphere and land data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board Terra. Comparison with net-radiation measurements from 154 globally distributedmore » sites (414 site-years) from the FLUXNET and Surface Radiation budget network (SURFRAD) showed that the net-radiation product agreed well with measurements across seasons and climate types in the extratropics (Wilmott's index ranged from 0.74 for boreal to 0.63 for Mediterranean sites). Mean absolute deviation between the MODIS and measured net-radiation ranged from 38.0 ± 1.8 W.m -2 in boreal to 72.0 ± 4.1 W.m -2 in the tropical climates. The mean bias was small and constituted only 11%, 0.7%, 8.4%, 4.2%, 13.3%, and 5.4% of the mean absolute error in daytime net-radiation in boreal, Mediterranean, temperate-continental, temperate, semi-arid, and tropical climate, respectively. To assess the accuracy of the broader spatiotemporal patterns, we upscaled error-quantified MODIS net-radiation and compared it with the net-radiation estimates from the coarse spatial (1° x 1°) but high temporal resolution gridded net-radiation product from the Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES). Our estimates agreed closely with the net-radiation estimates from the CERES. Difference between the two was less than 10W.m -2 in 94% of the total land area. MODIS net-radiation product will be a valuable resource for the science community studying turbulent fluxes and energy budget at the Earth's surface.« less

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

Habte, A.; Sengupta, M.; Wilcox, S.

Models to compute Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) and Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) have been in development over the last 3 decades. These models can be classified as empirical or physical, based on the approach. Empirical models relate ground based observations with satellite measurements and use these relations to compute surface radiation. Physical models consider the radiation received from the earth at the satellite and create retrievals to estimate surface radiation. While empirical methods have been traditionally used for computing surface radiation for the solar energy industry the advent of faster computing has made operational physical models viable. The Global Solarmore » Insolation Project (GSIP) is an operational physical model from NOAA that computes GHI using the visible and infrared channel measurements from the GOES satellites. GSIP uses a two-stage scheme that first retrieves cloud properties and uses those properties in a radiative transfer model to calculate surface radiation. NREL, University of Wisconsin and NOAA have recently collaborated to adapt GSIP to create a 4 km GHI and DNI product every 30 minutes. This paper presents an outline of the methodology and a comprehensive validation using high quality ground based solar data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Surface Radiation (SURFRAD) (http://www.srrb.noaa.gov/surfrad/sitepage.html) and Integrated Surface Insolation Study (ISIS) http://www.srrb.noaa.gov/isis/isissites.html), the Solar Radiation Research Laboratory (SRRL) at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and Sun Spot One (SS1) stations.« less

Evaluation of surface energy and radiation balance systems on the Konza Prairie

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fritschen, Leo J.

1987-01-01

Four Surface Energy and Radiation Balance Systems (SERBS) were installed and operated for two weeks in Kansas during July of 1986. Surface energy and radiation balances were investigated on six sites on the Konza Prairie about 3 km south of Manhattan, Kansas. Measurements were made to allow the computation of these radiation components: total solar and diffuse radiation, reflected solar radiation, net radiation, and longwave radiation upward and downward. Measurements were made to allow the computation of the sensible and latent heat fluxes by the Bowen ratio method using differential psychrometers on automatic exchange mechanisms. The report includes a description of the experimental sites, data acquisition systems and sensors, data acquisitions system operating instructions, and software used for data acquisition and analysis. In addition, data listings and plots of the energy balance components for all days and systems are given.

Radiative impact of Etna volcanic aerosols over south eastern Italy on 3 December 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romano, S.; Burlizzi, P.; Kinne, S.; De Tomasi, F.; Hamann, U.; Perrone, M. R.

2018-06-01

Irradiance and LiDAR measurements at the surface combined with satellite products from SEVIRI (Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager) and MODIS (MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) were used to detect and characterize the Etna volcano (Italy) plume that crossed southeastern Italy on 3 December 2015, from about 10:00 up to 11:30 UTC, and estimate its radiative impact. The volcanic plume was delivered by a violent and short paroxysmal eruption that occurred from 02:30 to 03:10 UTC of 3 December 2015, about 400 km away from the monitoring site. Measurements from the LiDAR combined with model results showed that the aerosol optical depth of the volcanic plume, located from about 11 to 13 km above sea level (asl), was equal to 0.80 ± 0.07 at 532 nm. A low tropospheric aerosol load, located up to about 7 km asl, with optical depth equal to 0.19 ± 0.01 at 532 nm was also revealed by the LiDAR measurements. Short-Wave (SW) downward and upward irradiance measurements revealed that the instantaneous SW direct radiative forcing at the surface (DRFsurf) decreased to -146 ± 16 W m-2 at 10:50 UTC because of the volcanic plume passage. A Two-Stream radiative transfer model integrated with experimental measurements, which took into account the volcanic plume and the low tropospheric aerosol properties, was used to reproduce the SW radiative flux measurements at the surface and estimate the aerosol DRF both at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) and at the surface, in addition to the aerosol heating rate vertical profile. We found that the clear-sky, instantaneous, SW DRF at the TOA and the atmospheric forcing were equal to -112 and 33 W m-2, respectively, at 10:50 UTC that represented the time at which the volcanic plume radiative impact was the highest. The SW aerosol heating rate reached the peak value of 1.24 K day-1 at 12 km asl and decreased to -0.06 K day-1 at 11 km asl, at 10:50 UTC. The role of the aerosol load located up to about 7 km asl and the corresponding radiative impact has also been evaluated.

Influence of Ionizing Radiation on the Mechanical Properties of a Wood-Plastic Composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palm, Andrew; Smith, Jennifer; Driscoll, Mark; Smith, Leonard; Larsen, L. Scott

The focus of this study was to examine the potential benefits of irradiating polyethylene (PE)-based wood-plastic composites (WPCs) in order to enhance the mechanical properties of the WPC. The PE-based WPCs were irradiated, post extrusion, at dose levels of 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 kGy with an electron beam (EB). The irradiated WPCs were then evaluated using a third point bending test (ASTM D4761) along with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that ultimate strength and modulus of elasticity (MOE) increased with increasing dose level. Examination of the fracture surfaces of polyethylene revealed a distinct difference in failure between irradiated and non-irradiated surfaces.

Detection of regional air pollution episodes utilizing satellite data in the visual range

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowley, C. J.; Burke, H. K.; Barnes, J. C.

1981-01-01

A comparative analysis of satellite-observed haze patterns and ground-based aerosol measurements is carried out for July 20-23, 1978. During this period, a significant regional air pollution episode existed across the northeastern United States, accompanied by widespread haze, reduced surface visibility, and elevated sulfate levels measured by the Sulfate Regional Experiment (SURE) network. The results show that the satellite-observed haze patterns correlate closely with the area of reported low surface visibility (less than 4 mi) and high sulfate levels. Quantitative information on total aerosol loading derived from the satellite-digitized data, using an atmospheric radiative transfer model, agrees well with the results obtained from the ground-based measurements.

Solar radiation measurement project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ioup, J. W.

1981-01-01

The Xavier solar radiation measurement project and station are described. Measurements of the total solar radiation on a horizontal surface from an Eppley pyranometer were collected into computer data files. Total radiation in watt hours was converted from ten minute intervals to hourly intervals. Graphs of this total radiation data are included. A computer program in Fortran was written to calculate the total extraterrestrial radiation on a horizontal surface for each day of the month. Educational and social benefits of the project are cited.

Understanding Radiation Thermometry. Part II

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Risch, Timothy K.

2015-01-01

This document is a two-part course on the theory and practice of radiation thermometry. Radiation thermometry is the technique for determining the temperature of a surface or a volume by measuring the electromagnetic radiation it emits. This course covers the theory and practice of radiative thermometry and emphasizes the modern application of the field using commercially available electronic detectors and optical components. The course covers the historical development of the field, the fundamental physics of radiative surfaces, along with modern measurement methods and equipment.

Understanding Radiation Thermometry. Part I

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Risch Timothy K.

2015-01-01

This document is a two-part course on the theory and practice of radiation thermometry. Radiation thermometry is the technique for determining the temperature of a surface or a volume by measuring the electromagnetic radiation it emits. This course covers the theory and practice of radiative thermometry and emphasizes the modern application of the field using commercially available electronic detectors and optical components. The course covers the historical development of the field, the fundamental physics of radiative surfaces, along with modern measurement methods and equipment.

Sizing and Pointing of Solar Panels and for Solar Thermal Applications

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2014-09-25

... on horizontal surface (kWh/m2/day) Amount of electromagnetic energy (solar radiation) incident on the surface of the earth. ... on horizontal surface (kWh/m2/day) Amount of electromagnetic energy (solar radiation) incident on the surface of the earth ...

Influence of cloud fraction and snow cover to the variation of surface UV radiation at King Sejong station, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Yun Gon; Koo, Ja-Ho; Kim, Jhoon

2015-10-01

This study investigated how cloud fraction and snow cover affect the variation of surface ultraviolet (UV) radiation by using surface Erythemal UV (EUV) and Near UV (NUV) observed at the King Sejong Station, Antarctica. First the Radiative Amplification Factor (RAF), the relative change of surface EUV according to the total-column ozone amount, is compared for different cloud fractions and solar zenith angles (SZAs). Generally, all cloudy conditions show that the increase of RAF as SZA becomes larger, showing the larger effects of vertical columnar ozone. For given SZA cases, the EUV transmission through mean cloud layer gradually decreases as cloud fraction increases, but sometimes the maximum of surface EUV appears under partly cloudy conditions. The high surface EUV transmittance under broken cloud conditions seems due to the re-radiation of scattered EUV by cloud particles. NUV transmission through mean cloud layer also decreases as cloud amount increases but the sensitivity to the cloud fraction is larger than EUV. Both EUV and NUV radiations at the surface are also enhanced by the snow cover, and their enhancement becomes higher as SZA increases implying the diurnal variation of surface albedo. This effect of snow cover seems large under the overcast sky because of the stronger interaction between snow surface and cloudy sky.

