Plasmonic enhancement of second-harmonic generation of dielectric layer embedded in metal-dielectric-metal structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Byungjun; Imakita, Kenji; Fujii, Minoru; Hayashi, Shinji

2018-03-01

The enhancement of second-harmonic generation from a dielectric layer embedded in a metal-dielectric-metal structure upon excitation of surface plasmon polaritons is demonstrated experimentally. The metal-dielectric-metal structure consisting of a Gex(SiO2)1-x layer sandwiched by two Ag layers was prepared, and the surface plasmon polaritons were excited in an attenuated total reflection geometry. The measured attenuated total reflection spectra exhibited two reflection dips corresponding to the excitation of two different surface plasmon polariton modes. Strong second-harmonic signals were observed under the excitation of these surface plasmon polariton modes. The results demonstrate that the second-harmonic intensity of the Gex(SiO2)1-x layer is highly enhanced relative to that of the single layer deposited on a substrate. Under the excitation of one of the two surface plasmon polariton modes, the estimated enhancement factor falls in a range between 39.9 and 171, while under the excitation of the other surface plasmon polariton mode, it falls in a range between 3.96 and 84.6.

Infrared analysis of polyethylene wear specimens using attenuated total reflection spectroscopy. [effects of radiation on the surface properties of materials for total joint protheses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, W. R.; Lauer, J. L.

1979-01-01

Attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy was used to analyze ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene wear test specimens. Three different specimens were analyzed. One specimen was gamma irradiated to a dose of 5.0 MRad, another to a dose of 2.5 MRad, and the final specimen was unirradiated. There was no conclusive evidence of chemical changes (i.e., unsaturation or oxidation) in the surface regions of any of the polyethylene samples. Therefore, it was concluded that the gamma irradiation sterilization procedure shoud not alter the boundary lubricating properties of the polyethylene.

A small-displacement sensor using total internal reflection theory and surface plasmon resonance technology for heterodyne interferometry.

PubMed

Wang, Shinn-Fwu

2009-01-01

A small-displacement sensor based on total-internal reflection theory and surface plasmon resonance technology is proposed for use in heterodyne interferometry. A small displacement can be obtained simply by measuring the variation in phase difference between s- and p-polarization states with the small-displacement sensor. The theoretical displacement resolution of the small-displacement sensor can reach 0.45 nm. The sensor has some additional advantages, e.g., a simple optical setup, high resolution, high sensitivity and rapid measurement. Its feasibility is also demonstrated.

Total internal reflection ellipsometry and SPR detection of low molecular weight environmental toxins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nabok, A. V.; Tsargorodskaya, A.; Hassan, A. K.; Starodub, N. F.

2005-06-01

The environmental toxins, such as herbicides simazine and atrazine, and T2 mycotoxin were registered with the optical methods of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and recently developed total internal reflection ellipsometry (TIRE). The immune assay approach was exploited for in situ registration of the above low molecular weight toxins with specific antibodies immobilised onto the gold surface via (poly)allylamine hydrochloride layer using electrostatic self-assembly (ESA) technique. The comparison of two methods of SPR and TIRE shows a higher sensitivity of the latter.

Exciting surface plasmon polaritons in the Kretschmann configuration by a light beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vinogradov, A. P.; Dorofeenko, A. V.; Pukhov, A. A.; Lisyansky, A. A.

2018-06-01

We consider exciting surface plasmon polaritons in the Kretschmann configuration. Contrary to common belief, we show that a plane-wave incident at an angle greater than the angle of total internal reflection does not excite surface plasmon polaritons. These excitations do arise, however, if the incident light forms a narrow beam composed of an infinite number of plane waves. The surface plasmon polariton is formed at the geometrical edge of the beam as a result of interference of reflected plane waves.

Comparative study of radiometric and calorimetric methods for total hemispherical emissivity measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monchau, Jean-Pierre; Hameury, Jacques; Ausset, Patrick; Hay, Bruno; Ibos, Laurent; Candau, Yves

2018-05-01

Accurate knowledge of infrared emissivity is important in applications such as surface temperature measurements by infrared thermography or thermal balance for building walls. A comparison of total hemispherical emissivity measurement was performed by two laboratories: the Laboratoire National de Métrologie et d'Essais (LNE) and the Centre d'Études et de Recherche en Thermique, Environnement et Systèmes (CERTES). Both laboratories performed emissivity measurements on four samples, chosen to cover a large range of emissivity values and angular reflectance behaviors. The samples were polished aluminum (highly specular, low emissivity), bulk PVC (slightly specular, high emissivity), sandblasted aluminum (diffuse surface, medium emissivity), and aluminum paint (slightly specular surface, medium emissivity). Results obtained using five measurement techniques were compared. LNE used a calorimetric method for direct total hemispherical emissivity measurement [1], an absolute reflectometric measurement method [2], and a relative reflectometric measurement method. CERTES used two total hemispherical directional reflectometric measurement methods [3, 4]. For indirect techniques by reflectance measurements, the total hemispherical emissivity values were calculated from directional hemispherical reflectance measurement results using spectral integration when required and directional to hemispherical extrapolation. Results were compared, taking into account measurement uncertainties; an added uncertainty was introduced to account for heterogeneity over the surfaces of the samples and between samples. All techniques gave large relative uncertainties for a low emissive and very specular material (polished aluminum), and results were quite scattered. All the indirect techniques by reflectance measurement gave results within ±0.01 for a high emissivity material. A commercial aluminum paint appears to be a good candidate for producing samples with medium level of emissivity (about 0.4) and with good uniformity of emissivity values (within ±0.015).

A Feasibility Study on Generation of Acoustic Waves Utilizing Evanescent Light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsuya, I.; Matozaki, K.; Kosugi, A.; Ihara, I.

2014-06-01

A new approach of generating acoustic waves utilizing evanescent light is presented. The evanescent light is a non-propagating electromagnetic wave that exhibits exponential decay with distance from the surface at which the total internal reflection of light is formed. In this research, the evanescent light during total internal reflection at prism surface is utilized for generating acoustic waves in aluminium and the feasibility for ultrasonic measurements is discussed. Pulsed Nd:YAG laser with 0.36 J/cm2 power density is used and the incident angle during the total internal reflection is arranged to be 69.0° for generating the evanescent light. It has been demonstrated that the amplitude of the acoustic waves by means of evanescent light is about 1/14 as large as the one generated by the conventional pulsed laser. This reveals the possibility of using a laser ultrasonic technique with near-field optics.

Decomposing Shortwave Top-of-Atmosphere Radiative Flux Variability in Terms of Surface and Atmospheric Contributions Using CERES Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loeb, N. G.; Wong, T.; Wang, H.

2017-12-01

Earth's climate is determined by the exchange of radiant energy between the Sun, Earth and space. The absorbed solar radiation (ASR) fuels the climate system, providing the energy required for atmospheric and oceanic motions, while the system cools by emitting outgoing longwave (LW) radiation to space. A central objective of the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) is to produce a long-term global climate data record of Earth's radiation budget along with the associated atmospheric and surface properties that influence it. CERES data products utilize a number of data sources, including broadband radiometers measuring incoming and reflected solar radiation and OLR, polar orbiting and geostationary spectral imagers, meteorological, aerosol and ozone assimilation data, and snow/sea-ice maps based on microwave radiometer data. Here we use simple diagnostic model of Earth's albedo and CERES Energy Balanced and Filled (EBAF) Ed4.0 data for March 2000-February 2016 to quantify interannual variations in SW TOA flux associated with surface albedo and atmospheric reflectance and transmittance variations. Surface albedo variations account for <0.5% of the total SW TOA flux variance over the tropics and 4% globally. Variations in atmospheric reflectance and transmittance account for virtually all of the total SW TOA flux variance over the tropics and only 81% globally. The remaining 15% of the global SW TOA flux variance is explained by the co-variance of surface albedo and atmospheric reflectance/transmittance. Equatorward of 60-degree latitude, the atmospheric contribution exceeds that of the surface by at least an order-of-magnitude. In contrast, the surface and atmospheric variations contribute equally poleward of 60S and surface variations account for twice as much as the atmosphere poleward of 60N. However, as much as 40% of the total SW TOA flux variance poleward of 60N is explained by the covariance of surface albedo and atmospheric reflectance/transmittance, highlighting the tight coupling between sea-ice concentration and cloud properties over the Arctic Ocean.

Color and surface chemistry changes of extracted wood flour after heating at 120 °C

Treesearch

Yao Chen; Mandla A. Tshabalala; Jianmin Gao; Nicole M. Stark

2013-01-01

To investigate the effect of heat on color and surface chemistry of wood flour (WF), unextracted, extracted and delignified samples of commercial WF were heated at 120 °C for 24 h and analyzed by colorimetry, diffuse reflectance visible (DRV), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and Fourier transform Raman (FT-Raman) spectroscopies....

Attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy of plant leaves: A tool for ecological and botanical studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ribeiro da Luz, B.

2006-01-01

??? Attenuated total reflectance (ATR) spectra of plant leaves display complex absorption features related to organic constituents of leaf surfaces. The spectra can be recorded rapidly, both in the field and in the laboratory, without special sample preparation. ??? This paper explores sources of ATR spectral variation in leaves, including compositional, positional and temporal variations. Interspecific variations are also examined, including the use of ATR spectra as a tool for species identification. ??? Positional spectral variations generally reflected the abundance of cutin and the epicuticular wax thickness and composition. For example, leaves exposed to full sunlight commonly showed more prominent cutin- and wax-related absorption features compared with shaded leaves. Adaxial vs. abaxial leaf surfaces displayed spectral variations reflecting differences in trichome abundance and wax composition. Mature vs. young leaves showed changes in absorption band position and intensity related to cutin, polysaccharide, and possibly amorphous silica development on and near the leaf surfaces. ??? Provided that similar samples are compared (e.g. adaxial surfaces of mature, sun-exposed leaves) same-species individuals display practically identical ATR spectra. Using spectral matching procedures to analyze an ATR database containing 117 individuals, including 32 different tree species, 83% of the individuals were correctly identified. ?? The Authors (2006).

Simulation of laser beam reflection at the sea surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwenger, Frédéric; Repasi, Endre

2011-05-01

A 3D simulation of the reflection of a Gaussian shaped laser beam on the dynamic sea surface is presented. The simulation is suitable for both the calculation of images of SWIR (short wave infrared) imaging sensor and for determination of total detected power of reflected laser light for a bistatic configuration of laser source and receiver at different atmospheric conditions. Our computer simulation comprises the 3D simulation of a maritime scene (open sea/clear sky) and the simulation of laser light reflected at the sea surface. The basic sea surface geometry is modeled by a composition of smooth wind driven gravity waves. The propagation model for water waves is applied for sea surface animation. To predict the view of a camera in the spectral band SWIR the sea surface radiance must be calculated. This is done by considering the emitted sea surface radiance and the reflected sky radiance, calculated by MODTRAN. Additionally, the radiances of laser light specularly reflected at the wind-roughened sea surface are modeled in the SWIR band considering an analytical statistical sea surface BRDF (bidirectional reflectance distribution function). This BRDF model considers the statistical slope statistics of waves and accounts for slope-shadowing of waves that especially occurs at flat incident angles of the laser beam and near horizontal detection angles of reflected irradiance at rough seas. Simulation results are presented showing the variation of the detected laser power dependent on the geometric configuration of laser, sensor and wind characteristics.

Total Internal Reflection Accounts for the Bright Color of the Saharan Silver Ant

PubMed Central

Aron, Serge

2016-01-01

The Saharan silver ant Cataglyphis bombycina is one of the terrestrial living organisms best adapted to tolerate high temperatures. It has recently been shown that the hairs covering the ant’s dorsal body part are responsible for its silvery appearance. The hairs have a triangular cross-section with two corrugated surfaces allowing a high optical reflection in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) range of the spectrum while maximizing heat emissivity in the mid-infrared (MIR). Those two effects account for remarkable thermoregulatory properties, enabling the ant to maintain a lower thermal steady state and to cope with the high temperature of its natural habitat. In this paper, we further investigate how geometrical optical and high reflection properties account for the bright silver color of C. bombycina. Using optical ray-tracing models and attenuated total reflection (ATR) experiments, we show that, for a large range of incidence angles, total internal reflection (TIR) conditions are satisfied on the basal face of each hair for light entering and exiting through its upper faces. The reflection properties of the hairs are further enhanced by the presence of the corrugated surface, giving them an almost total specular reflectance for most incidence angles. We also show that hairs provide an almost 10-fold increase in light reflection, and we confirm experimentally that they are responsible for a lower internal body temperature under incident sunlight. Overall, this study improves our understanding of the optical mechanisms responsible for the silver color of C. bombycina and the remarkable thermoregulatory properties of the hair coat covering the ant’s body. PMID:27073923

A general method for computing the total solar radiation force on complex spacecraft structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chan, F. K.

1981-01-01

The method circumvents many of the existing difficulties in computational logic presently encountered in the direct analytical or numerical evaluation of the appropriate surface integral. It may be applied to complex spacecraft structures for computing the total force arising from either specular or diffuse reflection or even from non-Lambertian reflection and re-radiation.

Measuring near-field nanoparticle concentration profiles by correlating surface plasmon resonance reflectance with effective refractive index of nanofluids.

PubMed

Kim, Iltai; Kihm, Kenneth D

2010-02-01

Time-dependent and near-field nanoparticle concentrations are determined by correlating the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) reflectance intensities with the effective refractive index (ERI) of the nanofluid under evaporation. A critical angle measurement for total internal reflection identifies the ERI of the nanofluid at different nanoparticle concentrations. The corresponding SPR reflectance intensities correlate the nanofluidic ERI with the nanoparticle concentrations. Example applications for evaporating nanofluidic droplets containing 47 nmAl(2)O(3) particles demonstrate the feasibility of this new imaging tool for measuring time-resolved and full-field nanoparticle concentration profiles.

Interference of conically scattered light in surface plasmon resonance.

PubMed

Webster, Aaron; Vollmer, Frank

2013-02-01

Surface plasmon polaritons on thin metal films are a well studied phenomena when excited using prism coupled geometries such as the Kretschmann attenuated total reflection configuration. Here we describe a novel interference pattern in the conically scattered light emanating from such a configuration when illuminated by a focused beam. We observe conditions indicating only self-interference of scattered surface plasmon polaritions without any contributions from specular reflection. The spatial evolution of this field is described in the context of Fourier optics and has applications in highly sensitive surface plasmon based biosensing.

High Resolution Ecosystem Structure, Biomass and Blue Carbon stocks in Mangrove Ecosystems- Methods and Applications of Lidar, radar Interferometry and High Resolution imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lagomasino, D.; Fatoyinbo, T. E.; Lee, S. K.; Feliciano, E. A.; Simard, M.; Trettin, C.

2016-12-01

Earth's climate is determined by the exchange of radiant energy between the Sun, Earth and space. The absorbed solar radiation (ASR) fuels the climate system, providing the energy required for atmospheric and oceanic motions, while the system cools by emitting outgoing longwave (LW) radiation to space. A central objective of the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) is to produce a long-term global climate data record of Earth's radiation budget along with the associated atmospheric and surface properties that influence it. CERES data products utilize a number of data sources, including broadband radiometers measuring incoming and reflected solar radiation and OLR, polar orbiting and geostationary spectral imagers, meteorological, aerosol and ozone assimilation data, and snow/sea-ice maps based on microwave radiometer data. Here we use simple diagnostic model of Earth's albedo and CERES Energy Balanced and Filled (EBAF) Ed4.0 data for March 2000-February 2016 to quantify interannual variations in SW TOA flux associated with surface albedo and atmospheric reflectance and transmittance variations. Surface albedo variations account for <0.5% of the total SW TOA flux variance over the tropics and 4% globally. Variations in atmospheric reflectance and transmittance account for virtually all of the total SW TOA flux variance over the tropics and only 81% globally. The remaining 15% of the global SW TOA flux variance is explained by the co-variance of surface albedo and atmospheric reflectance/transmittance. Equatorward of 60-degree latitude, the atmospheric contribution exceeds that of the surface by at least an order-of-magnitude. In contrast, the surface and atmospheric variations contribute equally poleward of 60S and surface variations account for twice as much as the atmosphere poleward of 60N. However, as much as 40% of the total SW TOA flux variance poleward of 60N is explained by the covariance of surface albedo and atmospheric reflectance/transmittance, highlighting the tight coupling between sea-ice concentration and cloud properties over the Arctic Ocean.

Combining total internal reflection sum frequency spectroscopy spectral imaging and confocal fluorescence microscopy.

PubMed

Allgeyer, Edward S; Sterling, Sarah M; Gunewardene, Mudalige S; Hess, Samuel T; Neivandt, David J; Mason, Michael D

2015-01-27

Understanding surface and interfacial lateral organization in material and biological systems is critical in nearly every field of science. The continued development of tools and techniques viable for elucidation of interfacial and surface information is therefore necessary to address new questions and further current investigations. Sum frequency spectroscopy (SFS) is a label-free, nonlinear optical technique with inherent surface specificity that can yield critical organizational information on interfacial species. Unfortunately, SFS provides no spatial information on a surface; small scale heterogeneities that may exist are averaged over the large areas typically probed. Over the past decade, this has begun to be addressed with the advent of SFS microscopy. Here we detail the construction and function of a total internal reflection (TIR) SFS spectral and confocal fluorescence imaging microscope directly amenable to surface investigations. This instrument combines, for the first time, sample scanning TIR-SFS imaging with confocal fluorescence microscopy.

Antireflection effect of femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures on silicon.

PubMed

Vorobyev, A Y; Guo, Chunlei

2011-09-12

Following direct femtosecond laser pulse irradiation, we produce a unique grating structure over a large area superimposed by finer nanostructures on a silicon wafer. We study, for the first time, the antireflection effect of this femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures (FLIPSSs) in the wavelength range of 250 - 2500 nm. Our study shows that the FLIPSSs suppress both the total hemispherical and specular polarized reflectance of silicon surface significantly over the entire studied wavelength range. The total polarized reflectance of the processed surface is reduced by a factor of about 3.5 in the visible and 7 in the UV compared to an untreated sample. The antireflection effect of the FLIPSS surface is broadband and the suppression stays to the longest wavelength (2500 nm) studied here although the antireflection effect in the infrared is weaker than in the visible. Our FLIPSS structures are free of chemical contamination, highly durable, and easily controllable in size.

The effect of cleaning substances on the surface of denture base material.

PubMed

Žilinskas, Juozas; Junevičius, Jonas; Česaitis, Kęstutis; Junevičiūtė, Gabrielė

2013-12-11

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of substances used for hygienic cleaning of dentures on the surface of the denture base material. Meliodent Heat Cure (Heraeus-Kulzer, Germany) heat-polymerized acrylic resin was used to produce plates with all the characteristics of removable denture bases (subsequently, "plates"). Oral-B Complete toothbrushes of various brush head types were fixed to a device that imitated tooth brushing movements; table salt and baking soda (frequently used by patients to improve tooth brushing results), toothpaste ("Colgate Total"), and water were also applied. Changes in plate surfaces were monitored by measuring surface reflection alterations on spectrometry. Measurements were conducted before the cleaning and at 2 and 6 hours after cleaning. No statistically significant differences were found between the 3 test series. All 3 plates used in the study underwent statistically significant (p<0.05 changed)--the reflection became poorer. The plates were most affected by the medium-bristle toothbrush with baking soda--the total reflection reduction was 4.82 ± 0.1%; among toothbrushes with toothpaste, the hard-type toothbrush had the greatest reflection-reducing effect--4.6 ± 0.05%, while the toothbrush with table salt inflicted the least damage (3.5 ± 0.16%) due to the presence of rounded crystals between the bristles and the resin surface. Toothbrushes with water had a uniform negative effect on the plate surface - 3.8 9 ± 0.07%. All substances used by the patients caused surface abrasion of the denture base material, which reduced the reflection; a hard toothbrush with toothpaste had the greatest abrasive effect, while soft toothbrushes inflicted the least damage.

Design Rules for Tailoring Antireflection Properties of Hierarchical Optical Structures

DOE PAGES

Leon, Juan J. Diaz; Hiszpanski, Anna M.; Bond, Tiziana C.; ...

2017-05-18

Hierarchical structures consisting of small sub-wavelength features stacked atop larger structures have been demonstrated as an effective means of reducing the reflectance of surfaces. However, optical devices require different antireflective properties depending on the application, and general unifying guidelines on hierarchical structures' design to attain a desired antireflection spectral response are still lacking. The type of reflectivity (diffuse, specular, or total/hemispherical) and its angular- and spectral-dependence are all dictated by the structural parameters. Through computational and experimental studies, guidelines have been devised to modify these various aspects of reflectivity across the solar spectrum by proper selection of the features ofmore » hierarchical structures. In this wavelength regime, micrometer-scale substructures dictate the long-wavelength spectral response and effectively reduce specular reflectance, whereas nanometer-scale substructures dictate primarily the visible wavelength spectral response and reduce diffuse reflectance. Coupling structures having these two length scales into hierarchical arrays impressively reduces surfaces' hemispherical reflectance across a broad spectrum of wavelengths and angles. Furthermore, such hierarchical structures in silicon are demonstrated having an average total reflectance across the solar spectrum of 1.1% (average weighted reflectance of 1% in the 280–2500 nm range of the AM 1.5 G spectrum) and specular reflectance <1% even at angles of incidence as high as 67°.« less

Applications of Graphene to Photonics

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-01

to plasmonic properties that stem from its two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) and strong surface plasmon polariton (SPP) coupling in the visible and...have been created by coupling to surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) in the graphene. In one case, an attenuated total reflectance geometry was considered... polariton mode in graphene, then a SPP is excited in graphene and the reflectivity of the EM wave is reduced. The coupling of both TE and TM

Refraction-reflection of electrons at lateral metallic interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kher-Elden, M. A.; El-Fattah, Z. M. Abd; Yassin, O.; El-Okr, M. M.

2017-11-01

Electron boundary element method (EBEM) has been employed to simulate electron refraction at the lateral interface between two homogenous metals featuring surface states characterized by isotropic constant energy surfaces. A decent agreement was achieved between the real-space EBEM simulations and the wave-space analysis obtained from electron plane wave expansion (EPWE) method. Calculations were performed for three different electron energies, being -0.05, -0.15, and -0.25 eV, where the reference energy is set to -0.4 eV, i.e., the band minimum of the Cu(111) surface state. For an interface separating two metals with the same effective mass (0.41 me) and a potential difference of 0.2 eV, we demonstrate that electrons with the first two energies exhibit refraction at the interface, following the Snell's law, and total internal reflections occur beyond energy-dependent critical angles, whereas for the third electron energy, a total internal reflection occurs at all incident angles. These findings were used to simulate optical elements such as convex lenses and possible guiding through perfect electron mirrors, in contrast to Bragg-based guiding. Given the varieties of possible means of manipulating the dispersion parameters via surface adsorbates and thin-film growth, the degree of electron refraction-reflection at metallic interfaces could be precisely tuned.

Broadband omnidirectional antireflection coating based on subwavelength surface Mie resonators

PubMed Central

Spinelli, P.; Verschuuren, M.A.; Polman, A.

2012-01-01

Reflection is a natural phenomenon that occurs when light passes the interface between materials with different refractive index. In many applications, such as solar cells or photodetectors, reflection is an unwanted loss process. Many ways to reduce reflection from a substrate have been investigated so far, including dielectric interference coatings, surface texturing, adiabatic index matching and scattering from plasmonic nanoparticles. Here we present an entirely new concept that suppresses the reflection of light from a silicon surface over a broad spectral range. A two-dimensional periodic array of subwavelength silicon nanocylinders designed to possess strongly substrate-coupled Mie resonances yields almost zero total reflectance over the entire spectral range from the ultraviolet to the near-infrared. This new antireflection concept relies on the strong forward scattering that occurs when a scattering structure is placed in close proximity to a high-index substrate with a high optical density of states. PMID:22353722

Development of a Model to Correct Multi-View Angle above Water Measurements for the Analysis of the Bidirectional Reflectance of Coral and Other Reef Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, I.; Forster, B. C.; Laffan, S. W.

2012-07-01

Spectral reflectance characteristics of substrates in a coral reef environment are often measured in the field by viewing a substrate at nadir. However, viewing a substrate from multiple angles would likely result in different spectral characteristics for most coral reef substrates and provide valuable information on structural properties. To understand the relationship between the morphology of a substrate and its spectral response it is necessary to correct the observed above-water radiance for the effects of atmosphere and water attenuation, at a number of view and azimuth angles. In this way the actual surface reflectance can be determined. This research examines the air-water surface interaction for two hypothetical atmospheric conditions (clear Rayleigh scattering and totally cloudcovered) and the global irradiance reaching the benthic surface. It accounts for both water scattering and absorption, with simplifications for shallow water conditions, as well as the additive effect of background reflectance being reflected at the water-air surface at angles greater than the critical refraction angle (~48°). A model was developed to correct measured above-water radiance along the refracted view angle for its decrease due to path attenuation and the "n squared law of radiance" and the additive surface reflectance. This allows bidirectional benthic surface reflectance and nadir-normalised reflectance to be determined. These theoretical models were adapted to incorporate above-water measures relative to a standard, diffuse, white reference panel. The derived spectral signatures of a number of coral and non-coral benthic surfaces compared well with other published results, and the signatures and nadir normalised reflectance of the corals and other benthic surface classes indicate good class separation.

Optical differential reflectance spectroscopy for photochromic molecules on solid surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nickel, Fabian; Bernien, Matthias; Lipowski, Uwe; Kuch, Wolfgang

2018-03-01

Optical reflectance of thin adsorbates on solid surfaces is able to reveal fundamental changes of molecular properties compared to bulk systems. The detection of very small changes in the optical reflectance required several technical improvements in the past decades. We present an experimental setup that is capable of high-quality measurements of submonolayers and ultrathin layers of photochromic molecules on surfaces as well as quantifying their isomerization kinetics. By using photomultipliers as detectors, an enhancement of the signal-to-noise ratio by a factor of three with a total reduction of light exposure on the sample by at least four orders of magnitude is achieved. The potential of the experimental setup is demonstrated by a characterization of the photoswitching and thermal switching of a spirooxazine derivate on a bismuth surface.

The radio power reflected from rough and undulating ionospheric surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitehead, J. D.; From, W. R.; Smith, L. G.

1984-08-01

It is shown for both rough and undulating surfaces that the mean radio power reflected by the ionosphere averaged over a sufficiently long time is exactly the same as for a smooth flat surface at the same height provided the sounder is equally sensitive for echoes from all directions. When making radio wave absorption measurements under spread conditions the total integrated power over the whole time the direct echoes are being received must be used but the distance attenuation factor must be calculated from the time of arrival of the first echo.

Observation of the strain field near the Si(111) 7 x 7 surface with a new X-ray diffraction technique.

PubMed

Emoto, T; Akimoto, K; Ichimiya, A

1998-05-01

A new X-ray diffraction technique has been developed in order to measure the strain field near a solid surface under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions. The X-ray optics use an extremely asymmetric Bragg-case bulk reflection. The glancing angle of the X-rays can be set near the critical angle of total reflection by tuning the X-ray energy. Using this technique, rocking curves for Si surfaces with different surface structures, i.e. a native oxide surface, a slightly oxide surface and an Si(111) 7 x 7 surface, were measured. It was found that the widths of the rocking curves depend on the surface structures. This technique is efficient in distinguishing the strain field corresponding to each surface structure.

Adsorption of poly(ethylene glycol)-modified ribonuclease A to a poly(lactide-co-glycolide) surface.

PubMed

Daly, Susan M; Przybycien, Todd M; Tilton, Robert D

2005-06-30

Protein adsorption is a source of variability in the release profiles of therapeutic proteins from biodegradable microspheres. We employ optical reflectometry and total internal reflection fluorescence to explore the extent and kinetics of ribonuclease A (RNase A) adsorption to spin-cast films of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) and, in particular, to determine how covalent grafting of polyethylene glycol (PEG) to RNase A affects adsorption. Adsorption kinetics on PLG surfaces are surface-limited for RNase A but transport-limited for unconjugated PEG homopolymers and for PEG-modified RNase A, indicating that PEG anchors the conjugates to the surface during the transport-limited regime. PEG modification of RNase A decreases the total number of adsorbed molecules per unit area but increases the areal surface coverage because the grafted PEG chains exclude additional surface area. Total internal reflection fluorescence-based exchange measurements show that there is no exchange between adsorbed and solution-phase protein molecules. This indicates an unusually tenacious adsorption. Streaming current measurements indicate that the zeta potential of the PLG surface becomes increasingly negative as the film is exposed to water for several weeks, as expected. Aging of the PLG surface results in increased adsorption of unmodified RNase A but decreased adsorption of unconjugated PEG homopolymers and of PEG-RNase A conjugates, relative to the extent of adsorption on freshly prepared PLG surfaces. Adsorption results correlate well with an increase in the rate, total extent and preservation of bioactivity of RNase A released from PLG microspheres for the PEG-modified version of RNase A.

Laboratory Experiments for Exploring the Surface Plasmon Resonance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pluchery, Olivier; Vayron, Romain; Van, Kha-Man

2011-01-01

The surface plasmon wave is a surface wave confined at the interface between a dielectric and a metal. The excitation of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) on a gold thin film is discussed within the Kretschmann configuration, where the coupling with the excitation light is achieved by means of a prism in total reflection. The electromagnetic…

A study of muscular tissue of animal origin by reflection-spectroscopy methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plotnikova, L. V.; Nechiporenko, A. P.; Orekhova, S. M.; Plotnikov, P. P.; Ishevskii, A. L.

2017-06-01

A comparative analysis of the spectral characteristics of the surface of muscular tissue of animal origin (pork) and its main components has been performed by the methods of diffuse reflection electronic spectroscopy (DRES) and frustrated total internal reflection IR spectroscopy. The experiments have shown that the application of the DRES method makes it possible to detect more pronounced changes in the surface optical characteristics of muscular tissue and obtain electronic spectra containing information about the component composition of its main parts under successive extraction of sarcoplasmic materials, myofibrillar proteins of the actomyosin complex, and stroma mucopolysaccharides.

Lensing duct

DOEpatents

Beach, R.J.; Benett, W.J.

1994-04-26

A lensing duct to condense (intensify) light using a combination of front surface lensing and reflective waveguiding is described. The duct tapers down from a wide input side to a narrow output side, with the input side being lens-shaped and coated with an antireflective coating for more efficient transmission into the duct. The four side surfaces are uncoated, preventing light from escaping by total internal reflection as it travels along the duct (reflective waveguiding). The duct has various applications for intensifying light, such as in the coupling of diode array pump light to solid state lasing materials, and can be fabricated from inexpensive glass and plastic. 3 figures.

Biomimetic artificial Si compound eye surface structures with broadband and wide-angle antireflection properties for Si-based optoelectronic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leem, Jung Woo; Song, Young Min; Yu, Jae Su

2013-10-01

We report the biomimetic artificial silicon (Si) compound eye structures for broadband and wide-angle antireflection by integrating nanostructures (NSs) into periodically patterned microstructures (p-MSs) via thermal dewetting of gold and subsequent dry etching. The truncated cone microstructures with a two-dimensional hexagonal symmetry pattern were fabricated by photolithography and dry etching processes. The desirable shape and density of the nanostructures were obtained by controlled dewetting. The incorporation of p-MSs into the NS/Si surface further reduced the surface total reflectance over a wide wavelength range of 300-1030 nm at near normal incidence, indicating the average reflectance (Ravg) and solar weighted reflectance (RSWR) values of ~2.5% and 2%, respectively, compared to the only NSs on the flat Si surface (i.e., Ravg ~ 4.9% and RSWR ~ 4.5%). Additionally, the resulting structure improved the angle-dependent antireflection property due to its relatively omnidirectional shape, which exhibited the Ravg < 4.3% and RSWR < 3.7% in the wavelength region of 300-1100 nm even at a high incident light angle of 70° in the specular reflectance.We report the biomimetic artificial silicon (Si) compound eye structures for broadband and wide-angle antireflection by integrating nanostructures (NSs) into periodically patterned microstructures (p-MSs) via thermal dewetting of gold and subsequent dry etching. The truncated cone microstructures with a two-dimensional hexagonal symmetry pattern were fabricated by photolithography and dry etching processes. The desirable shape and density of the nanostructures were obtained by controlled dewetting. The incorporation of p-MSs into the NS/Si surface further reduced the surface total reflectance over a wide wavelength range of 300-1030 nm at near normal incidence, indicating the average reflectance (Ravg) and solar weighted reflectance (RSWR) values of ~2.5% and 2%, respectively, compared to the only NSs on the flat Si surface (i.e., Ravg ~ 4.9% and RSWR ~ 4.5%). Additionally, the resulting structure improved the angle-dependent antireflection property due to its relatively omnidirectional shape, which exhibited the Ravg < 4.3% and RSWR < 3.7% in the wavelength region of 300-1100 nm even at a high incident light angle of 70° in the specular reflectance. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr02806b

Wave-optical evaluation of interference fringes and wavefront phase in a hard-x-ray beam totally reflected by mirror optics.

PubMed

Yamauchi, Kazuto; Yamamura, Kazuya; Mimura, Hidekazu; Sano, Yasuhisa; Saito, Akira; Endo, Katsuyoshi; Souvorov, Alexei; Yabashi, Makina; Tamasaku, Kenji; Ishikawa, Tetsuya; Mori, Yuzo

2005-11-10

The intensity flatness and wavefront shape in a coherent hard-x-ray beam totally reflected by flat mirrors that have surface bumps modeled by Gaussian functions were investigated by use of a wave-optical simulation code. Simulated results revealed the necessity for peak-to-valley height accuracy of better than 1 nm at a lateral resolution near 0.1 mm to remove high-contrast interference fringes and appreciable wavefront phase errors. Three mirrors that had different surface qualities were tested at the 1 km-long beam line at the SPring-8/Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute. Interference fringes faded when the surface figure was corrected below the subnanometer level to a spatial resolution close to 0.1 mm, as indicated by the simulated results.

Satellite estimation of incident photosynthetically active radiation using ultraviolet reflectance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eck, Thomas F.; Dye, Dennis G.

1991-01-01

A new satellite remote sensing method for estimating the amount of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, 400-700 nm) incident at the earth's surface is described and tested. Potential incident PAR for clear sky conditions is computed from an existing spectral model. A major advantage of the UV approach over existing visible band approaches to estimating insolation is the improved ability to discriminate clouds from high-albedo background surfaces. UV spectral reflectance data from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) were used to test the approach for three climatically distinct, midlatitude locations. Estimates of monthly total incident PAR from the satellite technique differed from values computed from ground-based pyranometer measurements by less than 6 percent. This UV remote sensing method can be applied to estimate PAR insolation over ocean and land surfaces which are free of ice and snow.

Optical properties of ion beam textured metals. [using copper, silicon, aluminum, titanium and stainless steels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hudson, W. R.; Weigand, A. J.; Mirtich, M. J.

1977-01-01

Copper, silicon, aluminum, titanium and 316 stainless steel were textured by 1000 eV xenon ions from an 8 cm diameter electron bombardment ion source. Simultaneously sputter-deposited tantalum was used to facilitate the development of the surface microstructure. Scanning electron microscopy of the ion textured surfaces revealed two types of microstructure. Copper, silicon, and aluminum developed a cone structure with an average peak-to-peak distance ranging from 1 micron for silicon to 6 microns for aluminum. Titanium and 316 stainless steel developed a serpentine ridge structure. The average peak-to-peak distance for both of these materials was 0.5 micron. Spectral reflectance was measured using an integrating sphere and a holraum reflectometer. Total reflectance for air mass 0 and 2, solar absorptance and total emittance normalized for a 425 K black body were calculated from the reflectance measurements.

Improvement of Electropolishing of 1100 Al Alloy for Solar Thermal Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguilar-Sierra, Sara María; Echeverría E, Félix

2018-03-01

Aluminum sheets-based mirrors are finding applicability in high-temperature solar concentrating technologies because they are cost-effective, lightweight and have high mechanical properties. Nonetheless, the reflectance percentages obtained by electropolishing are not close to the reflectance values of the currently used evaporated films. Therefore, controlling key factors affecting electropolishing processes became essential in order to achieve highly reflective aluminum surfaces. This study investigated the effect of both the electropolishing process and previous heat treatment on the total reflectance of the AA 1100 aluminum alloy. An acid electrolyte and a modified Brytal process were evaluated. Total reflectance was measured by means of UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Reflectance values higher than 80% at 600 nm were achieved for both electrolytes. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy images showed uneven dissolution for the acid electropolished samples causing a reflectance drop in the 200-450 nm region. The influence of heat treatment, previously to electropolishing, was tested at two different temperatures and various holding times. It was found that reflectance increases around 15% for the heat-treated and electropolished samples versus the non-heat-treated ones. A heat treatment at low temperature combined with a short holding time was enough to improve the sample total reflectance.

NOAA AVHRR Land Surface Albedo Algorithm Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Toll, D. L.; Shirey, D.; Kimes, D. S.

1997-01-01

The primary objective of this research is to develop a surface albedo model for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR). The primary test site is the Konza prairie, Kansas (U.S.A.), used by the International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project (ISLSCP) in the First ISLSCP Field Experiment (FIFE). In this research, high spectral resolution field spectrometer data was analyzed to simulate AVHRR wavebands and to derive surface albedos. Development of a surface albedo algorithm was completed by analysing a combination of satellite, field spectrometer, and ancillary data. Estimated albedos from the field spectrometer data were compared to reference albedos derived using pyranometer data. Variations from surface anisotropy of reflected solar radiation were found to be the most significant albedo-related error. Additional error or sensitivity came from estimation of a shortwave mid-IR reflectance (1.3-4.0 micro-m) using the AVHRR red and near-IR bands. Errors caused by the use of AVHRR spectral reflectance to estimate both a total visible (0.4-0.7 micro-m) and near-IR (0.7-1.3 micro-m) reflectance were small. The solar spectral integration, using the derived ultraviolet, visible, near-IR and SW mid-IR reflectivities, was not sensitive to many clear-sky changes in atmospheric properties and illumination conditions.

Broadband angle-independent antireflection coatings on nanostructured light trapping solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vázquez-Guardado, Abraham; Boroumand, Javaneh; Franklin, Daniel; Chanda, Debashis

2018-03-01

Backscattering from nanostructured surfaces greatly diminishes the efficacy of light trapping solar cells. While the analytical design of broadband, angle-independent antireflection coatings on nanostructured surfaces proved inefficient, numerical optimization proves a viable alternative. Here, we numerically design and experimentally verify the performance of single and bilayer antireflection coatings on a 2D hexagonal diffractive light trapping pattern on crystalline silicon substrates. Three well-known antireflection coatings, aluminum oxide, silicon nitride, and silicon oxide, which also double as high-quality surface passivation materials, are studied in the 400-1000 nm band. By varying thickness and conformity, the optimal parameters that minimize the broadband total reflectance (specular and scattering) from the nanostructured surface are obtained. The design results in a single-layer antireflection coating with normal-angle wavelength-integrated reflectance below 4% and a bilayer antireflection coating demonstrating reflection down to 1.5%. We show experimentally an angle-averaged reflectance of ˜5.2 % up to 60° incident angle from the optimized bilayer antireflection-coated nanostructured surface, paving the path toward practical implementation of the light trapping solar cells.

Evaporation and condensation at a liquid surface. I. Argon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yasuoka, Kenji; Matsumoto, Mitsuhiro; Kataoka, Yosuke

1994-11-01

Molecular dynamics computer simulations were carried out to investigate the dynamics of evaporation and condensation for argon at the temperature of 80 and 100 K. From the decrease of the survival probability of vapor molecules, the ratio of self reflection to collision is estimated to be 12%-15%, only weakly dependent on the temperature. This suggests that argon vapor molecules are in the condition of almost complete capture, and the condensation is considered to be a barrierless process. The total ratio of reflection which is evaluated with the flux correlation of condensation and evaporation is 20% at both temperature. The difference between these two ratios of reflection is ascribed to a phenomenon that vapor molecules colliding with the surface drive out other liquid molecules. This molecule exchange at the surface is as important as the self-reflection, and the conventional picture of condensation as a unimolecular chemical reaction is not appropriate.

Polarization Impacts on the Water-Leaving Radiance Retrieval from Above-Water Radiometric Measurements

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-10

shown, based on time series of col- located data acquired in coastal waters, that the azimuth range of measurements leading to good-quality data is...radiometry, the standard way to de- rive the sea surface reflectance is based on sky radi- ance measurements Lskv acquired at the same time as the total sea...approach for correcting the reflected sea surface signal. Because the radiative-transfer- based approach has been validated over the whole time series

Precise optical observation of 0.5-GPa shock waves in condensed materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagayama, Kunihito; Mori, Yasuhito

1999-06-01

Precision optical observation method was developed to study impact-generated high-pressure shock waves in condensed materials. The present method makes it possible to sensitively detect the shock waves of the relatively low shock stress around 0.5 GPa. The principle of the present method is based on the use of total internal reflection by triangular prisms placed on the free surface of a target assembly. When a plane shock wave arrives at the free surface, the light reflected from the prisms extinguishes instantaneously. The reason is that the total internal reflection changes to the reflection depending on micron roughness of the free surface after the shock arrival. The shock arrival at the bottom face of the prisms can be detected here by two kinds of methods, i.e., a photographic method and a gauge method. The photographic method is an inclined prism method of using a high-speed streak camera. The shock velocity and the shock tilt angle can be estimated accurately from an obtained streak photograph. While in the gauge method, an in-material PVDF stress gauge is combined with an optical prism-pin. The PVDF gauge records electrically the stress profile behind the shockwave front, and the Hugoniot data can be precisely measured by combining the prism pin with the PVDF gauge.

Real time study of amalgam formation and mercury adsorption on thin gold film by total internal reflection ellipsometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paulauskas, A.; Selskis, A.; Bukauskas, V.; Vaicikauskas, V.; Ramanavicius, A.; Balevicius, Z.

2018-01-01

Total internal reflection ellipsometry (TIRE) was utilized in its dynamic data acquisition mode to reveal the percentage of mercury present in an amalgam surface layer. In determining the optical constants of the amalgam film, the non-homogeneities of the formed surface layer were taken into account. The composition of the amalgam layer by percentage was determined using the EMA Bruggemann model for the analysis of the TIRE data. Regression results showed that amalgam layer consisted of mercury 16.00 ± 0.43% and gold 84.00 ± 0.43%. This real time TIRE analysis has shown that for these studies method can detect 0.6 ± 0.4% of mercury on a gold surface, proving that this is a suitable optical technique for obtaining real time readouts. The structural analysis of SEM and AFM have shown that the amalgam layer had a dendritic structure, which formation was determined by the weak adhesion of the gold atoms onto its surface.

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.

Detection of creatinine enriched on a surface imprinted polystyrene film using FT-ATR-IR.

PubMed

Sreenivasan, K

2006-01-01

The surface of polystyrene (PS) was chemically modified by coating a thin layer of polyaniline (PANI) by oxidizing aniline using ammonium persulfate. Affinity sites for creatinine, a clinically relevant molecule, were created in the coated layer by adding creatinine as print molecules during the oxidation. The imprinted layer adsorbed creatinine was compared to non-imprinted surface reflecting the creation of creatinine-specific sites on the surface. The equilibrium was attained rapidly, indicating that a material of this kind is suitable for sensing applications. The adsorbed creatinine on the surface was detected using the technique of Fourier transform attenuated total internal reflection infra red spectroscopy (FT-ATR-IR). The results show that molecularly imprinted surface can enrich molecules of interest and the enriched molecules can be detected using FT-IR.

Excitation of surface electromagnetic waves in a graphene-based Bragg grating

PubMed Central

Sreekanth, Kandammathe Valiyaveedu; Zeng, Shuwen; Shang, Jingzhi; Yong, Ken-Tye; Yu, Ting

2012-01-01

Here, we report the fabrication of a graphene-based Bragg grating (one-dimensional photonic crystal) and experimentally demonstrate the excitation of surface electromagnetic waves in the periodic structure using prism coupling technique. Surface electromagnetic waves are non-radiative electromagnetic modes that appear on the surface of semi-infinite 1D photonic crystal. In order to fabricate the graphene-based Bragg grating, alternating layers of high (graphene) and low (PMMA) refractive index materials have been used. The reflectivity plot shows a deepest, narrow dip after total internal reflection angle corresponds to the surface electromagnetic mode propagating at the Bragg grating/air boundary. The proposed graphene based Bragg grating can find a variety of potential surface electromagnetic wave applications such as sensors, fluorescence emission enhancement, modulators, etc. PMID:23071901

Excitation of surface electromagnetic waves in a graphene-based Bragg grating.

PubMed

Sreekanth, Kandammathe Valiyaveedu; Zeng, Shuwen; Shang, Jingzhi; Yong, Ken-Tye; Yu, Ting

2012-01-01

Here, we report the fabrication of a graphene-based Bragg grating (one-dimensional photonic crystal) and experimentally demonstrate the excitation of surface electromagnetic waves in the periodic structure using prism coupling technique. Surface electromagnetic waves are non-radiative electromagnetic modes that appear on the surface of semi-infinite 1D photonic crystal. In order to fabricate the graphene-based Bragg grating, alternating layers of high (graphene) and low (PMMA) refractive index materials have been used. The reflectivity plot shows a deepest, narrow dip after total internal reflection angle corresponds to the surface electromagnetic mode propagating at the Bragg grating/air boundary. The proposed graphene based Bragg grating can find a variety of potential surface electromagnetic wave applications such as sensors, fluorescence emission enhancement, modulators, etc.