A New Fast Algorithm to Completely Account for Non-Lambertian Surface Reflection of The Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Qin, Wen-Han; Herman, Jay R.; Ahmad, Ziauddin; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Surface bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) influences not only radiance just about the surface, but that emerging from the top of the atmosphere (TOA). In this study we propose a new, fast and accurate, algorithm CASBIR (correction for anisotropic surface bidirectional reflection) to account for such influences on radiance measured above TOA. This new algorithm is based on a 4-stream theory that separates the radiation field into direct and diffuse components in both upwelling and downwelling directions. This is important because the direct component accounts for a substantial portion of incident radiation under a clear sky, and the BRDF effect is strongest in the reflection of the direct radiation reaching the surface. The model is validated by comparison with a full-scale, vector radiation transfer model for the atmosphere-surface system. The result demonstrates that CASBIR performs very well (with overall relative difference of less than one percent) for all solar and viewing zenith and azimuth angles considered in wavelengths from ultraviolet to near-infrared over three typical, but very different surface types. Application of this algorithm includes both accounting for non-Lambertian surface scattering on the emergent radiation above TOA and a potential approach for surface BRDF retrieval from satellite measured radiance.

Surface-coupling of Cerenkov radiation from a modified metallic metamaterial slab via Brillouin-band folding.

PubMed

Bera, Anirban; Barik, Ranjan Kumar; Sattorov, Matlabjon; Kwon, Ohjoon; Min, Sun-Hong; Baek, In-Keun; Kim, Seontae; So, Jin-Kyu; Park, Gun-Sik

2014-02-10

Metallic metamaterials with positive dielectric responses are promising as an alternative to dielectrics for the generation of Cerenkov radiation [J.-K. So et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 97(15), 151107 (2010)]. We propose here by theoretical analysis a mechanism to couple out Cerenkov radiation from the slab surfaces in the transverse direction. The proposed method based on Brillouin-zone folding is to periodically modify the thickness of the metamaterial slab in the axial direction. Moreover, the intensity of the surface-coupled radiation by this mechanism shows an order-of-magnitude enhancement compared to that of ordinary Smith-Purcell radiation.

Error sources in the real-time NLDAS incident surface solar radiation and an evaluation against field observations and the NARR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, G.; Gao, X.; Sorooshian, S.

2005-12-01

The atmospheric model is sensitive to the land surface interactions and its coupling with Land surface Models (LSMs) leads to a better ability to forecast weather under extreme climate conditions, such as droughts and floods (Atlas et al. 1993; Beljaars et al. 1996). However, it is still questionable how accurately the surface exchanges can be simulated using LSMs, since terrestrial properties and processes have high variability and heterogeneity. Examinations with long-term and multi-site surface observations including both remotely sensed and ground observations are highly needed to make an objective evaluation on the effectiveness and uncertainty of LSMs at different circumstances. Among several atmospheric forcing required for the offline simulation of LSMs, incident surface solar radiation is one of the most significant components, since it plays a major role in total incoming energy into the land surface. The North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS) and North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) are two important data sources providing high-resolution surface solar radiation data for the use of research communities. In this study, these data are evaluated against field observations (AmeriFlux) to identify their advantages, deficiencies and sources of errors. The NLDAS incident solar radiation shows a pretty good agreement in monthly mean prior to the summer of 2001, while it overestimates after the summer of 2001 and its bias is pretty close to the EDAS. Two main error sources are identified: 1) GOES solar radiation was not used in the NLDAS for several months in 2001 and 2003, and 2) GOES incident solar radiation when available, was positively biased in year 2002. The known snow detection problem is sometimes identified in the NLDAS, since it is inherited from GOES incident solar radiation. The NARR consistently overestimates incident surface solar radiation, which might produce erroneous outputs if used in the LSMs. Further attention is given to the diurnal cycle of NLDAS. Because LSMs are designed to simulate radiation diurnal variation, they are always running at high temporal resolution (30-minutes to several hours). The NLDAS solar radiation data clearly show much smoothened diurnal cycles than observation in cloudy days, which is due to the lower spatial resolution of the NLDAS inherited from the GOES and the EDAS. Taking these problems discovered above into consideration, it is suggested that the NLDAS project work on reducing the systematic biases in the surface solar radiation estimates, so that the users could take full advantage from the data.

Reverse surface-polariton cherenkov radiation

PubMed Central

Tao, Jin; Wang, Qi Jie; Zhang, Jingjing; Luo, Yu

2016-01-01

The existence of reverse Cherenkov radiation for surface plasmons is demonstrated analytically. It is shown that in a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) waveguide, surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) excited by an electron moving at a speed higher than the phase velocity of SPPs can generate Cherenkov radiation, which can be switched from forward to reverse direction by tuning the core thickness of the waveguide. Calculations are performed in both frequency and time domains, demonstrating that a radiation pattern with a backward-pointing radiation cone can be achieved at small waveguide core widths, with energy flow opposite to the wave vector of SPPs. Our study suggests the feasibility of generating and steering electron radiation in simple plasmonic systems, opening the gate for various applications such as velocity-selective particle detections. PMID:27477061

Shortwave Radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klassen, Steve; Bugbee, Bruce

2005-01-01

Accurate shortwave radiation data is critical to evapotranspiration (ET) models used for developing irrigation schedules to optimize crop production while saving water, minimizing fertilizer, herbicide, and pesticide applications, reducing soil erosion, and protecting surface and ground water quality. Low cost silicon cell pyranometers have proven to be sufficiently accurate and robust for widespread use in agricultural applications under unobstructed daylight conditions. More expensive thermopile pyranometers are required for use as calibration standards and measurements under light with unique spectral properties (electric lights, under vegetation, in greenhouses and growth chambers). Routine cleaning, leveling, and annual calibration checks will help to ensure the integrity of long-term data.

Comparison of ScaRaB, GOES 8, Aircraft, and Surface Observations of the Absorption of Solar Radiation by Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pope, Shelly K.; Valero, Francisco P. J.; Collins, William D.; Minnis, Patrick

2002-01-01

Data obtained by the Scanner for Radiation Budget (ScaRaB) instrument on the Meteor 3 satellite have been analyzed and compared to satellite (GOES 8), aircraft (Radiation Measurement System, RAMS), and surface (Baseline Solar Radiation Network (BSRN), Solar and Infrared Observations System (SIROS), and RAMS) measurements of irradiance obtained during the Atmospheric Radiation Measurements Enhanced Shortwave Experiment (ARESE). It is found that the ScaRaB data covering the period from March 1994 to February 1995 (the instrument's operational lifetime) indicate excess absorption of solar radiation by the cloudy atmosphere in agreement with previous aircraft, surface, and GOES 8 results. The full ScaRaB data set combined with BSRN and SIROS surface observations gives an average all-sky absorptance of 0.28. The GOES 8 data set combined with RAMS surface observations gives an average all-sky absorptance of 0.26. The aircraft data set (RAMS) gives a mean all-sky absorptance of 0.24 (for the column between 0.5 and 13 km).

Impacts of aerosol direct effects on tropospheric ozone ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Aerosol direct effects (ADE), i.e., scattering and absorption of incoming solar radiation, reduce radiation reaching the ground and the resultant photolysis attenuation can decrease O3 formation in polluted areas. One the other hand, evidence also suggests that ADE associated cooling suppresses atmospheric ventilation thereby enhancing surface-level O3. Assessment of ADE impacts is thus important for understanding emission reduction strategies that seek co-benefits associated with reductions in both particulate matter and O3 levels. This study quantifies the impacts of ADE on tropospheric ozone by using a two-way online coupled meteorology and atmospheric chemistry model, WRF-CMAQ, instrumented with process analysis methodology. Two manifestations of ADE impacts on O3 including changes in atmospheric dynamics (∆Dynamics) and changes in photolysis rates (∆Photolysis) were assessed separately through multiple scenario simulations for January and July of 2013 over China. Results suggest that ADE reduced surface daily maxima 1h O3 (DM1O3) in China by up to 39 µg m-3 1 through the combination of ∆Dynamics and ∆Photolysis in January, but enhanced surface DM1O3 by up to 4 µg m-3 in July. Increased O3 in July is largely attributed to ∆Dynamics which causes a weaker O3 sink of dry deposition and a stronger O3 source of photochemistry due to the stabilization of atmosphere. Meanwhile, surface OH is also enhanced at noon in July, though its daytime average valu

Decontamination work in the area surrounding Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant: another occupational health challenge of the nuclear disaster.

PubMed

Wada, Koji; Yoshikawa, Toru; Murata, Masaru

2012-01-01

This article describes occupational health measures for workers involved in decontamination of radioactive material discharged around Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant after the explosions in 2011. Decontamination is performed by removing radioactive particles (mainly cesium) from surfaces of soil, grass and trees, and buildings. Measurement of radiation doses is necessary to reduce exposure, and to determine whether workers can work below dose limits. Protective equipment for decontamination is determined based on the concentration of radiation in contaminated soil and the exposure to dust. Health examinations by physicians are mandated for decontamination workers upon hiring and every 6 months. While there is no possibility of acute radiation injury from decontamination, workers may be anxious about the unclear effects of chronic low level radiation exposure on health. Measures to protect the decontamination workers are the top priority.

Cadmium telluride photovoltaic radiation detector

DOEpatents

Agouridis, D.C.; Fox, R.J.

A dosimetry-type radiation detector is provided which employs a polycrystalline, chlorine-compensated cadmium telluride wafer fabricated to operate as a photovoltaic current generator used as the basic detecting element. A photovoltaic junction is formed in the wafer by painting one face of the cadmium telluride wafer with an n-type semi-conductive material. The opposite face of the wafer is painted with an electrically conductive material to serve as a current collector. The detector is mounted in a hermetically sealed vacuum containment. The detector is operated in a photovoltaic mode (zero bias) while DC coupled to a symmetrical differential current amplifier having a very low input impedance. The amplifier converts the current signal generated by radiation impinging upon the barrier surface face of the wafer to a voltage which is supplied to a voltmeter calibrated to read quantitatively the level of radiation incident upon the detecting wafer.

Cadmium telluride photovoltaic radiation detector

DOEpatents

Agouridis, Dimitrios C.; Fox, Richard J.

1981-01-01

A dosimetry-type radiation detector is provided which employs a polycrystalline, chlorine-compensated cadmium telluride wafer fabricated to operate as a photovoltaic current generator used as the basic detecting element. A photovoltaic junction is formed in the wafer by painting one face of the cadmium telluride wafer with an n-type semiconductive material. The opposite face of the wafer is painted with an electrically conductive material to serve as a current collector. The detector is mounted in a hermetically sealed vacuum containment. The detector is operated in a photovoltaic mode (zero bias) while DC coupled to a symmetrical differential current amplifier having a very low input impedance. The amplifier converts the current signal generated by radiation impinging upon the barrier surface face of the wafer to a voltage which is supplied to a voltmeter calibrated to read quantitatively the level of radiation incident upon the detecting wafer.

Radiation characteristics of Leaky Surface Plasmon polaritons of graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohadesi, V.; Asgari, A.; Siahpoush, V.

2018-07-01

High efficient coupling of graphene surface plasmons to far field radiation is possible by some techniques and can be used in the radiating applications. Besides of the coupling efficiency, the angular distribution of the radiated power is an important parameter in the radiating devices performance. In this paper we investigate the gain of the far field radiation related to the coupling of graphene surface plasmons via a high permittivity medium located close to the graphene. Our results show that high directive radiation and high coupling efficiency can be obtained by this technique and gain and directivity of radiation can be modified by graphene characteristics such as chemical potential and also quality of the graphene. Raising the chemical potential of graphene leads to increase the gain of the radiation as the result of amplifying the directivity of the radiation. Furthermore, high values of relaxation time lead to high directive and strong coupling which raises the maximum value of gain in efficient coupling angle. Tunable characteristics of gain and directivity in this structure can be important designing reconfigurable THz radiating devices.

Radiative flux opens new window on climate research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinker, R. T.; Laszlo, I.; Whitlock, C. H.; Charlock, T. P.

1995-01-01

For several decades, global satellite observations have been made of the rate at which electromagnetic energy (radiative flux) is emerging from the top of the atmosphere of our planet in the spectral range of about 0.2-50.0 microns. At the same time, models have been developed to infer the radiative flux at the surface from the values observed by the satellites at the upper boundary. The balance of incoming and outgoing radiative flux (radiation budget) at both boundaries, determines the net gain or loss of the radiative energy within an atmospheric column. Climate researchers can use the radiative flux as a tool to validate climate models, separate the radiative impact of clouds from surface and atmosphere contributions, and to understand the global hydrological cycle. When applied to physical processes occurring at the surface, information on the radiative flux has the potential to substantially advance our understanding of the transport of heat, moisture, and momentum across the surface/atmosphere interface. Geophysicists of many disciplines stand to benefit from efforts to improve the use of this latter untapped resource. Oceanographers can improve the representation of the selective absorption of radiation in the oceans; biologists and ecologists can improve their models for carbon dioxide exchange and biological heating in oceans; agronomists can model more realistically biomass and crop yields; and environmentalists can obtain better assessment of natural resources of radiation.

Impact of Tropospheric Ozone on Summer Climate in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shu; Wang, Tijian; Zanis, Prodromos; Melas, Dimitris; Zhuang, Bingliang

2018-04-01

The spatial distribution, radiative forcing, and climatic effects of tropospheric ozone in China during summer were investigated by using the regional climate model RegCM4. The results revealed that the tropospheric ozone column concentration was high in East China, Central China, North China, and the Sichuan basin during summer. The increase in tropospheric ozone levels since the industrialization era produced clear-sky shortwave and clear-sky longwave radiative forcing of 0.18 and 0.71 W m-2, respectively, which increased the average surface air temperature by 0.06 K and the average precipitation by 0.22 mm day-1 over eastern China during summer. In addition, tropospheric ozone increased the land-sea thermal contrast, leading to an enhancement of East Asian summer monsoon circulation over southern China and a weakening over northern China. The notable increase in surface air temperature in northwestern China, East China, and North China could be attributed to the absorption of longwave radiation by ozone, negative cloud amount anomaly, and corresponding positive shortwave radiation anomaly. There was a substantial increase in precipitation in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It was related to the enhanced upward motion and the increased water vapor brought by strengthened southerly winds in the lower troposphere.

Precise Temperature Mapping of GaN-Based LEDs by Quantitative Infrared Micro-Thermography

PubMed Central

Chang, Ki Soo; Yang, Sun Choel; Kim, Jae-Young; Kook, Myung Ho; Ryu, Seon Young; Choi, Hae Young; Kim, Geon Hee

2012-01-01

A method of measuring the precise temperature distribution of GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) by quantitative infrared micro-thermography is reported. To reduce the calibration error, the same measuring conditions were used for both calibration and thermal imaging; calibration was conducted on a highly emissive black-painted area on a dummy sapphire wafer loaded near the LED wafer on a thermoelectric cooler mount. We used infrared thermal radiation images of the black-painted area on the dummy wafer and an unbiased LED wafer at two different temperatures to determine the factors that degrade the accuracy of temperature measurement, i.e., the non-uniform response of the instrument, superimposed offset radiation, reflected radiation, and emissivity map of the LED surface. By correcting these factors from the measured infrared thermal radiation images of biased LEDs, we determined a precise absolute temperature image. Consequently, we could observe from where the local self-heat emerges and how it distributes on the emitting area of the LEDs. The experimental results demonstrated that highly localized self-heating and a remarkable temperature gradient, which are detrimental to LED performance and reliability, arise near the p-contact edge of the LED surface at high injection levels owing to the current crowding effect. PMID:22666050

Anomalies of the Asian Monsoon Induced by Aerosol Forcings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lau, William K. M.; Kim, M. K.

2004-01-01

Impacts of aerosols on the Asian summer monsoon are studied using the NASA finite volume General Circulation Model (fvGCM), with radiative forcing derived from three-dimensional distributions of five aerosol species i.e., black carbon, organic carbon, soil dust, and sea salt from the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport Model (GOCART). Results show that absorbing aerosols, i.e., black carbon and dust, induce large-scale upper-level heating anomaly over the Tibetan Plateau in April and May, ushering in & early onset of the Indian summer monsoon. Absorbing aerosols also I i enhance lower-level heating and anomalous ascent over northern India, intensifying the Indian monsoon. Overall, the aerosol-induced large-scale surface' temperature cooling leads to a reduction of monsoon rainfall over the East Asia continent, and adjacent oceanic regions.

The prediction of the optical contrast of air-borne targets against the night-sky background for Photopic and NVG sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Havemann, Stephan; Wong, Gerald

2016-10-01

The Havemann-Taylor Fast Radiative Transfer Code (HT-FRTC) represents transmittances, radiances and fluxes by principal components that cover the spectra at very high resolution, allowing fast highly-resolved pseudo line-by-line, hyperspectral and broadband simulations across the electromagnetic spectrum form the microwave to the ultraviolet for satellite-based, airborne and ground-based sensors. HT-FRTC models clear atmospheres and those containing clouds and aerosols, as well as any surface (land/sea/man-made). The HT-FRTC has been used operationally in the NEON Tactical Decision Aid (TDA) since 2008. The TDA combines the HT-FRTC with a thermal contrast model and an NWP model forecast data feed to predict the apparent thermal contrast between different surfaces and ground-based targets in the thermal and short-wave IR. The new objective here is to predict the optical contrast of air-borne targets under realistic night-time scenarios in the Photopic and NVG parts of the spectrum. This requires the inclusion of all the relevant radiation sources, which include twilight, moonlight, starlight, airglow and cultural light. A completely new exact scattering code has been developed which allows the straight-forward addition of any number of direct and diffuse sources anywhere in the atmosphere. The new code solves the radiative transfer equation iteratively and is faster than the previous solution. Simulations of scenarios with different light levels, from situations during a full moon to a moonless night with very low light levels and a situation with cultural light from a town are presented. The impact of surface reflectance and target reflectance is investigated.

Solid rocket booster thermal radiation model, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, G. H.; Lee, A. L.

1976-01-01

A solid rocket booster (SRB) thermal radiation model, capable of defining the influence of the plume flowfield structure on the magnitude and distribution of thermal radiation leaving the plume, was prepared and documented. Radiant heating rates may be calculated for a single SRB plume or for the dual SRB plumes astride the space shuttle. The plumes may be gimbaled in the yaw and pitch planes. Space shuttle surface geometries are simulated with combinations of quadric surfaces. The effect of surface shading is included. The computer program also has the capability to calculate view factors between the SRB plumes and space shuttle surfaces as well as surface-to-surface view factors.

Mitigation of radiation induced surface contamination

DOEpatents

Klebanoff, Leonard E.; Stulen, Richard H.

2003-01-01

A process for mitigating or eliminating contamination and/or degradation of surfaces having common, adventitious atmospheric contaminants adsorbed thereon and exposed to radiation. A gas or a mixture of gases is introduced into the environment of a surface(s) to be protected. The choice of the gaseous species to be introduced (typically a hydrocarbon gas, water vapor, or oxygen or mixtures thereof) is dependent upon the contaminant as well as the ability of the gaseous species to bind to the surface to be protected. When the surface and associated bound species are exposed to radiation reactive species are formed that react with surface contaminants such as carbon or oxide films to form volatile products (e.g., CO, CO.sub.2) which desorb from the surface.

Thermal Characterization of a Hall Effect Thruster

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

View Factor A = Area θ = Angle R = Distance xiii J = Radiosity q = Heat Transfer Rate W = Radiated Power U = Voltage C...summation rule. 1 1 N ij j F = =∑ (18) Radiosity (Ji) takes into account both radiation emitted and reflected from a surface. Analyzing radiation...exchanges between two surfaces is made easier with a few assumptions. Each surface is assumed isothermal and characterized by a uniform radiosity

Stochastic Radiative Transfer Model for Contaminated Rough Surfaces: A Framework for Detection System Design

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-11-01

STOCHASTIC RADIATIVE TRANSFER MODEL FOR CONTAMINATED ROUGH SURFACES: A...of law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid ...COVERED (From - To) Jan 2013 - Sep 2013 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Stochastic Radiative Transfer Model for Contaminated Rough Surfaces: A Framework for

An Earth Observation Land Data Assimilation System for Data from Multiple Wavelength Domains: Water and Energy Balance Components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quaife, T. L.; Davenport, I. J.; Lines, E.; Styles, J.; Lewis, P.; Gurney, R. J.