Antarctic Ultraviolet Radiation Climatology from Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lubin, Dan

2004-01-01

This project has successfully produced a climatology of local noon spectral surface irradiance covering the Antarctic continent and the Southern Ocean, the spectral interval 290-700 nm (UV-A, UV-B, and photosynthetically active radiation, PAR), and the entire sunlit part of the year for November 1979-December 1999. Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) data were used to specify column ozone abundance and UV-A (360- or 380-nm) reflectivity, and passive microwave (MW) sea ice concentrations were used to specify the surface albedo over the Southern Ocean. For this latter task, sea ice concentration retrievals from the Nimbus-7 Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) and its successor, the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) were identified with ultraviolet/visible-wavelength albedos based on an empirical TOMS/MW parameterization developed for this purpose (Lubin and Morrow, 2001). The satellite retrievals of surface albedo and UV-A reflectivity were used in a delta-Eddington radiative transfer model to estimate cloud effective optical depth. These optical depth estimates were then used along with the total ozone and surface albedo to calculate the downwelling spectral UV and PAR irradiance at the surface. These spectral irradiance maps were produced for every usable day of TOMS data between 1979-1999 (every other day early in the TOMS program, daily later on).

Mechanism of formation of humus coatings on mineral surfaces 2. Attenuated total reflectance spectra of hydrophobic and hydrophilic fractions of organic acids from compost leachate on alumina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wershaw, R. L.; Llaguno, E.C.; Leenheer, J.A.; Sperline, R.P.; Song, Y.

1996-01-01

Hydrophobic and hydrophilic fractions were isolated from a compost leachate. The adsorption isotherms of both fractions on alumina were measured by attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy. The shapes of the adsorption isotherms of the two fractions were different. The isotherms for the hydrophilic fraction showed little change in surface excess with increasing solution concentration above 4 mg L-1. The isotherms for the hydrophobic fraction, on the other hand, displayed a marked increase in surface excess with increasing solution concentration. This increase is evidence for the formation of aggregates (admicelles or hemimicelles) on the alumina surface. Linear dichroism calculations indicated that more of the carboxylate groups in the adsorbed hydrophobic molecules than in the absorbed hydrophilic fraction were free to rotate. The hindered rotation of the carboxylate groups in the adsorbed hydrophilic-fraction molecules probably indicates that these groups are bound to surface aluminum ions by a bidentate mechanism in which the two oxygen atoms of a single carboxylate group bind to separate aluminum ions.

Protein-surfactant interactions at hydrophobic interfaces studied with total internal reflection fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (TIR-FCS).

PubMed

Sonesson, Andreas W; Blom, Hans; Hassler, Kai; Elofsson, Ulla M; Callisen, Thomas H; Widengren, Jerker; Brismar, Hjalmar

2008-01-15

The aim of this work was to study the dynamics of proteins near solid surfaces in the presence or absence of competing surfactants by means of total internal reflection fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (TIR-FCS). Two different proteins were studied, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (TLL). A nonionic/anionic (C12E6/LAS) surfactant composition was used to mimic a detergent formulation and the surfaces used were C18 terminated glass. It was found that with increasing surfactant concentrations the term in the autocorrelation function (ACF) representing surface binding decreased. This suggested that the proteins were competed off the hydrophobic surface by the surfactant. When fitting the measured ACF to a model for surface kinetics, it was seen that with raised C12E6/LAS concentration, the surface interaction rate increased for both proteins. Under these experimental conditions this meant that the time the protein was bound to the surface decreased. At 10 microM C12E6/LAS the surface interaction was not visible for BSA, whereas it was still distinguishable in the ACF for TLL. This indicated that TLL had a higher affinity than BSA for the C18 surface. The study showed that TIR-FCS provides a useful tool to quantify the surfactant effect on proteins adsorption.

Iterative discrete ordinates solution of the equation for surface-reflected radiance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radkevich, Alexander

2017-11-01

This paper presents a new method of numerical solution of the integral equation for the radiance reflected from an anisotropic surface. The equation relates the radiance at the surface level with BRDF and solutions of the standard radiative transfer problems for a slab with no reflection on its surfaces. It is also shown that the kernel of the equation satisfies the condition of the existence of a unique solution and the convergence of the successive approximations to that solution. The developed method features two basic steps: discretization on a 2D quadrature, and solving the resulting system of algebraic equations with successive over-relaxation method based on the Gauss-Seidel iterative process. Presented numerical examples show good coincidence between the surface-reflected radiance obtained with DISORT and the proposed method. Analysis of contributions of the direct and diffuse (but not yet reflected) parts of the downward radiance to the total solution is performed. Together, they represent a very good initial guess for the iterative process. This fact ensures fast convergence. The numerical evidence is given that the fastest convergence occurs with the relaxation parameter of 1 (no relaxation). An integral equation for BRDF is derived as inversion of the original equation. The potential of this new equation for BRDF retrievals is analyzed. The approach is found not viable as the BRDF equation appears to be an ill-posed problem, and it requires knowledge the surface-reflected radiance on the entire domain of both Sun and viewing zenith angles.

Halide Ions Effects on Surface Excess of Long Chain Ionic Liquids Water Solutions

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

Wang, Wenjie; Sung, Woongmo; Ao, Mingqi

2013-10-07

The interfacial structure and composition of water solutions with alkylimidazolium ionic liquids varying in their halide anions ([C12mim][X], X = Cl and I) were investigated by X-ray near-total-reflection fluorescence spectroscopy and X-ray reflectivity measurements. We demonstrate that X-ray fluorescence and reflectivity techniques provide a more direct measurement of surface adsorption. Furthermore, we show that for [C12mim][Cl] and [C12mim][I] solutions with mixed inorganic salts (NaI, NaCl), I– ions replace Cl– above the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of [C12mim][Cl] at much lower concentrations of NaI, whereas NaCl concentrations a hundred times higher than the CMC of [C12mim][I] only partially replace the I–more » at the interface. Our surface-sensitive X-ray diffraction and spectroscopy provide two independent tools to directly determine the surface adsorption of ionic surfactants and the interfacial composition of the surface films.« less

UV 380 nm reflectivity of the Earth's surface, clouds and aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herman, J. R.; Celarier, E.; Larko, D.

2001-03-01

The 380 nm radiance measurements of the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) have been converted into a global data set of daily (1979-1992) Lambert equivalent reflectivities R of the Earth's surface and boundary layer (clouds, aerosols, surface haze, and snow/ice) and then corrected to RPC for the presence of partly clouded scenes. Since UV surface reflectivity is between 2 and 8% for both land and water during all seasons of the year (except for ice and snow cover), reflectivities larger than the surface value indicate the presence of clouds, haze, or aerosols in the satellite field of view. A statistical analysis of 14 years of daily reflectivity data shows that most snow-/ice-free scenes observed by TOMS have a reflectivity less than 10% for the majority of days during a year. The 380 nm reflectivity data show that the true surface reflectivity is 2-3% lower than the most frequently occurring reflectivity value for each TOMS scene as seen from space. Most likely the cause is a combination of frequently occurring boundary layer water and/or aerosol haze. For most regions the observation of extremely clear conditions needed to estimate the surface reflectivity from space is a comparatively rare occurrence. Certain areas (e.g., Australia, southern Africa, portions of northern Africa) are cloud-free more than 80% of the year, which exposes these regions to larger amounts of UV radiation than at comparable latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. Regions over rain forests, jungle areas, Europe and Russia, the bands surrounding the Arctic and Antarctic regions, and many ocean areas have significant cloud cover (R>15%) more than half of each year. In the low to middle latitudes the areas with the heaviest cloud cover (highest reflectivity for most of the year) are the forest areas of northern South America, southern Central America, the jungle areas of equatorial Africa, and high mountain regions such as the Himalayas or the Andes. The TOMS reflectivity data show both the presence of large nearly clear ocean areas and the effects of the major ocean currents on cloud production.

Blood glucose measurement in vivo using hollow-fiber based, mid-infrared ATR probe with multi-reflection prism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kino, Saiko; Omori, Suguru; Matsuura, Yuji

2016-03-01

An attenuated-total-reflection (ATR), mid-infrared spectroscopy system that consists of hollow optical fibers, a trapezoidal multi-reflection ATR prism, and a conventional FT-IR spectrometer has been developed to measure blood glucose levels. Owing to the low transmission loss and high flexibility of the hollow-optical fiber, the system can measure any sites of the human body where blood capillaries are close to the surface of mucosa, such as inner lips. Using a multi-reflection prism brought about higher sensitivity, and the flat and wide contact surface of the prism resulted in higher measurement reproducibility. The results of in-vivo measurement of human inner lips showed the feasibility of the proposed system, and the measurement errors were within 20%.

Plasmonically amplified bioassay - Total internal reflection fluorescence vs. epifluorescence geometry.

PubMed

Hageneder, Simone; Bauch, Martin; Dostalek, Jakub

2016-08-15

This paper investigates plasmonic amplification in two commonly used optical configurations for fluorescence readout of bioassays - epifluorescence (EPF) and total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF). The plasmonic amplification in the EPF configuration was implemented by using crossed gold diffraction grating and Kretschmann geometry of attenuated total reflection method (ATR) was employed in the TIRF configuration. Identical assay, surface architecture for analyte capture, and optics for the excitation, collection and detection of emitted fluorescence light intensity were used in both TIRF and EPF configurations. Simulations predict that the crossed gold diffraction grating (EPF) can amplify the fluorescence signal by a factor of 10(2) by the combination of surface plasmon-enhanced excitation and directional surface plasmon-coupled emission in the red part of spectrum. This factor is about order of magnitude higher than that predicted for the Kretschmann geometry (TIRF) which only took advantage of the surface plasmon-enhanced excitation. When applied for the readout of sandwich interleukin 6 (IL-6) immunoassay, the plasmonically amplified EPF geometry designed for Alexa Fluor 647 labels offered 4-times higher fluorescence signal intensity compared to TIRF. Interestingly, both geometries allowed reaching the same detection limit of 0.4pM despite of the difference in the fluorescence signal enhancement. This is attributed to inherently lower background of fluorescence signal for TIRF geometry compared to that for EPF which compensates for the weaker fluorescence signal enhancement. The analysis of the inflammation biomarker IL-6 in serum at medically relevant concentrations and the utilization of plasmonic amplification for the fluorescence measurement of kinetics of surface affinity reactions are demonstrated for both EPF and TIRF readout. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Recent spectroscopic findings concerning clay/water interactions at low humidity: Possible applications to models of Martian surface reactivity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coyne, L.; Bishop, J.; Howard, L.; Scattergood, T. W.

1991-01-01

A feasibility study assessing the utility of the adaptation of near infrared correlation spectroscopy to quantifying iron and adsorbed water in some clay-based Mars soil analog materials (MarSAM's). The work was intended to constitute Phase 1 of an approach to identifying optical analytical wavelength regions, not only for important mineral classes, but for chemically active centers within them. Many of these centers are common to unrelated mineral classes and of disproportionate influence relative to the mineral structure as a whole in determining the surface reactivity of mineral surfaces. We previously reported linearity between reflectance and total iron and total moisture over a large range of both key variables. We also discovered interesting relationships between the intensity of iron bands and the relative humidity of the systems. These relationships were confirmed. We also show that, in the low humidity range, reflectance is linearly dependent on a different kind of water from that best representing the full humidity range (the kind of water associated, in clays, with surface acidity). These relationships and the sensitivity and capability of quantitation of near infrared data indicate high promise with the production of reactive surface intermediates of products of surface reactions.

Utilizing Calibrated GPS Reflected Signals to Estimate Soil Reflectivity and Dielectric Constant: Results from SMEX02

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katzberg, Stephen J.; Torres, Omar; Grant, Michael S.; Masters, Dallas

2006-01-01

Extensive reflected GPS data was collected using a GPS reflectometer installed on an HC130 aircraft during the Soil Moisture Experiment 2002 (SMEX02) near Ames, Iowa. At the same time, widespread surface truth data was acquired in the form of point soil moisture profiles, areal sampling of near-surface soil moisture, total green biomass and precipitation history, among others. Previously, there have been no reported efforts to calibrate reflected GPS data sets acquired over land. This paper reports the results of two approaches to calibration of the data that yield consistent results. It is shown that estimating the strength of the reflected signals by either (1) assuming an approximately specular surface reflection or (2) inferring the surface slope probability density and associated normalization constants give essentially the same results for the conditions encountered in SMEX02. The corrected data is converted to surface reflectivity and then to dielectric constant as a test of the calibration approaches. Utilizing the extensive in-situ soil moisture related data this paper also presents the results of comparing the GPS-inferred relative dielectric constant with the Wang-Schmugge model frequently used to relate volume moisture content to dielectric constant. It is shown that the calibrated GPS reflectivity estimates follow the expected dependence of permittivity with volume moisture, but with the following qualification: The soil moisture value governing the reflectivity appears to come from only the top 1-2 centimeters of soil, a result consistent with results found for other microwave techniques operating at L-band. Nevertheless, the experimentally derived dielectric constant is generally lower than predicted. Possible explanations are presented to explain this result.

Photoinduced surface plasmon switching at VO2/Au interface.

PubMed

Kumar, Nardeep; Rúa, Armando; Aldama, Jennifer; Echeverría, Karla; Fernández, Félix E; Lysenko, Sergiy

2018-05-28

Angle-resolved reflection, light scattering and ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy combined with a surface plasmon-polariton (SPP) resonance technique in attenuated total reflection geometry was used to investigate the light-induced plasmonic switching in a photorefractive VO 2 /Au hybrid structure. Measurements of SPP scattering and reflection shows that the optically-induced formation of metallic state in a vanadium dioxide layer deposited on a gold film significantly alters the electromagnetic field enhancement and SPP propagation length at the VO 2 /Au interface. The ultrafast optical manipulation of SPP resonance is shown on a picosecond timescale. Obtained results demonstrate high potential of photorefractive vanadium oxides as efficient plasmonic modulating materials for ultrafast optoelectronic devices.

Coupling mediated by photorefractive phase grating between visible radiation and surface plasmon polaritons in iron-doped LiNbO3 crystal slabs coated with indium-tin oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hao; Zhao, Hua; Xu, Chao; Li, Liang; Hu, Guangwei; Zhang, Jingwen

2014-10-01

Photorefractive (PR) phase gratings were used in coupling energy between visible light and surface plasmon polaritons in indium-tin oxide (ITO)-coated iron-doped lithium niobate (Fe:LN) crystal slabs via electrostatic modification at the ITO/LN interface based on a strong photovoltaic effect. The energy coupling is considered to be responsible for several interesting observations: (1) dynamic reflectivity change from 3.25 to 37.0% of the very first reflection at the entrance slab interface, (2) total light reflectivity as high as 89%, and (3) two-dimensional diffraction patterns without external feedback needed.

Enhanced Vibrational Spectroscopies as Tools for Small Molecule Biosensing

PubMed Central

Boujday, Souhir; Lamy de la Chapelle, Marc; Srajer, Johannes; Knoll, Wolfgang

2015-01-01

In this short summary we summarize some of the latest developments in vibrational spectroscopic tools applied for the sensing of (small) molecules and biomolecules in a label-free mode of operation. We first introduce various concepts for the enhancement of InfraRed spectroscopic techniques, including the principles of Attenuated Total Reflection InfraRed (ATR-IR), (phase-modulated) InfraRed Reflection Absorption Spectroscopy (IRRAS/PM-IRRAS), and Surface Enhanced Infrared Reflection Absorption Spectroscopy (SEIRAS). Particular attention is put on the use of novel nanostructured substrates that allow for the excitation of propagating and localized surface plasmon modes aimed at operating additional enhancement mechanisms. This is then be complemented by the description of the latest development in Surface- and Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopies, again with an emphasis on the detection of small molecules or bioanalytes. PMID:26343666

Broad Band Intra-Cavity Total Reflection Chemical Sensor

DOEpatents

Pipino, Andrew C. R.

1998-11-10

A broadband, ultrahigh-sensitivity chemical sensor is provided that allows etection through utilization of a small, extremely low-loss, monolithic optical cavity. The cavity is fabricated from highly transparent optical material in the shape of a regular polygon with one or more convex facets to form a stable resonator for ray trajectories sustained by total internal reflection. Optical radiation enters and exits the monolithic cavity by photon tunneling in which two totally reflecting surfaces are brought into close proximity. In the presence of absorbing material, the loss per pass is increased since the evanescent waves that exist exterior to the cavity at points where the circulating pulse is totally reflected, are absorbed. The decay rate of an injected pulse is determined by coupling out an infinitesimal fraction of the pulse to produce an intensity-versus-time decay curve. Since the change in the decay rate resulting from absorption is inversely proportional to the magnitude of absorption, a quantitative sensor of concentration or absorption cross-section with 1 part-per-million/pass or better sensitivity is obtained. The broadband nature of total internal reflection permits a single device to be used over a broad wavelength range. The absorption spectrum of the surrounding medium can thereby be obtained as a measurement of inverse decay time as a function of wavelength.

UV 380 nm Reflectivity of the Earth's Surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herman, J. R.; Celarier, E.; Larko, D.

2000-01-01

The 380 nm radiance measurements of TOMS (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer) have been converted into a global data set of daily (1979 to 1992) Lambert equivalent reflectivities R of the Earth's surface and boundary layer (clouds, aerosols, surface haze, and snow/ice). Since UV surface reflectivity is between 2 and 8% for both land and water during all seasons of the year (except for ice and snow cover), reflectivities larger than the surface value indicates the presence of clouds, haze, or aerosols in the satellite field of view. Statistical analysis of 14 years of daily data show that most snow/ice-free regions of the Earth have their largest fraction of days each year when the reflectivity is low (R less than 10%). The 380 nm reflectivity data shows that the true surface reflectivity is 2 to 3% lower than the most frequently occurring reflectivity value for each TOMS scene. The most likely cause of this could be a combination of frequently occurring boundary-layer water or aerosol haze. For most regions, the observation of extremely clear conditions needed to estimate the surface reflectivity from space is a comparatively rare occurrence. Certain areas (e.g., Australia, southern Africa, portions of northern Africa) are cloud-free more than 80% of the year, which exposes these regions to larger amounts of UV radiation than at comparable latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. Regions over rain-forests, jungle areas, Europe and Russia, the bands surrounding the Arctic and Antarctic regions, and many ocean areas have significant cloud cover (R greater than 15%) more than half of each year. In the low to middle latitudes, the areas with the heaviest cloud cover (highest reflectivity for most of the year) are the forest areas of northern South America, southern Central America, the jungle areas of equatorial Africa, and high mountain regions such as the Himalayas or the Andes. The TOMS reflectivity data show the presence of large nearly clear ocean areas and the effects of the major ocean currents on cloud production.

Using GPS Reflections for Satellite Remote Sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mickler, David

2000-01-01

GPS signals that have reflected off of the ocean's surface have shown potential for use in oceanographic and atmospheric studies. The research described here investigates the possible deployment of a GPS reflection receiver onboard a remote sensing satellite in low Earth orbit (LEO). The coverage and resolution characteristics of this receiver are calculated and estimated. This mission analysis examines using reflected GPS signals for several remote sensing missions. These include measurement of the total electron content in the ionosphere, sea surface height, and ocean wind speed and direction. Also discussed is the potential test deployment of such a GPS receiver on the space shuttle. Constellations of satellites are proposed to provide adequate spatial and temporal resolution for the aforementioned remote sensing missions. These results provide a starting point for research into the feasibility of augmenting or replacing existing remote sensing satellites with spaceborne GPS reflection-detecting receivers.

Analysis of total and dissolved heavy metals in surface water of a Mexican polluted river by total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zarazua, G.; Ávila-Pérez, P.; Tejeda, S.; Barcelo-Quintal, I.; Martínez, T.

2006-11-01

The present area of study is located in the Upper Course of the Lerma River (UCLR). The Lerma is one of the most important rivers of Mexico, where it drains highly populated and industrialized regions. The aim of the present study is to determine the heavy metal concentration of Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu and Pb in dissolved and total phases of the UCLR by means of Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (TXRF). The surface water samples were collected at 8 sites distributed following the stream flow direction of the river. Four sampling campaigns were carried out in each site in a 1-year period. A sample preparation method was applied in order to obtain the total and dissolved fraction and to destroy the organic matter. The total heavy metal average concentration decrease in the following order: Fe (2566 μg/L) > Mn (300 μg/L) > Cu (66 μg/L) > Cr (21 μg/L) > Pb (15 μg/L). In general, the heavy metal concentrations in water of the UCLR are below the maximum permissible limits.

Comparison of the reflectance characteristics of polytetrafluoroethylene and barium sulfate paints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butner, C. L.; Schutt, J. B.; Shai, M. C.

1984-01-01

Preliminary results are presented of the directional reflectance measurements taken on two tetrafluorethylene (TFE) paints formulated with silicone binders. Both paints are found to be more Lambertian than barium sulfate paint and pressed powder, although the pigment to binder ratios for barium sulfate and TFE paints are about 133 and 3.3 to 1, respectively. The TFE paints exhibit total visible reflectances above 90 percent and offer surfaces that are not significantly affected by water.

Laser Resonator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harper, L. L. (Inventor)

1983-01-01

An optical resonator cavity configuration has a unitary mirror with oppositely directed convex and concave reflective surfaces disposed into one fold and concertedly reversing both ends of a beam propagating from a laser rod disposed between two total internal reflection prisms. The optical components are rigidly positioned with perpendicularly crossed virtual rooflines by a compact optical bed. The rooflines of the internal reflection prisms, are arranged perpendicularly to the axis of the laser beam and to the optical axes of the optical resonator components.

Spectral infrared hemispherical reflectance measurements for LDEF tray clamps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, Bobby E.; Cromwell, Brian K.; Pender, Charles W.; Shepherd, Seth D.

1992-01-01

This paper describes infrared hemispherical reflectance measurements (2-15 microns) that were made on 58 chromic acid anodized tray clamps retrieved from the LDEF spacecraft. These clamps were used for maintaining the experiments in place and were located at various locations about the spacecraft. Changes in reflectance of the tray clamps at these locations were compared with atomic oxygen fluxes at the same locations. A decrease in absorption band depth was seen for the surfaces exposed to space indicating that there was some surface layer erosion. In all of the surfaces measured, little evidence of contamination was observed and none of the samples showed evidence of the brown nicotine stain that was so prominent in other experiments. Total emissivity values were calculated for both exposed and unexposed tray clamp surfaces. Only small differences, usually less than 1 percent, were observed. The spectral reflectances were measured using a hemi-ellipsoidal mirror reflectometer matched with an interferometer spectrometer. The rapid scanning capability of the interferometer allowed the reflectance measurements to be made in a timely fashion. The ellipsoidal mirror has its two foci separated by 2 inches and located on the major axis. A blackbody source was located at one focus while the tray clamp samples were located at the conjugate focus. The blackbody radiation was modulated and then focused by the ellipsoid onto the tray clamps. Radiation reflected from the tray clamp was sampled by the interferometer by viewing through a hole in the ellipsoid. A gold mirror (reflectance approximately 98 percent) was used as the reference surface.

Characteristic variations in reflectance of surface soils

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoner, E. R.; Baumgardner, M. F. (Principal Investigator)

1982-01-01

Surface soil samples from a wide range of naturally occurring soils were obtained for the purpose of studying the characteristic variations in soil reflectance as these variations relate to other soil properties and soil classification. A total 485 soil samples from the U.S. and Brazil representing 30 suborders of the 10 orders of 'Soil Taxonomy' was examined. The spectral bidirectional reflectance factor was measured on uniformly moist soils over the 0.52 to 2.32 micron wavelength range with a spectroradiometer adapted for indoor use. Five distinct soil spectral reflectance curve forms were identified according to curve shape, the presence or absence of absorption bands, and the predominance of soil organic matter and iron oxide composition. These curve forms were further characterized according to generically homogeneous soil properties in a manner similar to the subdivisions at the suborder level of 'Soil Taxonomy'. Results indicate that spectroradiometric measurements of soil spectral bidirectional reflectance factor can be used to characterize soil reflectance in terms that are meaningful to soil classification, genesis, and survey.

Lens testing using total internal reflection holography

DOEpatents

Hildebrand, Bernard P.

1976-12-14

Accurate, rapid and inexpensive testing and inspecting of lens surfaces tugh holographic means requiring no beamsplitters, mirrors or overpower optics, and wherein a hologram formed in accordance with one aspect of the invention contains the entire interferometer and serves as both a master and illuminating source for both concave and convex surfaces to be so tested.

The study of genomic DNA adsorption and subsequent interactions using total internal reflection ellipsometry.

PubMed

Nabok, Alexei; Tsargorodskaya, Anna; Davis, Frank; Higson, Séamus P J

2007-10-31

The adsorption of genomic DNA and subsequent interactions between adsorbed and solvated DNA was studied using a novel sensitive optical method of total internal reflection ellipsometry (TIRE), which combines spectroscopic ellipsometry with surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Single strands of DNA of two species of fish (herring and salmon) were electrostatically adsorbed on top of polyethylenimine films deposited upon gold coated glass slides. The ellipsometric spectra were recorded and data fitting utilized to extract optical parameters (thickness and refractive index) of adsorbed DNA layers. The further adsorption of single stranded DNA from an identical source, i.e. herring ss-DNA on herring ss-DNA or salmon ss-DNA on salmon ss-DNA, on the surface was observed to give rise to substantial film thickness increases at the surface of about 20-21 nm. Conversely adsorption of DNA from alternate species, i.e. salmon ss-DNA on herring ss-DNA or herring ss-DNA on salmon ss-DNA, yielded much smaller changes in thickness of 3-5 nm. AFM studies of the surface roughness of adsorbed layers were in line with the TIRE data.

The Evolution of Silica Nanoparticle-polyester Coatings on Surfaces Exposed to Sunlight.

PubMed

Truong, Vi Khanh; Stefanovic, Miljan; Maclaughlin, Shane; Tobin, Mark; Vongsvivut, Jitraporn; Al Kobaisi, Mohammad; Crawford, Russell J; Ivanova, Elena P

2016-10-11

Corrosion of metallic surfaces is prevalent in the environment and is of great concern in many areas, including the military, transport, aviation, building and food industries, amongst others. Polyester and coatings containing both polyester and silica nanoparticles (SiO2NPs) have been widely used to protect steel substrata from corrosion. In this study, we utilized X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, attenuated total reflection infrared micro-spectroscopy, water contact angle measurements, optical profiling and atomic force microscopy to provide an insight into how exposure to sunlight can cause changes in the micro- and nanoscale integrity of the coatings. No significant change in surface micro-topography was detected using optical profilometry, however, statistically significant nanoscale changes to the surface were detected using atomic force microscopy. Analysis of the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and attenuated total reflection infrared micro-spectroscopy data revealed that degradation of the ester groups had occurred through exposure to ultraviolet light to form COO·, -H2C·, -O·, -CO· radicals. During the degradation process, CO and CO2 were also produced.

New light-shielding technique for shortening the baffle length of a star sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawano, Hiroyuki; Sato, Yukio; Mitani, Kenji; Kanai, Hiroshi; Hama, Kazumori

2002-10-01

We have developed a star sensor with a short baffle of 140 mm. Our baffle provides a Sun rejection angle of 35 degrees with stray light attenuation less than the intensity level of a visual magnitude of Mv = +5 for a wide field of view lens of 13x13 degrees. The application of a new light shielding technique taking advantage of total internal reflection phenomena enables us to reduce the baffle length to about three fourths that of the conventional two-stage baffle. We have introduced two ideas to make the baffle length shorter. The one is the application of a nearly half sphere convex lens as the first focusing lens. The bottom surface reflects the scattering rays with high incident angles of over 50 degrees by using the total internal reflection phenomena. The other is the painting of the surface of the baffle with not frosted but gloss black paint. The gloss black paint enables most of the specular reflection rays to go back to outer space without scattering. We confirm the baffle performance mentioned above by scattering ray tracing simulation and a light attenuation experiment in a darkroom on the ground.

Reflective properties of randomly rough surfaces under large incidence angles.

PubMed

Qiu, J; Zhang, W J; Liu, L H; Hsu, P-f; Liu, L J

2014-06-01

The reflective properties of randomly rough surfaces at large incidence angles have been reported due to their potential applications in some of the radiative heat transfer research areas. The main purpose of this work is to investigate the formation mechanism of the specular reflection peak of rough surfaces at large incidence angles. The bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of rough aluminum surfaces with different roughnesses at different incident angles is measured by a three-axis automated scatterometer. This study used a validated and accurate computational model, the rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA) method, to compare and analyze the measurement BRDF results. It is found that the RCWA results show the same trend of specular peak as the measurement. This paper mainly focuses on the relative roughness at the range of 0.16<σ/λ<5.35. As the relative roughness decreases, the specular peak enhancement dramatically increases and the scattering region significantly reduces, especially under large incidence angles. The RCWA and the Rayleigh criterion results have been compared, showing that the relative error of the total integrated scatter increases as the roughness of the surface increases at large incidence angles. In addition, the zero-order diffractive power calculated by RCWA and the reflectance calculated by Fresnel equations are compared. The comparison shows that the relative error declines sharply when the incident angle is large and the roughness is small.

Surface Josephson plasma waves in layered superconductors above the plasma frequency: evidence for a negative index of refraction.

PubMed

Golick, V A; Kadygrob, D V; Yampol'skii, V A; Rakhmanov, A L; Ivanov, B A; Nori, Franco

2010-05-07

We predict a new branch of surface Josephson plasma waves (SJPWs) in layered superconductors for frequencies higher than the Josephson plasma frequency. In this frequency range, the permittivity tensor components along and transverse to the layers have different signs, which is usually associated with negative refraction. However, for these frequencies, the bulk Josephson plasma waves cannot be matched with the incident and reflected waves in the vacuum, and, instead of the negative-refractive properties, abnormal surface modes appear within the frequency band expected for bulk modes. We also discuss the excitation of high-frequency SJPWs by means of the attenuated-total-reflection method.

Fluorescence excitation and imaging of single molecules near dielectric-coated and bare surfaces: a theoretical study.

PubMed

Axelrod, Daniel

2012-08-01

Microscopic fluorescent samples of interest to cell and molecular biology are commonly embedded in an aqueous medium near a solid surface that is coated with a thin film such as a lipid multilayer, collagen, acrylamide, or a cell wall. Both excitation and emission of fluorescent single molecules near film-coated surfaces are strongly affected by the proximity of the coated surface, the film thickness, its refractive index and the fluorophore's orientation. For total internal reflection excitation, multiple reflections in the film can lead to resonance peaks in the evanescent intensity versus incidence angle curve. For emission, multiple reflections arising from the fluorophore's near field emission can create a distinct intensity pattern in both the back focal plane and the image plane of a high aperture objective. This theoretical analysis discusses how these features can be used to report film thickness and refractive index, and fluorophore axial position and orientation. © 2012 The Author Journal of Microscopy © 2012 Royal Microscopical Society.

Fabrication of spherical mitigation pit on KH2PO4 crystal by micro-milling and modeling of its induced light intensification.

PubMed

Cheng, Jian; Chen, Mingjun; Liao, Wei; Wang, Haijun; Xiao, Yong; Li, Mingquan

2013-07-15

Micro-machining is the most promising method for KH(2)PO(4) crystal to mitigate the surface damage growth in high power laser system. In this work, spherical mitigation pit is fabricated by micro-milling with an efficient machining procedure. The light intensification caused by rear surface features before and after mitigation is numerically modeled based on the finite-difference time-domain method. The results indicate that the occurrence of total internal reflections should be responsible for the largest light intensification inside the crystal. For spherical pits after mitigation, the light intensification can be greatly alleviated by preventing the occurrence of total internal reflections. The light intensification caused by spherical mitigation pit is strongly dependent on the width-depth ratio and it is suggested that the width-depth ratio of spherical mitigation pit must be devised to be larger than 5.0 to achieve the minimal light intensification for the mitigation of surface damage growth. Laser damage tests for KH(2)PO(4) crystal validate that the laser damage resistance of initially damaged surface can be retrieved to near the level of ideal surface by replacing initial damage site with predesigned mitigation pit.

Optical properties of nucleobase thin films as studied by attenuated total reflection and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, MinSuk; Ham, Won Kyu; Kim, Wonyoung; Hwangbo, Chang Kwon; Choi, Eun Ha; Lee, Geon Joon

2018-04-01

Optical properties of nucleobase thin films were studied by attenuated total reflection (ATR) and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Adenine and guanine films were deposited on fused silica and silver at room temperature by thermal evaporation, and the normal dispersion of refractive indices of transparent adenine and guanine films in the visible and near-infrared regions were analyzed. The measured ATR spectra of adenine (guanine) films and numerical simulations by optical transfer matrix formalism demonstrate that the shift of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) wavelength is approximately linearly proportional to the adenine (guanine) film thickness, indicating that SPR can be used for quantitative measurements of biomaterials. The Raman spectra indicated that the adenine (guanine) films can be deposited by thermal evaporation. The adenine (guanine) films on silver exhibited Raman intensity enhancement as compared to those on glass, which was attributed to the SPR effect of silver platform and might play a role as a hot plate for SERS detection of biomaterials.

Evaluating the Assumptions of Surface Reflectance and Aerosol Type Selection Within the MODIS Aerosol Retrieval Over Land: The Problem of Dust Type Selection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mielonen, T.; Levy, R. C.; Aaltonen, V.; Komppula, M.; de Leeuw, G.; Huttunen, J.; Lihavainen, H.; Kolmonen, P.; Lehtinen, K. E. J.; Arola, A.

2011-01-01

Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) and Angstrom exponent (AE) values derived with the MODIS retrieval algorithm over land (Collection 5) are compared with ground based sun photometer measurements at eleven sites spanning the globe. Although, in general, total AOD compares well at these sites (R2 values generally over 0.8), there are cases (from 2 to 67% of the measurements depending on the site) where MODIS clearly retrieves the wrong spectral dependence, and hence, an unrealistic AE value. Some of these poor AE retrievals are due to the aerosol signal being too small (total AOD<0.3) but in other cases the AOD should have been high enough to derive accurate AE. However, in these cases, MODIS indicates AE values close to 0.6 and zero fine model weighting (FMW), i.e. dust model provides the best fitting to the MODIS observed reflectance. Yet, according to evidence from the collocated sun photometer measurements and back-trajectory analyses, there should be no dust present. This indicates that the assumptions about aerosol model and surface properties made by the MODIS algorithm may have been incorrect. Here we focus on problems related to parameterization of the land-surface optical properties in the algorithm, in particular the relationship between the surface reflectance at 660 and 2130 nm.

Total reflection infrared spectroscopy of water-ice and frozen aqueous NaCl solutions.

PubMed

Walker, Rachel L; Searles, Keith; Willard, Jesse A; Michelsen, Rebecca R H

2013-12-28

Liquid-like and liquid water at and near the surface of water-ice and frozen aqueous sodium chloride films were observed using attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR). The concentration of NaCl ranged from 0.0001 to 0.01 M and the temperature varied from the melting point of water down to 256 K. The amount of liquid brine at the interface of the frozen films with the germanium ATR crystal increased with salt concentration and temperature. Experimental spectra are compared to reflection spectra calculated for a simplified morphology of a uniform liquid layer between the germanium crystal and the frozen film. This morphology allows for the amount of liquid observed in an experimental spectrum to be converted to the thickness of a homogenous layer with an equivalent amount of liquid. These equivalent thickness ranges from a nanometer for water-ice at 260 K to 170 nm for 0.01 M NaCl close to the melting point. The amounts of brine observed are over an order of magnitude less than the total liquid predicted by equilibrium thermodynamic models, implying that the vast majority of the liquid fraction of frozen solutions may be found in internal inclusions, grain boundaries, and the like. Thus, the amount of liquid and the solutes dissolved in them that are available to react with atmospheric gases on the surfaces of snow and ice are not well described by thermodynamic equilibrium models which assume the liquid phase is located entirely at the surface.

Realization of a near-perfect antireflection coating for silicon solar energy utilization.

PubMed

Kuo, Mei-Ling; Poxson, David J; Kim, Yong Sung; Mont, Frank W; Kim, Jong Kyu; Schubert, E Fred; Lin, Shawn-Yu

2008-11-01

To harness the full spectrum of solar energy, Fresnel reflection at the surface of a solar cell must be eliminated over the entire solar spectrum and at all angles. Here, we show that a multilayer nanostructure having a graded-index profile, as predicted by theory [J. Opt. Soc. Am. 66, 515 (1976); Appl. Opt. 46, 6533 (2007)], can accomplish a near-perfect transmission of all-color of sunlight. An ultralow total reflectance of 1%-6% has been achieved over a broad spectrum, lambda = 400 to 1600 nm, and a wide range of angles of incidence, theta = 0 degrees-60 degrees . The measured angle- and wavelength-averaged total reflectance of 3.79% is the smallest ever reported in the literature, to our knowledge.

Transmittance of transparent windows with non-absorbing cap-shaped droplets condensed on their backside

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Keyong; Huang, Yong; Pruvost, Jeremy; Legrand, Jack; Pilon, Laurent

2017-06-01

This study aims to quantify systematically the effect of non-absorbing cap-shaped droplets condensed on the backside of transparent windows on their directional-hemispherical transmittance and reflectance. Condensed water droplets have been blamed to reduce light transfer through windows in greenhouses, solar desalination plants, and photobioreactors. Here, the directional-hemispherical transmittance was predicted by Monte Carlo ray-tracing method. For the first time, both monodisperse and polydisperse droplets were considered, with contact angle between 0 and 180°, arranged either in an ordered hexagonal pattern or randomly distributed on the window backside with projected surface area coverage between 0 and 90%. The directional-hemispherical transmittance was found to be independent of the size and spatial distributions of the droplets. Instead, it depended on (i) the incident angle, (ii) the optical properties of the window and droplets, and on (iii) the droplet contact angle and (iv) projected surface area coverage. In fact, the directional-hemispherical transmittance decreased with increasing incident angle. Four optical regimes were identified in the normal-hemispherical transmittance. It was nearly constant for droplet contact angles either smaller than the critical angle θcr (predicted by Snell's law) for total internal reflection at the droplet/air interface or larger than 180°-θcr. However, between these critical contact angles, the normal-hemispherical transmittance decreased rapidly to reach a minimum at 90° and increased rapidly with increasing contact angles up to 180°-θcr. This was attributed to total internal reflection at the droplet/air interface which led to increasing reflectance. In addition, the normal-hemispherical transmittance increased slightly with increasing projected surface area coverage for contact angle was smaller than θcr. However, it decreased monotonously with increasing droplet projected surface area coverage for contact angle larger than θcr. These results can be used to select the material or surface coating with advantageous surface properties for applications when dropwise condensation may otherwise have a negative effect on light transmittance.

Nimbus-7 Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) Data Products User's Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McPeters, Richard D.; Bhartia, P. K.; Krueger, Arlin J.; Herman, Jay R.; Schlesinger, Barry M.; Wellemeyer, Charles G.; Seftor, Colin J.; Jaross, Glen; Taylor, Steven L.; Swissler, Tom;

Ocean color remote sensing using polarization properties of reflected sunlight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frouin, R.; Pouliquen, E.; Breon, F.-M.

1994-01-01

The effects of the atmosphere and surface on sunlight backscattered to space by the ocean may be substantially reduced by using the unpolarized component of reflectance instead of total reflectance. At 450 nm, a wavelength of interest in ocean color remote sensing, and for typical conditions, 45% of the unpolarized reflectance may originate from the water body instead of 20% of the total reflectance, which represents a gain of a factor 2.2 in useful signal for water composition retrieval. The best viewing geometries are adjacent to the glitter region; they correspond to scattering angles around 100 deg, but they may change slightly depending on the polarization characteristics of the aerosols. As aerosol optical thickness increases, the atmosphere becomes less efficient at polarizing sunlight, and the enhancement of the water body contribution to unpolarized reflectance is reduced. Since the perturbing effects are smaller on unpolarized reflectance, at least for some viewing geometries, they may be more easily corrected, leading to a more accurate water-leaving signal and, therefore, more accurate estimates of phytoplankton pigment concentration.

Surface optical vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lembessis, V. E.; Babiker, M.; Andrews, D. L.

2009-01-01

It is shown how the total internal reflection of orbital-angular-momentum-endowed light can lead to the generation of evanescent light possessing rotational properties in which the intensity distribution is firmly localized in the vicinity of the surface. The characteristics of these surface optical vortices depend on the form of the incident light and on the dielectric mismatch of the two media. The interference of surface optical vortices is shown to give rise to interesting phenomena, including pattern rotation akin to a surface optical Ferris wheel. Applications are envisaged to be in atom lithography, optical surface tweezers, and spanners.

Direct measurement of radiative scattering of surface plasmon polariton resonance from metallic arrays by polarization-resolved reflectivity spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lo, H. Y.; Chan, C. Y.; Ong, H. C.

2012-11-01

We have measured the radiative scattering from two-dimensional metallic arrays by using polarization-resolved reflectivity spectroscopy. We find the reflectivity spectra follow the Fano-like model that can be derived from temporal coupled mode theory and Jones matrix calculus. By orthogonally orienting the incident polarizer and the detection analyzer, reflectivity dips flip into peaks and the radiative scattering efficiency can be determined accordingly. The dependence of total radiative scattering efficiency on wavelength and hole diameter is found to agree well with Rayleigh scattering by single hole.

Microscopic iron metal on glass and minerals - A tool for studying regolith maturity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, C. C.; Morris, R. V.; Lauer, H. V., Jr.; Mckay, D. S.

1993-01-01

A novel method of producing mixtures of glass or minerals with iron metal is presented. A portion of the Fe(2+) in basaltic glass and minerals can be reduced to metal in a few hours at 1100 C and an oxygen fugacity well below the iron-wustite buffer. Part of the iron metals forms rounded submicrometer blebs on the surfaces and in some cases within the grains. A concentration of such blebs equivalent to 20-30 percent of a grain's surface area can totally dominate the reflectance spectra of basaltic glass, pyroxene, and olivine. The production of optically opaque iron metal blebs, combined with the decline in Fe(2+), affects the glass and mineral reflectance spectra in three ways: by lowering the overall reflectivity, reducing the spectral contrast of absorption features, and producing a continuum with a general rise in reflectivity toward longer wavelengths.

Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR) Applied to Study the Distribution of Ink Components in Printed Newspapers.

PubMed

Gómez, Nuria; Molleda, Cristina; Quintana, Ester; Carbajo, José M; Rodríguez, Alejandro; Villar, Juan C

2016-09-01

A new method was developed to study how the oil and cyan pigments of cold-set ink are distributed in newspaper thickness. The methodology involved laboratory printing followed by delamination of the printed paper. The unprinted side, printed side, and resulting layers were analyzed using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR). Three commercial newspapers and black and cyan cold-set inks were chosen for the study. Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy enabled the proportion of oil and cyan pigment on the printed surface and throughout the sheet thickness to be measured. Oil percentage was evaluated as the area increment of the region from 2800 cm(-1) to 3000 cm(-1) The relative amount of cyan pigment was determined as the area of the absorption band at 730 cm(-1) The ink oil was found mainly below half the paper thickness, whereas the pigment was detected at the layers closer to the printed surface, at a depth penetration of less than 15 µm (20% of thickness). Distribution of these two components in paper thickness depended on the type of cold-set ink, the amount of ink transferred, and the newspaper properties. © The Author(s) 2016.

The possibility of using platinum foils with a rippled surface as diffraction gratings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korsukov, V. E.; Ankudinov, A. V.; Butenko, P. N.; Knyazev, S. A.; Korsukova, M. M.; Obidov, B. A.; Shcherbakov, I. P.

2014-09-01

The atomic structure and surface relief of thin cold-rolled platinum foils upon recrystallization annealing and loading under ultrahigh vacuum conditions have been studied by low energy electron diffraction (LEED), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The surface of samples upon high-temperature annealing and subsequent uniaxial extension of recrystallized Pt foils represents a fractal structure of unidirectional ripples on various spatial scales. The total fractal dimension of this surface is D GW = 2.3, while the fractal dimensions along and across ripples are D ‖ ≈ 1 and D ⊥ ≈ 1.3, respectively. The optical spectra of a halogen lamp and a PRK-2 mercury lamp were recorded using these rippled Pt foils as reflection diffraction gratings. It is shown that Pt foils with this surface relief can be used as reflection diffraction gratings for electromagnetic radiation in a broad spectral range.

A method of treating the non-grey error in total emittance measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heaney, J. B.; Henninger, J. H.

1971-01-01

In techniques for the rapid determination of total emittance, the sample is generally exposed to surroundings that are at a different temperature than the sample's surface. When the infrared spectral reflectance of the surface is spectrally selective, these techniques introduce an error into the total emittance values. Surfaces of aluminum overcoated with oxides of various thicknesses fall into this class. Because they are often used as temperature control coatings on satellites, their emittances must be accurately known. The magnitude of the error was calculated for Alzak and silicon oxide-coated aluminum and was shown to be dependent on the thickness of the oxide coating. The results demonstrate that, because the magnitude of the error is thickness-dependent, it is generally impossible or impractical to eliminate it by calibrating the measuring device.

Cleaning of HT-7 Tokamak Exposed First Mirrors by Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Rong; Chen, Junling; Chen, Longwei; Ding, Rui; Zhu, Dahuan

2014-12-01

The stainless steel (SS) first mirror pre-exposed in the deposition-dominated environment of the HT-7 tokamak was cleaned in the newly built radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering plasma device. The deposition layer on the FM surface formed during the exposure was successfully removed by argon plasma with a RF power of about 80 W and a gas pressure of 0.087 Pa for 30 min. The total reflectivity of the mirrors was recovered up to 90% in the wavelength range of 300-800 nm, while the diffuse reflectivity showed a little increase, which was attributed to the increase of surface roughness in sputtering, and residual contaminants. The FMs made from single crystal materials could help to achieve a desired recovery of specular reflectivity in the future.

Surface plasma wave assisted second harmonic generation of laser over a metal film

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

Chauhan, Santosh; Parashar, J., E-mail: j.p.parashar@gmail.com

2015-01-15

Second harmonic generation of laser mode converted surface plasma wave (SPW) over a corrugated metal film is studied. The laser, impinged on the metal film, under attenuated total reflection configuration, excites SPW over the metal–vacuum interface. The excited SPW extends over a much wider surface area than the laser spot cross-section. It exerts a second harmonic ponderomotive force on metal electrons, imparting them velocity that beats with the surface ripple to produce a nonlinear current, driving resonant second harmonic surface plasma wave.

ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy in the Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory: Part II--A Physical Chemistry Laboratory Experiment on Surface Adsorption

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuttlefield, Jennifer D.; Larsen, Sarah C.; Grassian, Vicki H.

2008-01-01

Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy is a useful technique for measuring the infrared spectra of solids and liquids as well as probing adsorption on particle surfaces. The use of FTIR-ATR spectroscopy in organic and inorganic chemistry laboratory courses as well as in undergraduate research was presented…

A total internal reflection-fluorescence correlation spectroscopy setup with pulsed diode laser excitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weger, Lukas; Hoffmann-Jacobsen, Kerstin

2017-09-01

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) measures fluctuations in a (sub-)femtoliter volume to analyze the diffusive behavior of fluorescent particles. This highly sensitive method has proven to be useful for the analysis of dynamic biological systems as well as in chemistry, physics, and material sciences. It is routinely performed with commercial fluorescence microscopes, which provide a confined observation volume by the confocal technique. The evanescent wave of total internal reflectance (TIR) is used in home-built systems to permit a surface sensitive FCS analysis. We present a combined confocal and TIR-FCS setup which uses economic low-power pulsed diode lasers for excitation. Excitation and detection are coupled to time-correlated photon counting hardware. This allows simultaneous fluorescence lifetime and FCS measurements in a surface-sensitive mode. Moreover, the setup supports fluorescence lifetime correlation spectroscopy at surfaces. The excitation can be easily switched between TIR and epi-illumination to compare the surface properties with those in liquid bulk. The capabilities of the presented setup are demonstrated by measuring the diffusion coefficients of a free dye molecule, a labeled polyethylene glycol, and a fluorescent nanoparticle in confocal as well as in TIR-FCS.

Evanescent Field Based Photoacoustics: Optical Property Evaluation at Surfaces

PubMed Central

Goldschmidt, Benjamin S.; Rudy, Anna M.; Nowak, Charissa A.; Tsay, Yowting; Whiteside, Paul J. D.; Hunt, Heather K.

2016-01-01

Here, we present a protocol to estimate material and surface optical properties using the photoacoustic effect combined with total internal reflection. Optical property evaluation of thin films and the surfaces of bulk materials is an important step in understanding new optical material systems and their applications. The method presented can estimate thickness, refractive index, and use absorptive properties of materials for detection. This metrology system uses evanescent field-based photoacoustics (EFPA), a field of research based upon the interaction of an evanescent field with the photoacoustic effect. This interaction and its resulting family of techniques allow the technique to probe optical properties within a few hundred nanometers of the sample surface. This optical near field allows for the highly accurate estimation of material properties on the same scale as the field itself such as refractive index and film thickness. With the use of EFPA and its sub techniques such as total internal reflection photoacoustic spectroscopy (TIRPAS) and optical tunneling photoacoustic spectroscopy (OTPAS), it is possible to evaluate a material at the nanoscale in a consolidated instrument without the need for many instruments and experiments that may be cost prohibitive. PMID:27500652

Is There Ecological Information in Optical Polarization Data?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanderbilt, Vern; Daughtry, Craig; Dahlgren, Robert

2015-01-01

Optical linear polarization? In remote sensing it's due to specular reflection. The first surface that incident light encounters - a smooth water surface or the waxy first surface of a leaf's cuticle, if it's even somewhat smooth (i.e. shiny) - will specularly reflect and linearly polarize the incident light. We provide three examples of the types of ecological information contained in remotely sensed optical linear polarization measurements. Remove the surface reflection to better see the interior. The linearly polarized light reflected by leaf surfaces contains no information about cellular pigments, metabolites, or water contained in the leaf interiors of a plant canopy, because it never enters the leaf interior to interact with them. Thus, for purposes of remotely sensing the leaf interiors of a plant canopy, the linearly polarized light should be subtracted from the total reflected light, because including it would add noise to the measurement. In particular 'minus specular' vegetation indices should allow improved monitoring of a plant canopy's physiological processes. Estimate plant development stage and yield. Wheat and sorghum grain heads, following emergence, rapidly extend upward and very quickly tower over nearby leaves, partially blocking our view of the sunlight reflected by those leaf surfaces. The resulting decrease in the amount of surface reflected and polarized sunlight, if monitored over time, potentially allows per-field estimates of the dates of the heading and flowering development stages to be interleaved with weather data in models, which is key to better estimating per-field grain yield. Similar polarization changes may occur in other grasses, such as oats, barley, corn and rice, each a crop so widely grown that it potentially affects climate at the regional scale. Wetlands Mapping. The sunlight specularly reflected by surface waters is blindingly bright, spectrally flat and polarized - all of which telegraphs that the ground area is inundated. Inundated soils exchange methane with the atmosphere; non-inundated soils, carbon dioxide. Aquatic plants growing through the water surface pipe the soil-produced methane via the stomata to the atmosphere, enhancing exchanges rates by factors of 10-20 compared to ebullition (bubbling) or diffusion through the water column to the atmosphere. Thus, mapping wetland areas into three community types - inundated areas with emergent vegetation, open water and uplands - provides potentially key information to water, carbon and energy budgets at landscape to global scales.

Total reflection infrared spectroscopy of water-ice and frozen aqueous NaCl solutions

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

Walker, Rachel L.; Searles, Keith; Willard, Jesse A.

2013-12-28

Liquid-like and liquid water at and near the surface of water-ice and frozen aqueous sodium chloride films were observed using attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR). The concentration of NaCl ranged from 0.0001 to 0.01 M and the temperature varied from the melting point of water down to 256 K. The amount of liquid brine at the interface of the frozen films with the germanium ATR crystal increased with salt concentration and temperature. Experimental spectra are compared to reflection spectra calculated for a simplified morphology of a uniform liquid layer between the germanium crystal and the frozen film. This morphologymore » allows for the amount of liquid observed in an experimental spectrum to be converted to the thickness of a homogenous layer with an equivalent amount of liquid. These equivalent thickness ranges from a nanometer for water-ice at 260 K to 170 nm for 0.01 M NaCl close to the melting point. The amounts of brine observed are over an order of magnitude less than the total liquid predicted by equilibrium thermodynamic models, implying that the vast majority of the liquid fraction of frozen solutions may be found in internal inclusions, grain boundaries, and the like. Thus, the amount of liquid and the solutes dissolved in them that are available to react with atmospheric gases on the surfaces of snow and ice are not well described by thermodynamic equilibrium models which assume the liquid phase is located entirely at the surface.« less

The Solar Ultraviolet Environment at the Ocean.

PubMed

Mobley, Curtis D; Diffey, Brian L

2018-05-01

Atmospheric and oceanic radiative transfer models were used to compute spectral radiances between 285 and 400 nm onto horizontal and vertical plane surfaces over water. The calculations kept track of the contributions by the sun's direct beam, by diffuse-sky radiance, by radiance reflected from the sea surface and by water-leaving radiance. Clear, hazy and cloudy sky conditions were simulated for a range of solar zenith angles, wind speeds and atmospheric ozone concentrations. The radiances were used to estimate erythemal exposures due to the sun and sky, as well as from radiation reflected by the sea surface and backscattered from the water column. Diffuse-sky irradiance is usually greater than direct-sun irradiance at wavelengths below 330 nm, and reflected and water-leaving irradiance accounts for <20% of the UV exposure on a vertical surface. Total exposure depends strongly on solar zenith angle and azimuth angle relative to the sun. Sea surface roughness affects the UV exposures by only a few percent. For very clear waters and the sun high in the sky, the UV index within the water can be >10 at depths down to two meters and >6 down to 5 m. © 2018 The American Society of Photobiology.

[Study of hyperspectral polarized reflectance of vegetation canopy at nadir viewing direction].

PubMed

Lŭ, Yun-Feng

2013-04-01

In the present study, corn canopy is the objective. Firstly the polarization of corn canopy was analyzed based on polarization reflection mechanism; then, the polarization of canopy was measured in different growth period at nadir before heading. The result proved the theoretical derivation that the light reflected from corn canopy is polarized, and found that in the total reflection the polarization light accounts for up to 10%. This shows that polarization measurement provides auxiliary information for remote sensing, but also illustrates that the use of the polarization information retrieval of atmospheric parameters should be considered when the surface polarization affects on it.

Surface and downhole shear wave seismic methods for thick soil site investigations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hunter, J.A.; Benjumea, B.; Harris, J.B.; Miller, R.D.; Pullan, S.E.; Burns, R.A.; Good, R.L.

2002-01-01

Shear wave velocity-depth information is required for predicting the ground motion response to earthquakes in areas where significant soil cover exists over firm bedrock. Rather than estimating this critical parameter, it can be reliably measured using a suite of surface (non-invasive) and downhole (invasive) seismic methods. Shear wave velocities from surface measurements can be obtained using SH refraction techniques. Array lengths as large as 1000 m and depth of penetration to 250 m have been achieved in some areas. High resolution shear wave reflection techniques utilizing the common midpoint method can delineate the overburden-bedrock surface as well as reflecting boundaries within the overburden. Reflection data can also be used to obtain direct estimates of fundamental site periods from shear wave reflections without the requirement of measuring average shear wave velocity and total thickness of unconsolidated overburden above the bedrock surface. Accurate measurements of vertical shear wave velocities can be obtained using a seismic cone penetrometer in soft sediments, or with a well-locked geophone array in a borehole. Examples from thick soil sites in Canada demonstrate the type of shear wave velocity information that can be obtained with these geophysical techniques, and show how these data can be used to provide a first look at predicted ground motion response for thick soil sites. ?? 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

Free-form surface design method for a collimator TIR lens.

PubMed

Tsai, Chung-Yu

2016-04-01

A free-form (FF) surface design method is proposed for a general axial-symmetrical collimator system consisting of a light source and a total internal reflection lens with two coupled FF boundary surfaces. The profiles of the boundary surfaces are designed using a FF surface construction method such that each incident ray is directed (refracted and reflected) in such a way as to form a specified image pattern on the target plane. The light ray paths within the system are analyzed using an exact analytical model and a skew-ray tracing approach. In addition, the validity of the proposed FF design method is demonstrated by means of ZEMAX simulations. It is shown that the illumination distribution formed on the target plane is in good agreement with that specified by the user. The proposed surface construction method is mathematically straightforward and easily implemented in computer code. As such, it provides a useful tool for the design and analysis of general axial-symmetrical optical systems.

Lactoperoxidase catalyzed radioiodination of cell surface immunoglobulin: incorporated radioactivity may not reflect relative cell surface Ig density. [/sup 125/I

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

Wilder, R.L.; Yuen, C.C.; Mage, R.G.

1979-02-01

Rabbit and mouse splenic lymphocytes were radioiodinated by the lactoperoxidase technique, extracted with non-ionic detergent, immunoprecipitated with high titered rabbit anti-kappa antisera, and compared by SDS-PAGE. Mouse sIg peaks were reproducibly larger in size than rabbit sIg peaks (often greater than 10 times). Neither differences in incorporation of label into the rabbit cell surface, nor differences in average sIg density explain this result. Total TCA-precipitable radioactivity was similar in each species. Estimation of the relative amounts of sIg in the mouse and rabbit showed similar average sIg densities. Differences in detergent solubility, proteolytic lability, or antisera used also do notmore » adequately account for this difference. Thus, these data indicate that radioactivity incorporated after lactoperoxidase catalyzed cell surface radioiodination may not reflect cell surface Ig density. Conclusions about cell surface density based upon relative incorporation of radioactivity should be confirmed by other approaches.« less

Hydrodynamic boundary condition of water on hydrophobic surfaces.

PubMed

Schaeffel, David; Yordanov, Stoyan; Schmelzeisen, Marcus; Yamamoto, Tetsuya; Kappl, Michael; Schmitz, Roman; Dünweg, Burkhard; Butt, Hans-Jürgen; Koynov, Kaloian

2013-05-01

By combining total internal reflection fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy with Brownian dynamics simulations, we were able to measure the hydrodynamic boundary condition of water flowing over a smooth solid surface with exceptional accuracy. We analyzed the flow of aqueous electrolytes over glass coated with a layer of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (advancing contact angle Θ = 108°) or perfluorosilane (Θ = 113°). Within an error of better than 10 nm the slip length was indistinguishable from zero on all surfaces.

Single-Molecule Light-Sheet Imaging of Suspended T Cells.

PubMed

Ponjavic, Aleks; McColl, James; Carr, Alexander R; Santos, Ana Mafalda; Kulenkampff, Klara; Lippert, Anna; Davis, Simon J; Klenerman, David; Lee, Steven F

2018-05-08

Adaptive immune responses are initiated by triggering of the T cell receptor. Single-molecule imaging based on total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy at coverslip/basal cell interfaces is commonly used to study this process. These experiments have suggested, unexpectedly, that the diffusional behavior and organization of signaling proteins and receptors may be constrained before activation. However, it is unclear to what extent the molecular behavior and cell state is affected by the imaging conditions, i.e., by the presence of a supporting surface. In this study, we implemented single-molecule light-sheet microscopy, which enables single receptors to be directly visualized at any plane in a cell to study protein dynamics and organization in live, resting T cells. The light sheet enabled the acquisition of high-quality single-molecule fluorescence images that were comparable to those of total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. By comparing the apical and basal surfaces of surface-contacting T cells using single-molecule light-sheet microscopy, we found that most coated-glass surfaces and supported lipid bilayers profoundly affected the diffusion of membrane proteins (T cell receptor and CD45) and that all the surfaces induced calcium influx to various degrees. Our results suggest that, when studying resting T cells, surfaces are best avoided, which we achieve here by suspending cells in agarose. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Switching terahertz wave with grating-coupled Kretschmann configuration.

PubMed

Jiu-Sheng, Li

2017-08-07

We present a terahertz wave switch utilizing Kretschmann configuration which consists of high-refractive-index prism-liquid crystal-periodically grooved metal grating. The switching mechanism of the terahertz switch is based on spoof surface plasmon polariton (SSPP) excitation in the attenuated total reflection regime by changing the liquid crystal refractive index. The results highlighted the fact that the feasibility to "tune" the attenuated total reflection terahertz wave intensity by using the external applied bias voltage. The extinction ratio of the terahertz switch reaches 31.48dB. The terahertz switch has good control ability and flexibility, and can be used in potential terahertz free space device systems.

Three-dimensional characterization of tethered microspheres by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blumberg, Seth; Gajraj, Arivalagan; Pennington, Matthew W.; Meiners, Jens-Christian

2005-01-01

Tethered particle microscopy is a powerful tool to study the dynamics of DNA molecules and DNA-protein complexes in single-molecule experiments. We demonstrate that stroboscopic total internal reflection microscopy can be used to characterize the three-dimensional spatiotemporal motion of DNA-tethered particles. By calculating characteristic measures such as symmetry and time constants of the motion, well-formed tethers can be distinguished from defective ones for which the motion is dominated by aberrant surface effects. This improves the reliability of measurements on tether dynamics. For instance, in observations of protein-mediated DNA looping, loop formation is distinguished from adsorption and other nonspecific events.

Iterative atmospheric correction scheme and the polarization color of alpine snow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ottaviani, Matteo; Cairns, Brian; Ferrare, Rich; Rogers, Raymond

2012-07-01

Characterization of the Earth's surface is crucial to remote sensing, both to map geomorphological features and because subtracting this signal is essential during retrievals of the atmospheric constituents located between the surface and the sensor. Current operational algorithms model the surface total reflectance through a weighted linear combination of a few geometry-dependent kernels, each devised to describe a particular scattering mechanism. The information content of these measurements is overwhelmed by that of instruments with polarization capabilities: proposed models in this case are based on the Fresnel reflectance of an isotropic distribution of facets. Because of its remarkable lack of spectral contrast, the polarized reflectance of land surfaces in the shortwave infrared spectral region, where atmospheric scattering is minimal, can be used to model the surface also at shorter wavelengths, where aerosol retrievals are attempted based on well-established scattering theories.In radiative transfer simulations, straightforward separation of the surface and atmospheric contributions is not possible without approximations because of the coupling introduced by multiple reflections. Within a general inversion framework, the problem can be eliminated by linearizing the radiative transfer calculation, and making the Jacobian (i.e., the derivative expressing the sensitivity of the reflectance with respect to model parameters) available at output. We present a general methodology based on a Gauss-Newton iterative search, which automates this procedure and eliminates de facto the need of an ad hoc atmospheric correction.In this case study we analyze the color variations in the polarized reflectance measured by the NASA Goddard Institute of Space Studies Research Scanning Polarimeter during a survey of late-season snowfields in the High Sierra. This insofar unique dataset presents challenges linked to the rugged topography associated with the alpine environment and a likely high water content due to melting. The analysis benefits from ancillary information provided by the NASA Langley High Spectral Resolution Lidar deployed on the same aircraft.The results obtained from the iterative scheme are contrasted against the surface polarized reflectance obtained ignoring multiple reflections, via the simplistic subtraction of the atmospheric scattering contribution. Finally, the retrieved reflectance is modeled after the scattering properties of a dense collection of ice crystals at the surface. Confirming that the polarized reflectance of snow is spectrally flat would allow to extend the techniques already in use for polarimetric retrievals of aerosol properties over land to the large portion of snow-covered pixels plaguing orbital and suborbital observations.

Iterative Atmospheric Correction Scheme and the Polarization Color of Alpine Snow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ottaviani, Matteo; Cairns, Brian; Ferrare, Rich; Rogers, Raymond

2012-01-01

Characterization of the Earth's surface is crucial to remote sensing, both to map geomorphological features and because subtracting this signal is essential during retrievals of the atmospheric constituents located between the surface and the sensor. Current operational algorithms model the surface total reflectance through a weighted linear combination of a few geometry-dependent kernels, each devised to describe a particular scattering mechanism. The information content of these measurements is overwhelmed by that of instruments with polarization capabilities: proposed models in this case are based on the Fresnel reflectance of an isotropic distribution of facets. Because of its remarkable lack of spectral contrast, the polarized reflectance of land surfaces in the shortwave infrared spectral region, where atmospheric scattering is minimal, can be used to model the surface also at shorter wavelengths, where aerosol retrievals are attempted based on well-established scattering theories. In radiative transfer simulations, straightforward separation of the surface and atmospheric contributions is not possible without approximations because of the coupling introduced by multiple reflections. Within a general inversion framework, the problem can be eliminated by linearizing the radiative transfer calculation, and making the Jacobian (i.e., the derivative expressing the sensitivity of the reflectance with respect to model parameters) available at output. We present a general methodology based on a Gauss-Newton iterative search, which automates this procedure and eliminates de facto the need of an ad hoc atmospheric correction. In this case study we analyze the color variations in the polarized reflectance measured by the NASA Goddard Institute of Space Studies Research Scanning Polarimeter during a survey of late-season snowfields in the High Sierra. This insofar unique dataset presents challenges linked to the rugged topography associated with the alpine environment and a likely high water content due to melting. The analysis benefits from ancillary information provided by the NASA Langley High Spectral Resolution Lidar deployed on the same aircraft. The results obtained from the iterative scheme are contrasted against the surface polarized reflectance obtained ignoring multiple reflections, via the simplistic subtraction of the atmospheric scattering contribution. Finally, the retrieved reflectance is modeled after the scattering properties of a dense collection of ice crystals at the surface. Confirming that the polarized reflectance of snow is spectrally flat would allow to extend the techniques already in use for polarimetric retrievals of aerosol properties over land to the large portion of snow-covered pixels plaguing orbital and suborbital observations.

Ultraviolet (UV)-reflective paint with ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) improves decontamination of nosocomial bacteria on hospital room surfaces.

PubMed

Jelden, Katelyn C; Gibbs, Shawn G; Smith, Philip W; Hewlett, Angela L; Iwen, Peter C; Schmid, Kendra K; Lowe, John J

2017-06-01

An ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) generator (the TORCH, ClorDiSys Solutions, Inc.) was used to compare the disinfection of surface coupons (plastic from a bedrail, stainless steel, and chrome-plated light switch cover) in a hospital room with walls coated with ultraviolet (UV)-reflective paint (Lumacept) or standard paint. Each surface coupon was inoculated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE), placed at 6 different sites within a hospital room coated with UV-reflective paint or standard paint, and treated by 10 min UVC exposure (UVC dose of 0-688 mJ/cm 2 between sites with standard paint and 0-553 mJ/cm 2 with UV-reflective paint) in 8 total trials. Aggregated MRSA concentrations on plastic bedrail surface coupons were reduced on average by 3.0 log 10 (1.8 log 10 Geometric Standard Deviation [GSD]) with standard paint and 4.3 log 10 (1.3 log 10 GSD) with UV-reflective paint (p = 0.0005) with no significant reduction differences between paints on stainless steel and chrome. Average VRE concentrations were reduced by ≥4.9 log 10 (<1.2 log 10 GSD) on all surface types with UV-reflective paint and ≤4.1 log 10 (<1.7 log 10 GSD) with standard paint (p < 0.05). At 5 aggregated sites directly exposed to UVC light, MRSA concentrations on average were reduced by 5.2 log 10 (1.4 log 10 GSD) with standard paint and 5.1 log 10 (1.2 log 10 GSD) with UV-reflective paint (p = 0.017) and VRE by 4.4 log 10 (1.4 log 10 GSD) with standard paint and 5.3 log 10 (1.1 log 10 GSD) with UV-reflective paint (p < 0.0001). At one indirectly exposed site on the opposite side of the hospital bed from the UVGI generator, MRSA concentrations on average were reduced by 1.3 log 10 (1.7 log 10 GSD) with standard paint and 4.7 log 10 (1.3 log 10 GSD) with UV-reflective paint (p < 0.0001) and VRE by 1.2 log 10 (1.5 log 10 GSD) with standard paint and 4.6 log 10 (1.1 log 10 GSD) with UV-reflective paint (p < 0.0001). Coating hospital room walls with UV-reflective paint enhanced UVGI disinfection of nosocomial bacteria on various surfaces compared to standard paint, particularly at a surface placement site indirectly exposed to UVC light.

Electroluminescent device having improved light output

DOEpatents

Tyan,; Yuan-Sheng, [Webster, NY; Preuss, Donald R [Rochester, NY; Farruggia, Giuseppe [Webster, NY; Kesel, Raymond A [Avon, NY; Cushman, Thomas R [Rochester, NY

2011-03-22

An OLED device including a transparent substrate having a first surface and a second surface, a transparent electrode layer disposed over the first surface of the substrate, a short reduction layer disposed over the transparent electrode layer, an organic light-emitting element disposed over the short reduction layer and including at least one light-emitting layer and a charge injection layer disposed over the light emitting layer, a reflective electrode layer disposed over the charge injection layer and a light extraction enhancement structure disposed over the first or second surface of the substrate; wherein the short reduction layer is a transparent film having a through-thickness resistivity of 10.sup.-9 to 10.sup.2 ohm-cm.sup.2; wherein the reflective electrode layer includes Ag or Ag alloy containing more than 80% of Ag; and the total device size is larger than 10 times the substrate thickness.

"Colgate-Plus"--An Imperfect Light Pipe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ouseph, P. J.

1993-01-01

Describes the effects when a clear toothbrush is used as total internally reflecting light pipe when attached to a laser. Several explanations are given describing the nonuniformity of the transmitted light resulting from surface and internal irregularities found in the toothbrush. (MVL)

Mechanisms for trace metal enrichment at the surface microlayer in an estuarine salt marsh

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lion, Leonard W.

1982-01-01

The relative contributions of adsorption to particulate surfaces, complexation with surface-active organic ligands and uptake by micro-organisms were evaluated with respect to their importance in the surface microlayer enrichment (‘partitioning’) of Cd, Pb and Cu. The contributions of each process were inferred from field data in which partitioning of the dissolved and particulate forms of Cd, Pb and Cu, total and dissolved organic carbon, particles and total bacteria were observed. In the South San Francisco Bay estuary, particle enrichment appears to control trace metal partitioning. Trace metal association with the particulate phase and the levels of partitioning observed were in the order Pb > Cu > Cd and reflect the calculated equilibrium chemical speciation of these metals in computer-simulated seawater matrices.

Positrons in surface physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hugenschmidt, Christoph

2016-12-01

Within the last decade powerful methods have been developed to study surfaces using bright low-energy positron beams. These novel analysis tools exploit the unique properties of positron interaction with surfaces, which comprise the absence of exchange interaction, repulsive crystal potential and positron trapping in delocalized surface states at low energies. By applying reflection high-energy positron diffraction (RHEPD) one can benefit from the phenomenon of total reflection below a critical angle that is not present in electron surface diffraction. Therefore, RHEPD allows the determination of the atom positions of (reconstructed) surfaces with outstanding accuracy. The main advantages of positron annihilation induced Auger-electron spectroscopy (PAES) are the missing secondary electron background in the energy region of Auger-transitions and its topmost layer sensitivity for elemental analysis. In order to enable the investigation of the electron polarization at surfaces low-energy spin-polarized positrons are used to probe the outermost electrons of the surface. Furthermore, in fundamental research the preparation of well defined surfaces tailored for the production of bound leptonic systems plays an outstanding role. In this report, it is envisaged to cover both the fundamental aspects of positron surface interaction and the present status of surface studies using modern positron beam techniques.

Satellite Estimation of Spectral Surface UV Irradiance. 2; Effect of Horizontally Homogeneous Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krothov, N.; Herman, J. R.; Bhartia, P. K.; Ahmad, Z.a; Fioletov, V.

1998-01-01

The local variability of UV irradiance at the Earth's surface is mostly caused by clouds in addition to the seasonal variability. Parametric representations of radiative transfer RT calculations are presented for the convenient solution of the transmission T of ultraviolet radiation through plane parallel clouds over a surface with reflectivity R(sub s). The calculations are intended for use with the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) measured radiances to obtain the calculated Lambert equivalent scene reflectivity R for scenes with and without clouds. The purpose is to extend the theoretical analysis of the estimation of UV irradiance from satellite data for a cloudy atmosphere. Results are presented for a range of cloud optical depths and solar zenith angles for the cases of clouds over a low reflectivity surface R(sub s) less than 0.1, over a snow or ice surface R(sub s) greater than 0.3, and for transmission through a non-conservative scattering cloud with single scattering albedo omega(sub 0) = 0.999. The key finding for conservative scattering is that the cloud-transmission function C(sub T), the ratio of cloudy-to clear-sky transmission, is roughly C(sub T) = 1 - R(sub c) with an error of less than 20% for nearly overhead sun and snow-free surfaces. For TOMS estimates of UV irradiance in the presence of both snow and clouds, independent information about snow albedo is needed for conservative cloud scattering. For non-conservative scattering with R(sub s) greater than 0.5 (snow) the satellite measured scene reflectance cannot be used to estimate surface irradiance. The cloud transmission function has been applied to the calculation of UV irradiance at the Earth's surface and compared with ground-based measurements.

Investigation of the effect of atmospheric dust on the determination of total ozone from the earth's ultraviolet reflectivity measurements, 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dave, J. V.

1976-01-01

Two computer algorithms are described. These algorithms were used for computing the aximuth-independent component of the intensity of the monochromatic radiation emerging at the top of a pseudo-spherical atmosphere with arbitrary vertical distribution of ozone, and with any arbitrary height distribution of up to two different kinds of aerosol. This atmospheric model was assumed to rest on a surface obeying Lambert's law of reflection.

Chapter 7: Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy.

PubMed

Axelrod, Daniel

2008-01-01

Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM), also known as evanescent wave microscopy, is used in a wide range of applications, particularly to view single molecules attached to planar surfaces and to study the position and dynamics of molecules and organelles in living culture cells near the contact regions with the glass coverslip. TIRFM selectively illuminates fluorophores only in a very thin (less than 100 nm deep) layer near the substrate, thereby avoiding excitation of fluorophores outside this subresolution optical section. This chapter reviews the history, current applications in cell biology and biochemistry, basic optical theory, combinations with numerous other optical and spectroscopic approaches, and a range of setup methods, both commercial and custom.

Improved out-coupling efficiency of organic light emitting diodes fabricated on a TiO2 planarization layer with embedded Si oxide nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sung, Young Hoon; Jung, Pil-Hoon; Han, Kyung-Hoon; Kim, Yang Doo; Kim, Jang-Joo; Lee, Heon

2017-10-01

In order to increase the out-coupling efficiency of organic light emitting diodes, conical Si oxide nanostructures were formed on a glass substrate using nanoimprint lithography with hydrogen silsesquioxane. Then, the substrate was planarized with TiO2 nanoparticles. Since TiO2 nanoparticles have a higher refractive index than Si oxide, the surface of substrate is physically flat, but optically undulated in a manner that enables optical scattering and suppression of total internal reflection. Subsequently, OLEDs formed on a substrate with nanostructured Si oxide and a TiO2 planarization layer exhibit a 25% increase in out-coupling efficiency by suppressing total internal reflection.

Narrow groove plasmonic nano-gratings for surface plasmon resonance sensing

PubMed Central

Dhawan, Anuj; Canva, Michael; Vo-Dinh, Tuan

2011-01-01

We present a novel surface plasmon resonance (SPR) configuration based on narrow groove (sub-15 nm) plasmonic nano-gratings such that normally incident radiation can be coupled into surface plasmons without the use of prism-coupling based total internal reflection, as in the classical Kretschmann configuration. This eliminates the angular dependence requirements of SPR-based sensing and allows development of robust miniaturized SPR sensors. Simulations based on Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis (RCWA) were carried out to numerically calculate the reflectance - from different gold and silver nano-grating structures - as a function of the localized refractive index of the media around the SPR nano-gratings as well as the incident radiation wavelength and angle of incidence. Our calculations indicate substantially higher differential reflectance signals, on localized change of refractive index in the narrow groove plasmonic gratings, as compared to those obtained from conventional SPR-based sensing systems. Furthermore, these calculations allow determination of the optimal nano-grating geometric parameters - i. e. nanoline periodicity, spacing between the nanolines, as well as the height of the nanolines in the nano-grating - for highest sensitivity to localized change of refractive index, as would occur due to binding of a biomolecule target to a functionalized nano-grating surface. PMID:21263620

Effects of surface contamination on the infrared emissivity and visible-light scattering of highly reflective surfaces at cryogenic temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Viehmann, W.; Eubanks, A. G.

1972-01-01

A technique is described for the simultaneous in situ measurement of film thickness, refractive index, total normal emissivity, visible-light scattering, and reflectance of contaminant films on a highly reflective liquid-nitrogen cooled, stainless steel substrate. Emissivities and scattering data are obtained for films of water, carbon dioxide, silicone oil, and a number of aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons as a function of film thickness between zero and 20 microns. Of the contaminants investigated, water has by far the greatest effect on emissivity, followed by silicone oil, aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, and carbon dioxide. The emissivity increases more rapidly with film thickness between zero and 2.5 microns than at thicknesses greater than 2.5 microns. Scattering of visible light changes very little below 2 microns thickness but increases rapidly with thickness beyond 2 to 3 microns. The effect of contaminant films on passive radiation coolers is discussed.

Nanoscale characterization of vesicle adhesion by normalized total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy.

PubMed

Cardoso Dos Santos, Marcelina; Vézy, Cyrille; Jaffiol, Rodolphe

2016-06-01

We recently proposed a straightforward fluorescence microscopy technique to study adhesion of Giant Unilamellar Vesicles. This technique is based on dual observations which combine epi-fluorescence microscopy and total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy: TIRF images are normalized by epi-fluorescence ones. By this way, it is possible to map the membrane/substrate separation distance with a nanometric resolution, typically ~20 nm, with a maximal working range of 300-400 nm. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that this technique is useful to quantify vesicle adhesion from ultra-weak to strong membrane-surface interactions. Thus, we have examined unspecific and specific adhesion conditions. Concerning unspecific adhesion, we have controlled the strength of electrostatic forces between negatively charged vesicles and various functionalized surfaces which exhibit a positive or a negative effective charge. Specific adhesion was highlighted with lock-and-key forces mediated by the well defined biotin/streptavidin recognition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Raman scattering and attenuated-total-reflection studies of surface-plasmon polaritons

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

Kurosawa, K.; Pierce, R.M.; Ushioda, S.

1986-01-15

We have made in situ measurements of attenuated total reflection (ATR) and Raman scattering from a layered structure consisting of a glass prism, a thin silver film, an MgF2 spacer, and a liquid mixture whose refractive index is matched to that of MgF2. When the incident angle of the laser beam coincides with the ATR angle, the surface-plasmon polariton (SPP) of the silver film is excited resonantly and the Raman scattering intensity of the liquid shows a maximum. The same effect is observed at the frequency of the Stokes scattered light. By measuring the decrease of the Raman scattering intensitymore » of the liquid with increase of the thickness of the MgF2 spacer layer, we have determined the decay length (l/sub d/) of the SPP field into the liquid. The measured value of l/sub d/ = 1539 A agrees with the calculated value, 1534 A.« less

ADEOS Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) Data Products User's Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krueger, A.; Bhartia, P. K.; McPeters, R.; Herman, J.; Wellemeyer, C.; Jaross, G.; Seftor, C.; Torres, O.; Labow, G.; Byerly, W.;

Earth Probe Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) Data Product User's Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McPeters, R.; Bhartia, P. K.; Krueger, A.; Herman, J.; Wellemeyer, C.; Seftor, C.; Jaross, G.; Torres, O.; Moy, L.; Labow, G.;

Using the multiangle polarimetric measuring capabilities of the 2010 NASA/Glory mission to separate atmospheric scattering contributions from radiances emerging from open oceans in the visible part of the spectrum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chowdhary, J.; Cairns, B.; Mishchenko, M. I.; Carlson, B. E.

2009-12-01

Answering the question of what measurements represent benchmarks for the state of the climate of the Earth is one that is of crucial importance for determining what remote sensing measurements will be made in the future. The Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor (APS), scheduled for launch into the A-train in 2010 onboard the NASA/Glory Mission, will provide multiangle, multispectral polarized reflectance measurements of sunlight reflected by the Earth’s atmosphere-surface system. The accuracy of aerosol retrievals from these measurements has already been demonstrated in field campaigns with data obtained by an airborne version of the APS, namely, the Research Scanning Polarimeter (RSP). There are several factors contributing to the success of these retrievals. One of these is the better tools available for the analyses of polarized reflectance than for the analyses of total reflectance which allows the atmospheric scattering contributions to be separated from reflection by the lower boundary whether the underlying surface be land, an ocean or lake, or even clouds. The one we focus on here is the capability to use polarization to separate atmospheric scattering from water- leaving radiances. We review a radiative transfer model for underwater light scattering that computes these radiances, and apply the results to analyses of data obtained by the RSP over the open ocean during the MILAGRO field campaign. We demonstrate that the sensitivity of remotely sensed polarized reflectances to variations in the ocean color is much smaller than that of total reflectances. Uncertainties in underwater light scattering properties that are difficult to quantify, such as absorption by colored dissolved organic materials, have a negligible effect on the polarized reflectances whereas the reflectances are substantially affected in the blue/UV part of the spectrum. This of course means that, while the polarized reflectances can be used to characterize the atmosphere, valuable information can be obtained about absorption and scattering in the ocean body from the reflectance. Polarimetric measurements are therefore far more valuable than purely radiometric measurements in simultaneously assessing the state of the atmosphere and the ocean.

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.

Determination of copper nanoparticle size distributions with total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Singh, Andy; Luening, Katharina; Brennan, Sean; ...

2017-01-01

Total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) analysis is extensively used by the semiconductor industry for measuring trace metal contamination on silicon surfaces. In addition to determining the quantity of impurities on a surface, TXRF can reveal information about the vertical distribution of contaminants by measuring the fluorescence signal as a function of the angle of incidence. In this study, two samples were intentionally contaminated with copper in non-deoxygenated and deoxygenated ultrapure water (UPW) resulting in impurity profiles that were either atomically dispersed in a thin film or particle-like, respectively. The concentration profile of the samples immersed into deoxygenated UPW was calculatedmore » using a theoretical concentration profile representative of particles, yielding a mean particle height of 16.1 nm. However, the resulting theoretical profile suggested that a distribution of particle heights exists on the surface. The fit of the angular distribution data was further refined by minimizing the residual error of a least-squares fit employing a model with a Gaussian distribution of particle heights about the mean height. The presence of a height distribution was also confirmed with atomic force microscopy measurements.« less

Determination of copper nanoparticle size distributions with total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy

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

Singh, Andy; Luening, Katharina; Brennan, Sean

Total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) analysis is extensively used by the semiconductor industry for measuring trace metal contamination on silicon surfaces. In addition to determining the quantity of impurities on a surface, TXRF can reveal information about the vertical distribution of contaminants by measuring the fluorescence signal as a function of the angle of incidence. In this study, two samples were intentionally contaminated with copper in non-deoxygenated and deoxygenated ultrapure water (UPW) resulting in impurity profiles that were either atomically dispersed in a thin film or particle-like, respectively. The concentration profile of the samples immersed into deoxygenated UPW was calculatedmore » using a theoretical concentration profile representative of particles, yielding a mean particle height of 16.1 nm. However, the resulting theoretical profile suggested that a distribution of particle heights exists on the surface. The fit of the angular distribution data was further refined by minimizing the residual error of a least-squares fit employing a model with a Gaussian distribution of particle heights about the mean height. The presence of a height distribution was also confirmed with atomic force microscopy measurements.« less

The Dolphin in the Mirror - A Familiar Face?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dibble, Dianna Samuelson; Van Alstyne, Kaitlin Katie; Rohr, Jim; Ridgway, Sam

2017-01-01

We suggest how a basic physics problem becomes much richer when researchers of various disciplines converse. Our discussion explores Snell's window from the perspective of what a dolphin might see. An aperture, Snell's window, allows light to travel through the air-water interface. Outside this window, there is total reflection from under the water-air interface. Dolphins see through the aperture to follow our movements above the water's surface. When dolphins look outside the window, can they see their own reflections from under the water-air interface?

Optimal partitioning theory revisited: nonstructural carbohydrates dominate root mass responses to nitrogen.

PubMed

Kobe, Richard K; Iyer, Meera; Walters, Michael B

2010-01-01

Under optimal partitioning theory (OPT), plants preferentially allocate biomass to acquire the resource that most limits growth. Within this framework, higher root mass under low nutrients is often assumed to reflect an allocation response to build more absorptive surface. However, higher root mass also could result from increased storage of total nonstructural carbohydrates (TNC) without an increase in non-storage mass or root surface area. To test the relative contributions of TNC and non-storage mass as components of root mass responses to resources, we grew seedlings of seven northern hardwood tree species (black, red, and white oak, sugar and red maple, American beech, and black cherry) in a factorial light x nitrogen (N) greenhouse experiment. Because root mass is a coarse metric of absorptive surface, we also examined treatment effects on fine-root surface area (FRSA). Consistent with OPT, total root mass as a proportion of whole-plant mass generally was greater in low vs. high N. However, changes in root mass were influenced by TNC mass in all seven species and were especially strong in the three oak species. In contrast, non-storage mass contributed to increased total root mass under low N in three of the seven species. Root morphology also responded, with higher fine-root surface area (normalized to root mass) under low vs. high N in four species. Although biomass partitioning responses to resources were consistent with OPT, our results challenge the implicit assumption that increases in root mass under low nutrient levels primarily reflect allocation shifts to build more root surface area. Rather, root responses to low N included increases in: TNC, non-storage mass and fine-root surface area, with increases in TNC being the largest and most consistent of these responses. The greatest TNC accumulation occurred when C was abundant relative to N. Total nonstructural carbohydrates storage could provide seedlings a carbon buffer when respiratory or growth demands are not synchronized with photosynthesis, flexibility in responding to uncertain and fluctuating abiotic and biotic conditions, and increased access to soil resources by providing an energy source for mycorrhizae, decomposers in the rhizosphere, or root uptake of nutrients.

X-Ray Standing Waves on Surfaces

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-01

dependent distributional changes of iodine on Pt 6.3 X-ray standing wave study of a Langmuir - Blodgett multilayer film 7. Conclusions 8. Acknowledgments...4B. 6.3 X-ray standing wave study of a Langmuir - Blodgett multilayer film As mentioned previously the total external reflection condition occurs...for a Zn atom layer embedded in the top arachidate bilayer of a Langmuir - Blodgett (LB) multilayer film which was deposited on the surface of a gold

On the Relationship Between Hyperspectral Data and Foliar Nitrogen Content in Closed Canopy Forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knyazikhin, Y.; Schull, M.; Lepine, L. C.; Stenberg, P.; Mõttus, M.; Rautiainen, M.; Latorre, P.; Myneni, R.; Kaufmann, R.

2011-12-01

The importance of nitrogen for terrestrial ecosystem carbon dynamics and its climate feedback has been well recognized by the ecological community. Interaction between carbon and nitrogen at leaf level is among the fundamental mechanisms that directly control the dynamics of terrestrial vegetation carbon. This process influences absorption and scattering of solar radiation by foliage, which in turn impacts radiation reflected by the vegetation and measured by satellite sensors. NASA's Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) and ground based data on canopy structure and foliage nitrogen concentration acquired over six sites in Maine, New England, Florida, North Carolina and Washington were analyzed to assess the role of canopy structure, leaf optics and its biochemical constituents in the spectral variation of radiation reflected by the forest. The study sites represent closed canopy forests (LAI~5). Our results suggest: 1. Impact of canopy structure is so strong that it can significantly suppress the sensitivity of hyperspectral data to leaf optics. 2. Forest reflectance spectra in the interval [710, 790 nm] are required to obtain the fraction of the total leaf area that a "sensor sees" in a given direction. For closed canopy forests its retrieval does not require canopy reflectance models, suggesting that canopy reflectance spectra in this interval provide a direct estimate of the leaf area fraction. 3. The leaf area fraction fully explains variation in measured reflectance spectra due to variation in canopy structure. This variable is used to estimate the mean leaf scattering over foliage that the "sensor sees." For example the nadir-viewing AVIRIS sensor accumulates foliage optical properties over 25% of the total foliage area in needle leaf forest and about 50% in broadleaf forest. 4. Leaf surface properties have an impact on forest reflectivity, lowering its sensitivity to leaf absorbing pigments. 5. Variation in foliar nitrogen concentration can explain up to 55% of variation in AVIRIS spectra in the interval between 400 and 900 nm. The remaining factors could be due to (a) impact of leaf surface properties and/or (b) under-sampling of leaf optical properties due to the single view of the AVIRIS sensor. The theory of canopy spectral invariants underlies the separation of leaf scattering from the total canopy reflectance spectrum.

Design of an ultra-thin dual band infrared system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Ke; Cheng, Xuemin; Lv, Qichao; Hu, YiFei

2014-11-01

The ultra-thin imaging system using reflective multiple-fold structure has smaller volume and less weight while maintaining high resolution compared with conventional optical systems. The multi-folded approach can significantly extend focal distance within wide spectral range without incurring chromatic aberrations. In this paper, we present a dual infrared imaging system of four-folded reflection with two air-spaced concentric reflective surfaces. The dual brand IR system has 107mm effective focal length, 0.7NA, +/-4° FOV, and 50mm effective aperture with 80mm outer diameter into a 25mm total thickness, which spectral response is 3~12μm.

Graphene-based magnetless converter of terahertz wave polarization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melnikova, Veronica S.; Polischuk, Olga V.; Popov, Vyacheslav V.

2016-04-01

The polarization conversion of terahertz radiation by the periodic array of graphene nanoribbons located at the surface of a high-refractive-index dielectric substrate (terahertz prism) is studied theoretically. Giant polarization conversion at the plasmon resonance frequencies takes place without applying external DC magnetic field. It is shown that the total polarization conversion can be reached at the total internal reflection of THz wave from the periodic array of graphene nanoribbons even at room temperature.