2012-12-01

Satellite observations offer a spatially and temporally synoptic data source for constraining models of land surface processes, but exploitation of these data for such purposes has been largely ad-hoc to date. In part this is because traditional land surface models, and hence most land surface data assimilation schemes, have tended to focus on a specific component of the land surface problem; typically either surface fluxes of water and energy or biogeochemical cycles such as carbon and nitrogen. Furthermore the assimilation of satellite data into such models tends to be restricted to a single wavelength domain, for example passive microwave, thermal or optical, depending on the problem at hand. The next generation of land surface schemes, such as the Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES) and the US Community Land Model (CLM) represent a broader range of processes but at the expense of increasing overall model complexity and in some cases reducing the level of detail in specific processes to accommodate this. Typically, the level of physical detail used to represent the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with the surface is not sufficient to enable prediction of intrinsic satellite observations (reflectance, brightness temperature and so on) and consequently these are not assimilated directly into the models. A seemingly attractive alternative is to assimilate high-level products derived from satellite observations but these are often only superficially related to the corresponding variables in land surface models due to conflicting assumptions between the two. This poster describes the water and energy balance modeling components of a project funded by the European Space Agency to develop a data assimilation scheme for the land surface and observation operators to translate between models and the intrinsic observations acquired by satellite missions. The rationale behind the design of the underlying process model is to represent the physics of the water and energy balance in as parsimonious manner as possible, using a force-restore approach, but describing the physics of electromagnetic radiation scattering at the surface sufficiently well that it is possible to assimilate the intrinsic observations made by remote sensing instruments. In this manner the initial configuration of the resulting scheme will be able to make optimal use of available satellite observations at arbitrary wavelengths and geometries. Model complexity can then be built up from this point whilst ensuring consistency with satellite observations.

Cloud/climate sensitivity experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roads, J. O.; Vallis, G. K.; Remer, L.

1982-01-01

A study of the relationships between large-scale cloud fields and large scale circulation patterns is presented. The basic tool is a multi-level numerical model comprising conservation equations for temperature, water vapor and cloud water and appropriate parameterizations for evaporation, condensation, precipitation and radiative feedbacks. Incorporating an equation for cloud water in a large-scale model is somewhat novel and allows the formation and advection of clouds to be treated explicitly. The model is run on a two-dimensional, vertical-horizontal grid with constant winds. It is shown that cloud cover increases with decreased eddy vertical velocity, decreased horizontal advection, decreased atmospheric temperature, increased surface temperature, and decreased precipitation efficiency. The cloud field is found to be well correlated with the relative humidity field except at the highest levels. When radiative feedbacks are incorporated and the temperature increased by increasing CO2 content, cloud amounts decrease at upper-levels or equivalently cloud top height falls. This reduces the temperature response, especially at upper levels, compared with an experiment in which cloud cover is fixed.

Computer prediction of dual reflector antenna radiation properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christodoulou, C.

1981-01-01

A program for calculating radiation patterns for reflector antennas with either smooth analytic surfaces or with surfaces composed of a number of panels. Techniques based on the geometrical optics (GO) approach were used in tracing rays over the following regions: from a feed antenna to the first reflector surface (subreflector); from this reflector to a larger reflector surface (main reflector); and from the main reflector to a mathematical plane (aperture plane) in front of the main reflector. The equations of GO were also used to calculate the reflected field components for each ray making use of the feed radiation pattern and the parameters defining the surfaces of the two reflectors. These resulting fields form an aperture distribution which is integrated numerically to compute the radiation pattern for a specified set of angles.

Effects of Electronic Quantum Interference, Photonic-Crystal Cavity, Longitudinal Field and Surface-Plasmon- Polariton for Optical Amplification

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-04-09

tfrequency of the probe field, h̄ωij is the energy separation between levels i and j , and βij,mn stands for the diagonal and off-diagonal radiative-decay rates...between levels i and j coupled by a dipole moment erij . In Fig. 1(b), we consider another three-level system with the upper two levels resonantly...broadening proportional to ΩR12 = Ω R 13. Electron scattering is found to create a dephasing to the induced optical coherence ρij with i 6= j . When the

The effect of oxygen enrichment on soot formation and thermal radiation in turbulent, non-premixed methane flames

DOE PAGES

Shaddix, Christopher R.; Williams, Timothy C.

2016-07-12

Non-premixed oxy-fuel combustion of natural gas is used in industrial applications where high-intensity heat is required, such as glass manufacturing and metal forging and shaping. In these applications, the high flame temperatures achieved by oxy-fuel combustion increase radiative heat transfer to the surfaces of interest and soot formation within the flame is desired for further augmentation of radiation. However, the high cost of cryogenic air separation has limited the penetration of oxy-fuel combustion technologies. New approaches to air separation are being developed that may reduce oxygen production costs, but only for intermediate levels of oxygen enrichment of air. To determinemore » the influence of oxygen enrichment on soot formation and radiation, we developed a non-premixed coannular burner in which oxygen concentrations and oxidizer flow rates can be independently varied, to distinguish the effects of turbulent mixing intensity from oxygen enrichment on soot formation and flame radiation. Local radiation intensities, soot concentrations, and soot temperatures have been measured using a thin-film thermopile, planar laser-induced incandescence (LII), and two-color imaging pyrometry, respectively. The measurements show that soot formation increases as the oxygen concentration decreases from 100% to 50%, helping to moderate a decrease in overall flame radiation. An increase in turbulence intensity has a marked effect on flame height, soot formation and thermal radiation, leading to decreases in all of these. The soot temperature decreases with a decrease in the oxygen concentration and increases with an increase in turbulent mixing intensity. Altogether, the results suggest that properly designed oxygen-enriched burners that enhance soot formation for intermediate levels of oxygen purity may be able to achieve thermal radiation intensities as high as 85% of traditional oxy-fuel burners utilizing high-purity oxygen.« less

The effect of oxygen enrichment on soot formation and thermal radiation in turbulent, non-premixed methane flames

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

Shaddix, Christopher R.; Williams, Timothy C.

Non-premixed oxy-fuel combustion of natural gas is used in industrial applications where high-intensity heat is required, such as glass manufacturing and metal forging and shaping. In these applications, the high flame temperatures achieved by oxy-fuel combustion increase radiative heat transfer to the surfaces of interest and soot formation within the flame is desired for further augmentation of radiation. However, the high cost of cryogenic air separation has limited the penetration of oxy-fuel combustion technologies. New approaches to air separation are being developed that may reduce oxygen production costs, but only for intermediate levels of oxygen enrichment of air. To determinemore » the influence of oxygen enrichment on soot formation and radiation, we developed a non-premixed coannular burner in which oxygen concentrations and oxidizer flow rates can be independently varied, to distinguish the effects of turbulent mixing intensity from oxygen enrichment on soot formation and flame radiation. Local radiation intensities, soot concentrations, and soot temperatures have been measured using a thin-film thermopile, planar laser-induced incandescence (LII), and two-color imaging pyrometry, respectively. The measurements show that soot formation increases as the oxygen concentration decreases from 100% to 50%, helping to moderate a decrease in overall flame radiation. An increase in turbulence intensity has a marked effect on flame height, soot formation and thermal radiation, leading to decreases in all of these. The soot temperature decreases with a decrease in the oxygen concentration and increases with an increase in turbulent mixing intensity. Altogether, the results suggest that properly designed oxygen-enriched burners that enhance soot formation for intermediate levels of oxygen purity may be able to achieve thermal radiation intensities as high as 85% of traditional oxy-fuel burners utilizing high-purity oxygen.« less

The effects of clouds on CO2 forcing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Randall, David A.

1990-01-01

The cloud radiative forcing (CRF) is the difference between the radiative flux (at the top of the atmosphere) which actually occurs in the presence of clouds, and that which would occur if the clouds were removed but the atmospheric state were otherwise unchanged. The CO2 forcing is defined, in analogy with the cloud forcing, as the difference in fluxes and/or infrared heating rates obtained by instantaneously changing CO2 concentration (doubling it) without changing anything else, i.e., without allowing any feedback. An increased CO2 concentration leads to a reduced net upward longwave flux at the Earth's surface. This induced net upward flux is due to an increased downward emission by the CO2 in the atmosphere above. The negative increment to the net upward flux becomes more intense at higher levels in the troposphere, reaching a peak intensity roughly at the tropopause. It then weakens with height in the stratosphere. This profile implies a warming of the troposphere and cooling of the stratosphere. The CSU GCM was recently used to make some preliminary CO2 forcing calculations, for a single simulated, for July conditions. The longwave radiation routine was called twice, to determine the radiative fluxes and heating rates for both 2 x CO2 and 1 x CO2. As diagnostics, the 2-D distributions of the longwave fluxes at the surface and the top of atmosphere, as well as the 3-D distribution of the longwave cooling in the interior was saved. In addition, the pressure was saved (near the tropopause) where the difference in the longwave flux due to CO2 doubling has its largest magnitude. For convenience, this level is referred to as the CO2 tropopause. The actual difference in the flux at that level was also saved. Finally, all of these fields were duplicated for the hypothetical case of no cloudiness (clear sky), so that the effects of the clouds can be isolated.

Multiscale modeling of multi-decadal trends in air pollutant concentrations and their radiative properties: the role of models in an integrated observing system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathur, R.; Xing, J.; Szykman, J.; Gan, C. M.; Hogrefe, C.; Pleim, J. E.

2015-12-01

Air Pollution simulation models must address the increasing complexity arising from new model applications that treat multi-pollutant interactions across varying space and time scales. Setting and attaining lower ambient air quality standards requires an improved understanding and quantification of source attribution amongst the multiple anthropogenic and natural sources, on time scales ranging from episodic to annual and spatial scales ranging from urban to continental. Changing emission patterns over the developing regions of the world are likely to exacerbate the impacts of long-range pollutant transport on background pollutant levels, which may then impact the attainment of local air quality standards. Thus, strategies for reduction of pollution levels of surface air over a region are complicated not only by the interplay of local emissions sources and several complex physical, chemical, dynamical processes in the atmosphere, but also hemispheric background levels of pollutants. Additionally, as short-lived climate forcers, aerosols and ozone exert regionally heterogeneous radiative forcing and influence regional climate trends. EPA's coupled WRF-CMAQ modeling system is applied over a domain encompassing the northern hemisphere for the period spanning 1990-2010. This period has witnessed significant reductions in anthropogenic emissions in North America and Europe as a result of implementation of control measures and dramatic increases across Asia associated with economic and population growth, resulting in contrasting trends in air pollutant distributions and transport patterns across the northern hemisphere. Model results (trends in pollutant concentrations, optical and radiative characteristics) across the northern hemisphere are analyzed in conjunction with surface, aloft and remote sensing measurements to contrast the differing trends in air pollution and aerosol-radiation interactions in these regions over the past two decades. Given the future LEO (TropOMI) and GEO (Sentinel-4, GEMS, and TEMPO) atmospheric chemistry satellite observing capabilities, the results from these model applications will be discussed in the context of how the new satellite observations could help constrain and reduce uncertainties in the models.