Adsorption of benzyldimethylhexadecylammonium chloride at the hydrophobic silica-water interface studied by total internal reflection Raman spectroscopy: effects of silica surface properties and metal salt addition.

PubMed

Grenoble, Zlata; Baldelli, Steven

2013-08-29

The adsorption of the cationic surfactant benzyldimethylhexadecylammonium (BDMHA(+)) chloride was studied at an octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS)-monolayer-modified silica-water interface by Raman spectroscopy in total internal reflection (TIR) geometry. The present study demonstrates the capabilities of this spectroscopic technique to evaluate thermodynamic and kinetic BDMHA(+)Cl(-) adsorption properties at the hydrophobic silica surface. The surface coverage of BDMHA(+) decreased by 50% at the hydrophobic OTS-silica surface relative to the surface coverage on bare silica; the dominating driving mechanisms for surfactant adsorption were identified as hydrophobic effects and head group charge screening by the electrolyte counterions. Addition of magnesium metal salt (MgCl2) to the aqueous solution (∼ neutral pH) lowered the surface coverage and moderately increased the Langmuir adsorption constants relative to those of the pure surfactant. These trends were previously observed at the hydrophilic, negatively charged silica surface but with a smaller change in the Gibbs free energy of adsorption at the hydrophobic silica surface. The hydrophobic OTS-silica surface properties resulted in shorter times for the surfactant to reach steady-state adsorption conditions compared to the slow adsorption kinetics previously seen with the surfactant at the hydrophilic surface. Adsorption isotherms, based on Raman signal intensities from spectral analysis, were developed according to the Langmuir adsorption model for the pure surfactant at the OTS-silica-water interface; the modified Langmuir model was applied to the surfactant adsorption in the presence of 5, 10, 50, and 100 mM magnesium chloride. Spectral analysis of the Raman scattering intensities and geometric considerations suggests a hemimicelle-type surface aggregate as the most likely surfactant structure at the OTS-silica surface. The different kinetics observed at the hydrophilic versus the hydrophobic silica surface further indicate that the surface charge and potential influence the surfactant diffusion and kinetic rates of adsorption at the silica-water interface.

Hollow optical-fiber based infrared spectroscopy for measurement of blood glucose level by using multi-reflection prism.

PubMed

Kino, Saiko; Omori, Suguru; Katagiri, Takashi; Matsuura, Yuji

2016-02-01

A mid-infrared attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectroscopy system employing hollow optical fibers and a trapezoidal multi-reflection ATR prism has been developed to measure blood glucose levels. Using a multi-reflection prism brought about higher sensitivity, and the flat and wide contact surface of the prism resulted in higher measurement reproducibility. An analysis of in vivo measurements of human inner lip mucosa revealed clear signatures of glucose in the difference spectra between ones taken during the fasting state and ones taken after ingestion of glucose solutions. A calibration plot based on the absorption peak at 1155 cm(-1) that originates from the pyranose ring structure of glucose gave measurement errors less than 20%.

Back surface reflectors for solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chai, A. T.

1980-01-01

Sample solar cells were fabricated to study the effects of various back surface reflectors on the device performance. They are typical 50 micrometers thick, space quality, silicon solar cells except for variations of the back contact configuration. The back surfaces of the sample cells are polished to a mirror like finish, and have either conventional full contacts or grid finger contacts. Measurements and evaluation of various metallic back surface reflectors, as well as cells with total internal reflection, are presented. Results indicate that back surface reflectors formed using a grid finger back contact are more effective reflectors than cells with full back metallization and that Au, Ag, or Cu are better back surface reflector metals than Al.

Fourier Transform-Plasmon Waveguide Spectroscopy: A Nondestructive Multifrequency Method for Simultaneously Determining Polymer Thickness and Apparent Index of Refraction

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

Bobbitt, Jonathan M; Weibel, Stephen C; Elshobaki, Moneim

2014-12-16

Fourier transform (FT)-plasmon waveguide resonance (PWR) spectroscopy measures light reflectivity at a waveguide interface as the incident frequency and angle are scanned. Under conditions of total internal reflection, the reflected light intensity is attenuated when the incident frequency and angle satisfy conditions for exciting surface plasmon modes in the metal as well as guided modes within the waveguide. Expanding upon the concept of two-frequency surface plasmon resonance developed by Peterlinz and Georgiadis [ Opt. Commun. 1996, 130, 260], the apparent index of refraction and the thickness of a waveguide can be measured precisely and simultaneously by FT-PWR with an averagemore » percent relative error of 0.4%. Measuring reflectivity for a range of frequencies extends the analysis to a wide variety of sample compositions and thicknesses since frequencies with the maximum attenuation can be selected to optimize the analysis. Additionally, the ability to measure reflectivity curves with both p- and s-polarized light provides anisotropic indices of refraction. FT-PWR is demonstrated using polystyrene waveguides of varying thickness, and the validity of FT-PWR measurements are verified by comparing the results to data from profilometry and atomic force microscopy (AFM).« less

Fourier transform-plasmon waveguide spectroscopy: a nondestructive multifrequency method for simultaneously determining polymer thickness and apparent index of refraction.

PubMed

Bobbitt, Jonathan M; Weibel, Stephen C; Elshobaki, Moneim; Chaudhary, Sumit; Smith, Emily A

2014-12-16

Fourier transform (FT)-plasmon waveguide resonance (PWR) spectroscopy measures light reflectivity at a waveguide interface as the incident frequency and angle are scanned. Under conditions of total internal reflection, the reflected light intensity is attenuated when the incident frequency and angle satisfy conditions for exciting surface plasmon modes in the metal as well as guided modes within the waveguide. Expanding upon the concept of two-frequency surface plasmon resonance developed by Peterlinz and Georgiadis [Opt. Commun. 1996, 130, 260], the apparent index of refraction and the thickness of a waveguide can be measured precisely and simultaneously by FT-PWR with an average percent relative error of 0.4%. Measuring reflectivity for a range of frequencies extends the analysis to a wide variety of sample compositions and thicknesses since frequencies with the maximum attenuation can be selected to optimize the analysis. Additionally, the ability to measure reflectivity curves with both p- and s-polarized light provides anisotropic indices of refraction. FT-PWR is demonstrated using polystyrene waveguides of varying thickness, and the validity of FT-PWR measurements are verified by comparing the results to data from profilometry and atomic force microscopy (AFM).

In silico analysis of decomposed reflectances of C3 and C4 plants aiming at the effective assessment of crop needs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baranoski, Gladimir V. G.; Van Leeuwen, Spencer; Chen, Tenn F.

2017-04-01

By separating the surface and subsurface components of foliar hyperspectral signatures using polarization optics, it is possible to enhance the remote discrimination of different plant species and optimize the assessment of different factors associated with their health status. These initiatives, in turn, can lead to higher crop yield and lower environmental impact. It is important to consider, however, that the main varieties of crops, represented by C3 (e.g., soy) and C4 (e.g., maize) plants, have markedly distinct morphological characteristics. Accordingly, the influence of these characteristics on their interactions with impinging light may affect the selection of optimal probe wavelengths for specific applications making use of combined hyperspectral and polarization measurements. In this paper, we compare the sensitivity of the total (including surface and subsurface components) and subsurface reflectance responses of C3 and C4 plants to different spectral and geometrical light incidence conditions. This investigation is supported by measured biophysical data and predictive light transport simulations. The results of our comparisons indicate that the total and subsurface reflectance responses of C3 and C4 plants depict well-defined patterns of sensitivity for varying illumination conditions. We believe that these patterns should be considered in the design of high-fidelity crop discrimination and monitoring procedures.

Wide-aperture total absorption of a terahertz wave in a nanoperiodic graphene-based plasmon structure

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

Polischuk, O. V., E-mail: polischuk.sfire@mail.ru; Melnikova, V. S.; Popov, V. V., E-mail: popov-slava@yahoo.co.uk

2016-11-15

The terahertz absorption spectrum in a periodic array of graphene nanoribbons located on the surface of a dielectric substrate with a high refractive index (terahertz prism) is studied theoretically. The total absorption of terahertz radiation is shown to occur in the regime of total internal reflection of the terahertz wave from the periodic array of graphene nanoribbons, at the frequencies of plasma oscillations in graphene, in a wide range of incidence angles of the external terahertz wave even at room temperature.

On-orbit solar calibrations using the Aqua Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) in-flight calibration system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Robert S.; Priestley, Kory J.; Thomas, Susan; Hess, Phillip

2009-08-01

The Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) spacecraft scanning thermistor bolometers were used to measure earth-reflected solar and earth-emitted longwave radiances, at satellite altitude. The bolometers measured the earth radiances in the broadband shortwave solar (0.3 - 5.0 micrometers) and total (0.3->100 micrometers) spectral bands as well as in the (8 - 12 micrometers) water vapor window spectral band over geographical footprints as small as 10 kilometers at nadir. In May 2002, the fourth and fifth sets of CERES bolometers were launched aboard the Aqua spacecraft. Ground vacuum calibrations defined the initial count conversion coefficients that were used to convert the bolometer output voltages into filtered earth radiances. The mirror attenuator mosaic (MAM), a solar diffuser plate, was built into the CERES instrument package calibration system in order to define in-orbit shifts or drifts in the sensor responses. The shortwave and total sensors are calibrated using the solar radiances reflected from the MAM's. Each MAM consists of baffle-solar diffuser plate systems, which guide incoming solar radiances into the instrument fields-of-view of the shortwave and total wave sensor units. The MAM diffuser reflecting type surface consists of an array of spherical aluminum mirror segments, which are separated by a Merck Black A absorbing surface, overcoated with silicon dioxide. Temperature sensors are located in each MAM plate and baffle. The CERES MAM wass designed to yield calibration precisions approaching .5 percent for the total and shortwave detectors. In this paper, the MAM solar calibration procedures are presented along with on-orbit results. Comparisons are also made between the Aqua,Terra and the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) CERES MAM solar calibrations.

The development of optical microscopy techniques for the advancement of single-particle studies

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

Marchuk, Kyle

2013-05-15

Single particle orientation and rotational tracking (SPORT) has recently become a powerful optical microscopy tool that can expose many molecular motions. Unfortunately, there is not yet a single microscopy technique that can decipher all particle motions in all environmental conditions, thus there are limitations to current technologies. Within, the two powerful microscopy tools of total internal reflection and interferometry are advanced to determine the position, orientation, and optical properties of metallic nanoparticles in a variety of environments. Total internal reflection is an optical phenomenon that has been applied to microscopy to produce either fluorescent or scattered light. The non-invasive far-fieldmore » imaging technique is coupled with a near-field illumination scheme that allows for better axial resolution than confocal microscopy and epi-fluorescence microscopy. By controlling the incident illumination angle using total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, a new type of imaging probe called “non-blinking” quantum dots (NBQDs) were super-localized in the axial direction to sub-10-nm precision. These particles were also used to study the rotational motion of microtubules being propelled by the motor protein kinesin across the substrate surface. The same instrument was modified to function under total internal reflection scattering (TIRS) microscopy to study metallic anisotropic nanoparticles and their dynamic interactions with synthetic lipid bilayers. Utilizing two illumination lasers with opposite polarization directions at wavelengths corresponding to the short and long axis surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of the nanoparticles, both the in-plane and out-of-plane movements of many particles could be tracked simultaneously. When combined with Gaussian point spread function (PSF) fitting for particle super-localization, the binding status and rotational movement could be resolved without degeneracy. TIRS microscopy was also used to find the 3D orientation of stationary metallic anisotropic nanoparticles utilizing only long-axis SPR enhancement. The polarization direction of the illuminating light was rotated causing the relative intensity of p-polarized and s-polarized light within the evanescent field to change. The interaction of the evanescent field with the particles is dependent on the orientation of the particle producing an intensity curve. This curve and the in-plane angle can be compared with simulations to accurately determine the 3D orientation. Differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy is another non-invasive far-field technique based upon interferometry that does not rely on staining or other contrast enhancing techniques. In addition, high numerical aperture condensers and objectives can be used to give a very narrow depth of field allowing for the optical tomography of samples, which makes it an ideal candidate to study biological systems. DIC microscopy has also proven itself in determining the orientation of gold nanorods in both engineered environments and within cells. Many types of nanoparticles and nanostructures have been synthesized using lithographic techniques on silicon wafer substrates. Traditionally, reflective mode DIC microscopes have been developed and applied to the topographical study of reflective substrates and the imaging of chips on silicon wafers. Herein, a laser-illuminated reflected-mode DIC was developed for studying nanoparticles on reflective surfaces.« less

The development of optical microscopy techniques for the advancement of single-particle studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchuk, Kyle

Single particle orientation and rotational tracking (SPORT) has recently become a powerful optical microscopy tool that can expose many molecular motions. Unfortunately, there is not yet a single microscopy technique that can decipher all particle motions in all environmental conditions, thus there are limitations to current technologies. Within, the two powerful microscopy tools of total internal reflection and interferometry are advanced to determine the position, orientation, and optical properties of metallic nanoparticles in a variety of environments. Total internal reflection is an optical phenomenon that has been applied to microscopy to produce either fluorescent or scattered light. The non-invasive far-field imaging technique is coupled with a near-field illumination scheme that allows for better axial resolution than confocal microscopy and epi-fluorescence microscopy. By controlling the incident illumination angle using total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, a new type of imaging probe called "non-blinking" quantum dots (NBQDs) were super-localized in the axial direction to sub-10-nm precision. These particles were also used to study the rotational motion of microtubules being propelled by the motor protein kinesin across the substrate surface. The same instrument was modified to function under total internal reflection scattering (TIRS) microscopy to study metallic anisotropic nanoparticles and their dynamic interactions with synthetic lipid bilayers. Utilizing two illumination lasers with opposite polarization directions at wavelengths corresponding to the short and long axis surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of the nanoparticles, both the in-plane and out-of-plane movements of many particles could be tracked simultaneously. When combined with Gaussian point spread function (PSF) fitting for particle super-localization, the binding status and rotational movement could be resolved without degeneracy. TIRS microscopy was also used to find the 3D orientation of stationary metallic anisotropic nanoparticles utilizing only long-axis SPR enhancement. The polarization direction of the illuminating light was rotated causing the relative intensity of p-polarized and s-polarized light within the evanescent field to change. The interaction of the evanescent field with the particles is dependent on the orientation of the particle producing an intensity curve. This curve and the in-plane angle can be compared with simulations to accurately determine the 3D orientation. Differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy is another non-invasive far-field technique based upon interferometry that does not rely on staining or other contrast enhancing techniques. In addition, high numerical aperture condensers and objectives can be used to give a very narrow depth of field allowing for the optical tomography of samples, which makes it an ideal candidate to study biological systems. DIC microscopy has also proven itself in determining the orientation of gold nanorods in both engineered environments and within cells. Many types of nanoparticles and nanostructures have been synthesized using lithographic techniques on silicon wafer substrates. Traditionally, reflective mode DIC microscopes have been developed and applied to the topographical study of reflective substrates and the imaging of chips on silicon wafers. Herein, a laser-illuminated reflected-mode DIC was developed for studying nanoparticles on reflective surfaces.

Optical and heat transfer performance of a novel non-imaging concentrator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sellami, Nazmi; Meng, Xian-long; Xia, Xin-Lin; Knox, Andrew R.; Mallick, Tapas K.

2015-09-01

In this study, the Crossed Compound Parabolic Concentrator CCPC is modified to demonstrate for the first time a new generation of solar concentrators working simultaneously as an electricity generator and thermal collector. It is designed to have two complementary surfaces, one reflective and one absorptive, and is called an absorptive/reflective CCPC (AR-CCPC). Usually, the height of the CCPC is truncated with a minor sacrifice of the geometric concentration. These truncated surfaces rather than being eliminated are instead replaced with absorbent surfaces to collect heat from solar radiation. The optical, thermal and total efficiency of the AR-CCPC was simulated and compared for different geometric concentration ratios varying from 3.6x to 4x. It was found that the combined electrical and thermal efficiency of the AR-CCPC 3.6x/4x remains constant and high all day long and the overall efficiency reach up to 94%. In addition, the temperature distributions of AR-CCPC surfaces and the assembled solar cell were simulated based on those heat flux boundary conditions. It shows that the adding of thermal absorbent surface can apparently increase the wall temperature.

Radio emission of sea surface at centimeter wavelengths and is fluctuations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tseytlin, N. M.; Shutko, A. M.; Zhislin, G. M.

1981-01-01

The eigen thermal radio emission of the sea was examined as well as the agitated surface of the sea when the reflection (scattering) is similar in nature to diffused scattering. The contribution of this emission to the total emission of the sea is practically constant in time, and the time fluctuations of the radio emissions of the sea are basically determined only by a change in the eigen emission of the sea, connected with the agitation.

THz polariton laser using an intracavity Mg:LiNbO₃ crystal with protective Teflon coating.

PubMed

Ortega, Tiago A; Pask, Helen M; Spence, David J; Lee, Andrew J

2017-02-20

An enhancement in the performance of a THz polariton laser based on an intracavity magnesium-doped lithium niobate crystal (Mg:LiNbO₃) in surface-emitted (SE) configuration is demonstrated resulting from the deposition of a protective Teflon coating on the total internal reflection surface of the crystal. In this cavity geometry the resonating fields undergo total internal reflection (TIR) inside the lithium niobate, and laser damage to that surface can be a limiting factor in performance. The protective layer prevents laser damage to the crystal surface, enabling higher pump power, yielding higher THz output power and wider frequency tuning range. With the unprotected crystal, narrow-band THz output tunable from 1.50 to 2.81 THz was produced, with maximum average output power of 20.1 µW at 1.76 THz for 4 W diode pump power (limited by laser damage to the crystal). With the Teflon coating, no laser damage to the crystal was observed, and the system produced narrow-band THz output tunable from 1.46 to 3.84 THz, with maximum average output power of 56.8 µW at 1.76 THz for 6.5 W diode pump power. This is the highest average output power and the highest diode-to-terahertz conversion efficiency ever reported for an intracavity terahertz polariton laser.

An Evaluation of Total Solar Reflectance and Spectral Band Ratioing Techniques for Estimating Soil Water Content

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reginato, R. J.; Vedder, J. F.; Idso, S. B.; Jackson, R. D.; Blanchard, M. B.; Goettelman, R.

1977-01-01

For several days in March of 1975, reflected solar radiation measurements were obtained from smooth and rough surfaces of wet, drying, and continually dry Avondale loam at Phoenix, Arizona, with pyranometers located 50 cm above the ground surface and a multispectral scanner flown at a 300-m height. The simple summation of the different band radiances measured by the multispectral scanner proved equally as good as the pyranometer data for estimating surface soil water content if the multispectral scanner data were standardized with respect to the intensity of incoming solar radiation or the reflected radiance from a reference surface, such as the continually dry soil. Without this means of standardization, multispectral scanner data are most useful in a spectral band ratioing context. Our results indicated that, for the bands used, no significant information on soil water content could be obtained by band ratioing. Thus the variability in soil water content should insignificantly affect soil-type discrimination based on identification of type-specific spectral signatures. Therefore remote sensing, conducted in the 0.4- to 1.0-micron wavelength region of the solar spectrum, would seem to be much More suited to identifying crop and soil types than to estimating of soil water content.

Reduction of skylight reflection effects in the above-water measurement of diffuse marine reflectance.

PubMed

Fougnie, B; Frouin, R; Lecomte, P; Deschamps, P Y

1999-06-20

Reflected skylight in above-water measurements of diffuse marine reflectance can be reduced substantially by viewing the surface through an analyzer transmitting the vertically polarized component of incident radiance. For maximum reduction of effects, radiometric measurements should be made at a viewing zenith angle of approximately 45 degrees (near the Brewster angle) and a relative azimuth angle between solar and viewing directions greater than 90 degrees (backscattering), preferably 135 degrees. In this case the residual reflected skylight in the polarized signal exhibits minimum sensitivity to the sea state and can be corrected to within a few 10(-4) in reflectance units. For most oceanic waters the resulting relative error on the diffuse marine reflectance in the blue and green is less than 1%. Since the water body polarizes incident skylight, the measured polarized reflectance differs from the total reflectance. The difference, however, is small for the considered geometry. Measurements made at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography pier in La Jolla, Calif., with a specifically designed scanning polarization radiometer, confirm the theoretical findings and demonstrate the usefulness of polarization radiometry for measuring diffuse marine reflectance.

ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy in the Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory: Part I--Fundamentals and Examples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuttlefield, Jennifer D.; Grassian, Vicki H.

2008-01-01

Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy is a useful technique for measuring the infrared spectra of solids and liquids as well as probing adsorption on particle surfaces. Several examples of the use of FTIR-ATR spectroscopy in different undergraduate chemistry laboratory courses are presented here. These…

Skylab program earth resources experiment package: Ground truth data for test sites (SL-2)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Field measurements were performed at selected ground sites in order to provide comparative calibration measurements of sensors for the Earth Resources Experiment Package. Specifically, the solar radiation (400 to 1300 namometers) and thermal radiation (8-14 micrometers) were measured. Sites employed for the thermal measurements consisted of warm and cold water lakes. The thermal brightness temperature of the lake water, the temperature and humidity profile above the lake, and near surface meteorology (wind speed, pressure, etc.) were measured near the time of overpass. Sites employed for the solar radiation measurements were two desert type sites. Ground measurements consisted of: (1) direct solar radiation - optical depth; (2) diffuse solar radiation; (3) total solar radiation, (4) target directional (normal) reflectance; (5) target hemispherical reflectance; and (6) near surface meteorology.

Study on the fabrication of back surface reflectors in nano-crystalline silicon thin-film solar cells by using random texturing aluminum anodization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Kang Sik; Jang, Eunseok; Cho, Jun-Sik; Yoo, Jinsu; Park, Joo Hyung; Byungsung, O.

2015-09-01

In recent decades, researchers have improved the efficiency of amorphous silicon solar cells in many ways. One of the easiest and most practical methods to improve solar-cell efficiency is adopting a back surface reflector (BSR) as the bottom layer or as the substrate. The BSR reflects the incident light back to the absorber layer in a solar cell, thus elongating the light path and causing the so-called "light trapping effect". The elongation of the light path in certain wavelength ranges can be enhanced with the proper scale of BSR surface structure or morphology. An aluminum substrate with a surface modified by aluminum anodizing is used to improve the optical properties for applications in amorphous silicon solar cells as a BSR in this research due to the high reflectivity and the low material cost. The solar cells with a BSR were formed and analyzed by using the following procedures: First, the surface of the aluminum substrate was degreased by using acetone, ethanol and distilled water, and it was chemically polished in a dilute alkali solution. After the cleaning process, the aluminum surface's morphology was modified by using a controlled anodization in a dilute acid solution to form oxide on the surface. The oxidized film was etched off by using an alkali solution to leave an aluminum surface with randomly-ordered dimple-patterns of approximately one micrometer in size. The anodizing conditions and the anodized aluminum surfaces after the oxide layer had been removed were systematically investigated according to the applied voltage. Finally, amorphous silicon solar cells were deposited on a modified aluminum plate by using dc magnetron sputtering. The surfaces of the anodized aluminum were observed by using field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The total and the diffuse reflectances of the surface-modified aluminum sheets were measured by using UV spectroscopy. We observed that the diffuse reflectances increased with increasing anodizing voltage. The properties of the solar cells on anodized aluminum substrates were analyzed by using a solar simulator.

Experimental study of surface plasmon-phonon polaritons in GaAs-based microstructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galimov, A. I.; Shalygin, V. A.; Moldavskaya, M. D.; Panevin, V. Yu; Melentyev, G. A.; Artemyev, A. A.; Firsov, D. A.; Vorobjev, L. E.; Klimko, G. V.; Usikova, A. A.; Komissarova, T. A.; Sedova, I. V.; Ivanov, S. V.

2018-03-01

Optical properties of a heavily-doped GaAs epitaxial layer with a regular grating at its surface have been experimentally investigated in the terahertz spectral range. Reflectivity spectra for the layer with a profiled surface drastically differ from those for the as-grown epilayer with a planar surface. For s-polarized radiation, this difference is totally caused by the electromagnetic wave diffraction at the grating. For p-polarized radiation, additional resonant dips arise due to excitation of surface plasmon-phonon polaritons. Terahertz radiation emission under significant electron heating in an applied pulsed electric field has also been studied. Polarization measurements revealed pronounced peaks related to surface plasmon-phonon polariton resonances of the first and second order in the emission spectra.

IRAS surface brightness maps of reflection nebulae in the Pleiades

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Castelaz, Michael W.; Werner, M. W.; Sellgren, K.

1987-01-01

Surface brightness maps at 12, 25, 60, and 100 microns were made of a 2.5 deg x 2.5 deg area of the reflection nebulae in the Pleiades by coadding IRAS scans of this region. Emission is seen surrounding 17 Tau, 20 Tau, 23 Tau, and 25 Tau in all four bands, coextensive with the visible reflection nebulosity, and extending as far as 30 arcminutes from the illuminating stars. The infrared energy distributions of the nebulae peak in the 100 micron band, but up to 40 percent of the total infrared power lies in the 12 and 25 micron bands. The brightness of the 12 and 25 micron emission and the absence of temperature gradients at these wavelengths are inconsistent with the predictions of equilibrium thermal emission models. The emission at these wavelengths appears to be the result of micron nonequilibrium emission from very small grains, or from molecules consisting of 10-100 carbon atoms, which have been excited by ultraviolet radiation from the illuminating stars.

Evanescent excitation and emission in fluorescence microscopy.

PubMed

Axelrod, Daniel

2013-04-02

Evanescent light-light that does not propagate but instead decays in intensity over a subwavelength distance-appears in both excitation (as in total internal reflection) and emission (as in near-field imaging) forms in fluorescence microscopy. This review describes the physical connection between these two forms as a consequence of geometrical squeezing of wavefronts, and describes newly established or speculative applications and combinations of the two. In particular, each can be used in analogous ways to produce surface-selective images, to examine the thickness and refractive index of films (such as lipid multilayers or protein layers) on solid supports, and to measure the absolute distance of a fluorophore to a surface. In combination, the two forms can further increase selectivity and reduce background scattering in surface images. The polarization properties of each lead to more sensitive and accurate measures of fluorophore orientation and membrane micromorphology. The phase properties of the evanescent excitation lead to a method of creating a submicroscopic area of total internal reflection illumination or enhanced-resolution structured illumination. Analogously, the phase properties of evanescent emission lead to a method of producing a smaller point spread function, in a technique called virtual supercritical angle fluorescence. Copyright © 2013 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A comparative review of optical surface contamination assessment techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heaney, James B.

1987-01-01

This paper will review the relative sensitivities and practicalities of the common surface analytical methods that are used to detect and identify unwelcome adsorbants on optical surfaces. The compared methods include visual inspection, simple reflectometry and transmissiometry, ellipsometry, infrared absorption and attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy (ATR), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), and mass accretion determined by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The discussion is biased toward those methods that apply optical thin film analytical techniques to spacecraft optical contamination problems. Examples are cited from both ground based and in-orbit experiments.

Strong coupling between surface plasmon polariton and laser dye rhodamine 800

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valmorra, Federico; Bröll, Markus; Schwaiger, Stephan; Welzel, Nadine; Heitmann, Detlef; Mendach, Stefan

2011-08-01

We report on strong coupling between surface plasmon polaritons on a thin silver film and laser dye Rhodamine 800. Attenuated total reflection measurements reveal that the pure surface plasmon polaritons interact with the Rhodamine 800 absorption lines exhibiting pronounced anticrossings in the dispersion relation. We show that the corresponding energy gap can be tailored by the concentration of dye molecules in the dielectric matrix between 50 meV and 70 meV. We can well model our data by a classical transfer matrix approach as well as by a quantum mechanical coupled oscillator ansatz.

Extended surface parallel coating inspection method

DOEpatents

Naulleau, Patrick P.

2006-03-21

Techniques for rapidly characterizing reflective surfaces and especially multi-layer EUV reflective surfaces of optical components involve illuminating the entire reflective surface instantaneously and detecting the image far field. The technique provides a mapping of points on the reflective surface to corresponding points on a detector, e.g., CCD. This obviates the need to scan a probe over the entire surface of the optical component. The reflective surface can be flat, convex, or concave.

Laser pulse bidirectional reflectance from CALIPSO mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Xiaomei; Hu, Yongxiang; Yang, Yuekui; Vaughan, Mark; Liu, Zhaoyan; Rodier, Sharon; Hunt, William; Powell, Kathy; Lucker, Patricia; Trepte, Charles

2018-06-01

This paper presents an innovative retrieval method that translates the CALIOP land surface laser pulse returns into the surface bidirectional reflectance. To better analyze the surface returns, the CALIOP receiver impulse response and the downlinked samples' distribution at 30 m vertical resolution are discussed. The saturated laser pulse magnitudes from snow and ice surfaces are recovered based on information extracted from the tail end of the surface signal. The retrieved snow surface bidirectional reflectance is compared with reflectance from both CALIOP cloud-covered regions and MODIS BRDF-albedo model parameters. In addition to the surface bidirectional reflectance, the column top-of-atmosphere bidirectional reflectances are calculated from the CALIOP lidar background data and compared with the bidirectional reflectances derived from WFC radiance measurements. The retrieved CALIOP surface bidirectional reflectance and column top-of-atmosphere bidirectional reflectance results provide unique information to complement existing MODIS standard data products and are expected to have valuable applications for modelers.

Disposable attenuated total reflection-infrared crystals from silicon wafer: a versatile approach to surface infrared spectroscopy.

PubMed

Karabudak, Engin; Kas, Recep; Ogieglo, Wojciech; Rafieian, Damon; Schlautmann, Stefan; Lammertink, R G H; Gardeniers, Han J G E; Mul, Guido

2013-01-02

Attenuated total reflection-infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy is increasingly used to characterize solids and liquids as well as (catalytic) chemical conversion. Here we demonstrate that a piece of silicon wafer cut by a dicing machine or cleaved manually can be used as disposable internal reflection element (IRE) without the need for polishing and laborious edge preparation. Technical aspects, fundamental differences, and pros and cons of these novel disposable IREs and commercial IREs are discussed. The use of a crystal (the Si wafer) in a disposable manner enables simultaneous preparation and analysis of substrates and application of ATR spectroscopy in high temperature processes that may lead to irreversible interaction between the crystal and the substrate. As representative application examples, the disposable IREs were used to study high temperature thermal decomposition and chemical changes of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in a titania (TiO(2)) matrix and assemblies of 65-450 nm thick polystyrene (PS) films.

Hemispherical Reflectance and Emittance Properties of Carbon Nanotubes Coatings at Far-Infrared Wavelengths

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quijada, Manuel A.; Hagopian, John G.; Getty, Stephanie; Kinzer, Raymond (Robin) E., Jr.; Wollack, Edward

2011-01-01

Recent visible wavelength observations of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT) coatings have revealed that they represent the blackest materials known in nature with a Total Hemispherical Reflectance (THR) less than .25%. This makes them as exceptionally good absorbers, with the potential to provide order-of-magnitude improvement in stray-light suppression over current black surface treatments when used in an optical system. Here we extend the characterization of this class of materials into the infrared spectral region to further evaluate their potential for use on instrument baffles for stray-light suppression and to manage spacecraft thermal properties to dissipate heat through radiant heat transfer process. These characterizations will include the wavelength-dependent Total Hemispherical Reflectance properties in the mid-IR and far-infrared spectral regions (2-100 micrometers). Determination of the temperature-dependent emittance will be investigated in the temperature range of 20 to 300 K. These results will be compared against other more conventional black coatings such as Acktar Fractal Black or Z-306 coatings among others.

Tissue breathing and topology of rats thymocytes surface under acute total γ-irradiation.

PubMed

Nikitina, I A; Gritsuk, A I

2017-12-01

Assessment of the effect of single total γ irradiation to the parameters of mitochondrial oxidation and the topology of the thymocyte surface. The study was performed in sexually mature white outbreeding male rats divided into three groups: two experimental and one control. The states of energy metabolism were determined by the rate of oxygen consumption by the thymus tissues on endogenous substrates at the presence of 2,4 dinitrophenol, uncoupler of a tissue breathing (TB) and oxidative phosphorylation (OP) after a single total γ irradiation at a dose of 1.0 Gy at 3, 10, 40 and 60 days. The topology of thymus cells was assessed using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). On the 3rd and 10th days after total gamma irradiation at a dose of 1.0 Gy, a significant decrease in respira tory activity was determined in thymus tissues on endogenous substrates. Simultaneously, on the 3rd day, pro nounced changes in the morphological parameters of thymocytes (height, volume, area of contact with the sub strate) and the topology of their surface were also observed. On the 10th day after irradiation, most of the morpho logical parameters of thymocytes, except for their volume, were characterized by restoration to normal. In the long term (on the 30th and 60th days after exposure), a gradual but not complete recovery of the respiratory activity of thymocytes was observed, accompanied by an increase in the degree of dissociation of TD and OP. The obtained data reflect and refine mechanisms of post radiation repair of lymphopoiesis, showing the presence of conjugated changes in the parameters of aerobic energy metabolism of thymocytes, morphology and topology of their surface. The synchronism of changes in the parameters under study is a reflection of the state of the cytoskeleton, the functional activity of which largely depends on the level and efficiency of mitochondrial oxidation. І. A. Nikitina, A. I. Gritsuk.

Infrared reflectance spectra: effects of particle size, provenance and preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Yin-Fong; Myers, Tanya L.; Brauer, Carolyn S.; Blake, Thomas A.; Forland, Brenda M.; Szecsody, J. E.; Johnson, Timothy J.

2014-10-01

We have recently developed methods for making more accurate infrared total and diffuse directional - hemispherical reflectance measurements using an integrating sphere. We have found that reflectance spectra of solids, especially powders, are influenced by a number of factors including the sample preparation method, the particle size and morphology, as well as the sample origin. On a quantitative basis we have investigated some of these parameters and the effects they have on reflectance spectra, particularly in the longwave infrared. In the IR the spectral features may be observed as either maxima or minima: In general, upward-going peaks in the reflectance spectrum result from strong surface scattering, i.e. rays that are reflected from the surface without bulk penetration, whereas downward-going peaks are due to either absorption or volume scattering, i.e. rays that have penetrated or refracted into the sample interior and are not reflected. The light signals reflected from solids usually encompass all such effects, but with strong dependencies on particle size and preparation. This paper measures the reflectance spectra in the 1.3 - 16 micron range for various bulk materials that have a combination of strong and weak absorption bands in order to observe the effects on the spectral features: Bulk materials were ground with a mortar and pestle and sieved to separate the samples into various size fractions between 5 and 500 microns. The median particle size is demonstrated to have large effects on the reflectance spectra. For certain minerals we also observe significant spectral change depending on the geologic origin of the sample. All three such effects (particle size, preparation and provenance) result in substantial change in the reflectance spectra for solid materials; successful identification algorithms will require sufficient flexibility to account for these parameters.

Terahertz surface plasmon-polaritons in one-dimensional graphene based Fibonacci photonic superlattices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Namdar, Abdolrahman; Feizollahi Onsoroudi, Rana; Khoshsima, Habib; Sahrai, Mostafa

2018-03-01

The surface plasmon-polaritons in one-dimensional graphene-based Fibonacci photonic superlattices in the terahertz frequency range have been theoretically investigated. Our numerical study shows that surface plasmon-polaritons can be realized in both transverse electric and transverse magnetic polarizations. It is shown that these modes are manageable by varying the quasi-periodic generation orders which play a critical role in the occurrence of surface modes. In addition, the effect of thickness of cap layer and chemical potential of graphene sheets on surface plasmon-polaritons and their electric field distribution are studied. We have verified the excitation of surface plasmon-polaritons by using the attenuated total reflection method. This inspection confirms that all the predicted surface modes in the dispersion curves are actually excitable with this method.

Derivation of scaled surface reflectances from AVIRIS data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gao, Bo-Cai; Heidebrecht, Kathleen B.; Goetz, Alexander F. H.

1993-01-01

A method for retrieving 'scaled surface reflectances' assuming horizontal surfaces having Lambertian reflectances from spectral data collected by Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) is presented here. In this method, the integrated water vapor amount on a pixel by pixel basis is derived from the 0.94 micron and 1.14 micron water vapor absorption features. The transmission spectra of H2O, CO2, O3, N2O, CO, CH4, and O2 in the 0.4-2.5 micron region are simulated. The scattering effect due to atmospheric molecules and aerosols is modeled with the 5S computer code. The AVIRIS radiances are divided by solar irradiances above the atmosphere to obtain the apparent reflectances. The scaled surface reflectances are derived from the apparent reflectances using the simulated atmospheric gaseous transmittances and the simulated molecular and aerosol scattering data. The scaled surface reflectances differ from the real surface reflectances by a multiplicative factor. In order to convert the scaled surface reflectances into real surface reflectances, the slopes and aspects of the surfaces must be known.

Effect of Index of Refraction on Radiation Characteristics in a Heated Absorbing, Emitting, and Scattering Layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siegel, R.; Spuckler, C. M.

1992-01-01

The index of refraction can considerably influence the temperature distribution and radiative heat flow in semitransparent materials such as some ceramics. For external radiant heating, the refractive index influences the amount of energy transmitted into the interior of the material. Emission within a material depends on the square of its refractive index, and hence this emission can be many times that for a biackbody radiating into a vacuum. Since radiation exiting through an interface into a vacuum cannot exceed that of a blackbody, there is extensive reflection at the internal surface of an interface, mostly by total internal reflection. This redistributes energy within the layer and tends to make its temperature distribution more uniform. The purpose of the present analysis is to show that, for radiative equilibrium in a gray layer with diffuse interfaces, the temperature distribution and radiative heat flux for any index of refraction can be obtained very simply from the results for an index of refraction of unity. For the situation studied here, the layer is subjected to external radiative heating incident on each of its surfaces. The material emits, absorbs, and isotropically scatters radiation. For simplicity the index of refraction is unity in the medium surrounding the layer. The surfaces of the layer are assumed diffuse. This is probably a reasonable approximation for a ceramic layer that has not been polished. When transmitted radiation or radiation emitted from the interior reaches the inner surface of an interface, the radiation is diffused and some of it thereby placed into angular directions for which there is total internal reflection. This provides a trapping effect for retaining energy within the layer and tends to equalize its temperature distribution. An analysis of temperature distributions in absorbing-emitting layers, including index of refraction effects, was developed by Gardon (1958) to predict cooling and heat treating of glass plates. The interfaces were optically smooth; the resulting specular reflections were computed from the Fresnel reflection laws. This provides a somewhat different behavior than for diffuse interfaces. A similar application was for heating that occurs in a window of a re-entry vehicle (Fowle et al., 1969). A number of recent papers (Rokhsaz and Dougherty, 1989; Ping and Lallemand, 1989; Crosbie and Shieh, 1990) further examined the effects of Fresnel boundary reflections and nonunity refractive index. Other examples of analyses of both steady and transient heat transfer to single or multiple plane layers (Amlin and Korpela, 1979; Tarshis et al., 1969) have used diffuse assumptions at the interfaces as in the present study

Importance of molecular Rayleigh scattering in the enhancement of clear sky reflectance in the vicinity of boundary layer cumulus clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Guoyong; Marshak, Alexander; Cahalan, Robert F.

2008-12-01

Clouds increase the complexity of atmospheric radiative transfer processes, particularly for aerosol retrievals in clear regions in the vicinity of clouds. This study focuses on identifying mechanisms responsible for the enhancement of nadir reflectance in clear regions in the vicinity of cumulus clouds and quantifies the relative importance of each mechanism. Using cloud optical properties and surface albedo derived from Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), we performed extensive Monte Carlo simulations of radiative transfer in two cumulus scenes in a biomass burning region in Brazil. The results show that the scattering of radiation by clouds, followed by upward Rayleigh scattering by molecules above cloud top over clear gaps, is the dominant mechanism for the enhancement of visible reflectance in clear regions in boundary layer cumulus field over dark surfaces with aerosols trapped in the boundary layer. The Rayleigh scattering contributes ˜80% and ˜50% to the total enhancement for wavelengths 0.47 μm (with aerosol optical thickness 0.2) and 0.66 μm (with aerosol optical thickness 0.1), respectively. Out of the total contribution of molecular scattering, ˜90% arises from the clear atmosphere above cloud top height. The mechanism is valid for a large range of aerosol optical thicknesses (up to 1 in this study) for 0.47 μm, and for aerosol optical thickness up to 0.2 for 0.66 μm. Our results provide a basis to develop simplifications for future aerosol remote sensing from satellite.

Differential contributions of cortical thickness and surface area to trait impulsivity in healthy young adults.

PubMed

Kubera, Katharina M; Schmitgen, Mike M; Maier-Hein, Klaus H; Thomann, Philipp A; Hirjak, Dusan; Wolf, Robert C

2018-05-08

Impulsivity is an essential human personality trait and highly relevant for the development of several mental disorders. There is evidence that impulsivity is heritable, yet little is known about neural correlates reflecting early brain development. Here, we address the question whether motor, attentional and non-planning components, as reflected by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), are distinctly associated with cortical thickness and surface area variations in young healthy individuals. We investigated cortical thickness and surface area in 54 healthy volunteers (m/f = 30%/70%; age mean/SD = 24.9/4.02) using structural magnetic resonance imaging at 3 T together with surface-based analysis techniques. Impulsivity was examined on the Barratt impulsiveness scale (BIS-11) and related to the two distinct cortical measurements. Higher BIS-11 total scores were negatively associated with cortical thickness variations in the left lingual gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, right cuneus, and right superior parietal gyrus (p<0.05 cluster-wise probability [CWP] corrected). Higher BIS-11 nonplanning scores were negatively associated with cortical thickness variations in bilateral pericalcarine gyrus (p<0.05 CWP corr.). In the orbitofrontal cortex motor impulsivity associated cortical thickness differs significantly between male and female. These data suggest distinct neurodevelopmental trajectories underlying impulsivity in healthy subjects. Impulsivity total scores appear to be specifically related to cortical thickness variations, in contrast to variations of cortical surface area. Furthermore, our findings underscores the importance of better characterizing gender-specific structural correlates of impulsivity. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Retrieval of background surface reflectance with BRD components from pre-running BRDF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Sungwon; Lee, Kyeong-Sang; Jin, Donghyun; Lee, Darae; Han, Kyung-Soo

2016-10-01

Many countries try to launch satellite to observe the Earth surface. As important of surface remote sensing is increased, the reflectance of surface is a core parameter of the ground climate. But observing the reflectance of surface by satellite have weakness such as temporal resolution and being affected by view or solar angles. The bidirectional effects of the surface reflectance may make many noises to the time series. These noises can lead to make errors when determining surface reflectance. To correct bidirectional error of surface reflectance, using correction model for normalized the sensor data is necessary. A Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) is making accuracy higher method to correct scattering (Isotropic scattering, Geometric scattering, Volumetric scattering). To correct bidirectional error of surface reflectance, BRDF was used in this study. To correct bidirectional error of surface reflectance, we apply Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) to retrieve surface reflectance. And we apply 2 steps for retrieving Background Surface Reflectance (BSR). The first step is retrieving Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution (BRD) coefficients. Before retrieving BSR, we did pre-running BRDF to retrieve BRD coefficients to correct scatterings (Isotropic scattering, Geometric scattering, Volumetric scattering). In pre-running BRDF, we apply BRDF with observed surface reflectance of SPOT/VEGETATION (VGT-S1) and angular data to get BRD coefficients for calculating scattering. After that, we apply BRDF again in the opposite direction with BRD coefficients and angular data to retrieve BSR as a second step. As a result, BSR has very similar reflectance to one of VGT-S1. And reflectance in BSR is shown adequate. The highest reflectance of BSR is not over 0.4μm in blue channel, 0.45μm in red channel, 0.55μm in NIR channel. And for validation we compare reflectance of clear sky pixel from SPOT/VGT status map data. As a result of comparing BSR with VGT-S1, bias is from 0.0116 to 0.0158 and RMSE is from 0.0459 to 0.0545. They are very reasonable results, so we confirm that BSR is similar to VGT-S1. And weakness of this study is missing pixel in BSR which are observed less time to retrieve BRD components. If missing pixels are filled, BSR is better to retrieve surface products with more accuracy. And we think that after filling the missing pixel and being more accurate, it can be useful data to retrieve surface product which made by surface reflectance like cloud masking and retrieving aerosol.

Estimation of optical properties of aerosols and bidirectional reflectance from PARASOL/POLDER data over land

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusaka, Takashi; Miyazaki, Go

2014-10-01

When monitoring target areas covered with vegetation from a satellite, it is very useful to estimate the vegetation index using the surface anisotropic reflectance, which is dependent on both solar and viewing geometries, from satellite data. In this study, the algorithm for estimating optical properties of atmospheric aerosols such as the optical thickness (τ), the refractive index (Nr), the mixing ratio of small particles in the bimodal log-normal distribution function (C) and the bidirectional reflectance (R) from only the radiance and polarization at the 865nm channel received by the PARASOL/POLDER is described. Parameters of the bimodal log-normal distribution function: mean radius, r1, standard deviation, σ1, of fine aerosols, and r2, σ2 of coarse aerosols were fixed, and these values were estimated from monthly averaged size distribution at AERONET sites managed by NASA near the target area. Moreover, it is assumed that the contribution of the surface reflectance with directional anisotropy to the polarized radiance received by the satellite is small because it is shown from our ground-based polarization measurements of light ray reflected by the grassland that degrees of polarization of the reflected light by the grassland are very low values at the 865nm channel. First aerosol properties were estimated from only the polarized radiance and then the bidirectional reflectance given by the Ross-Li BRDF model was estimated from only the total radiance at target areas in PARASOL/POLDER data over the Japanese islands taken on April 28, 2012 and April 25, 2010. The estimated optical thickness of aerosols was checked with those given in AERONET sites and the estimated parameters of BRDF were compared with those of vegetation measured from the radio-controlled helicopter. Consequently, it is shown that the algorithm described in the present study provides reasonable values for aerosol properties and surface bidirectional reflectance.

Enhanced sensitivity to dielectric function and thickness of absorbing thin films by combining total internal reflection ellipsometry with standard ellipsometry and reflectometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lizana, A.; Foldyna, M.; Stchakovsky, M.; Georges, B.; Nicolas, D.; Garcia-Caurel, E.

2013-03-01

High sensitivity of spectroscopic ellipsometry and reflectometry for the characterization of thin films can strongly decrease when layers, typically metals, absorb a significant fraction of the light. In this paper, we propose a solution to overcome this drawback using total internal reflection ellipsometry (TIRE) and exciting a surface longitudinal wave: a plasmon-polariton. As in the attenuated total reflectance technique, TIRE exploits a minimum in the intensity of reflected transversal magnetic (TM) polarized light and enhances the sensitivity of standard methods to thicknesses of absorbing films. Samples under study were stacks of three films, ZnO : Al/Ag/ZnO : Al, deposited on glass substrates. The thickness of the silver layer varied from sample to sample. We performed measurements with a UV-visible phase-modulated ellipsometer, an IR Mueller ellipsometer and a UV-NIR reflectometer. We used the variance-covariance formalism to evaluate the sensitivity of the ellipsometric data to different parameters of the optical model. Results have shown that using TIRE doubled the sensitivity to the silver layer thickness when compared with the standard ellipsometry. Moreover, the thickness of the ZnO : Al layer below the silver layer can be reliably quantified, unlike for the fit of the standard ellipsometry data, which is limited by the absorption of the silver layer.

Global Inventory and Characterization of Pyroclastic Deposits on Mercury: New Insights into Pyroclastic Activity from MESSENGER Orbital Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goudge, Timothy A.; Head, James W.; Kerber, Laura; Blewett, David T.; Denevi, Brett W.; Domingue, Deborah L.; Gillis-Davis, Jeffrey J.; Gwinner, Klaus; Helbert, Joern; Holsclaw, Gregory M.;

Radiance distribution over a ruffled sea: contributions from glitter, sky, and ocean.

PubMed

Plass, G N; Kattawar, G W; Guinn, J A

1976-12-01

The upward radiance just above the ocean surface and at the top of the atmosphere is calculated for a realistic model including an ocean surface with waves. The separate contributions of the sun glitter, the reflected sky radiance, and the upwelling photons from the ocean are calculated. The Monte Carlo method takes account of both Rayleigh scattering by the molecules and Mie scattering by the aerosols as well as molecular and aerosol absorption in the atmosphere. Similarly, in the ocean, both Rayleigh scattering by the water molecules and Mie scattering by the hydrosols as well as absorption by the water molecules and hydrosols are considered. Separate single-scattering functions are used for the aerosols and hydrosols calculated from the Mie theory. Both the reflected and refracted rays, as well as the rays that undergo total internal reflection, are followed at the ocean surface. The wave slope is chosen from the Cox-Munk distribution. The upward radiance just above the ocean surface outside of the sun glitter region is dominated by the reflected sky radiation from the horizon to a nadir angle of observation of from 68 degrees to 23 degrees depending on the azimuthal angle and the solar zenith angle; the upwelling photons from the ocean dominate over the remainder of the hemisphere, except in the region of the sun glitter which centers around the mirror image of the sun on a calm ocean. It is possible to answer various questions about the interaction of light with the ocean from the quantitative results presented here.

Using Near Surface P and S Wave Velocities and Seismic Reflection Images to Detect the Westerly Extension of the Active Meishan Fault in Southwestern Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putriani, E.; Huang, W. H.; Shih, R. C.

2017-12-01

The Southwestern Taiwan has higher potential seismic risks among the island. In 1906 the Meishan earthquake of magnitude 7.1 caused very severe damages. The associated Meishan fault was believed extended from Meishan westerly to Hsingang area for 23 km long; however, only the eastern part of the fault could be traces on the surface. The western part of the Meishan fault was simply proposed from the observed lineation of sand blow from the middle of the fault, the Minhsiung area westerly to the Hsingang area. The purpose of this paper is hope to prove the extension of this fault by using near surface P wave and S wave velocities and the seismic reflection images acquired across the suspicious fault location. Totally, we have conducted 20 seismic velocity survey lines, which were deployed in six areas with and without liquefaction observed, and 2 seismic reflection lines. The P and S wave velocities variations were used to analyze depth of the water table, the elastic modulus, soil porosity and the safety factor for soil liquefaction assessment. Preliminary result of the seismic velocity distribution was effective within 17 m deep from surface and showed no particular difference at the sites of liquefaction observed or no liquefaction. The results could indicate that the sand blow observed in 1906 were not site dependent, but more likely related to activity of the Meishan fault. In order to detect the detailed fault trace, the seismic reflection images will be combined for interpreting the buried Meishan fault in the final result.

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.

Infrared reflectance spectra: Effects of particle size, provenance and preparation

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

Su, Yin-Fong; Myers, Tanya L.; Brauer, Carolyn S.

2014-09-22

We have recently developed methods for making more accurate infrared total and diffuse directional - hemispherical reflectance measurements using an integrating sphere. We have found that reflectance spectra of solids, especially powders, are influenced by a number of factors including the sample preparation method, the particle size and morphology, as well as the sample origin. On a quantitative basis we have investigated some of these parameters and the effects they have on reflectance spectra, particularly in the longwave infrared. In the IR the spectral features may be observed as either maxima or minima: In general, upward-going peaks in the reflectancemore » spectrum result from strong surface scattering, i.e. rays that are reflected from the surface without bulk penetration, whereas downward-going peaks are due to either absorption or volume scattering, i.e. rays that have penetrated or refracted into the sample interior and are not reflected. The light signals reflected from solids usually encompass all such effects, but with strong dependencies on particle size and preparation. This paper measures the reflectance spectra in the 1.3 – 16 micron range for various bulk materials that have a combination of strong and weak absorption bands in order to observe the effects on the spectral features: Bulk materials were ground with a mortar and pestle and sieved to separate the samples into various size fractions between 5 and 500 microns. The median particle size is demonstrated to have large effects on the reflectance spectra. For certain minerals we also observe significant spectral change depending on the geologic origin of the sample. All three such effects (particle size, preparation and provenance) result in substantial change in the reflectance spectra for solid materials; successful identification algorithms will require sufficient flexibility to account for these parameters.« less

Mechanism of wiggling enhancement due to HBr gas addition during amorphous carbon etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kofuji, Naoyuki; Ishimura, Hiroaki; Kobayashi, Hitoshi; Une, Satoshi

2015-06-01

The effect of gas chemistry during etching of an amorphous carbon layer (ACL) on wiggling has been investigated, focusing especially on the changes in residual stress. Although the HBr gas addition reduces critical dimension loss, it enhances the surface stress and therefore increases wiggling. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that the increase in surface stress was caused by hydrogenation of the ACL surface with hydrogen radicals. Three-dimensional (3D) nonlinear finite element method analysis confirmed that the increase in surface stress is large enough to cause the wiggling. These results also suggest that etching with hydrogen compound gases using an ACL mask has high potential to cause the wiggling.

Grazing incidence X-ray absorption characterization of amorphous Zn-Sn-O thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moffitt, S. L.; Ma, Q.; Buchholz, D. B.; Chang, R. P. H.; Bedzyk, M. J.; Mason, T. O.

2016-05-01

We report a surface structure study of an amorphous Zn-Sn-O (a-ZTO) transparent conducting film using the grazing incidence X-ray absorption spectroscopy technique. By setting the measuring angles far below the critical angle at which the total external reflection occurs, the details of the surface structure of a film or bulk can be successfully accessed. The results show that unlike in the film where Zn is severely under coordinated (N < 4), it is fully coordinated (N = 4) near the surface while the coordination number around Sn is slightly smaller near the surface than in the film. Despite a 30% Zn doping, the local structure in the film is rutile-like.

Silver nanocube aggregation gradient materials in search for total internal reflection with high phase sensitivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

König, Tobias A. F.; Ledin, Petr A.; Russell, Michael; Geldmeier, Jeffrey A.; Mahmoud, Mahmoud. A.; El-Sayed, Mostafa A.; Tsukruk, Vladimir V.

2015-03-01

We fabricated monolayer coatings of a silver nanocube aggregation to create a step-wise optical strip by applying different surface pressures during slow Langmuir-Blodgett deposition. The varying amount of randomly distributed nanocube aggregates with different surface coverages in gradient manner due to changes in surface pressure allows for continuous control of the polarization sensitive absorption of the incoming light over a broad optical spectrum. Optical characterization under total internal reflection conditions combined with electromagnetic simulations reveal that the broadband light absorption depends on the relative orientation of the nanoparticles to the polarization of the incoming light. By using computer simulations, we found that the electric field vector of the s-polarized light interacts with the different types of silver nanocube aggregations to excite different plasmonic resonances. The s-polarization shows dramatic changes of the plasmonic resonances at different angles of incidence (shift of 64 nm per 10° angle of incidence). With a low surface nanocube coverage (from 5% to 20%), we observed a polarization-selective high absorption of 80% (with an average 75%) of the incoming light over a broad optical range in the visible region from 400 nm to 700 nm. This large-area gradient material with location-dependent optical properties can be of particular interest for broadband light absorption, phase-sensitive sensors, and imaging.We fabricated monolayer coatings of a silver nanocube aggregation to create a step-wise optical strip by applying different surface pressures during slow Langmuir-Blodgett deposition. The varying amount of randomly distributed nanocube aggregates with different surface coverages in gradient manner due to changes in surface pressure allows for continuous control of the polarization sensitive absorption of the incoming light over a broad optical spectrum. Optical characterization under total internal reflection conditions combined with electromagnetic simulations reveal that the broadband light absorption depends on the relative orientation of the nanoparticles to the polarization of the incoming light. By using computer simulations, we found that the electric field vector of the s-polarized light interacts with the different types of silver nanocube aggregations to excite different plasmonic resonances. The s-polarization shows dramatic changes of the plasmonic resonances at different angles of incidence (shift of 64 nm per 10° angle of incidence). With a low surface nanocube coverage (from 5% to 20%), we observed a polarization-selective high absorption of 80% (with an average 75%) of the incoming light over a broad optical range in the visible region from 400 nm to 700 nm. This large-area gradient material with location-dependent optical properties can be of particular interest for broadband light absorption, phase-sensitive sensors, and imaging. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr06430e

Local surface curvature analysis based on reflection estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Qinglin; Laligant, Olivier; Fauvet, Eric; Zakharova, Anastasia

2015-07-01

In this paper, we propose a novel reflection based method to estimate the local orientation of a specular surface. For a calibrated scene with a fixed light band, the band is reflected by the surface to the image plane of a camera. Then the local geometry between the surface and reflected band is estimated. Firstly, in order to find the relationship relying the object position, the object surface orientation and the band reflection, we study the fundamental theory of the geometry between a specular mirror surface and a band source. Then we extend our approach to the spherical surface with arbitrary curvature. Experiments are conducted with mirror surface and spherical surface. Results show that our method is able to obtain the local surface orientation merely by measuring the displacement and the form of the reflection.

Polymer-grafted QCM chemical sensor and application to heavy metalions real time detection.

PubMed

Sartore, Luciana; Barbaglio, Marzia; Borgese, Laura; Bontempi, Elza

2011-07-20

A flow type quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) chemical sensor was developed for monitoring of heavy metal ions in aqueous solutions (that is suitable for environmental monitoring). The sensor is based upon surface chelation of the metal ions at multifunctional polymer modified gold electrodes on 9 MHz AT-cut quartz resonators, functioning as a QCM. New processes have been developed which enable to obtain surface-modified gold electrodes with high heavy metal ions complexing ability. These polymer grafted QCM sensors can selectively adsorb heavy metal ions, such as copper lead chrome and cadmium, from solution over a wide range from 0.01 to 1000 ppm concentration by complexation with functional groups in the polymers. Cations typically present in natural water did not interfere with the detection of heavy metals. X-Ray Reflectivity (XRR) and Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence (TXRF) were carried out to characterise the unmodified and modified gold surfaces as well as to verify the possibility to selectively bond and remove metal ions.

Spin-orbit effects on reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy of aclean CdTe(001) surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vázquez-Nava, Raül A.

2005-03-01

The spectroscopical reflectance anisotropy (RA) response of a clean (001) surface of CdTe, which exhibits a c(2 x2) surface reconstruction, is studied using a microscopic formulation based on a semi-empirical tight binding approach (SETB) which includes the spin-orbit (SO) interaction. Following Ref. 1, we apply an unitary transformation to the usual SETB sp^3s^* basis to describe the electronic states in terms of a set of atomic states which are eigenstates of the total angular momentum (TAM). These states are better suited to treat the SO interaction in this model, and their use in the computation of the RA signal is straightforward [1]. We show how the RA changes when SO is taken into account and compare our theoretical results with experimental measurements of Ref. 2. [1] R.A. V'azquez-Nava, B.S. Mendoza and C. Castillo, Phys. Rev. B 70, 165306 (2004). [2] J. R. Molina and R. Espinosa-Luna, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. (2004), accepted.

Performance analysis of higher mode spoof surface plasmon polariton for terahertz sensing

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

Yao, Haizi; Tu, Wanli; Zhong, Shuncong, E-mail: zhongshuncong@hotmail.com

2015-04-07

We investigated the spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SSPPs) on 1D grooved metal surface for terahertz sensing of refractive index of the filling analyte through a prism-coupling attenuated total reflection setup. From the dispersion relation analysis and the finite element method-based simulation, we revealed that the dispersion curve of SSPP got suppressed as the filling refractive index increased, which cause the coupling resonance frequency redshifting in the reflection spectrum. The simulated results for testing various refractive indexes demonstrated that the incident angle of terahertz radiation has a great effect on the performance of sensing. Smaller incident angle will result in amore » higher sensitive sensing with a narrower detection range. In the meanwhile, the higher order mode SSPP-based sensing has a higher sensitivity with a narrower detection range. The maximum sensitivity is 2.57 THz/RIU for the second-order mode sensing at 45° internal incident angle. The proposed SSPP-based method has great potential for high sensitive terahertz sensing.« less

The microstructural changes of Ge2Sb2Te5 thin film during crystallization process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jingbo; Qi, Chao; Chen, Limin; Zheng, Long; Xie, Qiyun

2018-05-01

Phase change memory is known as the most promising candidate for the next generation nonvolatile memory technology. In this paper, the microstructural changes of Ge2Sb2Te5 film, which is the most common choice of phase change memory material, has been carefully studied by the combination of several characterization techniques. The combination of resistance measurements, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray reflectivity allows us to simultaneously extract the characteristics of microstructural changes during crystallization process. The existence of surface/interface Ge2Sb2Te5 layer has been proposed here based on X-ray reflectivity measurements. Although the total film thickness decreases, as a result of the phase transition from amorphous to metastable crystalline cubic and then to the stable hexagonal phase, the surface/interface thickness increases after crystallization. Moreover, the increase of average grain size, density and surface roughness has been confirmed during thermal annealing process.

Seasonal variation in the structure of red reflectance of leaves from yellow poplar, red oak, and red maple

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brakke, Thomas W.; Wergin, William P.; Erbe, Eric F.; Harnden, Joann M.

1993-01-01

The light scattered from leaves was measured as a function of view angle in the principal plane for yellow poplar, red oak, and red maple. The source was a parallel-polarized helium-neon laser. Yellow poplar leaves had the highest reflectance of the three species, which may have been due to its shorter palisade cells and more extensive spongy mesophyll. Prior to senescence, there was a significant decrease, but not total extinction, in the reflectance of the beam incident at 60 deg from nadir on the adaxial side of the leaves of all three species. Low-temperature SEM observations showed differences in the surface wax patterns among the three species but did not indicate a cause of the reflectance changes other than possibly the accumulation and aging of the wax.

The Influence of a Sandy Substrate, Seagrass, or Highly Turbid Water on Albedo and Surface Heat Flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fogarty, M. C.; Fewings, M. R.; Paget, A. C.; Dierssen, H. M.

2018-01-01

Sea-surface albedo is a combination of surface-reflected and water-leaving irradiance, but water-leaving irradiance typically contributes less than 15% of the total albedo in open-ocean conditions. In coastal systems, however, the bottom substrate or suspended particulate matter can increase the amount of backscattered light, thereby increasing albedo and decreasing net shortwave surface heat flux. Here a sensitivity analysis using observations and models predicts the effect of light scattering on albedo and the net shortwave heat flux for three test cases: a bright sand bottom, a seagrass canopy, and turbid water. After scaling to the full solar shortwave spectrum, daytime average albedo for the test cases is up to 0.20 and exceeds the value of 0.05 predicted using a commonly applied parameterization. Daytime net shortwave heat flux into the water is significantly reduced, particularly for waters with bright sediments, dense horizontal seagrass canopies < 0.25 m from the sea surface, or highly turbid waters with suspended particulate matter concentration ≥ 50 g m-3. Observations of a more vertical seagrass canopy within 0.2 and 1 m of the surface indicate the increase in albedo compared to the common parameterization is negligible. Therefore, we suggest that the commonly applied albedo lookup table can be used in coastal heat flux estimates in water as shallow as 1 m unless the bottom substrate is highly reflective or the water is highly turbid. Our model results provide guidance to researchers who need to determine albedo in highly reflective or highly turbid conditions but have no direct observations.

Effect of hydration of sugar groups on adsorption of Quillaja bark saponin at air/water and Si/water interfaces.

PubMed

Wojciechowski, Kamil; Orczyk, Marta; Marcinkowski, Kuba; Kobiela, Tomasz; Trapp, Marcus; Gutberlet, Thomas; Geue, Thomas

2014-05-01

Adsorption of a natural glycoside surfactant Quillaja bark saponin ("QBS", Sigma Aldrich 84510) was studied at the air/water and Si/water interfaces using a combination of surface pressure (SP), surface dilatational rheology, neutron reflectivity (NR), Infra-Red Attenuated Total Reflection Spectroscopy (IR ATR) and Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM). The adsorbed layers formed at the air/water interface are predominantly elastic, with the dilatational surface storage modulus reaching the maximum value of E'=184 mN/m. The NR results point to a strong hydration of the adsorbed layers (about 65% hydration, corresponding to about 60 molecules of water per one QBS molecule), most likely related to the presence of multiple sugar groups constituting the glycone part of the QBS molecules. With a layer thickness of 19 Å, the adsorbed amount obtained from NR seems largely underestimated in comparison to the value obtained from the surface tension isotherm. While this high extent of hydration does not prevent formation of dense and highly elastic layers at the air-water surface, QBS adsorption at the Si/water interface is much weaker. The adsorption isotherm of QBS on Si obtained from the QCM study reflects much lower affinity of highly hydrated and negatively charged saponin molecules to the Si/water interface. We postulate that at the air/water interface, QBS adsorbs through the triterpene aglycone moiety. In contrast, weak hydrogen bonding between the glycone part and the surface silanol groups of Si is responsible for QBS adsorption on more polar Si/water interface. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Information content of sky intensity and polarization measurements at right angles to the solar direction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holland, A. C.; Thomas, R. W. L.; Pearce, W. A.

1978-01-01

The paper presents the results of a Monte Carlo simulation study of the brightness and polarization at right angles to the solar direction both for ground-based observations (looking up) and for satellite-based systems (looking down). Calculations have been made for a solar zenith angle whose cosine was 0.6 and wavelengths ranging from 3500 A to 9500 A. A sensitivity of signatures to total aerosol loading, aerosol particle size distribution and refractive index, and the surface reflectance albedo has been demonstrated. For Lambertian-type surface reflection the albedo effects enter solely through the intensity sensitivity, and very high correlations have been found between the polarization term signatures for the ground-based and satellite-based systems. Potential applications of these results for local albedo predictions and satellite imaging systems recalibrations are discussed.

Label-Free Determination of Protein Binding in Aqueous Solution using Overlayer Enhanced Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (OE-ATR-FTIR)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruthenburg, Travis; Aweda, Tolulope; Park, Simon; Meares, Claude; Land, Donald

2009-03-01

Protein binding/affinity studies are often performed using Surface Plasmon Resonance techniques that don't produce much spectral information. Measurement of protein binding affinity using FTIR is traditionally performed using high protein concentration or deuterated solvent. By immobilizing a protein near the surface of a gold-coated germanium internal reflection element interactions can be measured between an immobilized protein and free proteins or small molecules in aqueous solution. By monitoring the on and off rates of these interactions, the dissociation constant for the system can be determined. The dissociation constant for the molecule Yttrium-DOTA binding to the antibody 2D12.5 system was determined to be 100nM. Results will also be presented from our measurements of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) binding to anti-BSA.

Design of a holographic waveguide with L configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiang, Guangxin-Xin; Li, Wen-Qiang

2016-10-01

In order to decrease the complexity to design and manufacture the turning grating of the configuration with one reflecting surface, an L-shape two-dimension extended configuration with single plate is given in the paper. This configuration consists of one specular reflecting surface and three holographic gratings two in which periods and the groove orientations are totally same, which makes gratings design and fabrication easier. According to the calculation and analysis to the optical path of configuration, the dimension of the turning grating is no larger than 40mm×30mm. The simulation result demonstrates the display configuration is reasonable and correct and can realize the display effect with 30°×30° field of view and Φ30mm large exit pupil. This configuration can be applied to an Augmented Reality Display (AR) or a Head-Mounted Display (HMD).

Characterization of Landsat-7 to Landsat-8 Reflective Wavelength and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index Continuity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roy, D. P.; Kovalskyy, V.; Zhang, H. K.; Vermote, E. F.; Yan, L.; Kumar, S. S.; Egorov, A.

2016-01-01

At over 40 years, the Landsat satellites provide the longest temporal record of space-based land surface observations, and the successful 2013 launch of the Landsat-8 is continuing this legacy. Ideally, the Landsat data record should be consistent over the Landsat sensor series. The Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) has improved calibration, signal to noise characteristics, higher 12-bit radiometric resolution, and spectrally narrower wavebands than the previous Landsat-7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+). Reflective wavelength differences between the two Landsat sensors depend also on the surface reflectance and atmospheric state which are difficult to model comprehensively. The orbit and sensing geometries of the Landsat- 8 OLI and Landsat-7 ETM+ provide swath edge overlapping paths sensed only one day apart. The overlap regions are sensed in alternating backscatter and forward scattering orientations so Landsat bi-directional reflectance effects are evident but approximately balanced between the two sensors when large amounts of time series data are considered. Taking advantage of this configuration a total of 59 million 30m corresponding sensor observations extracted from 6,317 Landsat-7 ETM+ and Landsat-8 OLI images acquired over three winter and three summer months for all the conterminous United States (CONUS) are compared. Results considering different stages of cloud and saturation filtering, and filtering to reduce one day surface state differences, demonstrate the importance of appropriate per-pixel data screening. Top of atmosphere (TOA) and atmospherically corrected surface reflectance for the spectrally corresponding visible, near infrared and shortwave infrared bands, and derived normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), are compared and their differences quantified. On average the OLI TOA reflectance is greater than the ETM+ TOA reflectance for all bands, with greatest differences in the near-infrared (NIR) and the shortwave infrared bands due to the quite different spectral response functions between the sensors. The atmospheric correction reduces the mean difference in the NIR and shortwave infrared but increases the mean difference in the visible bands. Regardless of whether TOA or surface reflectance are used to generate NDVI, on average, for vegetated soil and vegetation surfaces (0 = NDVI = 1), the OLI NDVI is greater than the ETM+ NDVI. Statistical functions to transform between the comparable sensor bands and sensor NDVI values are presented so that the user community may apply them in their own research to improve temporal continuity between the Landsat-7 ETM+ and Landsat-8 OLI sensor data. The transformation functions were developed using ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and were fit quite reliably (r2 values is greater than 0.7 for the reflectance data and greater than 0.9 for the NDVI data, p-values less than 0.0001).

The differential equation of an arbitrary reflecting surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melka, Richard F.; Berrettini, Vincent D.; Yousif, Hashim A.

2018-05-01

A differential equation describing the reflection of a light ray incident upon an arbitrary reflecting surface is obtained using the law of reflection. The derived equation is written in terms of a parameter and the value of this parameter determines the nature of the reflecting surface. Under various parametric constraints, the solution of the differential equation leads to the various conic surfaces but is not generally solvable. In addition, the dynamics of the light reflections from the conic surfaces are executed in the Mathematica software. Our derivation is the converse of the traditional approach and our analysis assumes a relation between the object distance and the image distance. This leads to the differential equation of the reflecting surface.

Seismic reflection imaging, accounting for primary and multiple reflections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wapenaar, Kees; van der Neut, Joost; Thorbecke, Jan; Broggini, Filippo; Slob, Evert; Snieder, Roel

2015-04-01

Imaging of seismic reflection data is usually based on the assumption that the seismic response consists of primary reflections only. Multiple reflections, i.e. waves that have reflected more than once, are treated as primaries and are imaged at wrong positions. There are two classes of multiple reflections, which we will call surface-related multiples and internal multiples. Surface-related multiples are those multiples that contain at least one reflection at the earth's surface, whereas internal multiples consist of waves that have reflected only at subsurface interfaces. Surface-related multiples are the strongest, but also relatively easy to deal with because the reflecting boundary (the earth's surface) is known. Internal multiples constitute a much more difficult problem for seismic imaging, because the positions and properties of the reflecting interfaces are not known. We are developing reflection imaging methodology which deals with internal multiples. Starting with the Marchenko equation for 1D inverse scattering problems, we derived 3D Marchenko-type equations, which relate reflection data at the surface to Green's functions between virtual sources anywhere in the subsurface and receivers at the surface. Based on these equations, we derived an iterative scheme by which these Green's functions can be retrieved from the reflection data at the surface. This iterative scheme requires an estimate of the direct wave of the Green's functions in a background medium. Note that this is precisely the same information that is also required by standard reflection imaging schemes. However, unlike in standard imaging, our iterative Marchenko scheme retrieves the multiple reflections of the Green's functions from the reflection data at the surface. For this, no knowledge of the positions and properties of the reflecting interfaces is required. Once the full Green's functions are retrieved, reflection imaging can be carried out by which the primaries and multiples are mapped to their correct positions, with correct reflection amplitudes. In the presentation we will illustrate this new methodology with numerical examples and discuss its potential and limitations.

An active one-particle microrheometer: incorporating magnetic tweezers to total internal reflection microscopy.

PubMed

Gong, Xiangjun; Hua, Li; Wu, Chi; Ngai, To

2013-03-01

We present a novel microrheometer by incorporating magnetic tweezers in the total internal reflection microscopy (TIRM) that enables measuring of viscoelastic properties of materials near solid surface. An evanescent wave generated by a solid∕liquid interface in the TIRM is used as the incident light source in the microrheometer. When a probe particle (of a few micrometers diameter) moves near the interface, it can interact with the evanescent field and reflect its position with respect to the interface by the scattered light intensity. The exponential distance dependence of the evanescent field, on the one hand, makes this technique extremely sensitive to small changes from z-fluctuations of the probe (with a resolution of several nanometers), and on the other, it does not require imaging of the probe with high lateral resolution. Another distinct advantage is the high sensitivity in determining the z position of the probe in the absence of any labeling. The incorporated magnetic tweezers enable us to effectively manipulate the distance of the embedded particle from the interface either by a constant or an oscillatory force. The force ramp is easy to implement through a coil current ramp. In this way, the local viscous and elastic properties of a given system under different confinements can therefore be measured by resolving the near-surface particle motion. To test the feasibility of applying this microrheology to soft materials, we measured the viscoelastic properties of sucrose and poly(ethylene glycol) solutions and compared the results to bulk rheometry. In addition, we applied this technique in monitoring the structure and properties of deformable microgel particles near the flat surface.

A framework for modeling connections between hydraulics, water surface roughness, and surface reflectance in open channel flows

USGS Publications Warehouse

Legleiter, Carl; Mobley, Curtis D.; Overstreet, Brandon

2017-01-01

This paper introduces a framework for examining connections between the flow field, the texture of the air-water interface, and the reflectance of the water surface and thus evaluating the potential to infer hydraulic information from remotely sensed observations of surface reflectance. We used a spatial correlation model describing water surface topography to illustrate the application of our framework. Nondimensional relations between model parameters and flow intensity were established based on a prior flume study. Expressing the model in the spatial frequency domain allowed us to use an efficient Fourier transform-based algorithm for simulating water surfaces. Realizations for both flume and field settings had water surface slope distributions positively correlated with velocity and water surface roughness. However, most surface facets were gently sloped and thus unlikely to yield strong specular reflections; the model exaggerated the extent of water surface features, leading to underestimation of facet slopes. A ray tracing algorithm indicated that reflectance was greatest when solar and view zenith angles were equal and the sensor scanned toward the Sun to capture specular reflections of the solar beam. Reflected energy was concentrated in a small portion of the sky, but rougher water surfaces reflected rays into a broader range of directions. Our framework facilitates flight planning to avoid surface-reflected radiance while mapping other river attributes, or to maximize this component to exploit relationships between hydraulics and surface reflectance. This initial analysis also highlighted the need for improved models of water surface topography in natural rivers.

Interactions of light with rough dielectric surfaces - Spectral reflectance and polarimetric properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yon, S. A.; Pieters, C. M.

1988-01-01

The nature of the interactions of visible and NIR radiation with the surfaces of rock and mineral samples was investigated by measuring the reflectance and the polarization properties of scattered and reflected light for slab samples of obsidian and fine-grained basalt, prepared to controlled surface roughness. It is shown that the degree to which radiation can penetrate a surface and then scatter back out, an essential criterion for mineralogic determinations based on reflectance spectra, depends not only upon the composition of the material, but also on its physical condition such as sample grain size and surface roughness. Comparison of the experimentally measured reflectance and polarization from smooth and rough slab materials with the predicted models indicates that single Fresnel reflections are responsible for the largest part of the reflected intensity resulting from interactions with the surfaces of dielectric materials; multiple Fresnel reflections are much less important for such surfaces.

Optical nulling apparatus and method for testing an optical surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olczak, Eugene (Inventor); Hannon, John J. (Inventor); Dey, Thomas W. (Inventor); Jensen, Arthur E. (Inventor)

2008-01-01

An optical nulling apparatus for testing an optical surface includes an aspheric mirror having a reflecting surface for imaging light near or onto the optical surface under test, where the aspheric mirror is configured to reduce spherical aberration of the optical surface under test. The apparatus includes a light source for emitting light toward the aspheric mirror, the light source longitudinally aligned with the aspheric mirror and the optical surface under test. The aspheric mirror is disposed between the light source and the optical surface under test, and the emitted light is reflected off the reflecting surface of the aspheric mirror and imaged near or onto the optical surface under test. An optical measuring device is disposed between the light source and the aspheric mirror, where light reflected from the optical surface under test enters the optical measuring device. An imaging mirror is disposed longitudinally between the light source and the aspheric mirror, and the imaging mirror is configured to again reflect light, which is first reflected from the reflecting surface of the aspheric mirror, onto the optical surface under test.

LANDSAT inventory of surface-mined areas using extendible digital techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, A. T.; Schultz, D. T.; Buchman, N.

1975-01-01

Multispectral LANDSAT imagery was analyzed to provide a rapid and accurate means of identification, classification, and measurement of strip-mined surfaces in Western Maryland. Four band analysis allows distinction of a variety of strip-mine associated classes, but has limited extendibility. A method for surface area measurements of strip mines, which is both geographically and temporally extendible, has been developed using band-ratioed LANDSAT reflectance data. The accuracy of area measurement by this method, averaged over three LANDSAT scenes taken between September 1972 and July 1974, is greater than 93%. Total affected acreage of large (50 hectare/124 acre) mines can be measured to within 1.0%.

Nanoparticle image velocimetry at topologically structured surfaces

PubMed Central

Parikesit, Gea O. F.; Guasto, Jeffrey S.; Girardo, Salvatore; Mele, Elisa; Stabile, Ripalta; Pisignano, Dario; Lindken, Ralph; Westerweel, Jerry

2009-01-01

Nanoparticle image velocimetry (nano-PIV), based on total internal reflection fluorescent microscopy, is very useful to investigate fluid flows within ∼100 nm from a surface; but so far it has only been applied to flow over smooth surfaces. Here we show that it can also be applied to flow over a topologically structured surface, provided that the surface structures can be carefully configured not to disrupt the evanescent-wave illumination. We apply nano-PIV to quantify the flow velocity distribution over a polydimethylsiloxane surface, with a periodic gratinglike structure (with 215 nm height and 2 μm period) fabricated using our customized multilevel lithography method. The measured tracer displacement data are in good agreement with the computed theoretical values. These results demonstrate new possibilities to study the interactions between fluid flow and topologically structured surfaces. PMID:20216973

Estimation of the Total Electron Content of the Martian Ionosphere using Radar Sounder Surface Echoes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Safaeinili, Ali; Kofman, Wlodek; Mouginot, Jeremie; Gim, Yonggyu; Herique, Alain; Ivanov, Anton B.; Plaut, Jeffrey J.; Picardi, Giovanni

2007-01-01

The Martian ionosphere's local total electron content (TEC) and the neutral atmosphere scale height can be derived from radar echoes reflected from the surface of the planet. We report the global distribution of the TEC by analyzing more than 750,000 echoes of the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding (MARSIS). This is the first direct measurement of the TEC of the Martian ionosphere. The technique used in this paper is a novel 'transmission-mode' sounding of the ionosphere of Mars in contrast to the Active Ionospheric Sounding experiment (AIS) on MARSIS, which generally operates in the reflection mode. This technique yields a global map of the TEC for the Martian ionosphere. The radar transmits a wideband chirp signal that travels through the ionosphere before and after being reflected from the surface. The received waves are attenuated, delayed and dispersed, depending on the electron density in the column directly below the spacecraft. In the process of correcting the radar signal, we are able to estimate the TEC and its global distribution with an unprecedented resolution of about 0.1 deg in latitude (5 km footprint). The mapping of the relative geographical variations in the estimated nightside TEC data reveals an intricate web of high electron density regions that correspond to regions where crustal magnetic field lines are connected to the solar wind. Our data demonstrates that these regions are generally but not exclusively associated with areas that have magnetic field lines perpendicular to the surface of Mars. As a result, the global TEC map provides a high-resolution view of where the Martian crustal magnetic field is connected to the solar wind. We also provide an estimate of the neutral atmospheric scale height near the ionospheric peak and observe temporal fluctuations in peak electron density related to solar activity.

Characterization of atmospheric pressure plasma treated wool/cashmere textiles: Treatment in nitrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zanini, Stefano; Citterio, Attilio; Leonardi, Gabriella; Riccardi, Claudia

2018-01-01

We performed atmospheric pressure plasma treatments of wool/cashmere (15/85%) textiles with a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in nitrogen. The chemical properties of the plasma treated samples were investigated with attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (FTIR/ATR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron microscopy (XPS), and fatty acid gas chromatographic analysis. Changes in mechanical properties and tactile performance of textiles after the plasma treatment were determined using the KES-F system. The analyses reveal significant surface modification of the treated fabrics, which enhances their surface wettability.

Directional Reflective Surface Formed via Gradient-Impeding Acoustic Meta-Surfaces

PubMed Central

Song, Kyungjun; Kim, Jedo; Hur, Shin; Kwak, Jun-Hyuk; Lee, Seong-Hyun; Kim, Taesung

2016-01-01

Artificially designed acoustic meta-surfaces have the ability to manipulate sound energy to an extraordinary extent. Here, we report on a new type of directional reflective surface consisting of an array of sub-wavelength Helmholtz resonators with varying internal coiled path lengths, which induce a reflection phase gradient along a planar acoustic meta-surface. The acoustically reshaped reflective surface created by the gradient-impeding meta-surface yields a distinct focal line similar to a parabolic cylinder antenna, and is used for directive sound beamforming. Focused beam steering can be also obtained by repositioning the source (or receiver) off axis, i.e., displaced from the focal line. Besides flat reflective surfaces, complex surfaces such as convex or conformal shapes may be used for sound beamforming, thus facilitating easy application in sound reinforcement systems. Therefore, directional reflective surfaces have promising applications in fields such as acoustic imaging, sonic weaponry, and underwater communication. PMID:27562634

Infrared deflectometry for the inspection of diffusely specular surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Höfer, Sebastian; Burke, Jan; Heizmann, Michael

2016-12-01

Deflectometry is a full-field gradient technique that lends itself very well to testing specular surfaces. It uses the geometry of specular reflection to determine the gradient of the surface under inspection. In consequence, a necessary precondition to apply deflectometry is the presence of at least partially specular reflection. Surfaces with larger roughness have increasingly diffuse reflection characteristics, making them inaccessible to usual deflectometry. However, many industrially relevant surfaces exist that change their reflection characteristic during production and processing. An example is metal sheets that are used as car body parts. Whereas the molded but otherwise raw metal sheets show a mostly diffuse reflection without sufficient specular reflection, the final car body panels have a high specular reflectance due to the lacquering. In consequence, it would be advantageous to apply the same inspection approach both for the raw material and for the final product. To solve this challenge, specular reflection from rough surfaces can be achieved using light with a larger wavelength, as the specular reflectivity of a surface depends on the ratio of the surface roughness and the wavelength of the light applied. Wavelengths in the thermal infrared range create enough specular reflection to apply deflectometry on many visually rough metal surfaces. This contribution presents the principles of thermal deflectometry, its special challenges, and illustrates its use with examples from the inspection of industrially produced surfaces.

Retrieving background surface reflectance of Himawari-8/AHI using BRDF modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Sungwon; Seo, Minji; Lee, Kyeong-sang; Han, Kyung-soo

2017-04-01

In these days, remote sensing is more important than past. And retrieving surface reflectance in remote sensing is also important. So there are many ways to retrieve surface reflectance by my countries with polar orbit and geostationary satellite. We studied Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) which is used to retrieve surface reflectance. In BRDF equation, we calculate surface reflectance using BRD components and angular data. BRD components are to calculate 3 of scatterings, isotropic geometric and volumetric scattering. To make Background Surface Reflectance (BSR) of Himawari-8/AHI. We used 5 bands (band1, band2, band3, band4, band5) with BRDF. And we made 5 BSR for 5 channels. For validation, we compare BSR with Top of canopy (TOC) reflectance of AHI. As a result, bias are from -0.00223 to 0.008328 and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) are from 0.045 to 0.049. We think BSR can be used to replace TOC reflectance in remote sensing to improve weakness of TOC reflectance.

Assessment of Oco-2 Target Mode Vulnerability Against Horizontal Variability of Surface Reflectivity Neglected in the Operational Forward Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, A. B.; Qu, Z.

2014-12-01

The main goal of NASA's OCO-2 mission is to perform XCO2 column measurements from space with an unprecedented (~1 ppm) precision and accuracy that will enable modelers to globally map CO2 sources and sinks. To achieve this goal, the mission is critically dependent on XCO2product validation that, in turn, is highly dependent on successful use of OCO-2's "target mode" data acquisition. In target mode, OCO-2 rotates in such a way that, as long as it is above the horizon, it looks at a Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) station equipped with a powerful Fourier Transform spectrometer. TCCON stations measure, among other things, XCO2by looking straight at the Sun. This translates to a far simpler forward model for TCCON than for OCO-2. In the ideal world, OCO-2's spectroscopic signals result from the cumulative gaseous absorption for one direct transmission of sunlight to the ground (like for TCCON), followed by one diffuse reflection, and one direct transmission to the instrument—at a variety of viewing angles in traget mode. In the real world, all manner of multiple surface reflections and/or scatterings contribute to the signal. See figure. In the idealized world of the OCO-2 operational forward model (used in nadir, glint and target modes), the horizontal variability of the scattering atmosphere and reflecting surface are ignored, leading to the adoption of a 1D vector radiative transfer (vRT) model. This is the source of forward model error that we are investigating, with a focus on target mode. In principle, atmospheric variability in the horizontal plane—largely due to clouds—can be avoided by careful screening. Also, it is straightforward to account for angular variability of the surface reflection model in the 1D vRT framework. But it is not clear how unavoidable horizontal variations of the surface reflectivity affects the OCO-2 signal, even if the reflection was isotropic (Lambertian). To characterize this OCO-2 "adjacency" effect, we use a simple surface variability model with a single spatial frequency in each direction, and a single albedo contrast at a time for realistic aerosol and gaseous profiles. This specific 3D RT error is compared with other documented forward model errors and translated into XCO2 error in ppm, for programatic consideration and eventual mitigation.

Measurement of drug and macromolecule diffusion across atherosclerotic rabbit aorta ex vivo by attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palombo, Francesca; Danoux, Charlène B.; Weinberg, Peter D.; Kazarian, Sergei G.

2009-07-01

Diffusion of two model drugs-benzyl nicotinate and ibuprofen-and the plasma macromolecule albumin across atherosclerotic rabbit aorta was studied ex vivo by attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) imaging. Solutions of these molecules were applied to the endothelial surface of histological sections of the aortic wall that were sandwiched between two impermeable surfaces. An array of spectra, each corresponding to a specific location in the section, was obtained at various times during solute diffusion into the wall and revealed the distribution of the solutes within the tissue. Benzyl nicotinate in Ringer's solution showed higher affinity for atherosclerotic plaque than for apparently healthy tissue. Transmural concentration profiles for albumin demonstrated its permeation across the section and were consistent with a relatively low distribution volume for the macromolecule in the middle of the wall. The ability of albumin to act as a drug carrier for ibuprofen, otherwise undetected within the tissue, was demonstrated by multivariate subtraction image analysis. In conclusion, ATR-FTIR imaging can be used to study transport processes in tissue samples with high spatial and temporal resolution and without the need to label the solutes under study.

Effects of skylight polarization, cloudiness, and view angle on the detection of oil on water.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Millard, J. P.; Arvesen, J. C.

1971-01-01

Three passive radiometric techniques, which use the contrast of sunlight reflected and backscattered from oil and water in specific wavelength regions, have potential application for remote sensing of oil spills. These techniques consist of measuring (1) total radiance, (2) the polarization components (normal and parallel) of radiance, and (3) the difference between the normal and parallel components. In this paper, the best view directions for these techniques are evaluated, conclusions are drawn as to the most promising technique, and explanations are developed to describe why previous total-radiance measurements yielded highest contrast between oil and water under overcast skies. The technique based on measurement of only the normal polorization component appears to be the most promising. The differential technique should be further investigated because of its potential to reduce the component of backscattered light from below the surface of the water. Measurements should be made about 45 deg nadir view angle in the direction opposite the sun. Overcast sky conditions provide a higher intensity of skylight relative to clear sky conditions and a lower intensity of backscatter within the water relative to surface reflectance. These factors result in higher contrast between oil and water under overcast skies.

Surface modification of argon/oxygen plasma treated vulcanized ethylene propylene diene polymethylene surfaces for improved adhesion with natural rubber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basak, Ganesh C.; Bandyopadhyay, Abhijit; Neogi, Sudarsan; Bhowmick, Anil K.

2011-01-01

Vulcanized ethylene propylene diene polymethylene (EPDM) rubber surface was treated in a radio frequency capacitatively coupled low pressure argon/oxygen plasma to improve adhesion with compounded natural rubber (NR) during co-vulcanization. The plasma modified surfaces were analyzed by means of contact angle measurement, surface energy, attenuated total reflection-infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray sulfur mapping and atomic force microscopy. Several experimental variables such as plasma power, length of exposure time and composition of the argon-oxygen gas mixture were considered. It was delineated that plasma treatment changed both surface composition and roughness, and consequently increased peel strength. The change in surface composition was mainly ascribed to the formation of C-O and -Cdbnd O functional groups on the vulcanized surfaces. A maximum of 98% improvement in peel strength was observed after plasma treatment.

Modification of polycarbonate surface in oxidizing plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ovtsyn, A. A.; Smirnov, S. A.; Shikova, T. G.; Kholodkov, I. V.

2017-11-01

The properties of the surface of the film polycarbonate Lexan 8010 were experimentally studied after treatment in a DC discharge plasma in oxygen and air at pressures of 50-300 Pa and a discharge current of 80 mA. The contact angles of wetting and surface energies are measured. The topography of the surface was investigated by atomic force microscopy. The chemical composition of the surface was determined from the FT-IR spectroscopy data in the variant of total internal reflection, as well as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Treatment in the oxidizing plasma leads to a change in morphology (average roughness increases), an increase in the surface energy, and the concentration of oxygen-containing groups (hydroxyl groups, carbonyl groups in ketones or aldehydes and in oxyketones) on the surface of the polymer. Possible reasons for the difference in surface properties of polymer under the action of oxygen and air plasma on it are discussed.