Characterization of dynamic thermal control schemes and heat transfer pathways for incorporating variable emissivity electrochromic materials into a space suit heat rejection system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massina, Christopher James

The feasibility of conducting long duration human spaceflight missions is largely dependent on the provision of consumables such as oxygen, water, and food. In addition to meeting crew metabolic needs, water sublimation has long served as the primary heat rejection mechanism in space suits during extravehicular activity (EVA). During a single eight hour EVA, approximately 3.6 kg (8 lbm) of water is lost from the current suit. Reducing the amount of expended water during EVA is a long standing goal of space suit life support systems designers; but to date, no alternate thermal control mechanism has demonstrated the ability to completely eliminate the loss. One proposed concept is to convert the majority of a space suit's surface area into a radiator such that the local environment can be used as a radiative thermal sink for rejecting heat without mass loss. Due to natural variations in both internal (metabolic) loads and external (environmental) sink temperatures, radiative transport must be actively modulated in order to maintain an acceptable thermal balance. Here, variable emissivity electrochromic devices are examined as the primary mechanism for enabling variable heat rejection. This dissertation focuses on theoretical and empirical evaluations performed to determine the feasibility of using a full suit, variable emissivity radiator architecture for space suit thermal control. Operational envelopes are described that show where a given environment and/or metabolic load combination may or may not be supported by the evaluated thermal architecture. Key integration considerations and guidelines include determining allowable thermal environments, defining skin-to-radiator heat transfer properties, and evaluating required electrochromic performance properties. Analysis also considered the impacts of dynamic environmental changes and the architecture's extensibility to EVA on the Martian surface. At the conclusion of this work, the full suit, variable emissivity radiator architecture is considered to be at a technology readiness level of 3/4, indicating that analytical proof-of-concept and component level validation in a laboratory environment have been completed. While this is not a numeric increase from previous investigations, these contributions are a significant iteration within those levels. These results improve the understanding of the capabilities provided by the full suit, variable emissivity architecture.

Validation of Heat Shock Protein 70 as a Tumor-Specific Biomarker for Monitoring the Outcome of Radiation Therapy in Tumor Mouse Models

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

Bayer, Christine; Liebhardt, Michael E.; Schmid, Thomas E.

2014-03-01

Purpose: Tumor cells, in contrast to normal cells, frequently overexpress heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) in the cytosol, present it on their cell surface, and actively release it. Therefore, soluble Hsp70 (sHsp70) was investigated as a potential tumor biomarker for monitoring the outcome of radiation therapy. Methods and Materials: Plasma from mice bearing membrane Hsp70 (mHsp70)-positive FaDu human squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and spontaneous pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) was investigated. A cohort of mice with FaDu tumors (0.32 cm{sup 3}) was irradiated with 30 Gy, and plasma was collected 24 hours after irradiation, after the tumors had shrunk tomore » 50% of their starting volume and after complete remission. sHsp70 levels in the plasma were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: sHsp70 levels were significantly higher in the blood of tumor-bearing mice than that of control animals. A correlation between increasing sHsp70 plasma levels and tumor volume in the range of 0.01 cm{sup 3} to 0.66 cm{sup 3} was observed. Radiation-induced regression of the tumors was associated with significantly decreased sHsp70 levels, which returned to the level of control animals after complete remission. Conclusion: We propose sHsp70 as an innovative biomarker for detecting tumors and for monitoring the clinical outcome of radiation therapy in cancer patients.« less

Inactivation of avirulent Yersinia pestis in Butterfield's phosphate buffer and frankfurters by UVC (254 nm) and gamma radiation.

PubMed

Sommers, Christopher H; Cooke, Peter H

2009-04-01

Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of plague. Although rare, pharyngeal plague in humans has been associated with consumption or handling of meat prepared from infected animals. The risks of contracting plague from consumption of deliberately contaminated food are currently unknown. Gamma radiation is a penetrating form of electromagnetic radiation, and UVC radiation is used for decontamination of liquids or food surfaces. Gamma radiation D10-values (the radiation dose needed to inactivate 1 log unit pathogen) were 0.23 (+/-0.01) and 0.31 (+/-0.03) kGy for avirulent Y. pestis inoculated into Butterfield's phosphate buffer and onto frankfurter surfaces, respectively, at 0 degree C. A UVC radiation dose of 0.25 J/cm2 inactivated avirulent Y. pestis suspended in Butterfield's phosphate buffer. UVC radiation doses of 0.5 to 4.0 J/cm2 inactivated 0.97 to 1.20 log units of the Y. pestis surface inoculated onto frankfurters. A low gamma radiation dose of 1.6 kGy could provide a 5-log reduction and a UVC radiation dose of 1 to 4 J/cm2 would provide a 1-log reduction of Y. pestis surface inoculated onto frankfurters. Y. pestis was capable of growth on frankfurters during refrigerated storage (10 degrees C). Gamma radiation of frankfurters inhibited the growth of Y. pestis during refrigerated storage, and UVC radiation delayed the growth of Y. pestis.

How Well are Recent Climate Variability Signals Resolved by Satellite Radiative Flux Estimates?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robertson, Franklin R.; Lu, H.-L.

2004-01-01

One notable aspect of Earth s climate is that although the planet appears to be very close to radiative balance at top-of-atmosphere (TOA), the atmosphere itself and underlying surface are not. Profound exchanges of energy between the atmosphere and oceans, land and cryosphere occur over a range of time scales. Recent evidence from broadband satellite measurements suggests that even these TOA fluxes contain some detectable variations. Our ability to measure and reconstruct radiative fluxes at the surface and at the top of atmosphere is improving rapidly. Understanding the character of radiative flux estimates and relating them to variations in other energy fluxes and climate state variables is key to improving our understanding of climate. In this work we will evaluate several recently released estimates of radiative fluxes, focusing primarily on surface estimates. The International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project FD radiative flux profiles are available from rnid-1983 to near present and have been constructed by driving the radiative transfer physics from the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) global model with ISCCP clouds and HlRS operational soundings profiles. Full and clear sky SW and LW fluxes are produced. A similar product from the NASA/GEWEX Surface Radiation Budget Project using different radiative flux codes and thermodynamics from the NASA/Goddard Earth Observing System assimilation model makes a similar calculation of surface fluxes. However this data set currently extends only through 1995. Several estimates of downward LW flux at the surface inferred from microwave data are also examined. Since these products have been evaluated with Baseline Surface Radiation Network data over land we focus over ocean regions and use the DOE/NOAA/NASA Shipboard Ocean Atmospheric Radiation (SOAR) surface flux measurements to characterize performance of these data sets under both clear and cloudy conditions. Some aspects of performance are stratified according to SST and vertical motion regimes. Comparisons to the TRMM/CERES SRB data in 1998 are also interpreted. These radiative fluxes are then analyzed to determine how surface (and TOA) radiative exchanges respond to interannual signals of ENS0 warm and cold events. Our analysis includes regional changes as well as integrated signals over land, ocean and various latitude bands. Changes in water vapor and cloud forcing signatures are prominent on interannual time scales. Prominent signals are also found in the SW fluxes for the Pinatubo volcanic event. These systematic changes in fluxes are related to changes in large-scale circulations and energy transport in the atmosphere and ocean. Some estimates of signal-to-noise and reliability are discussed to place our results in context.

Generating high-power short terahertz electromagnetic pulses with a multifoil radiator.

PubMed

Vinokurov, Nikolay A; Jeong, Young Uk

2013-02-08

We describe a multifoil cone radiator capable of generating high-field short terahertz pulses using short electron bunches. Round flat conducting foil plates with successively decreasing radii are stacked, forming a truncated cone with the z axis. The gaps between the foil plates are equal and filled with some dielectric (or vacuum). A short relativistic electron bunch propagates along the z axis. At sufficiently high particle energy, the energy losses and multiple scattering do not change the bunch shape significantly. When passing by each gap between the foil plates, the electron bunch emits some energy into the gap. Then, the radiation pulses propagate radially outward. For transverse electromagnetic waves with a longitudinal (along the z axis) electric field and an azimuthal magnetic field, there is no dispersion in these radial lines; therefore, the radiation pulses conserve their shapes (time dependence). At the outer surface of the cone, we have synchronous circular radiators. Their radiation field forms a conical wave. Ultrashort terahertz pulses with gigawatt-level peak power can be generated with this device.

Global Performance of a Fast Parameterization Scheme for Estimating Surface Solar Radiation from MODIS data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, W.; Yang, K.; Sun, Z.; Qin, J.; Niu, X.

2016-12-01

A fast parameterization scheme named SUNFLUX is used in this study to estimate instantaneous surface solar radiation (SSR) based on products from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor onboard both Terra and Aqua platforms. The scheme mainly takes into account the absorption and scattering processes due to clouds, aerosols and gas in the atmosphere. The estimated instantaneous SSR is evaluated against surface observations obtained from seven stations of the Surface Radiation Budget Network (SURFRAD), four stations in the North China Plain (NCP) and 40 stations of the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN). The statistical results for evaluation against these three datasets show that the relative root-mean-square error (RMSE) values of SUNFLUX are less than 15%, 16% and 17%, respectively. Daily SSR is derived through temporal upscaling from the MODIS-based instantaneous SSR estimates, and is validated against surface observations. The relative RMSE values for daily SSR estimates are about 16% at the seven SURFRAD stations, four NCP stations, 40 BSRN stations and 90 China Meteorological Administration (CMA) radiation stations.

10 CFR 140.84 - Criterion I-Substantial discharge of radioactive material or substantial radiation levels offsite.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Commission finds that: (1) Surface contamination of at least a total of any 100 square meters of offsite... square meter 0.35 microcuries per square meter. Alpha emission from isotopes other than transuranic isotopes 35 microcuries per square meter 3.5 microcuries per square meter. Beta or gamma mission 40...

10 CFR 140.84 - Criterion I-Substantial discharge of radioactive material or substantial radiation levels offsite.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Commission finds that: (1) Surface contamination of at least a total of any 100 square meters of offsite... square meter 0.35 microcuries per square meter. Alpha emission from isotopes other than transuranic isotopes 35 microcuries per square meter 3.5 microcuries per square meter. Beta or gamma mission 40...