Classifying and monitoring water quality by use of satellite imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scherz, J. P.; Crane, D. R.; Rogers, R. H.

1976-01-01

A technique is developed to eliminate the atmosphere and surface noise effects on Landsat signals of water bodies by manipulating the total signal from Landsat in such a way that only the volume reflectance is left as a residual. With the Landsat signal from a lake and the known volume reflectance for its clear water it is possible to eliminate the surface and atmospheric effects and have residual signals that are indicative only of the type and concentration of the material in other lakes. Laboratory values are more precise than field values because in the field one must contend with indirect skylight and wave action which can be removed in the laboratory. The volume reflectance of distilled water or a very clear lake approaching distilled water was determined in the laboratory by the use of the Bendix radiant power measuring instrument. The Bendix multispectral data analysis system provided a color categorized image of several hundred lakes in a Wisconsin area. These lakes were categorized for tannin and nontannin waters and for the degrees of algae, silt, weeds, and bottom effects present.

Repetitive cleaning of a stainless steel first mirror using radio frequency plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Jiao; Yan, Rong; Ding, Rui; Chen, Junling; Zhu, Dahuan; Zhang, Zengming

2017-10-01

First mirrors (FMs) are crucial components of optical diagnostic systems in present-day tokamaks and future fusion reactors. Their lifetimes should be extremely limited due to their proximity to burning plasma, greatly influencing the safe operation of corresponding diagnostics. Repetitive cleaning is expected to provide a solution to the frequent replacement of contaminated FMs, thus prolonging their lifetimes. Three repetitive cleaning cycles using radio frequency plasma were applied to stainless steel (SS) FM samples, to evaluate the change of the mirrors’ optical properties and morphology during each cycle. Amorphous carbon films were deposited on mirror surfaces under identical conditions in three cycles. In three cycles with identical cleaning parameters, the total reflectivity was restored at up to 95%. Nevertheless, with successive cleaning cycles, the FM surfaces gradually appeared to roughen due to damage to the grain boundaries. Correspondingly, the diffuse reflectivity increased from a few percent to 20% and 27% after the second and third cycles. After optimizing the cleaning parameters of the second and third cycles, the roughness showed a significant decrease, and simultaneously the increase of diffuse reflectivity was remarkably improved.

All-reflective optical target illumination system with high numerical aperture

DOEpatents

Thomas, Carlton E.; Sigler, Robert D.; Hoeger, John G.

1979-01-01

An all-reflective optical system for providing illumination of a target focal region at high numerical aperture from a pair of confluent collimated light beams. The collimated beams are each incident upon an associated concave eccentric pupil paraboloidal reflective surface, and thereby each focused through an opening in an associated outer ellipsoidal reflective surface onto a plane reflector. Each beam is reflected by its associated plane reflector onto the opposing concave surface of the outer ellipsoids to be focused through an opening in the plane surface onto an opposing inner concave ellipsoidal reflective surface, and thence onto the target region.

Condenser optic with sacrificial reflective surface

DOEpatents

Tichenor, Daniel A.; Kubiak, Glenn D.; Lee, Sang Hun

2006-07-25

Employing collector optics that have a sacrificial reflective surface can significantly prolong the useful life of the collector optics and the overall performance of the condenser in which the collector optics are incorporated. The collector optics are normally subject to erosion by debris from laser plasma source of radiation. The presence of an upper sacrificial reflective surface over the underlying reflective surface effectively increases the life of the optics while relaxing the constraints on the radiation source. Spatial and temporally varying reflectivity that results from the use of the sacrificial reflective surface can be accommodated by proper condenser design.

Condenser optic with sacrificial reflective surface

DOEpatents

Tichenor, Daniel A [Castro Valley, CA; Kubiak, Glenn D [Livermore, CA; Lee, Sung Hun [Sunnyvale, CA

2007-07-03

Employing collector optics that has a sacrificial reflective surface can significantly prolong the useful life of the collector optics and the overall performance of the condenser in which the collector optics are incorporated. The collector optics is normally subject to erosion by debris from laser plasma source of radiation. The presence of an upper sacrificial reflective surface over the underlying reflective surface effectively increases the life of the optics while relaxing the constraints on the radiation source. Spatial and temporally varying reflectivity that results from the use of the sacrificial reflective surface can be accommodated by proper condenser design.

Assessment of pepper spray product potency in Asian and Caucasian forearm skin using transepidermal water loss, skin temperature and reflectance colorimetry.

PubMed

Pershing, Lynn K; Reilly, Christopher A; Corlett, Judy L; Crouch, Dennis J

2006-01-01

Historically, pepper spray product potency has been established using a taste test evaluation. A taste test is subjective and may not be appropriate for assessing pepper potency in skin. The current study evaluated chemically diverse pepper sprays in human forearm skin using three objective, noninvasive parameters: transepidermal water loss, skin surface temperature and erythema, as a means for assessing dermal pharmacology, toxicology and product potency. Five commercial pepper spray products containing various capsaicinoid analogs at various concentrations were evaluated in duplicate on volar forearms of six Caucasians and six Asians using a 10 min exposure. Mean surface skin temperature, transepidermal water loss results were highly variable and therefore did not demonstrate dose responsive behavior to increasing capsaicinoid concentrations. Erythema, as measured by increases in a* (reflected light in the red-to-green color spectrum) of the L*a*b* uniform color scale, was superior among parameters evaluated in discriminating pepper spray potency and correlated well with the relative and total capsaicinoid concentration in the products. Products containing greater than 16 mg ml(-1) capsaicinoid concentration produced greater erythema responses in Caucasians than Asians. Asians responded greater to the synthetic analog, nonivamide, than to mixtures of capsaicinoids, while Caucasians responded equally to both capsaicinoid analogs. Thus, pepper spray product potency in human skin reflects the total capsaicinoid concentration, the specific capsaicin analog(s) present, and the race of the individual exposed. The finding that the reflectance colorimeter a* scale can differentiate these parameters in skin will have a significant impact on evaluating the use and efficacy of pepper spray products in humans. 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Oxygen Plasma Modification of Poss-Coated Kapton(Registered TradeMark) HN Films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wohl, C. J.; Belcher, M. A.; Ghose, S.; Connell, J. W.

2008-01-01

The surface energy of a material depends on both surface composition and topographic features. In an effort to modify the surface topography of Kapton(Registered TradeMark) HN film, organic solutions of a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane, octakis(dimethylsilyloxy)silsesquioxane (POSS), were spray-coated onto the Kapton(Registered TradeMark) HN surface. Prior to POSS application, the Kapton(Registered TradeMark) HN film was activated by exposure to radio frequency (RF)-generated oxygen plasma. After POSS deposition and solvent evaporation, the films were exposed to various durations of RF-generated oxygen plasma to create a topographically rich surface. The modified films were characterized using optical microscopy, attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy, and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM). The physical properties of the modified films will be presented.

Fabrication of anticoagulation layer on titanium surface by sequential immobilization of poly (ethylene glycol) and albumin.

PubMed

Pan, Chang-Jiang; Hou, Yan-Hua; Zhang, Bin-Bin; Zhang, Lin-Cai

2014-01-01

This paper presents a simple method to sequentially immobilize poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) and albumin on titanium surface to enhance the blood compatibility. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) analysis indicated that PEG and albumin were successfully immobilized on the titanium surface. Water contact angle results showed a better hydrophilic surface after the immobilization. The immobilized PEG or albumin can not only obviously prevent platelet adhesion and activation but also prolong activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), leading to the improved anticoagulation. Moreover, immobilization of albumin on PEG-modified surface can further improve the anticoagulation. The approach in the present study provides an effective and efficient method to improve the anticoagulation of blood-contact biomedical devices such as coronary stents.

Non-Lambertian effects on remote sensing of surface reflectance and vegetation index

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, T. Y.; Kaufman, Y. J.

1986-01-01

This paper discusses the effects of non-Lambertian reflection from a homogeneous surface on remote sensing of the surface reflectance and vegetation index from a satellite. Remote measurement of the surface characteristics is perturbed by atmospheric scattering of sun light. This scattering tends to smooth the angular dependence of non-Lambertian surface reflectances, an effect that is not present in the case of Lambertian surfaces. This effect is calculated to test the validity of a Lambertian assumption used in remote sensing. For the three types of vegetations considered in this study, the assumption of Lambertian surface can be used satisfactorily in the derivation of surface reflectance from remotely measured radiance for a view angle outside the backscattering region. Within the backscattering region, however, the use of the assumption can result in a considerable error in the derived surface reflectance. Accuracy also deteriorates with increasing solar zenith angle. The angular distribution of the surface reflectance derived from remote measurements is smoother than that at the surface. The effect of surface non-Lambertianity on remote sensing of vegetation index is very weak. Since the effect is similiar in the visible and near infrared part of the solar spectrum for the vegetations treated in this study, it is canceled in deriving the vegetation index. The effect of the diffuse skylight on surface reflectance measurements at ground level is also discussed.

Experimental observation of an extremely dark material made by a low-density nanotube array.

PubMed

Yang, Zu-Po; Ci, Lijie; Bur, James A; Lin, Shawn-Yu; Ajayan, Pulickel M

2008-02-01

An ideal black material absorbs light perfectly at all angles and over all wavelengths. Here, we show that low-density vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays can be engineered to have an extremely low index of refraction, as predicted recently by theory [Garcia-Vidal, F. J.; Pitarke, J. M.; Pendry, J. B. Phys. Rev. Lett. 1997, 78, 4289-4292] and, combined with the nanoscale surface roughness of the arrays, can produce a near-perfect optical absorption material. An ultralow diffused reflectance of 1 x 10(-7) measured from such arrays is an order-of-magnitude lower compared to commercial low-reflectance standard carbon. The corresponding integrated total reflectance of 0.045% from the nanotube arrays is three times lower than the lowest-ever reported values of optical reflectance from any material, making it the darkest man-made material ever.

Preparation, Characterization and Activity of a Peptide-Cellulosic Aerogel Protease Sensor from Cotton.

PubMed

Edwards, J Vincent; Fontenot, Krystal R; Prevost, Nicolette T; Pircher, Nicole; Liebner, Falk; Condon, Brian D

2016-10-26

Nanocellulosic aerogels (NA) provide a lightweight biocompatible material with structural properties, like interconnected high porosity and specific surface area, suitable for biosensor design. We report here the preparation, characterization and activity of peptide-nanocellulose aerogels (PepNA) made from unprocessed cotton and designed with protease detection activity. Low-density cellulosic aerogels were prepared from greige cotton by employing calcium thiocyanate octahydrate/lithium chloride as a direct cellulose dissolving medium. Subsequent casting, coagulation, solvent exchange and supercritical carbon dioxide drying afforded homogeneous cellulose II aerogels of fibrous morphology. The cotton-based aerogel had a porosity of 99% largely dominated by mesopores (2-50 nm) and an internal surface of 163 m²·g -1 . A fluorescent tripeptide-substrate (succinyl-alanine-proline-alanine-4-amino-7-methyl-coumarin) was tethered to NA by (1) esterification of cellulose C6 surface hydroxyl groups with glycidyl-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (FMOC), (2) deprotection and (3) coupling of the immobilized glycine with the tripeptide. Characterization of the NA and PepNA included techniques, such as elemental analysis, mass spectral analysis, attenuated total reflectance infrared imaging, nitrogen adsorption, scanning electron microscopy and bioactivity studies. The degree of substitution of the peptide analog attached to the anhydroglucose units of PepNA was 0.015. The findings from mass spectral analysis and attenuated total reflectance infrared imaging indicated that the peptide substrate was immobilized on to the surface of the NA. Nitrogen adsorption revealed a high specific surface area and a highly porous system, which supports the open porous structure observed from scanning electron microscopy images. Bioactivity studies of PepNA revealed a detection sensitivity of 0.13 units/milliliter for human neutrophil elastase, a diagnostic biomarker for inflammatory diseases. The physical properties of the aerogel are suitable for interfacing with an intelligent protease sequestrant wound dressing.

Analysis for Mar Vel Black and acetylene soot low reflectivity surfaces for star tracker sunshade applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yung, E.

1974-01-01

Mar Vel Black is a revolutionary new extremely low reflectivity anodized coating developed by Martin Marietta of Denver. It is of great interest in optics in general, and in star trackers specifically because it can reduce extraneous light reflections. A sample of Mar Vel Black was evaluated. Mar Vel Black looks much like a super black surface with many small peaks and very steep sides so that any light incident upon the surface will tend to reflect many times before exiting that surface. Even a high reflectivity surface would thus appear to have a very low reflectivity under such conditions. Conversely, acetylene soot does not have the magnified surface appearance of a super black surface. Its performance is, however, predictable from the surface structure, considering the known configuration of virtually pure carbon.

RF transmission line and drill/pipe string switching technology for down-hole telemetry

DOEpatents

Clark, David D [Santa Fe, NM; Coates, Don M [Santa Fe, NM

2007-08-14

A modulated reflectance well telemetry apparatus having an electrically conductive pipe extending from above a surface to a point below the surface inside a casing. An electrical conductor is located at a position a distance from the electrically conductive pipe and extending from above the surface to a point below the surface. Modulated reflectance apparatus is located below the surface for modulating well data into a RF carrier transmitted from the surface and reflecting the modulated carrier back to the surface. A RF transceiver is located at the surface and is connected between the electrically conductive pipe and the electrical conductor for transmitting a RF signal that is confined between the electrically conductive well pipe and the electrical conductor to the modulated reflectance apparatus, and for receiving reflected data on the well from the modulated reflectance apparatus.

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.

Interferometric Quasi-Autocollimator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turner, Matthew D. (Inventor); Gundlach, Jens H. (Inventor); Schlamminger, Stephan (Inventor); Hagedorn, Charles A. (Inventor)

2014-01-01

Systems and method are disclosed for measuring small angular deflections of a target using weak value amplification. A system includes a beam source, a beam splitter, a target reflecting surface, a photodetector, and a processor. The beam source generates an input beam that is split into first and second beams by the beam splitter. The first and second beams are propagated to the target reflecting surface, at least partially superimposed at the target reflecting surface, and incident to the target reflecting surface normal to the target reflecting surface. The first beam is reflected an additional even number of times during propagation to the photodetector. The second beam is reflected an additional odd number of times during propagation to the photodetector. The first and second beams interfere at the photodetector so as to produce interference patterns. The interference patterns are interpreted to measure angular deflections of the target reflecting surface.

Surface roughness effects on bidirectional reflectance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, T. F.; Hering, R. G.

1972-01-01

An experimental study of surface roughness effects on bidirectional reflectance of metallic surfaces is presented. A facility capable of irradiating a sample from normal to grazing incidence and recording plane of incidence bidirectional reflectance measurements was developed. Samples consisting of glass, aluminum alloy, and stainless steel materials were selected for examination. Samples were roughened using standard grinding techniques and coated with a radiatively opaque layer of pure aluminum. Mechanical surface roughness parameters, rms heights and rms slopes, evaluated from digitized surface profile measurements are less than 1.0 micrometers and 0.28, respectively. Rough surface specular, bidirectional, and directional reflectance measurements for selected values of polar angle of incidence and wavelength of incident energy within the spectral range of 1 to 14 micrometers are reported. The Beckmann bidirectional reflectance model is compared with reflectance measurements to establish its usefulness in describing the magnitude and spatial distribution of energy reflected from rough surfaces.

Confined Three-Dimensional Plasmon Modes inside a Ring-Shaped Nanocavity on a Silver Film Imaged by Cathodoluminescence Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, X. L.; Ma, Y.; Zhang, J. S.; Xu, J.; Wu, X. F.; Zhang, Y.; Han, X. B.; Fu, Q.; Liao, Z. M.; Chen, L.; Yu, D. P.

2010-09-01

The confined modes of surface plasmon polaritons in boxing ring-shaped nanocavities have been investigated and imaged by using cathodoluminescence spectroscopy. The mode of the out-of-plane field components of surface plasmon polaritons dominates the experimental mode patterns, indicating that the electron beam locally excites the out-of-plane field component of surface plasmon polaritons. Quality factors can be directly acquired from the spectra induced by the ultrasmooth surface of the cavity and the high reflectivity of the silver (Ag) reflectors. Because of its three-dimensional confined characteristics and the omnidirectional reflectors, the nanocavity exhibits a small modal volume, small total volume, rich resonant modes, and flexibility in mode control.

Direct Aerosol Forcing Uncertainty

DOE Data Explorer

Mccomiskey, Allison

2008-01-15

Understanding sources of uncertainty in aerosol direct radiative forcing (DRF), the difference in a given radiative flux component with and without aerosol, is essential to quantifying changes in Earth's radiation budget. We examine the uncertainty in DRF due to measurement uncertainty in the quantities on which it depends: aerosol optical depth, single scattering albedo, asymmetry parameter, solar geometry, and surface albedo. Direct radiative forcing at the top of the atmosphere and at the surface as well as sensitivities, the changes in DRF in response to unit changes in individual aerosol or surface properties, are calculated at three locations representing distinct aerosol types and radiative environments. The uncertainty in DRF associated with a given property is computed as the product of the sensitivity and typical measurement uncertainty in the respective aerosol or surface property. Sensitivity and uncertainty values permit estimation of total uncertainty in calculated DRF and identification of properties that most limit accuracy in estimating forcing. Total uncertainties in modeled local diurnally averaged forcing range from 0.2 to 1.3 W m-2 (42 to 20%) depending on location (from tropical to polar sites), solar zenith angle, surface reflectance, aerosol type, and aerosol optical depth. The largest contributor to total uncertainty in DRF is usually single scattering albedo; however decreasing measurement uncertainties for any property would increase accuracy in DRF. Comparison of two radiative transfer models suggests the contribution of modeling error is small compared to the total uncertainty although comparable to uncertainty arising from some individual properties.

Growth of rough-surface p-GaN layers on InGaN/GaN multiple-quantum-well structures by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition and their application to GaN-based solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mori, Takuma; Egawa, Takashi; Miyoshi, Makoto

2017-08-01

We conducted the study on the growth of rough-surface p-GaN layers on InGaN/GaN multiple-quantum-well (MQW) structures by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). It was found that the sum of InGaN well thickness t well_total was a predominant factor to form the rough surface, in addition to the growth temperature as low as 800 °C for the p-GaN layers. Microstructure analyses revealed that the rough surfaces consisted of a certain number of hexagonal V-shaped pits starting from dislocations propagated through an under layer and they increased with the increased t well_total. It was confirmed that the light absorption was enlarged for MQW structure samples with rough-surface p-GaN layers on the top, owing to not only the thickness effect in MQWs but also their reduced light reflection on the surfaces. It was also confirmed that these optical properties contributed to the performance improvement in InGaN/GaN MQW solar cells.

Phototaxis and polarotaxis hand in hand: night dispersal flight of aquatic insects distracted synergistically by light intensity and reflection polarization.

PubMed

Boda, Pál; Horváth, Gábor; Kriska, György; Blahó, Miklós; Csabai, Zoltán

2014-05-01

Based on an earlier observation in the field, we hypothesized that light intensity and horizontally polarized reflected light may strongly influence the flight behaviour of night-active aquatic insects. We assumed that phototaxis and polarotaxis together have a more harmful effect on the dispersal flight of these insects than they would have separately. We tested this hypothesis in a multiple-choice field experiment using horizontal test surfaces laid on the ground. We offered simultaneously the following visual stimuli for aerial aquatic insects: (1) lamplit matte black canvas inducing phototaxis alone, (2) unlit shiny black plastic sheet eliciting polarotaxis alone, (3) lamplit shiny black plastic sheet inducing simultaneously phototaxis and polarotaxis, and (4) unlit matte black canvas as a visually unattractive control. The unlit matte black canvas trapped only a negligible number (13) of water insects. The sum (16,432) of the total numbers of water beetles and bugs captured on the lamplit matte black canvas (7,922) and the unlit shiny black plastic sheet (8,510) was much smaller than the total catch (29,682) caught on the lamplit shiny black plastic sheet. This provides experimental evidence for the synergistic interaction of phototaxis (elicited by the unpolarized direct lamplight) and polarotaxis (induced by the strongly and horizontally polarized plastic-reflected light) in the investigated aquatic insects. Thus, horizontally polarizing artificial lamplit surfaces can function as an effective ecological trap due to this synergism of optical cues, especially in the urban environment.

Phototaxis and polarotaxis hand in hand: night dispersal flight of aquatic insects distracted synergistically by light intensity and reflection polarization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boda, Pál; Horváth, Gábor; Kriska, György; Blahó, Miklós; Csabai, Zoltán

2014-05-01

Based on an earlier observation in the field, we hypothesized that light intensity and horizontally polarized reflected light may strongly influence the flight behaviour of night-active aquatic insects. We assumed that phototaxis and polarotaxis together have a more harmful effect on the dispersal flight of these insects than they would have separately. We tested this hypothesis in a multiple-choice field experiment using horizontal test surfaces laid on the ground. We offered simultaneously the following visual stimuli for aerial aquatic insects: (1) lamplit matte black canvas inducing phototaxis alone, (2) unlit shiny black plastic sheet eliciting polarotaxis alone, (3) lamplit shiny black plastic sheet inducing simultaneously phototaxis and polarotaxis, and (4) unlit matte black canvas as a visually unattractive control. The unlit matte black canvas trapped only a negligible number (13) of water insects. The sum (16,432) of the total numbers of water beetles and bugs captured on the lamplit matte black canvas (7,922) and the unlit shiny black plastic sheet (8,510) was much smaller than the total catch (29,682) caught on the lamplit shiny black plastic sheet. This provides experimental evidence for the synergistic interaction of phototaxis (elicited by the unpolarized direct lamplight) and polarotaxis (induced by the strongly and horizontally polarized plastic-reflected light) in the investigated aquatic insects. Thus, horizontally polarizing artificial lamplit surfaces can function as an effective ecological trap due to this synergism of optical cues, especially in the urban environment.

Evaluation of Staining-Dependent Colour Changes in Resin Composites Using Principal Component Analysis

PubMed Central

Manojlovic, D.; Lenhardt, L.; Milićević, B.; Antonov, M.; Miletic, V.; Dramićanin, M. D.

2015-01-01

Colour changes in Gradia Direct™ composite after immersion in tea, coffee, red wine, Coca-Cola, Colgate mouthwash, and distilled water were evaluated using principal component analysis (PCA) and the CIELAB colour coordinates. The reflection spectra of the composites were used as input data for the PCA. The output data (scores and loadings) provided information about the magnitude and origin of the surface reflection changes after exposure to the staining solutions. The reflection spectra of the stained samples generally exhibited lower reflection in the blue spectral range, which was manifested in the lower content of the blue shade for the samples. Both analyses demonstrated the high staining abilities of tea, coffee, and red wine, which produced total colour changes of 4.31, 6.61, and 6.22, respectively, according to the CIELAB analysis. PCA revealed subtle changes in the reflection spectra of composites immersed in Coca-Cola, demonstrating Coca-Cola’s ability to stain the composite to a small degree. PMID:26450008

Evaluation of Staining-Dependent Colour Changes in Resin Composites Using Principal Component Analysis.

PubMed

Manojlovic, D; Lenhardt, L; Milićević, B; Antonov, M; Miletic, V; Dramićanin, M D

2015-10-09

Colour changes in Gradia Direct™ composite after immersion in tea, coffee, red wine, Coca-Cola, Colgate mouthwash, and distilled water were evaluated using principal component analysis (PCA) and the CIELAB colour coordinates. The reflection spectra of the composites were used as input data for the PCA. The output data (scores and loadings) provided information about the magnitude and origin of the surface reflection changes after exposure to the staining solutions. The reflection spectra of the stained samples generally exhibited lower reflection in the blue spectral range, which was manifested in the lower content of the blue shade for the samples. Both analyses demonstrated the high staining abilities of tea, coffee, and red wine, which produced total colour changes of 4.31, 6.61, and 6.22, respectively, according to the CIELAB analysis. PCA revealed subtle changes in the reflection spectra of composites immersed in Coca-Cola, demonstrating Coca-Cola's ability to stain the composite to a small degree.

A biological sub-micron thickness optical broadband reflector characterized using both light and microwaves

PubMed Central

Vukusic, P.; Kelly, R.; Hooper, I.

2008-01-01

Broadband optical reflectors generally function through coherent scattering from systems comprising one of three designs: overlapped; chirped; or chaotic multilayer reflectors. For each, the requirement to scatter a broad band of wavelengths is met through the presence of a variation in nanostructural periodicity running perpendicular to the systems' outer surfaces. Consequently, the requisite total thickness of the multilayer can often be in excess of 50 μm. Here, we report the discovery and the microwave-assisted characterization of a natural system that achieves excellent optical broadband reflectivity but that is less than 1 μm thick. This system, found on the wing scales of the butterfly Argyrophorus argenteus, comprises a distinctive variation in periodicity that runs parallel to the reflecting surface, rather than perpendicular to it. In this way, the requirement for an extensively thick system is removed. PMID:19042180

Three-dimensional particle tracking in concave structures made by ultraviolet nanoimprint via total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy and refractive-index-matching method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujinami, Taku; Kigami, Hiroshi; Unno, Noriyuki; Taniguchi, Jun; Satake, Shin-ichi

2018-06-01

Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) is a promising method for measuring fluid flow close to a wall with nanoscale resolution in a process that is termed "multilayer nanoparticle image velocimetry" (MnPIV). TIRFM uses evanescent light that is generated on a substrate (typically a glass slide) by total internal reflection of light. Many researchers have previously studied x- y- z (3D) flows of water close to flat glass slides using MnPIV. On the other hand, a fluid flow close to a structured surface is also important. To measure flows of water near micro-patterns, we previously developed an MnPIV technique that uses a refractive-index-matching method. In previous study, the micropattern is made of a thermoplastic material with a refractive index that closely matches that of water. In this study, ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography was used for fabricating the appropriate micro-patterns because this technique can fabricate a pattern with a high resolution. As a result, we succeeded in performing MnPIV in water with a circular hole array pattern made by ultraviolet nanoimprint using a refractive-index-matching method. We believe that this technique will be helpful in elucidating fluid flows around microstructures.

Three-dimensional particle tracking in concave structures made by ultraviolet nanoimprint via total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy and refractive-index-matching method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujinami, Taku; Kigami, Hiroshi; Unno, Noriyuki; Taniguchi, Jun; Satake, Shin-ichi

2018-03-01

Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) is a promising method for measuring fluid flow close to a wall with nanoscale resolution in a process that is termed "multilayer nanoparticle image velocimetry" (MnPIV). TIRFM uses evanescent light that is generated on a substrate (typically a glass slide) by total internal reflection of light. Many researchers have previously studied x-y-z (3D) flows of water close to flat glass slides using MnPIV. On the other hand, a fluid flow close to a structured surface is also important. To measure flows of water near micro-patterns, we previously developed an MnPIV technique that uses a refractive-index-matching method. In previous study, the micropattern is made of a thermoplastic material with a refractive index that closely matches that of water. In this study, ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography was used for fabricating the appropriate micro-patterns because this technique can fabricate a pattern with a high resolution. As a result, we succeeded in performing MnPIV in water with a circular hole array pattern made by ultraviolet nanoimprint using a refractive-index-matching method. We believe that this technique will be helpful in elucidating fluid flows around microstructures.

Why does radar reflectivity tend to increase downward toward the ocean surface, but decrease downward toward the land surface?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Chuntao; Zipser, Edward J.

2013-01-01

Both ground and space borne radars have shown that radar reflectivity profiles below the freezing level have different slopes over land and ocean in general. This is critical in correctly estimating the surface precipitation rate in the usual situation in which the radar reflectivity cannot be measured as close to the surface as one would like. Using 14 years of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission precipitation radar observations, the variations of slopes of the radar reflectivity in the low troposphere are examined over the stratiform and convective precipitation regions. Radar reflectivity below the freezing level usually decreases toward the surface over land, but increases toward the surface over the ocean. Increasing reflectivity toward the surface is hypothesized to occur mainly when raindrops grow while falling through low clouds, which is favored by high humidity at low levels, and by updraft speeds lower than the fall speed of raindrops, both more likely over oceans. Other things being equal, proxy evidence is presented that the more intense the convection, the more likely reflectivity is to decrease toward the surface, and that this is at least as important as low-level relative humidity. Over monsoon regions with more moderate convection but higher humidity, such as southeast China and the Amazon, there are more profiles with reflectivity increasing toward the surface than over other continental regions such as Africa. Radar reflectivity tends to increase toward the surface in shallow warm rain systems in trade cumulus regions, but tends to decrease toward the surface when high reflectivity values are present at or above the freezing level.

Design of an fMRI-compatible optical touch stripe based on frustrated total internal reflection.

PubMed

Jarrahi, Behnaz; Wanek, Johann

2014-01-01

Previously we developed a low-cost, multi-configurable handheld response system, using a reflective-type intensity modulated fiber-optic sensor (FOS) to accurately gather participants' behavioral responses during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Inspired by the popularity and omnipresence of the fingertip-based touch sensing user interface devices, in this paper we present the design of a prototype fMRI-compatible optical touch stripe (OTS) as an alternative configuration. The prototype device takes advantage of a proven frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) technique. By using a custom-built wedge-shaped optically transparent acrylic prism as an optical waveguide, and a plano-concave lens to provide the required light beam profile, the position of a fingertip touching the surface of the wedge prism can be determined from the deflected light beams that become trapped within the prism by total internal reflection. To achieve maximum sensitivity, the optical design of the wedge prism and lens were optimized through a series of light beam simulations using WinLens 3D Basic software suite. Furthermore, OTS performance and MRI-compatibility were assessed on a 3.0 Tesla MRI scanner running echo planar imaging (EPI) sequences. The results show that the OTS can detect a touch signal at high spatial resolution (about 0.5 cm), and is well suited for use within the MRI environment with average time-variant signal-to-noise ratio (tSNR) loss < 3%.

Retrieval of Aerosol Microphysical Properties Based on the Optimal Estimation Method: Information Content Analysis for Satellite Polarimetric Remote Sensing Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, W. Z.; Li, Z. Q.; Zheng, F. X.; Qie, L. L.

2018-04-01

This paper evaluates the information content for the retrieval of key aerosol microphysical and surface properties for multispectral single-viewing satellite polarimetric measurements cantered at 410, 443, 555, 670, 865, 1610 and 2250 nm over bright land. To conduct the information content analysis, the synthetic data are simulated by the Unified Linearized Vector Radiative Transfer Model (UNLVTM) with the intensity and polarization together over bare soil surface for various scenarios. Following the optimal estimation theory, a principal component analysis method is employed to reconstruct the multispectral surface reflectance from 410 nm to 2250 nm, and then integrated with a linear one-parametric BPDF model to represent the contribution of polarized surface reflectance, thus further to decouple the surface-atmosphere contribution from the TOA measurements. Focusing on two different aerosol models with the aerosol optical depth equal to 0.8 at 550 nm, the total DFS and DFS component of each retrieval aerosol and surface parameter are analysed. The DFS results show that the key aerosol microphysical properties, such as the fine- and coarse-mode columnar volume concentration, the effective radius and the real part of complex refractive index at 550 nm, could be well retrieved with the surface parameters simultaneously over bare soil surface type. The findings of this study can provide the guidance to the inversion algorithm development over bright surface land by taking full use of the single-viewing satellite polarimetric measurements.

Use of Reflectance Ratios as a Proxy for Coastal Water Constituent Monitoring in the Pearl River Estuary

PubMed Central

Fang, Li-Gang; Chen, Shui-Sen; Li, Dong; Li, Hong-Li

2009-01-01

Spectra, salinity, total suspended solids (TSS, in mg/L) and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM, ag(400) at 400 nm) sampled in stations in 44 different locations on December 18, 19 and 21, in 2006 were measured and analyzed. The studied field covered a large variety of optically different waters, the absorption coefficient of CDOM ([ag(400)] in m-1) varied between 0.488 and 1.41 m-1, and the TSS concentrations (mg/L) varied between 7.0 and 241.1 mg/L. In order to detect salinity of the Pearl River Estuary, we analyzed the spectral properties of TSS and CDOM, and the relationships between field water reflectance spectra and water constituents' concentrations based on the synchronous in-situ and satellite hyper-spectral image analysis. A good correlation was discovered (the positive correlation by linear fit), between in-situ reflectance ratio R680/R527 and TSS concentrations (R2 = 0.65) for the salinity range of 1.74-22.12. However, the result also showed that the absorption coefficient of CDOM was not tightly correlated with reflectance. In addition, we also observed two significant relationships (R2 > 0.77), one between TSS concentrations and surface salinity and the other between the absorption coefficient of CDOM and surface salinity. Finally, we develop a novel method to understand surface salinity distribution of estuarine waters from the calibrated EO-1 Hyperion reflectance data in the Pearl River Estuary, i.e. channels with high salinity and shoals with low salinity. The EO-1 Hyperion derived surface salinity and TSS concentrations were validated using in-situ data that were collected on December 21, 2006, synchronous with EO-1 Hyperion satellite imagery acquisition. The results showed that the semi-empirical relationships are capable of predicting salinity from EO-1 Hyperion imagery in the Pearl River Estuary (RMSE < 2‰). PMID:22389623

Biooptical variability in the Greenland Sea observed with the Multispectral Airborne Radiometer System (MARS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mueller, James L.; Trees, Charles C.

1989-01-01

A site-specific ocean color remote sensing algorithm was developed and used to convert Multispectral Airborne Radiometer System (MARS) spectral radiance measurements to chlorophyll-a concentration profiles along aircraft tracklines in the Greenland Sea. The analysis is described and the results given in graphical or tabular form. Section 2 describes the salient characteristics and history of development of the MARS instrument. Section 3 describes the analyses of MARS flight segments over consolidated sea ice, resulting in a set of altitude dependent ratios used (over water) to estimate radiance reflected by the surface and atmosphere from total radiance measured. Section 4 presents optically weighted pigment concentrations calculated from profile data, and spectral reflectances measured in situ from the top meter of the water column; this data was analyzed to develop an algorithm relating chlorophyll-a concentrations to the ratio of radiance reflectances at 441 and 550 nm (with a selection of coefficients dependent upon whether significant gelvin presence is implied by a low ratio of reflectances at 410 and 550 nm). Section 5 describes the scaling adjustments which were derived to reconcile the MARS upwelled radiance ratios at 410:550 nm and 441:550 nm to in situ reflectance ratios measured simultaneously on the surface. Section 6 graphically presents the locations of MARS data tracklines and positions of the surface monitoring R/V. Section 7 presents stick-plots of MARS tracklines selected to illustrate two-dimensional spatial variability within the box covered by each day's flight. Section 8 presents curves of chlorophyll-a concentration profiles derived from MARS data along survey tracklines. Significant results are summarized in Section 1.

Removal of Surface-Reflected Light for the Measurement of Remote-Sensing Reflectance from an Above-Surface Platform

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-06

raw data). To remove surface-reflected light in field measurements of remote sensing reflectance, a spectral optimization approach was applied, with...results compared with those from remote - sensing models and from direct measurements. The agreement from different determinations suggests that...reasonable results for remote sensing reflectance of clear blue water to turbid brown water are obtainable from above-surface measurements, even under conditions of high waves.

Chemometric analysis of attenuated total reflectance infrared spectra of Proteus mirabilis strains with defined structures of LPS.

PubMed

Zarnowiec, Paulina; Mizera, Andrzej; Chrapek, Magdalena; Urbaniak, Mariusz; Kaca, Wieslaw

2016-07-01

Proteus spp. strains are some of the most important pathogens associated with complicated urinary tract infections and bacteremia affecting patients with immunodeficiency and long-term urinary catheterization. For epidemiological purposes, various molecular typing methods have been developed for this pathogen. However, these methods are labor intensive and time consuming. We evaluated a new method of differentiation between strains. A collection of Proteus spp. strains was analyzed by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectroscopy in the mid-infrared region. ATR FT-IR spectroscopy used in conjunction with a diamond ATR accessory directly produced the biochemical profile of the surface chemistry of bacteria. We conclude that a combination of ATR FT-IR spectroscopy and mathematical modeling provides a fast and reliable alternative for discrimination between Proteus isolates, contributing to epidemiological research. © The Author(s) 2016.

Portable ultrahigh-vacuum sample storage system for polarization-dependent total-reflection fluorescence x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy

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

Watanabe, Yoshihide, E-mail: e0827@mosk.tytlabs.co.jp; Nishimura, Yusaku F.; Suzuki, Ryo

A portable ultrahigh-vacuum sample storage system was designed and built to investigate the detailed geometric structures of mass-selected metal clusters on oxide substrates by polarization-dependent total-reflection fluorescence x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (PTRF-XAFS). This ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) sample storage system provides the handover of samples between two different sample manipulating systems. The sample storage system is adaptable for public transportation, facilitating experiments using air-sensitive samples in synchrotron radiation or other quantum beam facilities. The samples were transferred by the developed portable UHV transfer system via a public transportation at a distance over 400 km. The performance of the transfer system was demonstratedmore » by a successful PTRF-XAFS study of Pt{sub 4} clusters deposited on a TiO{sub 2}(110) surface.« less

Total Internal Reflection Microscopy (TIRM) as a nondestructive surface damage assessment tool

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

Liao, Z.M.; Cohen, S.J.; Taylor, J.R.

1994-10-01

An easy to use, nondestructive, method for evaluating subsurface damage in polished substrates has been established at LLNL. Subsurface damage has been related to laser damage in coated optical components used in high power, high repetition rate laser systems. Total Internal Reflection Microscopy (TIRM) has been shown to be a viable nondestructive technique in analyzing subsurface damage in optical components. A successful TIRM system has been established for evaluating subsurface damage on fused silica components. Laser light scattering from subsurface damage sites is collected through a Nomarski microscope. These images are then captured by a CCD camera for analysis onmore » a computer. A variety of optics, including components with intentional subsurface damage due to grinding and polishing, have been analyzed and their TIRM images compared to an existing destructive etching method. Methods for quantitative measurement of subsurface damage are also discussed.« less

Optical properties monitor: Experiment definition phase

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilkes, Donald R.; Bennett, Jean M.; Hummer, Leigh L.; Chipman, Russell A.; Hadaway, James B.; Pezzaniti, Larry

1990-01-01

The stability of materials used in the space environment will continue to be a limiting technology for space missions. The Optical Properties Monitor (OPM) Experiment provides a comprehensive space research program to study the effects of the space environment (both natural and induced) on optical, thermal and space power materials. The OPM Experiment was selected for definition under the NASA/OAST In-Space Technology Experiment Program. The results of the OPM Definition Phase are presented. The OPM experiment will expose selected materials to the space environment and measure the effects with in-space optical measurements. In-space measurements include total hemispherical reflectance total integrated scatter and VUV reflectance/transmittance. The in-space measurements will be augmented with extensive pre- and post-flight sample measurements to determine other optical, mechanical, electrical, chemical or surface effects of space exposure. Environmental monitors will provide the amount and time history of the sample exposure to solar irradiation, atomic oxygen and molecular contamination.

Optical properties monitor: Experiment definition phase

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilkes, Donald R.; Bennett, Jean M.; Hummer, Leigh L.; Chipman, Russell A.; Hadaway, James B.; Pezzaniti, Larry

1989-01-01

The stability of materials used in the space environment will continue to be a limiting technology for space missions. The Optical Properties Monitor (OPM) Experiment provides a comprehensive space research program to study the effects of the space environment-both natural and induced-on optical, thermal and space power materials. The OPM Experiment was selected for definition under the NASA/OAST In-Space Technology Experiment Program. The results of the OPM Definition Phase are presented. The OPM Experiment will expose selected materials to the space environment and measure the effects with in-space optical measurements. In-space measurements include total hemispherical reflectance total integrated scatter and VUV reflectance/transmittance. The in-space measurements will be augmented with extensive pre- and post-flight sample measurements to determine other optical, mechanical, electrical, chemical or surface effects of space exposure. Environmental monitors will provide the amount and time history of the sample exposure to solar irradiation, atomic oxygen and molecular contamination.

Illumination discrimination in the absence of a fixed surface-reflectance layout

PubMed Central

Radonjić, Ana; Ding, Xiaomao; Krieger, Avery; Aston, Stacey; Hurlbert, Anya C.; Brainard, David H.

2018-01-01

Previous studies have shown that humans can discriminate spectral changes in illumination and that this sensitivity depends both on the chromatic direction of the illumination change and on the ensemble of surfaces in the scene. These studies, however, always used stimulus scenes with a fixed surface-reflectance layout. Here we compared illumination discrimination for scenes in which the surface reflectance layout remains fixed (fixed-surfaces condition) to those in which surface reflectances were shuffled randomly across scenes, but with the mean scene reflectance held approximately constant (shuffled-surfaces condition). Illumination discrimination thresholds in the fixed-surfaces condition were commensurate with previous reports. Thresholds in the shuffled-surfaces condition, however, were considerably elevated. Nonetheless, performance in the shuffled-surfaces condition exceeded that attainable through random guessing. Analysis of eye fixations revealed that in the fixed-surfaces condition, low illumination discrimination thresholds (across observers) were predicted by low overall fixation spread and high consistency of fixation location and fixated surface reflectances across trial intervals. Performance in the shuffled-surfaces condition was not systematically related to any of the eye-fixation characteristics we examined for that condition, but was correlated with performance in the fixed-surfaces condition. PMID:29904786

Reduction of cross-polarized reflection to enhance dual-band absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kundu, Debidas; Mohan, Akhilesh; Chakrabarty, Ajay

2016-11-01

In this paper, cross-polarized reflection from a periodic array of metal-dielectric-metal resonator units is reduced to improve its absorbing performance. Through this simple and typical example, it is shown that some reported absorbers are actually poor absorbers but efficient polarization converters, when the cross-polarized reflection is considered. Using a frequency selective surface, sandwiched between the top layer and the ground plane, the cross-polarized reflection is reduced by 7.2 dB at 5.672 GHz and 8.5 dB at 9.56 GHz, while negligibly affecting the co-polarized reflection reduction performance. The polarization conversion ratio is reduced from 90. 74% to 34.12% and 98.51% to 27.2% and total absorption is improved up to 80% from 26% and 21% around the two resonant frequencies. The reflection characteristics of the proposed absorber are quantitatively analyzed using interference theory, where the near field coupling of the resonant geometries and ground is taken into account. Measurement results show good agreement with both the numerically simulated and theoretical results.

Estimation of both optical and nonoptical surface water quality parameters using Landsat 8 OLI imagery and statistical techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharaf El Din, Essam; Zhang, Yun

2017-10-01

Traditional surface water quality assessment is costly, labor intensive, and time consuming; however, remote sensing has the potential to assess surface water quality because of its spatiotemporal consistency. Therefore, estimating concentrations of surface water quality parameters (SWQPs) from satellite imagery is essential. Remote sensing estimation of nonoptical SWQPs, such as chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and dissolved oxygen (DO), has not yet been performed because they are less likely to affect signals measured by satellite sensors. However, concentrations of nonoptical variables may be correlated with optical variables, such as turbidity and total suspended sediments, which do affect the reflected radiation. In this context, an indirect relationship between satellite multispectral data and COD, BOD, and DO can be assumed. Therefore, this research attempts to develop an integrated Landsat 8 band ratios and stepwise regression to estimate concentrations of both optical and nonoptical SWQPs. Compared with previous studies, a significant correlation between Landsat 8 surface reflectance and concentrations of SWQPs was achieved and the obtained coefficient of determination (R2)>0.85. These findings demonstrated the possibility of using our technique to develop models to estimate concentrations of SWQPs and to generate spatiotemporal maps of SWQPs from Landsat 8 imagery.

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.

Analysis of ground reflection of jet noise obtained with various microphone arrays over an asphalt surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miles, J. H.

1975-01-01

Ground reflection effects on the propagation of jet noise over an asphalt surface are discussed for data obtained using a 33.02-cm diameter nozzle with microphones at several heights and distances from the nozzle axis. Ground reflection effects are analyzed using the concept of a reflected signal transfer function which represents the influence of both the reflecting surface and the atmosphere on the propagation of the reflected signal in a mathematical model. The mathematical model used as a basis for the computer program was successful in significantly reducing the ground reflection effects. The range of values of the single complex number used to define the reflected signal transfer function was larger than expected when determined only by the asphalt surface. This may indicate that the atmosphere is affecting the propagation of the reflected signal more than the asphalt surface. The selective placement of the reinforcements and cancellations in the design of an experiment to minimize ground reflection effects is also discussed.

Analysis of ground reflection of jet noise obtained with various microphone arrays over an asphalt surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miles, J. H.

1975-01-01

Ground reflection effects on the propagation of jet noise over an asphalt surface are discussed for data obtained using a 33.02 cm (13-in.) diameter nozzle with microphones at several heights and distances from the nozzle axis. Analysis of ground reflection effects is accomplished using the concept of a reflected signal transfer function which represents the influence of both the reflecting surface and the atmosphere on the propagation of the reflected signal in a mathematical model. The mathematical model used as a basis for the computer program was successful in significantly reducing the ground reflection effects. The range of values of the single complex number used to define the reflected signal transfer function was larger than expected when determined only by the asphalt surface. This may indicate that the atmosphere is affecting the propagation of the reflected signal more than the asphalt surface. Also discussed is the selective placement of the reinforcements and cancellations in the design of an experiment to minimize ground reflection effects.

Stain-etched porous silicon nanostructures for multicrystalline silicon-based solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ben Rabha, M.; Hajji, M.; Belhadj Mohamed, S.; Hajjaji, A.; Gaidi, M.; Ezzaouia, H.; Bessais, B.

2012-02-01

In this paper, we study the optical, optoelectronic and photoluminescence properties of stain-etched porous silicon nanostructures obtained with different etching times. Special attention is given to the use of the stain-etched PS as an antireflection coating as well as for surface passivating capabilities. The surface morphology has been analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The evolution of the Si-O and Si-H absorption bands was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry before and after PS treatment. Results show that stain etching of the silicon surface drops the total reflectivity to about 7% in the 400-1100 nm wavelength range and the minority carrier lifetime enhances to about 48 μs.

Galileo Probe forebody thermal protection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, M. J.; Davy, W. C.

1981-01-01

Material response solutions for the forebody heat shield on the candidate 310-kg Galileo Probe are presented. A charring material ablation analysis predicts thermochemical surface recession, insulation thickness, and total required heat shield mass. Benchmark shock layer solutions provide the imposed entry heating environments on the ablating surface. Heat shield sizing results are given for a nominal entry into modeled nominal and cool-heavy Jovian atmospheres, and for two heat-shield property models. The nominally designed heat shield requires a mass of at least 126 kg and would require an additional 13 kg to survive entry into the less probable cool-heavy atmosphere. The material-property model with a 30% surface reflectance reduces these mass requirements by as much as 16%.

Fiber Optic Surface Plasmon Resonance-Based Biosensor Technique: Fabrication, Advancement, and Application.

PubMed

Liang, Gaoling; Luo, Zewei; Liu, Kunping; Wang, Yimin; Dai, Jianxiong; Duan, Yixiang

2016-05-03

Fiber optic-based biosensors with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technology are advanced label-free optical biosensing methods. They have brought tremendous progress in the sensing of various chemical and biological species. This review summarizes four sensing configurations (prism, grating, waveguide, and fiber optic) with two ways, attenuated total reflection (ATR) and diffraction, to excite the surface plasmons. Meanwhile, the designs of different probes (U-bent, tapered, and other probes) are also described. Finally, four major types of biosensors, immunosensor, DNA biosensor, enzyme biosensor, and living cell biosensor, are discussed in detail for their sensing principles and applications. Future prospects of fiber optic-based SPR sensor technology are discussed.

Multi-Resolution Analysis of MODIS and ASTER Satellite Data for Water Classification

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-01

spectral bands, but also with different pixel resolutions . The overall goal... the total water surface. Due to the constraint that high spatial resolution satellite images are low temporal resolution , one needs a reliable method...at 15 m resolution , were processed. We used MODIS reflectance data from MOD02 Level 1B data. Even the spatial resolution of the 1240 nm

Apparatus for and method of correcting for astigmatism in a light beam reflected off of a light reflecting surface

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

Sawicki, R.H.; Sweatt, W.

1987-03-03

An apparatus is described for correcting for astigmatism in a light beam reflected off of a light reflecting surface, comprising: (a) a first means defining a flat, rectangular light reflecting surface which is resiliently bendable, to a limited extent, into different concave and/or convex cylindrical curvatures about a particular axis. The first means is configured so that the light reflecting surface can be adjustably bent into the selected cylindrical curvature by applying a particular bending moment to the first means with respect to the surface, depending upon the curvature desired. The first means includes an integrally formed body member havingmore » a main plate-like segment including a front fact defining the light reflecting surface and a pair of spaced-apart flange segments extending rearwardly of the main segment; and (b) second means acting on the first means for adjustably bending the light reflecting surface into a particular selected one of the different cylindrical curvatures, depending upon the astigmatism to be corrected for.« less

Surface reflectance retrieval from imaging spectrometer data using three atmospheric codes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staenz, Karl; Williams, Daniel J.; Fedosejevs, Gunar; Teillet, Phil M.

1994-12-01

Surface reflectance retrieval from imaging spectrometer data has become important for quantitative information extraction in many application areas. In order to calculate surface reflectance from remotely measured radiance, radiative transfer codes play an important role for removal of the scattering and gaseous absorption effects of the atmosphere. The present study evaluates surface reflectances retrieved from airborne visible/infrared imaging spectrometer (AVIRIS) data using three radiative transfer codes: modified 5S (M5S), 6S, and MODTRAN2. Comparisons of the retrieved surface reflectance with ground-based reflectance were made for different target types such as asphalt, gravel, grass/soil mixture (soccer field), and water (Sooke Lake). The results indicate that the estimation of the atmospheric water vapor content is important for an accurate surface reflectance retrieval regardless of the radiative transfer code used. For the present atmospheric conditions, a difference of 0.1 in aerosol optical depth had little impact on the retrieved surface reflectance. The performance of MODTRAN2 is superior in the gas absorption regions compared to M5S and 6S.

High efficiency replicated x-ray optics and fabrication method

DOEpatents

Barbee, Jr., Troy W.; Lane, Stephen M.; Hoffman, Donald E.

2001-01-01

Replicated x-ray optics are fabricated by sputter deposition of reflecting layers on a super-polished reusable mandrel. The reflecting layers are strengthened by a supporting multilayer that results in stronger stress-relieved reflecting surfaces that do not deform during separation from the mandrel. The supporting multilayer enhances the ability to part the replica from the mandrel without degradation in surface roughness. The reflecting surfaces are comparable in smoothness to the mandrel surface. An outer layer is electrodeposited on the supporting multilayer. A parting layer may be deposited directly on the mandrel before the reflecting surface to facilitate removal of the layered, tubular optic device from the mandrel without deformation. The inner reflecting surface of the shell can be a single layer grazing reflection mirror or a resonant multilayer mirror. The resulting optics can be used in a wide variety of applications, including lithography, microscopy, radiography, tomography, and crystallography.

Removal of surface-reflected light for the measurement of remote-sensing reflectance from an above-surface platform.

PubMed

Lee, Zhongping; Ahn, Yu-Hwan; Mobley, Curtis; Arnone, Robert

2010-12-06

Using hyperspectral measurements made in the field, we show that the effective sea-surface reflectance ρ (defined as the ratio of the surface-reflected radiance at the specular direction corresponding to the downwelling sky radiance from one direction) varies not only for different measurement scans, but also can differ by a factor of 8 between 400 nm and 800 nm for the same scan. This means that the derived water-leaving radiance (or remote-sensing reflectance) can be highly inaccurate if a spectrally constant ρ value is applied (although errors can be reduced by carefully filtering measured raw data). To remove surface-reflected light in field measurements of remote sensing reflectance, a spectral optimization approach was applied, with results compared with those from remote-sensing models and from direct measurements. The agreement from different determinations suggests that reasonable results for remote sensing reflectance of clear blue water to turbid brown water are obtainable from above-surface measurements, even under conditions of high waves.

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.

SOLINS- SOLAR INSOLATION MODEL FOR COMPUTING AVAILABLE SOLAR ENERGY TO A SURFACE OF ARBITRARY ORIENTATION

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, J. H.

1994-01-01

This computer program, SOLINS, was developed to aid engineers and solar system designers in the accurate modeling of the average hourly solar insolation on a surface of arbitrary orientation. The program can be used to study insolation problems specific to residential and commercial applications where the amount of space available for solar collectors is limited by shadowing problems, energy output requirements, and costs. For tandem rack arrays, SOLINS will accommodate the use of augmentation reflectors built into the support structure to increase insolation values at the collector surface. As the use of flat plate solar collectors becomes more prevalent in the building industry, the engineer and designer must have the capability to conduct extensive sensitivity analyses on the orientation and location of solar collectors. SOLINS should prove to be a valuable aid in this area of engineering. SOLINS uses a modified version of the National Bureau of Standards model to calculate the direct, diffuse, and reflected components of total insolation on a tilted surface with a given azimuthal orientation. The model is based on the work of Liu and Jordan with corrections by Kusuda and Ishii to account for early morning and late afternoon errors. The model uses a parametric description of the average day solar climate to generate monthly average day profiles by hour of the insolation level on the collector surface. The model includes accommodation of user specified ground and landscape reflectivities at the collector site. For roof or ground mounted, tilted arrays, SOLINS will calculate insolation including the effects of shadowing and augmentation reflectors. The user provides SOLINS with data describing the array design, array orientation, the month, the solar climate parameter, the ground reflectance, and printout control specifications. For the specified array and environmental conditions, SOLINS outputs the hourly insolation the array will receive during an average day during the month specified, along with the total insolation the collector surface will receive over an average 24-hour period. This program is written in FORTRAN IV for batch execution and has been implemented on an IBM 370 computer with a central memory requirement of approximately 46K of 8 bit bytes. The SOLINS routines were developed in 1979.

Molecular-Scale Investigation of Heavy Metal Ions at a Charged Langmuir Monolayer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rock, William; Qiao, Baofu; Uysal, Ahmet; Bu, Wei; Lin, Binhua

Solvent extraction - the surfactant-aided preferential transfer of a species from an aqueous to an organic phase - is an important technique used in heavy and precious metal refining and reprocessing. Solvent extraction requires transfer through an oil/water interface, and interfacial interactions are expected to control transfer kinetics and phase stability, yet these key interactions are poorly understood. Langmuir monolayers with charged headgroups atop concentrated salt solutions containing heavy metal ions act as a model of solvent extraction interfaces; studies of ions at a charged surface are also fundamentally important to many other phenomena including protein solvation, mineral surface chemistry, and electrochemistry. We probe these charged interfaces using a variety of surface-sensitive techniques - vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy, x-ray reflectivity (XRR), x-ray fluorescence near total reflection (XFNTR), and grazing incidence diffraction (GID). We integrate experiments with Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations to uncover the molecular-level interfacial structure. This work is supported by the U.S. DOE, BES, Contract DE-AC02-06CH11357. ChemMatCARS is supported by NSF/CHE-1346572.

Mineralogic correlates of fibrosis in chrysotile miners and millers

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

Churg, A.; Wright, J.L.; DePaoli, L.

1989-04-01

To determine which mineral parameters relate to the degree of interstitial fibrosis (asbestosis) in the lungs of chrysotile miners and millers, we graded fibrosis histologically and correlated fibrosis grades with fiber concentration and mean size, surface area, and mass, and with total sample fiber length, surface area, and mass in 21 cases. A positive correlation of fibrosis grade with tremolite concentration and a lesser correlation with chrysotile concentration was found for whole lungs, specific sites within lungs, and, for tremolite, single microscopic fields. No correlations were found for measures of chrysotile fiber size, surface area, or mass, but tremolite meanmore » fiber length, aspect ratio, and surface area were, surprisingly, negatively correlated with fibrosis grade. Measures based on total rather than on mean case or site parameters failed to show correlations with fibrosis. We conclude that: (1) degree of pulmonary fibrosis reflects fiber concentration at both a bulk and a microscopic level; (2) mean fiber length and parameters related to mean fiber length also correlate with fibrosis grade, but, contrary to predictions from animal studies, this correlation is negative, suggesting that short fibers may be more important in the genesis of pulmonary fibrosis than is commonly believed; (3) there is no evidence that parameters such as total fiber length, surface area, or mass provide predictors of degree of fibrosis.« less

Surface reaction mechanisms during ozone and oxygen plasma assisted atomic layer deposition of aluminum oxide.

PubMed

Rai, Vikrant R; Vandalon, Vincent; Agarwal, Sumit

2010-09-07

We have elucidated the reaction mechanism and the role of the reactive intermediates in the atomic layer deposition (ALD) of aluminum oxide from trimethyl aluminum in conjunction with O(3) and an O(2) plasma. In situ attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy data show that both -OH groups and carbonates are formed on the surface during the oxidation cycle. These carbonates, once formed on the surface, are stable to prolonged O(3) exposure in the same cycle. However, in the case of plasma-assisted ALD, the carbonates decompose upon prolonged O(2) plasma exposure via a series reaction kinetics of the type, A (CH(3)) --> B (carbonates) --> C (Al(2)O(3)). The ratio of -OH groups to carbonates on the surface strongly depends on the oxidizing agent, and also the duration of the oxidation cycle in plasma-assisted ALD. However, in both O(3) and O(2) plasma cycles, carbonates are a small fraction of the total number of reactive sites compared to the hydroxyl groups.

A Microfluidic Chip Based on Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance for Real-Time Monitoring of Antigen-Antibody Reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiep, Ha Minh; Nakayama, Tsuyoshi; Saito, Masato; Yamamura, Shohei; Takamura, Yuzuru; Tamiya, Eiichi

2008-02-01

Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) connecting to noble metal nanoparticles is an important issue for many analytical and biological applications. Therefore, the development of microfluidic LSPR chip that allows studying biomolecular interactions becomes an essential requirement for micro total analysis systems (µTAS) integration. However, miniaturized process of the conventional surface plasmon resonance system has been faced with some limitations, especially with the usage of Kretschmann configuration in total internal reflection mode. In this study, we have tried to solve this problem by proposing a novel microfluidic LSPR chip operated with a simple collinear optical system. The poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) based microfluidic chip was fabricated by soft-lithography technique and enables to interrogate specific insulin and anti-insulin antibody reaction in real-time after immobilizing antibody on its surface. Moreover, the sensing ability of microfluidic LSPR chip was also evaluated with various glucose concentrations. The kinetic constant of insulin and anti-insulin antibody was determined and the detection limit of 100 ng/mL insulin was archived.

Bidirectional reflectance distribution function effects in ladar-based reflection tomography.

PubMed

Jin, Xuemin; Levine, Robert Y

2009-07-20

Light reflection from a surface is described by the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). In this paper, BRDF effects in reflection tomography are studied using modeled range-resolved reflection from well-characterized geometrical surfaces. It is demonstrated that BRDF effects can cause a darkening at the interior boundary of the reconstructed surface analogous to the well-known beam hardening artifact in x-ray transmission computed tomography (CT). This artifact arises from reduced reflection at glancing incidence angles to the surface. It is shown that a purely Lambertian surface without shadowed components is perfectly reconstructed from range-resolved measurements. This result is relevant to newly fabricated carbon nanotube materials. Shadowing is shown to cause crossed streak artifacts similar to limited-angle effects in CT reconstruction. In tomographic reconstruction, these effects can overwhelm highly diffuse components in proximity to specularly reflecting elements. Diffuse components can be recovered by specialized processing, such as reducing glints via thresholded measurements.

A computational study of laser-supported detonation waves propagating up an oblique incident beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bohn, C. L.; Crawford, M. L.

1987-01-01

A series of numerical experiments was conducted to study the propagation of laser-supported detonation waves (LSDWs) in the case that a CO2 laser beam strikes an aluminum surface obliquely in air. A reflected shock formed at the aluminum surface was more prominent at higher angles of incidence theta of the beam, but otherwise the hydrodynamics of the plasma and the LSDW were insensitive to theta. Furthermore, the total impulse delivered to the aluminum varied approximately as 1/cos theta, a result that can be modeled with elementary blast-wave theory.

Structure and Dynamics of Interfaces: Drops and Films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mann, J. Adin, Jr.; Mann, Elizabeth K.; Meyer, William V.; Neumann, A. Wilhelm; Tavana, Hossein

2015-01-01

We aim to acquire measurements of the structure and dynamics of certain liquid-fluid interfaces using an ensemble of techniques in collaboration: (1) Total internal reflection (TIR) Surface light scattering spectroscopy (SLSS), (2) Brewster angle microscopy (BAM), and (3) Drop-shape analysis. SLSS and BAM can be done on a shared interfacial footprint. Results using a 50-50 mixture of pentane-isohexane, which extends the range of NASA's Confined Vapor Bubble (CVB) experiment, yield surface tension results that differ from the expected Langmuir Fit. These results were confirmed using both the SLSS and drop-shape analysis approaches.

Are boundary conditions in surface productivity at the Southern Polar Front reflected in benthic activity?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandt, Angelika; Vanreusel, Ann; Bracher, Astrid; Jule Marie Hoppe, Clara; Lins, Lidia; Meyer-Löbbecke, Anna; Altenburg Soppa, Mariana; Würzberg, Laura

2014-10-01

In austral summer 2012, during the expedition ANT-XXVIII/3 on board RV Polarstern, two sites were sampled 1600 km apart in the South Polar Front area (52°S) at the boundary of different productivity regimes for meio- and macrobenthos using a multiple-corer and an epibenthic sledge, respectively. Patterns in density and abundance data were compared between different size classes of the benthos and interpreted in relation to surface primary productivity data and sediment oxygen consumption. We tested the hypothesis that long-term satellite-derived surface phytoplankton biomass, in situ real time biomass, and productivity measurements at the surface and throughout the euphotic zone are reflected in abyssal benthos densities, abundances and activity. Specifically, we investigated the effect of boundary conditions for lower and higher surface productivity. Surface and integrated to 100 m depth biomass and primary productivity measurements vary stations, with the lowest values at station 85 (0.083 mg Chl-a m-3 at surface, 9 mg Chl-a m-2 and 161 mg C m-2 d-1- integrated over the first 100 m depth), and the highest values at station 86 (2.231 mg Chl-a m-3 at surface, 180 mg Chl-a m-2 and 2587 mg C m-2 d-1 integrated over first 100 m depth). Total meiofaunal densities varied between 102 and 335 individuals/10 cm². Densities were the highest at station 86-30 (335 individuals) and lowest at station 81-13 (102 individuals). Total macrofaunal densities (individuals/1000 m²) varied between 26 individuals at station 81-17 and 194 individuals at station 86-24. However, three EBS hauls were taken at station 86 with a minimum of 80 and a maximum of 194 individuals. Sediment oxygen consumption did not vary significantly between stations from east to west. Bentho-pelagic coupling of meio- and macrobenthic communities could not be observed in the South Polar Front at the boundary conditions from low to high surface productivity between stations 81 and 86.

Surface plasmon coupled chemiluminescence during adsorption of oxygen on magnesium surfaces

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

Hagemann, Ulrich; Nienhaus, Hermann, E-mail: hermann.nienhaus@uni-due.de

The dissociative adsorption of oxygen molecules on magnesium surfaces represents a non-adiabatic reaction exhibiting exoelectron emission, chemicurrent generation, and weak chemiluminescence. Using thin film Mg/Ag/p-Si(111) Schottky diodes with 1 nm Mg on a 10-60 nm thick Ag layer as 2π-photodetectors, the chemiluminescence is internally detected with a much larger efficiency than external methods. The chemically induced photoyield shows a maximum for a Ag film thickness of 45 nm. The enhancement is explained by surface plasmon coupled chemiluminescence, i.e., surface plasmon polaritons are effectively excited in the Ag layer by the oxidation reaction and decay radiatively leading to the observed photocurrent.more » Model calculations of the maximum absorption in attenuated total reflection geometry support the interpretation. The study demonstrates the extreme sensitivity and the practical usage of internal detection schemes for investigating surface chemiluminescence.« less

The polarization patterns of skylight reflected off wave water surface.

PubMed

Zhou, Guanhua; Xu, Wujian; Niu, Chunyue; Zhao, Huijie

2013-12-30

In this paper we propose a model to understand the polarization patterns of skylight when reflected off the surface of waves. The semi-empirical Rayleigh model is used to analyze the polarization of scattered skylight; the Harrison and Coombes model is used to analyze light radiance distribution; and the Cox-Munk model and Mueller matrix are used to analyze reflections from wave surface. First, we calculate the polarization patterns and intensity distribution of light reflected off wave surface. Then we investigate their relationship with incident radiation, solar zenith angle, wind speed and wind direction. Our results show that the polarization patterns of reflected skylight from waves and flat water are different, while skylight reflected on both kinds of water is generally highly polarized at the Brewster angle and the polarization direction is approximately parallel to the water's surface. The backward-reflecting Brewster zone has a relatively low reflectance and a high DOP in all observing directions. This can be used to optimally diminish the reflected skylight and avoid sunglint in ocean optics measurements.

Studying flow close to an interface by total internal reflection fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy: Quantitative data analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitz, R.; Yordanov, S.; Butt, H. J.; Koynov, K.; Dünweg, B.

2011-12-01

Total internal reflection fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy (TIR-FCCS) has recently [S. Yordanov , Optics ExpressOPEXFF1094-408710.1364/OE.17.021149 17, 21149 (2009)] been established as an experimental method to probe hydrodynamic flows near surfaces, on length scales of tens of nanometers. Its main advantage is that fluorescence occurs only for tracer particles close to the surface, thus resulting in high sensitivity. However, the measured correlation functions provide only rather indirect information about the flow parameters of interest, such as the shear rate and the slip length. In the present paper, we show how to combine detailed and fairly realistic theoretical modeling of the phenomena by Brownian dynamics simulations with accurate measurements of the correlation functions, in order to establish a quantitative method to retrieve the flow properties from the experiments. First, Brownian dynamics is used to sample highly accurate correlation functions for a fixed set of model parameters. Second, these parameters are varied systematically by means of an importance-sampling Monte Carlo procedure in order to fit the experiments. This provides the optimum parameter values together with their statistical error bars. The approach is well suited for massively parallel computers, which allows us to do the data analysis within moderate computing times. The method is applied to flow near a hydrophilic surface, where the slip length is observed to be smaller than 10nm, and, within the limitations of the experiments and the model, indistinguishable from zero.

Engineering design of sub-micron topographies for simultaneously adherent and reflective metal-polymer interfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Christopher A.

1993-01-01

The approach of the project is to base the design of multi-function, reflective topographies on the theory that topographically dependent phenomena react with surfaces and interfaces at certain scales. The first phase of the project emphasizes the development of methods for understanding the sizes of topographic features which influence reflectivity. Subsequent phases, if necessary, will address the scales of interaction for adhesion and manufacturing processes. A simulation of the interaction of electromagnetic radiation, or light, with a reflective surface is performed using specialized software. Reflectivity of the surface as a function of scale is evaluated and the results from the simulation are compared with reflectivity measurements made on multi-function, reflective surfaces.

Top and bottom surfaces limit carrier lifetime in lead iodide perovskite films

DOE PAGES

Yang, Ye; Yang, Mengjin; Moore, David T.; ...

2017-01-23

Carrier recombination at defects is detrimental to the performance of solar energy conversion systems, including solar cells and photoelectrochemical devices. Point defects are localized within the bulk crystal while extended defects occur at surfaces and grain boundaries. If not properly managed, surfaces can be a large source of carrier recombination. Separating surface carrier dynamics from bulk and/or grain-boundary recombination in thin films is challenging. Here, we employ transient reflection spectroscopy to measure the surface carrier dynamics in methylammonium lead iodide perovskite polycrystalline films. We find that surface recombination limits the total carrier lifetime in perovskite polycrystalline thin films, meaning thatmore » recombination inside grains and/or at grain boundaries is less important than top and bottom surface recombination. As a result, the surface recombination velocity in polycrystalline films is nearly an order of magnitude smaller than that in single crystals, possibly due to unintended surface passivation of the films during synthesis.« less

Process of preparing metal parts to be heated by means of infrared radiance

DOEpatents

Mayer, Howard Robinson [Cincinnati, OH; Blue, Craig A [Knoxville, TN

2009-06-09

A method for preparing metal for heating by infrared radiance to enable uniform and consistent heating. The surface of one or more metal parts, such as aluminum or aluminum alloy parts, is treated to alter the surface finish to affect the reflectivity of the surface. The surface reflectivity is evaluated, such as by taking measurements at one or more points on the surface, to determine if a desired reflectivity has been achieved. The treating and measuring are performed until the measuring indicates that the desired reflectivity has been achieved. Once the treating has altered the surface finish to achieve the desired reflectivity, the metal part may then be exposed to infrared radiance to heat the metal part to a desired temperature, and that heating will be substantially consistent throughout by virtue of the desired reflectivity.

Apparatus for and method of correcting for astigmatism in a light beam reflected off of a light reflecting surface

DOEpatents

Sawicki, R.H.; Sweatt, W.

1985-11-21

A technique for adjustably correcting for astigmatism in a light beam is disclosed herein. This technique defines a flat, rectangular light reflecting surface having opposite reinforced side edges and which is resiliently bendable, to a limited extent, into different concave and/or convex cylindrical curvatures about a particular axis and provides for adjustably bending the light reflecting surface into one of different curvatures depending upon the astigmatism to be corrected and for fixedly maintaining the curvature selected. In the embodiment disclosed, the light reflecting surface is adjustably bendable into the selected cylindrical curvature by application of a particular bending moment to the reinforced side edges of the light reflecting surface.

Apparatus for and method of correcting for astigmatism in a light beam reflected off of a light reflecting surface

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

Sawicki, R.H.; Sweatt, W.

1985-11-21

A technique for adjustably correcting for astigmatism in a light beam is disclosed herein. This technique defines a flat, rectangular light reflecting surface having opposite reinforced side edges and which is resiliently bendable, to a limited extent, into different concave and/or convex cylindrical curvatures about a particular axis and provides for adjustably bending the light reflecting surface into one of different curvatures depending upon the astigmatism to be corrected and for fixedly maintaining the curvature selected. In the embodiment disclosed, the light reflecting surface is adjustably bendable into the selected cylindrical curvature by application of a particular bending moment tomore » the reinforced side edges of the light reflecting surface.« less

Nonimaging Optical Illumination System

DOEpatents

Winston, Roland

1994-02-22

A nonimaging illumination or concentration optical device. An optical device is provided having a light source, a light reflecting surface with an opening and positioned partially around the light source which is opposite the opening of the light reflecting surface. The light reflecting surface is disposed to produce a substantially uniform intensity output with the reflecting surface defined in terms of a radius vector R.sub.i in conjunction with an angle .phi..sub.i between R.sub.i, a direction from the source and an angle .theta..sub.i between direct forward illumination and the light ray reflected once from the reflecting surface. R.sub.i varies as the exponential of tan (.phi..sub.i -.theta..sub.i)/2 integrated over .phi..sub.i.

Estimation of Multiple Parameters over Vegetated Surfaces by Integrating Optical-Thermal Remote Sensing Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, H.

2016-12-01

Land surface parameters from remote sensing observations are critical in monitoring and modeling of global climate change and biogeochemical cycles. Current methods for estimating land surface parameters are generally parameter-specific algorithms and are based on instantaneous physical models, which result in spatial, temporal and physical inconsistencies in current global products. Besides, optical and Thermal Infrared (TIR) remote sensing observations are usually separated to use based on different models , and the Middle InfraRed (MIR) observations have received little attention due to the complexity of the radiometric signal that mixes both reflected and emitted fluxes. In this paper, we proposed a unified algorithm for simultaneously retrieving a total of seven land surface parameters, including Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FAPAR), land surface albedo, Land Surface Temperature (LST), surface emissivity, downward and upward longwave radiation, by exploiting remote sensing observations from visible to TIR domain based on a common physical Radiative Transfer (RT) model and a data assimilation framework. The coupled PROSPECT-VISIR and 4SAIL RT model were used for canopy reflectance modeling. At first, LAI was estimated using a data assimilation method that combines MODIS daily reflectance observation and a phenology model. The estimated LAI values were then input into the RT model to simulate surface spectral emissivity and surface albedo. Besides, the background albedo and the transmittance of solar radiation, and the canopy albedo were also calculated to produce FAPAR. Once the spectral emissivity of seven MODIS MIR to TIR bands were retrieved, LST can be estimated from the atmospheric corrected surface radiance by exploiting an optimization method. At last, the upward longwave radiation were estimated using the retrieved LST, broadband emissivity (converted from spectral emissivity) and the downward longwave radiation (modeled by MODTRAN). These seven parameters were validated over several representative sites with different biome type, and compared with MODIS and GLASS product. Results showed that this unified inversion algorithm can retrieve temporally complete and physical consistent land surface parameters with high accuracy.

Metal impurity-assisted formation of nanocone arrays on Si by low energy ion-beam irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steeves Lloyd, Kayla; Bolotin, Igor L.; Schmeling, Martina; Hanley, Luke; Veryovkin, Igor V.

2016-10-01

Fabrication of nanocone arrays on Si surfaces was demonstrated using grazing incidence irradiation with 1 keV Ar+ ions concurrently sputtering the surface and depositing metal impurity atoms on it. Among three materials compared as co-sputtering targets Si, Cu and stainless steel, only steel was found to assist the growth of dense arrays of nanocones at ion fluences between 1018 and 1019 ions/cm2. The structural characterization of samples irradiated with these ion fluences using Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy revealed that regions far away from co-sputtering targets are covered with nanoripples, and that nanocones popped-up out of the rippled surfaces when moving closer to co-sputtering targets, with their density gradually increasing and reaching saturation in the regions close to these targets. The characterization of the samples' chemical composition with Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy revealed that the concentration of metal impurities originating from stainless steel (Fe, Cr and Ni) was relatively high in the regions with high density of nanocones (Fe reaching a few atomic percent) and much lower (factor of 10 or so) in the region of nanoripples. Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry measurements showed that higher concentrations of these impurities are accumulated under the surface in both regions. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy experiments showed no direct evidence of metal silicide formation occurring on one region only (nanocones or nanoripples) and thus showed that this process could not be the driver of nanocone array formation. Also, these measurements indicated enhancement in oxide formation on regions covered by nanocones. Overall, the results of this study suggest that the difference in concentration of metal impurities in the thin near-surface layer forming under ion irradiation might be responsible for the differences in surface structures.

Systems and Methods for Integrated Emissivity and Temperature Measurement of a Surface

DOEpatents

Poulsen, Peter

2005-11-08

A multi-channel spectrometer and a light source are used to measure both the emitted and the reflected light from a surface which is at an elevated temperature relative to its environment. In a first method, the temperature of the surface and emissivity in each wavelength is calculated from a knowledge of the spectrum and the measurement of the incident and reflected light. In the second method, the reflected light is measured from a reference surface having a known reflectivity and the same geometry as the surface of interest and the emitted and the reflected light are measured for the surface of interest. These measurements permit the computation of the emissivity in each channel of the spectrometer and the temperature of the surface of interest.

Laser Pulse Bidirectional Reflectance from CALIPSO Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lu, Xiaomei; Hu, Yongxiang; Yang, Yuekui; Liu, Zhaoyan; Vaughan, Mark; Lucker, Patricia; Trepte, Charles

2017-01-01

In this Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) study, we present a simple way of determining laser pulse bidirectional reflectance over snow/ice surface using the Cloud-Aerosol LIdar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) 532 nanometer polarization channels' measurements. The saturated laser pulse returns from snow and ice surfaces are recovered based on surface tail information. The method overview and initial assessment of the method performance will be presented. The retrieved snow surface bidirectional reflectance is compared with reflectance from both CALIOP cloud cover regions and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (Earth Observing System (EOS)) (MODIS) Bi-directional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) / Albedo model parameters. The comparisons show that the snow surface bidirectional reflectance over Antarctica for saturation region are generally reliable with a mean value of about 0.90 plus or minus 0.10, while the mean surface reflectance from cloud cover region is about 0.84 plus or minus 0.13 and the calculated MODIS reflectance at 555 nanometers from the BRDF / Albedo model with near nadir illumination and viewing angles is about 0.96 plus or minus 0.04. The comparisons here demonstrate that the snow surface reflectance underneath the cloud with cloud optical depth of about 1 is significantly lower than that for a clear sky condition.

Noninvasive assessment of articular cartilage surface damage using reflected polarized light microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huynh, Ruby N.; Nehmetallah, George; Raub, Christopher B.

2017-06-01

Articular surface damage occurs to cartilage during normal aging, osteoarthritis, and in trauma. A noninvasive assessment of cartilage microstructural alterations is useful for studies involving cartilage explants. This study evaluates polarized reflectance microscopy as a tool to assess surface damage to cartilage explants caused by mechanical scraping and enzymatic degradation. Adult bovine articular cartilage explants were scraped, incubated in collagenase, or underwent scrape and collagenase treatments. In an additional experiment, cartilage explants were subject to scrapes at graduated levels of severity. Polarized reflectance parameters were compared with India ink surface staining, features of histological sections, changes in explant wet weight and thickness, and chondrocyte viability. The polarized reflectance signal was sensitive to surface scrape damage and revealed individual scrape features consistent with India ink marks. Following surface treatments, the reflectance contrast parameter was elevated and correlated with image area fraction of India ink. After extensive scraping, polarized reflectance contrast and chondrocyte viability were lower than that from untreated explants. As part of this work, a mathematical model was developed and confirmed the trend in the reflectance signal due to changes in surface scattering and subsurface birefringence. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of polarized reflectance microscopy to sensitively assess surface microstructural alterations in articular cartilage explants.

Intensity-Value Corrections for Integrating Sphere Measurements of Solid Samples Measured Behind Glass

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

Johnson, Timothy J.; Bernacki, Bruce E.; Redding, Rebecca L.

2014-11-01

Accurate and calibrated directional-hemispherical reflectance spectra of solids are important for both in situ and remote sensing. Many solids are in the form of powders or granules and to measure their diffuse reflectance spectra in the laboratory, it is often necessary to place the samples behind a transparent medium such as glass for the ultraviolet (UV), visible, or near-infrared spectral regions. Using both experimental methods and a simple optical model, we demonstrate that glass (fused quartz in our case) leads to artifacts in the reflectance values. We report our observations that the measured reflectance values, for both hemispherical and diffusemore » reflectance, are distorted by the additional reflections arising at the air–quartz and sample–quartz interfaces. The values are dependent on the sample reflectance and are offset in intensity in the hemispherical case, leading to measured values up to ~6% too high for a 2% reflectance surface, ~3.8% too high for 10% reflecting surfaces, approximately correct for 40–60% diffuse-reflecting surfaces, and ~1.5% too low for 99% reflecting Spectralon® surfaces. For the case of diffuse-only reflectance, the measured values are uniformly too low due to the polished glass, with differences of nearly 6% for a 99% reflecting matte surface. The deviations arise from the added reflections from the quartz surfaces, as verified by both theory and experiment, and depend on sphere design. Finally, empirical correction factors were implemented into post-processing software to redress the artifact for hemispherical and diffuse reflectance data across the 300–2300 nm range.« less

Effects of the specular Orbiter forward radiators on a typical Spacelab payload thermal environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turner, L. D.; Humphries, W. R.; Littles, J. W.

1981-01-01

Orbiter radiators, having a specular reflection, must be considered when determining the design environment for payloads which can view the forward deployed radiators. Unlike most surfaces on the Orbiter, which reflect energy diffusely, the radiators are covered with a highly specular silverized Teflon material, with high emissivity, and have a concave contour, producing a local concentration of reflected energy towards the region of angle incidence. The combined effects of radiator specularity and geometry were analyzed using the Thermal Radiation Analysis System (TRASYS II), a specialized ray trace program, and a generalized Monte-Carlo-based thermal radiation program. Data given for a 0 deg payload inclination angle at orbital noon at 3.454 m indicate that the maximum total flux and average flux can increase 173% and 63%, respectively, when compared to diffuse radiators.

Focusing corner cube

DOEpatents

Monjes, J.A.

1985-09-12

This invention retortreflects and focuses a beam of light. The invention comprises a modified corner cube reflector wherein one reflective surface is planar, a second reflective surface is spherical, and the third reflective surface may be planar or convex cylindrical.

The integration of a mesh reflector to a 15-foot box truss structure. Task 3: Box truss analysis and technology development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bachtell, E. E.; Thiemet, W. F.; Morosow, G.

1987-01-01

To demonstrate the design and integration of a reflective mesh surface to a deployable truss structure, a mesh reflector was installed on a 15 foot box truss cube. The specific features demonstrated include: (1) sewing seams in reflective mesh; (2) mesh stretching to desired preload; (3) installation of surface tie cords; (4) installation of reflective surface on truss; (5) setting of reflective surface; (6) verification of surface shape/accuracy; (7) storage and deployment; (8) repeatability of reflector surface; and (9) comparison of surface with predicted shape using analytical methods developed under a previous task.

Optical properties of micromachined polysilicon reflective surfaces with etching holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Jun; Byrne, Colin; Liu, Chang; Brady, David J.

1998-08-01

MUMPS (Multi-User MEMS Process) is receiving increasingly wide use in micro optics. We have investigated the optical properties of the polysilicon reflective surface in a typical MUMPS chip within the visible light spectrum. The effect of etching holes on the reflected laser beam is studied. The reflectivity and diffraction patterns at five different wavelengths have been measured. The optical properties of the polysilicon reflective surface are greatly affected by the surface roughness, the etching holes, as well as the material. The etching holes contribute to diffraction and reduction of reflectivity. This study provides a basis for optimal design of micromachined free-space optical systems.

Integrated Emissivity And Temperature Measurement

DOEpatents

Poulsen, Peter

2005-11-08

A multi-channel spectrometer and a light source are used to measure both the emitted and the reflected light from a surface which is at an elevated temperature relative to its environment. In a first method, the temperature of the surface and emissivity in each wavelength is calculated from a knowledge of the spectrum and the measurement of the incident and reflected light. In the second method, the reflected light is measured from a reference surface having a known reflectivity and the same geometry as the surface of interest and the emitted and the reflected light are measured for the surface of interest. These measurements permit the computation of the emissivity in each channel of the spectrometer and the temperature of the surface of interest.

Simple Köhler homogenizers for image-forming solar concentrators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Weiya; Winston, Roland

2010-08-01

By adding simple Köhler homogenizers in the form of aspheric lenses generated with an optimization approach, we solve the problems of non-uniform irradiance distribution and non-square irradiance pattern existing in some image-forming solar concentrators. The homogenizers do not require optical bonding to the solar cells or total internal reflection surface. Two examples are shown including a Fresnel lens based concentrator and a two-mirror aplanatic system.

1992 Data Bank for Red Oak Lumber

Treesearch

Charles J. Gatchell; Janice K. Wiedenbeck; Elizabeth S. Walker; Elizabeth S. Walker

1992-01-01

The 1992 Data Bank for Red Oak Lumber is a collection of fully described FAS, Selects, No. 1 Common, and No. 2A Common boards (a total of 1,578 at present). The data bank has two unique features to aid in sample selection. The first feature is the double grading of FAS, No. 1 Common, and No. 2A Common boards to reflect the surface area in grading cuttings when grading...

Combined measurement of directional Raman scattering and surface-plasmon-polariton cone from adsorbates on smooth planar gold surfaces

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

Nyamekye, Charles K. A.; Weibel, Stephen C.; Bobbitt, Jonathan M.

Directional-surface-plasmon-coupled Raman scattering (directional RS) has the combined benefits of surface plasmon resonance and Raman spectroscopy, and provides the ability to measure adsorption and monolayer-sensitive chemical information. Directional RS is performed by optically coupling a 50-nm gold film to a Weierstrass prism in the Kretschmann configuration and scanning the angle of the incident laser under total internal reflection. The collected parameters on the prism side of the interface include a full surface-plasmon-polariton cone and the full Raman signal radiating from the cone as a function of incident angle. An instrument for performing directional RS and a quantitative study of themore » instrumental parameters are herein reported. To test the sensitivity and quantify the instrument parameters, self-assembled monolayers and 10 to 100-nm polymer films are studied. The signals are found to be well-modeled by two calculated angle-dependent parameters: three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain calculations of the electric field generated in the sample layer and projected to the far-field, and Fresnel calculations of the reflected light intensity. This is the first report of the quantitative study of the full surface-plasmon-polariton cone intensity, cone diameter, and directional Raman signal as a function of incident angle. We propose that directional RS is a viable alternative to surface plasmon resonance when added chemical information is beneficial.« less

Comparison of the GHSSmooth and the Rayleigh-Rice surface scatter theories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harvey, James E.; Pfisterer, Richard N.

2016-09-01

The scalar-based GHSSmooth surface scatter theory results in an expression for the BRDF in terms of the surface PSD that is very similar to that provided by the rigorous Rayleigh-Rice (RR) vector perturbation theory. However it contains correction factors for two extreme situations not shared by the RR theory: (i) large incident or scattered angles that result in some portion of the scattered radiance distribution falling outside of the unit circle in direction cosine space, and (ii) the situation where the relevant rms surface roughness, σrel, is less than the total intrinsic rms roughness of the scattering surface. Also, the RR obliquity factor has been discovered to be an approximation of the more general GHSSmooth obliquity factor due to a little-known (or long-forgotten) implicit assumption in the RR theory that the surface autocovariance length is longer than the wavelength of the scattered radiation. This assumption allowed retaining only quadratic terms and lower in the series expansion for the cosine function, and results in reducing the validity of RR predictions for scattering angles greater than 60°. This inaccurate obliquity factor in the RR theory is also the cause of a complementary unrealistic "hook" at the high spatial frequency end of the predicted surface PSD when performing the inverse scattering problem. Furthermore, if we empirically substitute the polarization reflectance, Q, from the RR expression for the scalar reflectance, R, in the GHSSmooth expression, it inherits all of the polarization capabilities of the rigorous RR vector perturbation theory.

Combined measurement of directional Raman scattering and surface-plasmon-polariton cone from adsorbates on smooth planar gold surfaces

DOE PAGES

Nyamekye, Charles K. A.; Weibel, Stephen C.; Bobbitt, Jonathan M.; ...

2017-09-15

Directional-surface-plasmon-coupled Raman scattering (directional RS) has the combined benefits of surface plasmon resonance and Raman spectroscopy, and provides the ability to measure adsorption and monolayer-sensitive chemical information. Directional RS is performed by optically coupling a 50-nm gold film to a Weierstrass prism in the Kretschmann configuration and scanning the angle of the incident laser under total internal reflection. The collected parameters on the prism side of the interface include a full surface-plasmon-polariton cone and the full Raman signal radiating from the cone as a function of incident angle. An instrument for performing directional RS and a quantitative study of themore » instrumental parameters are herein reported. To test the sensitivity and quantify the instrument parameters, self-assembled monolayers and 10 to 100-nm polymer films are studied. The signals are found to be well-modeled by two calculated angle-dependent parameters: three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain calculations of the electric field generated in the sample layer and projected to the far-field, and Fresnel calculations of the reflected light intensity. This is the first report of the quantitative study of the full surface-plasmon-polariton cone intensity, cone diameter, and directional Raman signal as a function of incident angle. We propose that directional RS is a viable alternative to surface plasmon resonance when added chemical information is beneficial.« less

Removal of Surface-Reflected Light for the Measurement of Remote-Sensing Reflectance from an Above-Surface Platform

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-01

remote - sensing reflectance) can be highly inaccurate if a spectrally constant value is applied (although errors can be reduced by carefully filtering measured raw data). To remove surface-reflected light in field measurements of remote sensing reflectance, a spectral optimization approach was applied, with results compared with those from remote sensing models and from direct measurements. The agreement from different determinations suggests that reasonable results for remote sensing reflectance of clear

Removal of Surface-Reflected Light for the Measurement of Remote-Sensing Reflectance from an Above-Surface Platform

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-06

remote - sensing reflectance) can be highly inaccurate if a spectrally constant value is applied (although errors can be reduced by carefully filtering measured raw data). To remove surface-reflected light in field measurements of remote sensing reflectance, a spectral optimization approach was applied, with results compared with those from remote sensing models and from direct measurements. The agreement from different determinations suggests that reasonable results for remote sensing reflectance of clear

Angular and Seasonal Variation of Spectral Surface Reflectance Ratios: Implications for the Remote Sensing of Aerosol over Land

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Remer, L. A.; Wald, A. E.; Kaufman, Y. J.

1999-01-01

We obtain valuable information on the angular and seasonal variability of surface reflectance using a hand-held spectrometer from a light aircraft. The data is used to test a procedure that allows us to estimate visible surface reflectance from the longer wavelength 2.1 micrometer channel (mid-IR). Estimating or avoiding surface reflectance in the visible is a vital first step in most algorithms that retrieve aerosol optical thickness over land targets. The data indicate that specular reflection found when viewing targets from the forward direction can severely corrupt the relationships between the visible and 2.1 micrometer reflectance that were derived from nadir data. There is a month by month variation in the ratios between the visible and the mid-IR, weakly correlated to the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). If specular reflection is not avoided, the errors resulting from estimating surface reflectance from the mid-IR exceed the acceptable limit of DELTA-rho approximately 0.01 in roughly 40% of the cases, using the current algorithm. This is reduced to 25% of the cases if specular reflection is avoided. An alternative method that uses path radiance rather than explicitly estimating visible surface reflectance results in similar errors. The two methods have different strengths and weaknesses that require further study.