Flight Hardware Packaging Design for Stringent EMC Radiated Emission Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lortz, Charlene L.; Huang, Chi-Chien N.; Ravich, Joshua A.; Steiner, Carl N.

2013-01-01

This packaging design approach can help heritage hardware meet a flight project's stringent EMC radiated emissions requirement. The approach requires only minor modifications to a hardware's chassis and mainly concentrates on its connector interfaces. The solution is to raise the surface area where the connector is mounted by a few millimeters using a pedestal, and then wrapping with conductive tape from the cable backshell down to the surface-mounted connector. This design approach has been applied to JPL flight project subsystems. The EMC radiated emissions requirements for flight projects can vary from benign to mission critical. If the project's EMC requirements are stringent, the best approach to meet EMC requirements would be to design an EMC control program for the project early on and implement EMC design techniques starting with the circuit board layout. This is the ideal scenario for hardware that is built from scratch. Implementation of EMC radiated emissions mitigation techniques can mature as the design progresses, with minimal impact to the design cycle. The real challenge exists for hardware that is planned to be flown following a built-to-print approach, in which heritage hardware from a past project with a different set of requirements is expected to perform satisfactorily for a new project. With acceptance of heritage, the design would already be established (circuit board layout and components have already been pre-determined), and hence any radiated emissions mitigation techniques would only be applicable at the packaging level. The key is to take a heritage design with its known radiated emissions spectrum and repackage, or modify its chassis design so that it would have a better chance of meeting the new project s radiated emissions requirements.

Changes in entrance surface dose in relation to the location of shielding material in chest computed tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Y. M.; Cho, J. H.; Kim, S. C.

2015-07-01

This study examined the effects of entrance surface dose (ESD) on the abdomen and pelvis of the patient when undergoing chest computed tomography (CT) procedure, and evaluated the effects of ESD reduction depending on the location of radiation shield. For CT scanner, the 64-slice multi-detector computed tomography was used. The alderson radiation therapy phantom and optically stimulated luminescence dosimeter (OSLD), which enabled measurement from low to high dose, were also used. For measurement of radiation dose, the slice number from 9 to 21 of the phantom was set as the test range, which included apex up to both costophrenic angles. A total of 10 OSLD nanoDots were attached for measurement of the front and rear ESD. Cyclic tests were performed using the low-dose chest CT and high-resolution CT (HRCT) protocol on the following set-ups: without shielding; shielding only on the front side; shielding only on the rear side; and shielding for both front and rear sides. According to the test results, ESD for both front and rear sides was higher in HRCT than low-dose CT when radiation shielding was not used. It was also determined that, compared to the set-up that did not use the radiation shield, locating the radiation shield on the front side was effective in reducing front ESD, while locating the radiation shield on the rear side reduced rear ESD level. Shielding both the front and rear sides resulted in ESD reduction. In conclusion, it was confirmed that shielding the front and rear sides was the most effective method to reduce the ESD effect caused by scatter ray during radiography.

Modeling Transport of Turbulent Fluxes in a Heterogeneous Urban Canopy Using a Spatially Explicit Energy Balance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moody, M.; Bailey, B.; Stoll, R., II

2017-12-01

Understanding how changes in the microclimate near individual plants affects the surface energy budget is integral to modeling land-atmosphere interactions and a wide range of near surface atmospheric boundary layer phenomena. In urban areas, the complex geometry of the urban canopy layer results in large spatial deviations of turbulent fluxes further complicating the development of models. Accurately accounting for this heterogeneity in order to model urban energy and water use requires a sub-plant level understanding of microclimate variables. We present analysis of new experimental field data taken in and around two Blue Spruce (Picea pungens) trees at the University of Utah in 2015. The test sites were chosen in order study the effects of heterogeneity in an urban environment. An array of sensors were placed in and around the conifers to quantify transport in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum: radiative fluxes, temperature, sap fluxes, etc. A spatial array of LEMS (Local Energy Measurement Systems) were deployed to obtain pressure, surrounding air temperature and relative humidity. These quantities are used to calculate the radiative and turbulent fluxes. Relying on measurements alone is insufficient to capture the complexity of microclimate distribution as one reaches sub-plant scales. A spatially-explicit radiation and energy balance model previously developed for deciduous trees was extended to include conifers. The model discretizes the tree into isothermal sub-volumes on which energy balances are performed and utilizes incoming radiation as the primary forcing input. The radiative transfer component of the model yields good agreement between measured and modeled upward longwave and shortwave radiative fluxes. Ultimately, the model was validated through an examination of the full energy budget including radiative and turbulent fluxes through isolated Picea pungens in an urban environment.

Modeling East Asian Dust and Its Radiative Feedbacks in CAM4-BAM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Xiaoning; Liu, Xiaodong; Che, Huizheng; Xie, Xiaoxun; Wang, Hongli; Li, Jiandong; Shi, Zhengguo; Liu, Yangang

2018-01-01

East Asian dust and its radiative feedbacks are analyzed by the use of the fourth version of the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM4) with a bulk aerosol model parameterization (BAM) for the dust size distribution (CAM4-BAM). Two numerical experiments are conducted and intercompared: one with (Active) and one without (Passive) the radiative effects of dust aerosols. This CAM4-BAM captures the main spatial distribution of the dust aerosol optical depth (AOD) and the dust surface concentrations over East Asia, with positive correlations with the local observational data on annual and seasonal means. A comparative analysis of the Active and Passive experiments reveals that consideration of the dust-radiation interaction can significantly reduce dust emissions, loading, transport, and dry and wet depositions over East Asia, which is opposite to the enhanced dust cycle over North Africa. Further analysis of the contrasting dust-radiation feedbacks between North Africa and East Asia shows that over North Africa, the dust radiative forcing significantly increases the surface temperature and 10 m wind speed, whereas it decreases the surface temperature and the surface wind speeds over East Asia. These contrasting radiative effects, in turn, result in distinct dust cycle changes over these two regions. Mechanistic analysis reveals that the radiative contrasts between East Asia and North Africa are mainly due to the differences in their regional surface albedo, dust vertical distribution, and size distribution.

Drivers in the Scaling Between Precipitation and Cloud Radiative Impacts in Deep Convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rapp, A. D.; Sun, L.; Smalley, K.

2017-12-01

The coupling between changes in radiation and precipitation has been demonstrated by a number of studies and suggests an important link between cloud and precipitation processes for defining climate sensitivity. Precipitation and radiative fluxes from CloudSat/CALIPSO retrieval products are used to examine the relationship between precipitation and cloud radiative impacts through two dimensionless parameters. The surface radiative cooling impact, Rc, represents the ratio of the surface shortwave cloud radiative effect to latent heating (LH) from precipitation. The atmospheric radiative heating impact, Rh, represents the ratio of the atmospheric cloud radiative effect to LH from precipitation. Together, these parameters describe the relationship between precipitation processes and how efficiently clouds cools the surface or heats the atmosphere. Deep convective clouds are identified using the 2B-GEOPROF-LIDAR joint radar-lidar product and the cloud radiative impact parameters are calculated from the 2B-FLXHR-LIDAR fluxes and 2C-RAIN-PROFILE precipitation. Deep convective clouds will be sampled according to their dynamic and thermodynamic regimes to provide insights into the factors that control the scaling between precipitation and radiative impacts. Preliminary results from analysis of precipitating deep convective pixels indicates a strong increase (decrease) in the ratio of atmospheric heating (surface cooling) and precipitation with thermodynamic environment, especially increasing water vapor; however, it remains to be seen whether these results hold when integrated over an entire deep convective cloud system. Analysis of the dependence of Rc and Rh on the cloud horizontal and vertical structure is also planned, which should lead to a better understanding of the role of non-precipitating anvil characteristics in modulating the relationship between precipitation and surface and atmospheric radiative effects.

The role of 1-D and 3-D radiative heating in the organization of shallow cumulus convection and the formation of cloud streets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jakub, Fabian; Mayer, Bernhard

2017-11-01

The formation of shallow cumulus cloud streets was historically attributed primarily to dynamics. Here, we focus on the interaction between radiatively induced surface heterogeneities and the resulting patterns in the flow. Our results suggest that solar radiative heating has the potential to organize clouds perpendicular to the sun's incidence angle. To quantify the extent of organization, we performed a high-resolution large-eddy simulation (LES) parameter study. We varied the horizontal wind speed, the surface heat capacity, the solar zenith and azimuth angles, and radiative transfer parameterizations (1-D and 3-D). As a quantitative measure we introduce a simple algorithm that provides a scalar quantity for the degree of organization and the alignment. We find that, even in the absence of a horizontal wind, 3-D radiative transfer produces cloud streets perpendicular to the sun's incident direction, whereas the 1-D approximation or constant surface fluxes produce randomly positioned circular clouds. Our reasoning for the enhancement or reduction of organization is the geometric position of the cloud's shadow and its corresponding surface fluxes. Furthermore, when increasing horizontal wind speeds to 5 or 10 m s-1, we observe the development of dynamically induced cloud streets. If, in addition, solar radiation illuminates the surface beneath the cloud, i.e., when the sun is positioned orthogonally to the mean wind field and the solar zenith angle is larger than 20°, the cloud-radiative feedback has the potential to significantly enhance the tendency to organize in cloud streets. In contrast, in the case of the 1-D approximation (or overhead sun), the tendency to organize is weaker or even prohibited because the shadow is cast directly beneath the cloud. In a land-surface-type situation, we find the organization of convection happening on a timescale of half an hour. The radiative feedback, which creates surface heterogeneities, is generally diminished for large surface heat capacities. We therefore expect radiative feedbacks to be strongest over land surfaces and weaker over the ocean. Given the results of this study we expect that simulations including shallow cumulus convection will have difficulties producing cloud streets if they employ 1-D radiative transfer solvers or may need unrealistically high wind speeds to excite cloud street organization.

W Photoprotection in Tropical Marine Organisms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Armstrong, Roy A.

1997-01-01

Increasing levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation reaching the earth's surface which results from stratospheric ozone depletions could have serious implications for terrestrial plants and for aquatic organisms within the euphotic zone. A documented 9% decline in ozone at mid-latitudes is considered to produce a 12% increase in harmful UV radiation. The biologically damaging effects of higher UV levels, particularly W-B (280-320 rim), could manifest earlier in the tropics because of the relative thinness of the earth's equatorial ozone layer. Tropical marine organisms are also living close to their upper tolerance levels of water temperature, However, despite the large potential effects on plants and animals, little is known about UV effects on tropical ecosystems. Long-term ecological studies are needed to quantify the effects of increased UV radiation on terrestrial and marine ecosystems and to produce reliable data for prediction. Plants have developed several mechanisms to protect themselves from harmful UV radiation, one of which is the production of secondary leaf pigments that absorb W-B radiation (screening pigments). A higher concentration of screening pigments (e.g. flavonoids) in leaves may be interpreted as a natural response to increased W radiation. If higher concentrations of flavonoids filter out the excessive W radiation, no damage will occur, as suggested by Caldwell et al. (1989) and Tevini (1993). Failure to screen all W-B may result in deleterious effects on photosynthesis, plant genetic material, and plant and leaf morphology and growth. Eventually this will have an impact on ecosystem processes, structure, species composition, and productivity. This paper describes an ongoing project that is assessing the responses of mangroves, seagrasses and corals to W radiation by studying pigment concentrations, biophysical parameters, and variations in spectral reflectance in the field and in W-reduction experiments. Preliminary results on the distribution of W-absorbing flavonoid compounds in red mangroves (Rhizophora mangle) and the seagrass Thalassia testudinum, are presented. This research also provides, for the first time, a permanent record of daily W irradiance measurements at a tropical -location.

The radiation from slots in truncated dielectric-covered surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hwang, Y. M.; Kouyoumjian, R. G.; Pathak, P. H.

1974-01-01

A theoretical approach based on the geometrical theory of diffraction is used to study the electromagnetic radiation from a narrow slot in a dielectric-covered perfectly-conducting surface terminated at an edge. The total far-zone field is composed of a geometrical optics field and a diffracted field. The geometrical optics field is the direct radiation from the slot to the field point. The slot also generates surface waves which are incident at the termination of the dielectric cover, where singly-diffracted rays and reflected surface waves are excited. The diffraction and reflection coefficients are obtained from the canonical problem of the diffraction of a surface wave by a right-angle wedge where the dielectric-covered surface is approximated by an impedance surface. This approximation is satisfactory for a very thin cover; however, the radiation from its vertical and faces cannot be neglected in treating the thicker dielectric cover. This is taken into account by using a Kirchhoff-type approximation, which contributes a second term to the diffraction coefficient previously obtained. The contributions from the geometrical optics field, the singly-diffracted rays and all significant multiply-diffracted rays are summed to give the total radiation. Calculated and measured patterns are found to be in good agreement.

Impact of Dust Radiative Forcing upon Climate. Chapter 13

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Ronald L.; Knippertz, Peter; Perez Garcia-Pando, Carlos; Perlwitz, Jan P.; Tegan, Ina

2014-01-01

Dust aerosols perturb the atmospheric radiative flux at both solar and thermal wavelengths, altering the energy and water cycles. The climate adjusts by redistributing energy and moisture, so that local temperature perturbations, for example, depend upon the forcing over the entire extent of the perturbed circulation. Within regions frequently mixed by deep convection, including the deep tropics, dust particles perturb the surface air temperature primarily through radiative forcing at the top of the atmosphere (TOA). Many models predict that dust reduces global precipitation. This reduction is typically attributed to the decrease of surface evaporation in response to dimming of the surface. A counterexample is presented, where greater shortwave absorption by dust increases evaporation and precipitation despite greater dimming of the surface. This is attributed to the dependence of surface evaporation upon TOA forcing through its influence upon surface temperature and humidity. Perturbations by dust to the surface wind speed and vegetation (through precipitation anomalies) feed back upon the dust aerosol concentration. The current uncertainty of radiative forcing attributed to dust and the resulting range of climate perturbations calculated by models remain a useful test of our understanding of the mechanisms relating dust radiative forcing to the climate response.

Analyses of Impact of Needle Surface Properties on Estimation of Needle Absorption Spectrum: Case Study with Coniferous Needle and Shoot Samples

PubMed Central

Yang, Bin; Knyazikhin, Yuri; Lin, Yi; Yan, Kai; Chen, Chi; Park, Taejin; Choi, Sungho; Mõttus, Matti; Rautiainen, Miina; Myneni, Ranga B.; Yan, Lei

2017-01-01

Leaf scattering spectrum is the key optical variable that conveys information about leaf absorbing constituents from remote sensing. It cannot be directly measured from space because the radiation scattered from leaves is affected by the 3D canopy structure. In addition, some radiation is specularly reflected at the surface of leaves. This portion of reflected radiation is partly polarized, does not interact with pigments inside the leaf and therefore contains no information about its interior. Very little empirical data are available on the spectral and angular scattering properties of leaf surfaces. Whereas canopy-structure effects are well understood, the impact of the leaf surface reflectance on estimation of leaf absorption spectra remains uncertain. This paper presents empirical and theoretical analyses of angular, spectral, and polarimetric measurements of light reflected by needles and shoots of Pinus koraiensis and Picea koraiensis species. Our results suggest that ignoring the leaf surface reflected radiation can result in an inaccurate estimation of the leaf absorption spectrum. Polarization measurements may be useful to account for leaf surface effects because radiation reflected from the leaf surface is partly polarized, whereas that from the leaf interior is not. PMID:28868160

Examining Model Atmospheric Particles Inside and Out

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wingen, L. M.; Zhao, Y.; Fairhurst, M. C.; Perraud, V. M.; Ezell, M. J.; Finlayson-Pitts, B. J.

2017-12-01

Atmospheric particles scatter incoming solar radiation and act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), thereby directly and indirectly affecting the earth's radiative balance and reducing visibility. These atmospheric particles may not be uniform in composition. Differences in the composition of a particle's outer surface from its core can arise during particle growth, (photo)chemical aging, and exchange of species with the gas phase. The nature of the surface on a molecular level is expected to impact growth mechanisms as well as their ability to act as CCN. Model laboratory particle systems are explored using direct analysis in real time-mass spectrometry (DART-MS), which is sensitive to surface composition, and contrasted with average composition measurements using high resolution, time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometry (HR-ToF-AMS). Results include studies of the heterogeneous reactions of amines with solid dicarboxylic acid particles, which are shown to generate aminium dicarboxylate salts at the particle surface, leaving an unreacted core. Combination of both mass spectrometric techniques reveals a trend in reactivity of C3-C7 dicarboxylic acids with amines and allows calculation of the DART probe depth into the particles. The results of studies on additional model systems that are currently being explored will also be reported.

[Diurnal and seasonal variations of surface atmospheric CO2 concentration in the river estuarine marsh].

PubMed

Zhang, Lin-Hai; Tong, Chuan; Zeng, Cong-Sheng

2014-03-01

Characteristics of diurnal and seasonal variations of surface atmospheric CO2 concentration were analyzed in the Minjiang River estuarine marsh from December 2011 to November 2012. The results revealed that both the diurnal and seasonal variation of surface atmospheric CO2 concentration showed single-peak patterns, with the valley in the daytime and the peak value at night for the diurnal variations, and the maxima in winter and minima in summer for the seasonal variation. Diurnal amplitude of CO2 concentration varied from 16.96 micromol x mol(-1) to 38.30 micromol x mol(-1). The seasonal averages of CO2 concentration in spring, summer, autumn and winter were (353.74 +/- 18.35), (327.28 +/- 8.58), (354.78 +/- 14.76) and (392.82 +/- 9.71) micromol x mol(-1), respectively, and the annual mean CO2 concentration was (357.16 +/- 26.89) micromol x mol(-1). The diurnal CO2 concentration of surface atmospheric was strongly negatively correlated with temperature, wind speed, photosynthetically active radiation and total solar radiation (P < 0.05). The diurnal concentration of CO2 was negatively related with tidal level in January, but significantly positively related in July.

A short review of radiation-induced raft-mediated graft copolymerization: A powerful combination for modifying the surface properties of polymers in a controlled manner

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barsbay, Murat; Güven, Olgun

2009-12-01

Surface grafting of polymeric materials is attracting increasing attention as it enables the preparation of new materials from known and commercially available polymers having desirable bulk properties such as thermal stability, elasticity, permeability, etc., in conjunction with advantageous newly tailored surface properties such as biocompatibility, biomimicry, adhesion, etc. Ionizing radiation, particularly γ radiation is one of the most powerful tools for preparing graft copolymers as it generates radicals on most substrates. With the advent of living free-radical polymerization techniques, application of γ radiation has been extended to a new era of grafting; grafting in a controlled manner to achieve surfaces with tailored and well-defined properties. This report presents the current use of γ radiation in living free-radical polymerization and highlights the use of both techniques together as a combination to present an advance in the ability to prepare surfaces with desired, tunable and well-defined properties.

Annual Cycle of Cloud Forcing of Surface Radiation Budget

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilber, Anne C.; Smith, G. Louis; Stackhouse, Paul W., Jr.; Gupta, Shashi K.

2006-01-01

The climate of the Earth is determined by its balance of radiation. The incoming and outgoing radiation fluxes are strongly modulated by clouds, which are not well understood. The Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (Barkstrom and Smith, 1986) provided data from which the effects of clouds on radiation at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) could be computed (Ramanathan, 1987). At TOA, clouds increase the reflected solar radiation, tending to cool the planet, and decrease the OLR, causing the planet to retain its heat (Ramanathan et al., 1989; Harrison et al., 1990). The effects of clouds on radiation fluxes are denoted cloud forcing. These shortwave and longwave forcings counter each other to various degrees, so that in the tropics the result is a near balance. Over mid and polar latitude oceans, cloud forcing at TOA results in large net loss of radiation. Here, there are large areas of stratus clouds and cloud systems associated with storms. These systems are sensitive to surface temperatures and vary strongly with the annual cycle. During winter, anticyclones form over the continents and move to the oceans during summer. This movement of major cloud systems causes large changes of surface radiation, which in turn drives the surface temperature and sensible and latent heat released to the atmosphere.

Radiation closure under broken cloud conditions at the BSRN site Payerne: A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aebi, Christine; Gröbner, Julian; Kämpfer, Niklaus; Vuilleumier, Laurent

2017-04-01

Clouds have a substantial influence on the surface radiation budget and on the climate system. There are several studies showing the opposing effect of clouds on shortwave and longwave radiation and thus on the global energy budget. Wacker et al., 2013 show an agreement between radiation flux measurements and radiative transfer models (RTM) under clear sky conditions which is within the measurement uncertainty. Our current study combines radiation fluxes from surface-based observations with RTM under cloudy conditions. It is a case study with data from the BSRN (Baseline Surface Radiation Network) site Payerne (46.49˚ N, 6.56˚ E, 490 m asl). Observation data are retrieved from pyranometers and pyrgeometers and additional atmospheric parameters from radiosondes and a ceilometer. The cloud information is taken from visible all-sky cameras. In a first step observations and RTM are compared for cases with stratiform overcast cloud conditions. In a next step radiation fluxes are compared under broken cloud conditions. These analyses are performed for different cloud types. Wacker, S., J. Gröbner, and L. Vuilleumier (2014) A method to calculate cloud-free long-wave irradiance at the surface based on radiative transfer modeling and temperature lapse rate estimates, Theor. Appl. Climatol., 115, 551-561.

Why do global climate models struggle to represent low-level clouds in the West African summer monsoon?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knippertz, Peter; Hannak, Lisa; Fink, Andreas H.; Kniffka, Anke; Pante, Gregor

2017-04-01

Climate models struggle to realistically represent the West African monsoon (WAM), which hinders reliable future projections and the development of adequate adaption measures. Low-level clouds over southern West Africa (5-10°N, 8°W-8°E) during July-September are an integral part of the WAM through their effect on the surface energy balance and precipitation, but their representation in climate models has so far received little attention. These clouds usually form during the night near the level of the nocturnal low-level jet ( 950 hPa), thicken and spread until the mid-morning ( 09 UTC), and then break up and rise in the course of the day, typically to about 850 hPa. The low thermal contrast to the surface and the frequent presence of obscuring higher-level clouds make detection of the low-level clouds from space rather challenging. Here we use 30 years of output from 18 models participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) as well as 20 years of output from 8 models participating in the Year of Tropical Convection (YoTC) experiments to identify cloud biases and their causes. A great advantage of the YoTC dataset is the 6-hourly output frequency, which allows an analysis of the diurnal cycle, and the availability of temperature and moisture tendencies from parameterized processes such as convection, radiation and boundary-layer turbulence. A comparison to earlier analyses based on CMIP3 output reveals rather limited improvements with regard to the represenation of low-level cloud and winds. Compared to ERA-Interim re-analyses, which shows satisfactory agreement with surface observations, many of the CMIP5 and YoTC models still have large biases in low-level cloudiness of both signs and a tendency to too high elevation and too weak diurnal cycles. At the same time, these models tend to have too strong low-level jets, the impact of which is unclear due to concomitant effects on temperature and moisture advection as well as turbulent mixing. Part of the differences between the models and ERA-Interim appear to be related to the different subgrid cloud schemes used. While nighttime tendencies in temperature and humidity are broadly realistic in most models, daytime tendencies show large variation in the vertical transport of heat and moisture. Many models simulate too low near-surface relative humidities, leading to insufficient low cloud cover, abundant solar radiation, and thus a too large diurnal cycle in temperature and relative humidity. Currently, targeted model sensitivity experiments are conducted to test possible feedback mechanisms between low clouds, radiation, boundary-layer dynamics, precipitation and the WAM circulation in the framework of the EU-funded DACCIWA (Dynamics-Aerosol-Chemistry-Cloud Interactions in West Africa) project (http://www.dacciwa.eu).

Solar Radiation and Cloud Radiative Forcing in the Pacific Warm Pool Estimated Using TOGA COARE Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chou, Ming-Dah; Chou, Shu-Hsien; Zhao, Wenzhong

1999-01-01

The energy budget of the tropical western Pacific (TWP) is particularly important because this is one of the most energetic convection regions on the Earth. Nearly half of the solar radiation incident at the top of atmosphere is absorbed at the surface and only about 22% absorbed in the atmosphere. A large portion of the excess heat absorbed at the surface is transferred to the atmosphere through evaporation, which provides energy and water for convection and precipitation. The western equatorial Pacific is characterized by the highest sea surface temperature (SST) and heaviest rainfall in the world ocean. A small variation of SST associated with the eastward shift of the warm pool during El-Nino/Souther Oscillation changes the atmospheric circulation pattern and affects the global climate. In a study of the TWP surface heat and momentum fluxes during the Tropical Ocean and Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Response Experiment (TOGA COARE) Intensive observing period (IOP) from November 1992 to February have found that the solar radiation is the most important component of the surface energy budget, which undergoes significant temporal and spatial variation. The variations are influenced by the two 40-50 days Madden Julian Oscillations (MJOs) which propagated eastward from the Indian Ocean to the Central Pacific during the IOP. The TWP surface solar radiation during the COARE IOP was investigated by a number of studies. In addition, the effects of clouds on the solar heating of the atmosphere in the TWP was studied using energy budget analysis. In this study, we present some results of the TWP surface solar shortwave or SW radiation budget and the effect of clouds on the atmospheric solar heating using the surface radiation measurements and Japan's Geostationary Meteorological Satellite 4 radiance measurements during COARE IOP.

Preliminary skyshine calculations for the Poloidal Diverter Tokamak Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nigg, D. W.; Wheeler, F. J.

1981-01-01

A calculational model is presented to estimate the radiation dose, due to the skyshine effect, in the control room and at the site boundary of the Poloidal Diverter Experiment (PDX) facility at Princeton University which requires substantial radiation shielding. The required composition and thickness of a water-filled roof shield that would reduce this effect to an acceptable level is computed, using an efficient one-dimensional model with an Sn calculation in slab geometry. The actual neutron skyshine dose is computed using a Monte Carlo model with the neutron source at the roof surface obtained from the slab Sn calculation, and the capture gamma dose is computed using a simple point-kernel single-scatter method. It is maintained that the slab model provides the exact probability of leakage out the top surface of the roof and that it is nearly as accurate as and much less costly than multi-dimensional techniques.

Preliminary skyshine calculations for the Poloidal Diverter Tokamak Experiment

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

Nigg, D.W.; Wheeler, F.J.

1981-01-01

A calculational model is presented to estimate the radiation dose, due to the skyshine effect, in the control room and at the site boundary of the Poloidal Diverter Experiment (PDX) facility at Princeton University which requires substantial radiation shielding. The required composition and thickness of a water-filled roof shield that would reduce this effect to an acceptable level is computed, using an efficient one-dimensional model with an Sn calculation in slab geometry. The actual neutron skyshine dose is computed using a Monte Carlo model with the neutron source at the roof surface obtained from the slab Sn calculation, and themore » capture gamma dose is computed using a simple point-kernel single-scatter method. It is maintained that the slab model provides the exact probability of leakage out the top surface of the roof and that it is nearly as accurate as and much less costly than multi-dimensional techniques.« less

The inland boundary layer at low latitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garratt, J. R.

1985-08-01

Observations from the Koorin boundary-layer experiment in Australia (latitude 16 °S) were analysed in a study of the nocturnal jet development. For geostrophic winds in the range 10 20 m s-1, ageostrophic wind magnitudes of 5 10m s-1 were common above the surface layer near sunset, with cross-isobar flow angles of about 40 °. The jet that then developed by midnight was probably the result of these large ageostrophic winds, strong surface cooling and favourable baroclinity and sloping terrain. The analysis is supported by numerical model calculations with special emphasis on the role of long-wave radiative cooling on turbulent decay. Decay is rapid in the presence of radiation, although there is little influence on stress divergence levels. Evidence of sea-breeze influences on the jet evolution, and on features of deeply penetrating sea breezes in general, will be presented and discussed in part 2 of this study (submitted to Boundary-Layer Meteorol.).

UV hazard on a summer's day under Mediterranean conditions, and the protective role of a beach umbrella

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grifoni, D.; Carreras, G.; Sabatini, F.; Zipoli, G.

2005-11-01

Mediterranean beaches are very crowded during summer and, because of the high values of solar UV radiation, the potential risk for human health is relevant. In this study, all-day measurements of biologically effective global and diffuse UV radiation for skin (UVBEeryt) and eye (UVBEpker, UVBEpconj, UVBEcat) disorders were carried out on differently tilted surfaces on a summer’s day on a Mediterranean beach. The role played by beach umbrellas in protection from excessive sun exposure was also investigated. Erythema, photokeratitis and cataract seem to require almost the same exposure time to reach the risk threshold dose. Under full sunlight, the highest global and diffuse UV values are reached on surfaces normally oriented towards sunlight and on horizontal surfaces, respectively. Over vertical surfaces, at this northern hemisphere site, global and diffuse UV radiation reaches maxima values in the south-facing direction around noon, while maxima values are reached early in the morning and late in the afternoon over surfaces facing east and west, respectively. The quality of the beach umbrella’s protection (efficiency in blocking solar UV radiation) varies with surface orientation; the highest efficiency for our specific site and geometrical conditions occurs over horizontal surfaces, with efficiency being least over vertical surfaces when incident radiation values are still relevant.

[UV-radiation--sources, wavelength, environment].

PubMed

Hölzle, Erhard; Hönigsmann, Herbert

2005-09-01

The UV-radiation in our environment is part of the electromagnetic radiation, which emanates from the sun. It is designated as optical radiation and reaches from 290-4,000 nm on the earth's surface. According to international definitions UV irradiation is divided into short-wave UVC (200-280 nm), medium-wave UVB (280-320 nm), and long-wave UVA (320-400 nm). Solar radiation which reaches the surface of the globe at a defined geographical site and a defined time point is called global radiation. It is modified quantitatively and qualitatively while penetrating the atmosphere. Besides atmospheric conditions, like ozone layer and air pollution, geographic latitude, elevation, time of the season, time of the day, cloudiness and the influence of indirect radiation resulting from stray effects in the atmosphere and reflection from the underground play a role in modifying global radiation, which finally represents the biologically effective radiation. The radiation's distribution on the body surface varies according to sun angle and body posture. The cumulative UV exposure is mainly influenced by outdoor profession and recreational activities. The use of sun beds and phototherapeutic measures additionally may contribute to the cumulative UV dose.

Active Dust Mitigation Technology for Thermal Radiators for Lunar Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calle, C. I.; Buhler, C. R.; Hogue, M. D.; Johansen, M. R.; Hopkins, J. W.; Holloway, N. M. H.; Connell, J. W.; Chen, A.; Irwin, S. A.; Case, S. O.;