Impacts of Microphysical Scheme on Convective and Stratiform Characteristics in Two High Precipitation Squall Line Events

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, Di; Dong, Xiquan; Xi, Baike; Feng, Zhe; Kennedy, Aaron; Mullendore, Gretchen; Gilmore, Matthew; Tao, Wei-Kuo

2013-01-01

This study investigates the impact of snow, graupel, and hail processes on simulated squall lines over the Southern Great Plains in the United States. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is used to simulate two squall line events in Oklahoma during May 2007, and the simulations are validated against radar and surface observations. Several microphysics schemes are tested in this study, including the WRF 5-Class Microphysics (WSM5), WRF 6-Class Microphysics (WSM6), Goddard Cumulus Ensemble (GCE) Three Ice (3-ice) with graupel, Goddard Two Ice (2-ice), and Goddard 3-ice hail schemes. Simulated surface precipitation is sensitive to the microphysics scheme when the graupel or hail categories are included. All of the 3-ice schemes overestimate the total precipitation with WSM6 having the largest bias. The 2-ice schemes, without a graupel/hail category, produce less total precipitation than the 3-ice schemes. By applying a radar-based convective/stratiform partitioning algorithm, we find that including graupel/hail processes increases the convective areal coverage, precipitation intensity, updraft, and downdraft intensities, and reduces the stratiform areal coverage and precipitation intensity. For vertical structures, simulations have higher reflectivity values distributed aloft than the observed values in both the convective and stratiform regions. Three-ice schemes produce more high reflectivity values in convective regions, while 2-ice schemes produce more high reflectivity values in stratiform regions. In addition, this study has demonstrated that the radar-based convective/stratiform partitioning algorithm can reasonably identify WRF-simulated precipitation, wind, and microphysical fields in both convective and stratiform regions.

Modeling Illumination Conditions on the Moon: Applications to LRO-LAMP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byron, B. D.; Mazarico, E. M.; Retherford, K. D.; Mandt, K. E.; Greathouse, T.; Gladstone, R.

2017-12-01

LRO-LAMP is a UV spectrograph which uses illumination from Lyman-α sky glow along with UV light from bright stars to image the dark, permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) of the lunar surface. Accurate modeling of this UV illumination is essential to creating albedo maps of the lunar surface, which can shed light on lunar regolith processes and help to constrain the distribution of water ice in polar PSRs. In this study, the variation in reflected intensity received by the LAMP detector was modeled for South Pole crater Amundsen using the illumination program IllumNG. Amundsen was chosen for study due to the PSR in its Northern side and its highly illuminated equator-facing slopes on the Southern wall. The model works by tracing a ray from each LAMP detector pixel along its boresight until the point where it intersects the lunar surface, and calculating the percentage of the total source flux visible above the horizon. In this study, the three main illumination sources used are the Sun, Interplanetary Lyman-α sky glow, and bright UV starlight in the On Band (130-155 nm) and Off Band (155-190 nm) wavelength ranges. The model also has the capability to calculate incident flux received at the surface, as well as intensity reflected from the surface and received by the LAMP detector along each boresight. The study found a noticeable variation in received intensity between six month stretches for the year of 2010. Over the period of January through July, about 6% more IPM Lyman-α flux was reflected from the surface of Amundsen than for July through December. For stellar flux in the On Band, a 13% difference in flux was reflected between the six month periods. In comparing the monthly intensity maps created by the model with LAMP measured monthly brightness maps, similar crater features are apparent. Though the model brightness is generally higher than the LAMP brightness, after accounting for albedo ( 0.05 for the South Pole region) the values are in closer agreement. In the future, inclusion of the model results during pipeline processing could enable better calibration and analysis of LAMP data.

The New Horizons Bistatic Radio Science Experiment to Measure Pluto's Surface Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linscott, I.; Hinson, D. P.; Tyler, G. L.; Vincent, M.

2014-12-01

The New Horizons (NH) payload includes a Radio Science Experiment (REX) for principally occultation and radiometric measurement of Pluto and Charon during the flyby in July 2015. The REX subsystem is contained, together with the NH X-Band radio, in the Integrated Electronics Module (IEM) in the New Horizons spacecraft. REX samples and records in two polarizations both total RF power in a 4.5 MHz bandwidth, and radio signal waveforms in a narrow, 1.25 kHz band. During the encounter, and at closest approach to Pluto, the spacecraft's high gain antenna (HGA) will scan Pluto's equatorial latitudes, intercepting the specular zone, a region near Pluto's limb that geometrically favors reflection from the earth's direction. At the same time, a powerful 80 kW uplink beacon will have been transmitted from earth by the DSN to arrive at Pluto during spacecraft closest approach. Reflection from the specular zone is expected to be sufficiently strong to observe the bistatic uplink in the REX narrowband record. Measurements in both polarizations will then be combined to yield surface reflectivity, roughness and limits on the dielectric constant in the specular zone.

Nanoscale cellular imaging with scanning angle interference microscopy.

PubMed

DuFort, Christopher; Paszek, Matthew

2014-01-01

Fluorescence microscopy is among the most widely utilized tools in cell and molecular biology due to its ability to noninvasively obtain time-resolved images of live cells with molecule-specific contrast. In this chapter, we describe a simple high-resolution technique, scanning angle interference microscopy (SAIM), for the imaging and localization of fluorescent molecules with nanometer precision along the optical axis. In SAIM, samples above a reflective surface are sequentially scanned with an excitation laser at varying angles of incidence. Interference patterns generated between the incident and reflected lights result in an emission intensity that depends on the height of a fluorophore above the silicon surface and the angle of the incident radiation. The measured fluorescence intensities are then fit to an optical model to localize the labeled molecules along the z-axis with 5-10 nm precision and diffraction-limited lateral resolution. SAIM is easily implemented on widely available commercial total internal reflection fluorescence microscopes, offering potential for widespread use in cell biology. Here, we describe the setup of SAIM and its application for imaging cellular structures near (<1 μm) the sample substrate. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In situ phytoplankton absorption, fluorescence emission, and particulate backscattering spectra determined from reflectance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roesler, Collin S.; Pery, Mary Jane

1995-01-01

An inverse model was developed to extract the absortion and scattering (elastic and inelastic) properties of oceanic constituents from surface spectral reflectance measurements. In particular, phytoplankton spectral absorption coefficients, solar-stimulated chlorophyll a fluorescence spectra, and particle backscattering spectra were modeled. The model was tested on 35 reflectance spectra obtained from irradiance measurements in optically diverse ocean waters (0.07 to 25.35 mg/cu m range in surface chlorophyll a concentrations). The universality of the model was demonstrated by the accurate estimation of the spectral phytoplankton absorption coefficents over a range of 3 orders of magnitude (rho = 0.94 at 500 nm). Under most oceanic conditions (chlorophyll a less than 3 mg/cu m) the percent difference between measured and modeled phytoplankton absorption coefficents was less than 35%. Spectral variations in measured phytoplankton absorption spectra were well predicted by the inverse model. Modeled volume fluorescence was weakly correlated with measured chl a; fluorescence quantum yield varied from 0.008 to 0.09 as a function of environment and incident irradiance. Modeled particle backscattering coefficients were linearly related to total particle cross section over a twentyfold range in backscattering coefficents (rho = 0.996, n = 12).

Variability of total ozone at Arosa, Switzerland, since 1931 related to atmospheric circulation indices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brönnimann, S.; Luterbacher, J.; Schmutz, C.; Wanner, H.; Staehelin, J.

2000-08-01

Atmospheric circulation determines to a considerable extent the variability of lower stratospheric ozone and can modulate its long-term trends in Europe and the North Atlantic Region. Due to dynamical stratosphere-troposphere coupling, important features of the variability of the surface pressure field are reflected in the long-term total ozone record from Arosa, Switzerland. Significant (p<0.01) correlations between total ozone and different atmospheric circulation indices (NAOI, AOI, EU1, EU2) are found in all months except for April, June, July, and November for the period 1931 to 1997. An analysis of geopotential heights for the period 1958 to 1997 shows that these circulation anomaly patterns have upper tropospheric features over the North Atlantic-European sector that are consistent with a dynamical influence on total ozone.

Joint variability of global runoff and global sea surface temperatures

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCabe, G.J.; Wolock, D.M.

2008-01-01

Global land surface runoff and sea surface temperatures (SST) are analyzed to identify the primary modes of variability of these hydroclimatic data for the period 1905-2002. A monthly water-balance model first is used with global monthly temperature and precipitation data to compute time series of annual gridded runoff for the analysis period. The annual runoff time series data are combined with gridded annual sea surface temperature data, and the combined dataset is subjected to a principal components analysis (PCA) to identify the primary modes of variability. The first three components from the PCA explain 29% of the total variability in the combined runoff/SST dataset. The first component explains 15% of the total variance and primarily represents long-term trends in the data. The long-term trends in SSTs are evident as warming in all of the oceans. The associated long-term trends in runoff suggest increasing flows for parts of North America, South America, Eurasia, and Australia; decreasing runoff is most notable in western Africa. The second principal component explains 9% of the total variance and reflects variability of the El Ni??o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and its associated influence on global annual runoff patterns. The third component explains 5% of the total variance and indicates a response of global annual runoff to variability in North Aflantic SSTs. The association between runoff and North Atlantic SSTs may explain an apparent steplike change in runoff that occurred around 1970 for a number of continental regions.

Chemical Functionalization of Germanium with Dextran Brushes for Immobilization of Proteins Revealed by Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared Difference Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Schartner, Jonas; Hoeck, Nina; Güldenhaupt, Jörn; Mavarani, Laven; Nabers, Andreas; Gerwert, Klaus; Kötting, Carsten

2015-07-21

Protein immobilization studied by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FT-IR) difference spectroscopy is an emerging field enabling the study of proteins at atomic detail. Gold or glass surfaces are frequently used for protein immobilization. Here, we present an alternative method for protein immobilization on germanium. Because of its high refractive index and broad spectral window germanium is the best material for ATR-FT-IR spectroscopy of thin layers. So far, this technique was mainly used for protein monolayers, which lead to a limited signal-to-noise ratio. Further, undesired protein-protein interactions can occur in a dense layer. Here, the germanium surface was functionalized with thiols and stepwise a dextran brush was generated. Each step was monitored by ATR-FT-IR spectroscopy. We compared a 70 kDa dextran with a 500 kDa dextran regarding the binding properties. All surfaces were characterized by atomic force microscopy, revealing thicknesses between 40 and 110 nm. To analyze the capability of our system we utilized N-Ras on mono-NTA (nitrilotriacetic acid) functionalized dextran, and the amount of immobilized Ras corresponded to several monolayers. The protein stability and loading capacity was further improved by means of tris-NTA for immobilization. Small-molecule-induced changes were revealed with an over 3 times higher signal-to-noise ratio compared to monolayers. This improvement may allow the observation of very small and so far hidden changes in proteins upon stimulus. Furthermore, we immobilized green fluorescent protein (GFP) and mCherry simultaneously enabling an analysis of the surface by fluorescence microscopy. The absence of a Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) signal demonstrated a large protein-protein distance, indicating an even distribution of the protein within the dextran.

Wide field of view telescope

DOEpatents

Ackermann, Mark R [Albuquerque, NM; McGraw, John T [Placitas, NM; Zimmer, Peter C [Albuquerque, NM

2008-01-15

A wide field of view telescope having two concave and two convex reflective surfaces, each with an aspheric surface contour, has a flat focal plane array. Each of the primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary reflective surfaces are rotationally symmetric about the optical axis. The combination of the reflective surfaces results in a wide field of view in the range of approximately 3.8.degree. to approximately 6.5.degree.. The length of the telescope along the optical axis is approximately equal to or less than the diameter of the largest of the reflective surfaces.

Scintillator reflective layer coextrusion

DOEpatents

Yun, Jae-Chul; Para, Adam

2001-01-01

A polymeric scintillator has a reflective layer adhered to the exterior surface thereof. The reflective layer comprises a reflective pigment and an adhesive binder. The adhesive binder includes polymeric material from which the scintillator is formed. A method of forming the polymeric scintillator having a reflective layer adhered to the exterior surface thereof is also provided. The method includes the steps of (a) extruding an inner core member from a first amount of polymeric scintillator material, and (b) coextruding an outer reflective layer on the exterior surface of the inner core member. The outer reflective layer comprises a reflective pigment and a second amount of the polymeric scintillator material.

UV-SPR biosensor for biomolecular interaction studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geiss, F. A.; Fossati, S.; Khan, I.; Gisbert Quilis, N.; Knoll, W.; Dostalek, J.

2017-05-01

UV surface plasmon resonance (SPR) for direct in situ detection of protein binding events is reported. A crossed relief aluminum grating was employed for diffraction coupling to surface plasmons as an alternative to more commonly used attenuated total reflection method. Wavelength interrogation of SPR was carried out by using transmission measurements in order to probe odorant-binding protein 14 (OBP14) of the honey bee (Apis mellifera). The native oxide layer on the top of an aluminum grating sensor chip allows for covalent coupling of protein molecules by using regular silane-based linkers. The probing of bound OBP14 protein at UV with confined field of surface plasmons holds potential for further studies of interaction with recently developed artificial fluorescent odorants.

Coherent diffraction surface imaging in reflection geometry.

PubMed

Marathe, Shashidhara; Kim, S S; Kim, S N; Kim, Chan; Kang, H C; Nickles, P V; Noh, D Y

2010-03-29

We present a reflection based coherent diffraction imaging method which can be used to reconstruct a non periodic surface image from a diffraction amplitude measured in reflection geometry. Using a He-Ne laser, we demonstrated that a surface image can be reconstructed solely from the reflected intensity from a surface without relying on any prior knowledge of the sample object or the object support. The reconstructed phase image of the exit wave is particularly interesting since it can be used to obtain quantitative information of the surface depth profile or the phase change during the reflection process. We believe that this work will broaden the application areas of coherent diffraction imaging techniques using light sources with limited penetration depth.

Validation of OMI Measured Radiances Over Ice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaross, G.; Cebula, R. P.; Warner, J.

2005-12-01

The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) was launched aboard the EOS Aura satellite on 15 July, 2004 and has since performed quite well. Calibrated radiances in the form of Level 1 data products are produced regularly every orbit with minimal data loss. A total of 12 atmospheric constituent data products are currently planned for the OMI science data processing. All rely, to varying degrees, on the sun-normalized radiances of the OMI sensor. Retrievals of atmospheric trace constituents, such as NO{}_2, BrO, OCLO, and HCHO, rely upon spectroscopy and tend to be insensitive to errors in the absolute radiance levels. But column O{}_3 amount, aerosol properties, cloud heights, and UV surface radiation have significant sensitivities to changes in the sun-normalized radiances. In this presentation we discuss our evaluation of the OMI sun-normalized radiances between 330 nm and 500 nm. This covers most of the OMI spectral range where ozone absorption is small. Our technique involves a comparison of normalized radiances measured by OMI over the Antarctic continent with top-of-the-atmosphere (TOA) values computed with a radiative transfer model. In our model we assume a Rayleigh-scattering, aerosol-free, cloud-free atmosphere, and a mean surface reflectance derived from measurements on the ground. TOA radiances are sensitive to the bi-directional distribution of surface reflectance, especially at high solar zenith angles. We have developed a surface reflectance model to help correct these effects, but it still remains the largest source of uncertainty. We estimate the residual uncertainty at all wavelengths to be 2%.

Catoptric electrodes: transparent metal electrodes using shaped surfaces.

PubMed

Kik, Pieter G

2014-09-01

An optical electrode design is presented that theoretically allows 100% optical transmission through an interdigitated metallic electrode at 50% metal areal coverage. This is achieved by redirection of light incident on embedded metal electrode lines to an angle beyond that required for total internal reflection. Full-field electromagnetic simulations using realistic material parameters demonstrate 84% frequency-averaged transmission for unpolarized illumination across the entire visible spectral range using a silver interdigitated electrode at 50% areal coverage. The redirection is achieved through specular reflection, making it nonresonant and arbitrarily broadband, provided the electrode width exceeds the optical wavelength. These findings could significantly improve the performance of photovoltaic devices and optical detectors that require high-conductivity top contacts.

2nd Generation Airborne Precipitation Radar (APR-2)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Durden, S.; Tanelli, S.; Haddad, Z.; Im, E.

2012-01-01

Dual-frequency operation with Ku-band (13.4 GHz) and Ka-band (35.6 GHz). Geometry and frequencies chosen to simulate GPM radar. Measures reflectivity at co- and cross-polarizations, and Doppler. Range resolution is approx. 60 m. Horizontal resolution at surface is approx. 1 km. Reflectivity calibration is within 1.5 dB, based on 10 deg sigmaO at Ku-band and Mie scattering calculations in light rain at Ka-band. LDR measurements are OK to near -20 dB; LDR lower than this is likely contaminated by system cross-polarization isolation. Velocity is motion-corrected total Doppler, including particle fall speed. Aliasing can be seen in some places; can usually be dealiased with an algorithm. .

An enhanced VIIRS aerosol optical thickness (AOT) retrieval algorithm over land using a global surface reflectance ratio database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hai; Kondragunta, Shobha; Laszlo, Istvan; Liu, Hongqing; Remer, Lorraine A.; Huang, Jingfeng; Superczynski, Stephen; Ciren, Pubu

2016-09-01

The Visible/Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on board the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite has been retrieving aerosol optical thickness (AOT), operationally and globally, over ocean and land since shortly after S-NPP launch in 2011. However, the current operational VIIRS AOT retrieval algorithm over land has two limitations in its assumptions for land surfaces: (1) it only retrieves AOT over the dark surfaces and (2) it assumes that the global surface reflectance ratios between VIIRS bands are constants. In this work, we develop a surface reflectance ratio database over land with a spatial resolution 0.1° × 0.1° using 2 years of VIIRS top of atmosphere reflectances. We enhance the current operational VIIRS AOT retrieval algorithm by applying the surface reflectance ratio database in the algorithm. The enhanced algorithm is able to retrieve AOT over both dark and bright surfaces. Over bright surfaces, the VIIRS AOT retrievals from the enhanced algorithm have a correlation of 0.79, mean bias of -0.008, and standard deviation (STD) of error of 0.139 when compared against the ground-based observations at the global AERONET (Aerosol Robotic Network) sites. Over dark surfaces, the VIIRS AOT retrievals using the surface reflectance ratio database improve the root-mean-square error from 0.150 to 0.123. The use of the surface reflectance ratio database also increases the data coverage of more than 20% over dark surfaces. The AOT retrievals over bright surfaces are comparable to MODIS Deep Blue AOT retrievals.

Preliminary assessment of the GOES-R ABI hourly land surface albedo and reflectance products prototyped with Himawari AHI data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, T.; Liang, S.; Zhang, Y.; Yu, Y.

2016-12-01

Land surface albedo and reflectance are critical geophysical variables used in climate and environmental applications. The multispectral Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) onboard the next generation geostationary satellites (GOES-R series, set to launch in late 2016) offers high temporal and medium spatial resolution observations, which can be used for monitoring diurnal variation of surface albedo and reflectance. In the GOES-R data processing chain there is no atmospheric correction to generate surface reflectance product, which is usually required for surface albedo estimation. We propose an optimization method to simultaneously retrieve surface bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) parameters and aerosol optical depth with GOES-R ABI data on a daily-basis, which are used for estimating surface albedo and reflectance. Before the launch of the GOES-R satellite, our algorithm was prototyped with data from the Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) onboard the Japanese Himawari-8 satellite, which has spectral bands and spatial resolutions similar to GOES-R ABI. Cal/val activities were carried out against ground measurements at the OzFlux sites in Australia and satellite data including albedo/BRDF products from MODIS and Landsat. The preliminary accuracy assessment showed promising results for both the surface albedo and reflectance estimates. The GOES-R surface albedo and reflectance products will serve as critical inputs for downstream GOES-R satellite products and also help improve climate modeling and weather forecasting with a high temporal resolution.

Enhanced chiral response from the Fabry-Perot cavity coupled meta-surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Ze-Jian; Hu, De-Jiao; Gao, Fu-Hua; Hou, Yi-Dong

2016-08-01

The circular dichroism (CD) signal of a two-dimensional (2D) chiral meta-surface is usually weak, where the difference between the transmitted (or reflected) right and left circular polarization is barely small. We present a general method to enhance the reflective CD spectrum, by adding a layer of reflective film behind the meta-surface. The light passes through the chiral meta-surface and propagates towards the reflector, where it is reflected back and further interacts with the chiral meta-surface. The light is reflected back and forth between these two layers, forming a Fabry-Perot type resonance, which interacts with the localized surface plasmonic resonance (LSPR) mode and greatly enhances the CD signal of the light wave leaving the meta-surface. We numerically calculate the CD enhancing effect of an L-shaped chiral meta-surface on a gold film in the visible range. Compared with the single layer meta-surface, the L-shaped chiral meta-surface has a CD maximum that is dramatically increased to 1. The analysis of reflection efficiency reveals that our design can be used to realize a reflective circular polarizer. Corresponding mode analysis shows that the huge CD originates from the hybrid mode comprised of FP mode and LSPR. Our results provide a general approach to enhancing the CD signal of a chiral meta-surface and can be used in areas like biosensing, circular polarizer, integrated photonics, etc. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61377054).

Hydrophobizing coatings for cultural heritage. A detailed study of resin/stone surface interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fermo, P.; Cappelletti, G.; Cozzi, N.; Padeletti, G.; Kaciulis, S.; Brucale, M.; Merlini, M.

2014-07-01

Conservation of historical buildings is an important issue and the environmental conditions seriously affect the monument's stones. The protection of cultural heritage buildings and monuments by surface treatment with polymers is a common practice due to their ability to form a protective layer on the monument's surface as well as to control the transport of different fluids from the surface to the monument's interior. In this work, three different substrates were used: Carrara marble, Botticino limestone, and Angera stone. A commercially available Si-based resin (Alpha®SI30) was used as protective agent to improve the hydrophobicity features of the different tested materials. The surface properties of the coating and the relative interaction with the adopted stones were studied using different techniques such as contact angle measurements, electron microscope coupled with an energy dispersive spectrometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy.

Study of the surface activation of ETFE by low energy (keV) Si and N bombardment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parada, M. A.; de Almeida, A.; Muntele, C.; Muntele, I.; Delalez, N.; Ila, D.

2005-12-01

The ethylenetetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) is a polymer formed by alternating ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene segments. It can be applied in the field of medical physics as intra venous catheters and as radiation dosimeters. The increasing application of polymeric materials in technological and scientific fields has motivated the use of surface treatments to modify the physical and chemical properties of polymer surfaces. When a material is exposed to ionizing radiation, it suffers damage leading to surface activation depending on the type, energy and intensity of the applied radiation. In order to determine the radiation damage and the surface activation mechanism ETFE films were bombarded with keV Si and N at various fluences. The bombarded film was also analyzed with optical absorption photospectrometry (OAP), Raman and Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy showing quantitatively the chemical nature at the damage caused by the Si and N bombardment.

Backscattered EM-wave manipulation using low cost 1-bit reflective surface at W-band

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taher Al-Nuaimi, Mustafa K.; Hong, Wei; He, Yejun

2018-04-01

The design of low cost 1-bit reflective (non-absorptive) surfaces for manipulation of backscattered EM-waves and radar cross section (RCS) reduction at W-band is presented in this article. The presented surface is designed based on the reflection phase cancellation principle. The unit cell used to compose the proposed surface has an obelus (division symbol of short wire and two disks above and below) like shape printed on a grounded dielectric material. Using this unit cell, surfaces that can efficiently manipulate the backscattered RCS pattern by using the proposed obelus-shaped unit cell (as ‘0’ element) and its mirrored unit cell (as ‘1’ element) in one surface with a 180°  ±  35° reflection phase difference between their reflection phases are designed. The proposed surfaces can generate various kinds of backscattered RCS patterns, such as single, three, or four lobes or even a low-level (reduced RCS) diffused reflection pattern when those two unit cells are distributed randomly across the surface aperture. For experimental characterization purposes, a 50  ×  50 mm2 surface is fabricated and measured.

Apparatus for and method of correcting for astigmatism in a light beam reflected off of a light reflecting surface

DOEpatents

Sawicki, Richard H.; Sweatt, William

1987-01-01

A technique for adjustably correcting for astigmatism in a light beam is disclosed herein. This technique utilizes first means which defines a flat, rectangular light reflecting surface having opposite reinforced side edges and which is resiliently bendable, to a limited extent, into different concave and/or convex cylindrical curvatures about a particular axis and second means acting on the first means for adjustably bending the light reflecting surface into a particular selected one of the different curvatures depending upon the astigmatism to be corrected for and for fixedly maintaining the curvature selected. In the embodiment disclosed, the light reflecting surface is adjustably bendable into the selected cylindrical curvature by application of a particular bending moment to the reinforced side edges of the light reflecting surface.

Estimating surface reflectance from Himawari-8/AHI reflectance channels Using 6SV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Kyeong-sang; Choi, Sungwon; Seo, Minji; Seong, Noh-hun; Han, Kyung-soo

2017-04-01

TOA (Top Of Atmospheric) reflectance observed by satellite is modified by the influence of atmosphere such as absorbing and scattering by molecular and gasses. Removing TOA reflectance attenuation which is caused by the atmospheric is essential. surface reflectance with compensated atmospheric effects used as important input data for land product such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Land Surface Albedo (LSA) and etc. In this study, we Second Simulation of a Satellite Signal in the Solar Spectrum Vector (6SV) Radiative Transfer Model (RTM) for atmospheric correction and estimating surface reflectance from Himawari-8/Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) reflectance channels. 6SV has the advantage that it has high accuracy by performing the atmospheric correction by dividing the width of the satellite channel by 2.5 nm, but it is slow to use in the operation. So, we use LUT approach to reduce the computation time and avoid the intensive calculation required for retrieving surface reflectance. Estimated surface reflectance data were compared with PROBA-V S1 data to evaluate the accuracy. As a result Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and bias were about 0.05 and -0.02. It is considered that this error is due to the difference of angle component and Spectral Response Function (SRF) of each channel.

Optimization of morphological parameters for mitigation pits on rear KDP surface: experiments and numerical modeling.

PubMed

Yang, Hao; Cheng, Jian; Chen, Mingjun; Wang, Jian; Liu, Zhichao; An, Chenhui; Zheng, Yi; Hu, Kehui; Liu, Qi

2017-07-24

In high power laser systems, precision micro-machining is an effective method to mitigate the laser-induced surface damage growth on potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystal. Repaired surfaces with smooth spherical and Gaussian contours can alleviate the light field modulation caused by damage site. To obtain the optimal repairing structure parameters, finite element method (FEM) models for simulating the light intensification caused by the mitigation pits on rear KDP surface were established. The light intensity modulation of these repairing profiles was compared by changing the structure parameters. The results indicate the modulation is mainly caused by the mutual interference between the reflected and incident lights on the rear surface. Owing to the total reflection, the light intensity enhancement factors (LIEFs) of the spherical and Gaussian mitigation pits sharply increase when the width-depth ratios are near 5.28 and 3.88, respectively. To achieve the optimal mitigation effect, the width-depth ratios greater than 5.3 and 4.3 should be applied to the spherical and Gaussian repaired contours. Particularly, for the cases of width-depth ratios greater than 5.3, the spherical repaired contour is preferred to achieve lower light intensification. The laser damage test shows that when the width-depth ratios are larger than 5.3, the spherical repaired contour presents higher laser damage resistance than that of Gaussian repaired contour, which agrees well with the simulation results.

Cryo-Etched Black Silicon for Use as Optical Black

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yee, Karl Y.; White, Victor E.; Mouroulis, Pantazis; Eastwood, Michael L.

2011-01-01

Stray light reflected from the surface of imaging spectrometer components in particular, the spectrometer slit degrade the image quality. A technique has been developed for rapid, uniform, and cost-effective black silicon formation based on inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching at cryogenic temperatures. Recent measurements show less than 1-percent total reflectance from 350 2,500 nm of doped black silicon formed in this way, making it an excellent option for texturing of component surfaces for reduction of stray light. Oxygen combines with SF6 + Si etch byproducts to form a passivation layer atop the Si when the etch is performed at cryogenic temperatures. Excess flow of oxygen results in micromasking and the formation of black silicon. The process is repeatable and reliable, and provides control over etch depth and sidewall profile. Density of the needles can be controlled to some extent. Regions to be textured can be patterned lithographically. Adhesion is not an issue as the nanotips are part of the underlying substrate. This is in contrast to surface growth/deposition techniques such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The black Si surface is compatible with wet processing, including processing with solvents, the textured surface is completely inorganic, and it does not outgas. In radiometry applications, optical absorbers are often constructed using gold black or CNTs. This black silicon technology is an improvement for these types of applications.

Reflection soft X-ray microscope and method

DOEpatents

Suckewer, Szymon; Skinner, Charles H.; Rosser, Roy

1993-01-01

A reflection soft X-ray microscope is provided by generating soft X-ray beams, condensing the X-ray beams to strike a surface of an object at a predetermined angle, and focusing the X-ray beams reflected from the surface onto a detector, for recording an image of the surface or near surface features of the object under observation.

Reflection soft X-ray microscope and method

DOEpatents

Suckewer, S.; Skinner, C.H.; Rosser, R.

1993-01-05

A reflection soft X-ray microscope is provided by generating soft X-ray beams, condensing the X-ray beams to strike a surface of an object at a predetermined angle, and focusing the X-ray beams reflected from the surface onto a detector, for recording an image of the surface or near surface features of the object under observation.

Effect of reflection losses on stationary dielectric-filled nonimaging concentrators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madala, Srikanth; Boehm, Robert F.

2016-10-01

The effect of Fresnel reflection and total internal reflection (TIR) losses on the performance parameters in refractive solar concentrators has often been downplayed because most refractive solar concentrators are traditionally the imaging type, yielding a line or point image on the absorber surface when solely interacted with paraxial etendue ensured by solar tracking. Whereas, with refractive-type nonimaging solar concentrators that achieve two-dimensional (rectangular strip) focus or three-dimensional (circular or elliptical) focus through interaction with both paraxial and nonparaxial etendue within the acceptance angle, the Fresnel reflection and TIR losses are significant as they will affect the performance parameters and, thereby, energy collection. A raytracing analysis has been carried out to illustrate the effects of Fresnel reflection and TIR losses on four different types of stationary dielectric-filled nonimaging concentrators, namely V-trough, compound parabolic concentrator, compound elliptical concentrator, and compound hyperbolic concentrator. The refractive index (RI) of a dielectric fill material determines the acceptance angle of a solid nonimaging collector. Larger refractive indices yield larger acceptance angles and, thereby, larger energy collection. However, they also increase the Fresnel reflection losses. This paper also assesses the relative benefit of increasing RI from an energy collection standpoint.

Solar concentrator

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

Melchior, B.

1984-04-03

A solar concentrator comprises a solid block of a transparent material having a planar incident surface positioned to receive solar rays and, opposite this surface, a curved reflective surface so that the material of the block completely fills the space between these surfaces. At the incident surface an absorber is provided and the curvature of the reflective surface is such that it is at least partly parabolical and adapted to reflect solar rays traversing the body through the body again to the absorber.

Nonimaging Optical Illumination System

DOEpatents

Winston, Roland

1994-08-02

A nonimaging illumination optical device for producing selected intensity output over an angular range. The device includes a light reflecting surface (24, 26) around a light source (22) which is disposed opposite the aperture opening of the light reflecting surface (24, 26). The light source (22) has a characteristic dimension which is small relative to one or more of the distance from the light source (22) to the light reflecting surface (24, 26) or the angle subtended by the light source (22) at the light reflecting surface (24, 26).

Effect of bentonite modification on hardness and mechanical properties of natural rubber nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santiago, Denise Ester O.; Pajarito, Bryan B.; Mangaccat, Winna Faye F.; Tigue, Maelyn Rose M.; Tipton, Monica T.

2016-05-01

The effect of sodium activation, ion-exchange with tertiary amine salt, surface treatment with non-ionic surfactant, and wet grinding of bentonite on hardness and mechanical properties of natural rubber nanocomposites (NRN) was studied using full factorial design of experiment. Results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) show increase in basal spacing d of bentonite due to modification, while attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) confirm the organic modification of bentonite. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) shows that the main effect of surface treatment increases the hardness and decreases the tensile modulus of the NRN. The surface treatment and wet grinding of bentonite decrease the tensile stresses at 100, 200 and 300% strain of NRN. Sodium activation and ion-exchange negatively affect the compressive properties, while surface treatment significantly improves the compressive properties of NRN.

Characterization of perovskite film prepared by pulsed laser deposition on ferritic stainless steel using microscopic and optical methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durda, E.; Jaglarz, J.; Kąc, S.; Przybylski, K.; El Kouari, Y.

2016-06-01

The perovskite La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ (LSCF48) film was deposited on Crofer 22 APU ferritic stainless steel by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Morphological studies of the sample were performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Information about film thickness and surface topography of the film and the steel substrate were obtained using following optical methods: spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), bidirectional reflection distribution function (BRDF) and total integrated reflectometry (TIS). In particular, the BRDF study, being complementary to atomic force microscopy, yielded information about surface topography. Using the previously mentioned methods, the following statistic surface parameters were determined: root-mean square (rms) roughness and autocorrelation length by determining the power spectral density (PSD) function of surface irregularities.

Low-reflectance laser-induced surface nanostructures created with a picosecond laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarbada, Shashank; Huang, Zhifeng; Shin, Yung C.; Ruan, Xiulin

2016-04-01

Using high-speed picosecond laser pulse irradiation, low-reflectance laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) have been created on polycrystalline silicon. The effects of laser fluence, scan speed, overlapping ratio and polarization angle on the formation of LIPSS are reported. The anti-reflective properties of periodic structures are discussed, and the ideal LIPSS for low surface reflectance is presented. A decrease of 35.7 % in average reflectance of the silicon wafer was achieved over the wavelength range of 400-860 nm when it was textured with LIPSS at high scan speeds of 4000 mm/s. Experimental results of broadband reflectance of silicon wafers textured with LIPSS have been compared with finite difference time domain simulations and are in good agreement, showing high predictability in reflectance values for different structures. The effects of changing the LIPSS profile, fill factor and valley depth on the surface reflectance were also analyzed through simulations.

Optimization of imprintable nanostructured a-Si solar cells: FDTD study.

PubMed

Fisker, Christian; Pedersen, Thomas Garm

2013-03-11

We present a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) study of an amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin film solar cell, with nano scale patterns on the substrate surface. The patterns, based on the geometry of anisotropically etched silicon gratings, are optimized with respect to the period and anti-reflection (AR) coating thickness for maximal absorption in the range of the solar spectrum. The structure is shown to increase the cell efficiency by 10.2% compared to a similar flat solar cell with an optimized AR coating thickness. An increased back reflection can be obtained with a 50 nm zinc oxide layer on the back reflector, which gives an additional efficiency increase, leading to a total of 14.9%. In addition, the patterned cells are shown to be up to 3.8% more efficient than an optimized textured reference cell based on the Asahi U-type glass surface. The effects of variations of the optimized solar cell structure due to the manufacturing process are investigated, and shown to be negligible for variations below ±10%.

Properties of Extreme Precipitation and Their Uncertainties in 3-year GPM Precipitation Radar Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, N.; Liu, C.

2017-12-01

Extreme high precipitation rates are often related to flash floods and have devastating impacts on human society and the environments. To better understand these rare events, 3-year Precipitation Features (PFs) are defined by grouping the contiguous areas with nonzero near-surface precipitation derived using Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Ku band Precipitation Radar (KuPR). The properties of PFs with extreme precipitation rates greater than 20, 50, 100 mm/hr, such as the geographical distribution, volumetric precipitation contribution, seasonal and diurnal variations, are examined. In addition to the large seasonal and regional variations, the rare extreme precipitation rates often have a larger contribution to the local total precipitation. Extreme precipitation rates occur more often over land than over ocean. The challenges in the retrieval of extreme precipitation might be from the attenuation correction and large uncertainties in the Z-R relationships from near-surface radar reflectivity to precipitation rates. These potential uncertainties are examined by using collocated ground based radar reflectivity and precipitation retrievals.

Determination of surface morphology of TiO2 nanostructure using synchrotron radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Gangadhar; Kumar, Manoj; Biswas, A. K.; Khooha, Ajay; Mondal, Puspen; Tiwari, M. K.

2017-05-01

Nanostructures of Titanium oxide (TiO2) are being studied for many promising applications, e.g., solar photovoltaics, solar water splitting for H2 fuel generation etc., due to their excellent photo-catalytic properties. We have synthesized low-dimensional TiO2 nanoparticles by gas phase CW CO2 laser pyrolysis. The laser synthesis process has been optimized for the deposition of highly pure, nearly mono-dispersed TiO2 nanoparticles on silicon substrates. Hard x-ray standing wave-field (XSW) measurements in total reflection geometry were carried out on the BL-16 beamline of Indus-2 synchrotron radiation facility in combination with x-ray reflectivity and grazing incidence x-ray fluorescence measurements for the determination of surface morphology of the deposited TiO2 nanostructures. The average particle size of TiO2 nanostructure estimated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was found to closely agree with the XSW and grazing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD) results.

3D shape measurement of automotive glass by using a fringe reflection technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skydan, O. A.; Lalor, M. J.; Burton, D. R.

2007-01-01

In automotive and glass making industries, there is a need for accurately measuring the 3D shapes of reflective surfaces to speed up and ensure product development and manufacturing quality by using non-contact techniques. This paper describes a technique for the measurement of non-full-field reflective surfaces of automotive glass by using a fringe reflection technique. Physical properties of the measurement surfaces do not allow us to apply optical geometries used in existing techniques for surface measurement based upon direct fringe pattern illumination. However, this property of surface reflectivity can be used to implement similar ideas from existing techniques in a new improved method. In other words, the reflective surface can be used as a mirror to reflect illuminated fringe patterns onto a screen behind. It has been found that in the case of implementing the reflective fringe technique, the phase-shift distribution depends not only on the height of the object but also on the slope at each measurement point. This requires the solving of differential equations to find the surface slope and height distributions in the x and y directions and development of the additional height reconstruction algorithms. The main focus has been made on developing a mathematical model of the optical sub-system and discussing ways for its practical implementation including calibration procedures. A number of implemented image processing algorithms for system calibration and data analysis are discussed and two experimental results are given for automotive glass surfaces with different shapes and defects. The proposed technique showed the ability to provide accurate non-destructive measurement of 3D shapes of the reflective automotive glass surfaces and can be used as a key element for a glass shape quality control system on-line or in a laboratory environment.

Far-infrared BRDFs and reflectance spectra of candidate SOFIA telescope, cavity, and focal-plane instrument surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, Allan W.; Smith, Sheldon M.; Koerber, Christopher T.

2000-06-01

The far-infrared reflectance and scattering properties of telescope surfaces, surrounding cavity walls, and surfaces within focal-plane instruments can be significant contributors to background noise. Radiation from sources well off-axis, such as the earth, moon or aircraft engines may be multiply scattered by the cavity walls and/or surface facets of a complex telescope structure. The Non-Specular Reflectometer at NASA Ames Research Center was reactivated and upgraded, and used to measure reflectance and Bi- directional Reflectance Distribution Functions for samples of planned telescope system structural materials and associated surface treatments.

A dual-reflective electrothermal MEMS micromirror for full circumferential scanning endoscopic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Lei; Xie, Huikai

2008-02-01

This paper reports the design, fabrication and measurements of a dual-reflective, single-crystal silicon based micromirror that can perform full circumferential scanning (FCS) for endoscopic optical coherence tomography (EOCT). In the proposed FCS-EOCT probe, two optical fibers are used to deliver light beams to either surface of the micromirror, which can rotate +/-45° (or 90°) and thus a 180° optical scanning is obtained from each mirror surface, resulting in full circumferential scans. A novel surface- and bulk-combined micromachining process based on SOI wafers is developed for fabricating the dual reflective micromirror. The single-crystal-silicon device layer of SOI wafers is used for mirror flatness, and Al is coated on both sides for high reflectivity. With one light beam delivered to each mirror surface, full 360° scans have been observed. Other measured data include the resonant frequency: 328Hz, radius of curvatures: - 124 mm (front surface) and 127 mm (back surface), and the reflectances: 81.3% (front surface) and 79.0% (back surface).

Aerosol Optical Depth Retrievals from High-Resolution Commercial Satellite Imagery Over Areas of High Surface Reflectance

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer MODIS Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer NGA National Geospatial Intelligence Agency POI Principles of...and µ , the cosine of the viewing zenith angle and the effect of the variation of each of these variables on total optical depth. Extraterrestrial ...Eq. (34). Additionally, solar zenith angle also plays a role in the third term on the RHS of Eq. (34) by modifying extraterrestrial spectral solar

Forming aspheric optics by controlled deposition

DOEpatents

Hawryluk, A.M.

1998-04-28

An aspheric optical element is disclosed formed by depositing material onto a spherical surface of an optical element by controlled deposition to form an aspheric surface of desired shape. A reflecting surface, single or multi-layer, can then be formed on the aspheric surface by evaporative or sputtering techniques. Aspheric optical elements are suitable for deep ultra-violet (UV) and x-ray wavelengths. The reflecting surface may, for example, be a thin ({approx}100 nm) layer of aluminum, or in some cases the deposited modifying layer may function as the reflecting surface. For certain applications, multi-layer reflective surfaces may be utilized, such as chromium-carbon or tungsten-carbon multi-layer, with the number of layers and thickness being determined by the intended application. 4 figs.

Forming aspheric optics by controlled deposition

DOEpatents

Hawryluk, Andrew M.

1998-01-01

An aspheric optical element formed by depositing material onto a spherical surface of an optical element by controlled deposition to form an aspheric surface of desired shape. A reflecting surface, single or multi-layer, can then be formed on the aspheric surface by evaporative or sputtering techniques. Aspheric optical elements are suitable for deep ultra-violet (UV) and x-ray wavelengths. The reflecting surface may, for example, be a thin (.about.100 nm) layer of aluminum, or in some cases the deposited modifying layer may function as the reflecting surface. For certain applications, multi-layer reflective surfaces may be utilized, such as chromium-carbon or tungsten-carbon multi-layer, with the number of layers and thickness being determined by the intended application.

TM surface wave diffraction by a truncated dielectric slab recessed in a perfectly conducting surface. [considering flush mounted space shuttle antenna

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pathak, P. H.; Kouyoumjian, R. G.

1974-01-01

The diffraction of a TM sub o surface wave by a terminated dielectric slab which is flush mounted in a perfectly conducting surface is studied. The incident surface wave gives rise to waves reflected and diffracted by the termination; these reflected and diffracted fields may be expressed in terms of the geometrical theory of diffraction by introducing surface wave reflection and diffraction coefficients which are associated with the termination. In this investigation, the surface wave reflection and diffraction coefficients have been deduced from a formally exact solution to this canonical problem. The solution is obtained by a combination of the generalized scattering matrix technique and function theoretic methods.

Reflective diffraction grating

DOEpatents

Lamartine, Bruce C.

2003-06-24

Reflective diffraction grating. A focused ion beam (FIB) micromilling apparatus is used to store color images in a durable medium by milling away portions of the surface of the medium to produce a reflective diffraction grating with blazed pits. The images are retrieved by exposing the surface of the grating to polychromatic light from a particular incident bearing and observing the light reflected by the surface from specified reception bearing.

Physically-Based Models for the Reflection, Transmission and Subsurface Scattering of Light by Smooth and Rough Surfaces, with Applications to Realistic Image Synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Xiao Dong

This thesis studies light scattering processes off rough surfaces. Analytic models for reflection, transmission and subsurface scattering of light are developed. The results are applicable to realistic image generation in computer graphics. The investigation focuses on the basic issue of how light is scattered locally by general surfaces which are neither diffuse nor specular; Physical optics is employed to account for diffraction and interference which play a crucial role in the scattering of light for most surfaces. The thesis presents: (1) A new reflectance model; (2) A new transmittance model; (3) A new subsurface scattering model. All of these models are physically-based, depend on only physical parameters, apply to a wide range of materials and surface finishes and more importantly, provide a smooth transition from diffuse-like to specular reflection as the wavelength and incidence angle are increased or the surface roughness is decreased. The reflectance and transmittance models are based on the Kirchhoff Theory and the subsurface scattering model is based on Energy Transport Theory. They are valid only for surfaces with shallow slopes. The thesis shows that predicted reflectance distributions given by the reflectance model compare favorably with experiment. The thesis also investigates and implements fast ways of computing the reflectance and transmittance models. Furthermore, the thesis demonstrates that a high level of realistic image generation can be achieved due to the physically -correct treatment of the scattering processes by the reflectance model.

High-resolution shear-wave seismic reflection as a tool to image near-surface subrosion structures - a case study in Bad Frankenhausen, Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wadas, Sonja H.; Polom, Ulrich; Krawczyk, Charlotte M.

2016-10-01

Subrosion is the subsurface leaching of soluble rocks that results in the formation of depression and collapse structures. This global phenomenon is a geohazard in urban areas. To study near-surface subrosion structures, four shear-wave seismic reflection profiles, with a total length of ca. 332 m, were carried out around the famous leaning church tower of Bad Frankenhausen in northern Thuringia, Germany, which shows an inclination of 4.93° from the vertical. Most of the geological underground of Thuringia is characterized by soluble Permian deposits, and the Kyffhäuser Southern Margin Fault is assumed to be a main pathway for water to leach the evaporite. The seismic profiles were acquired with the horizontal micro-vibrator ELVIS, developed at Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics (LIAG), and a 72 m long landstreamer equipped with 72 horizontal geophones. The high-resolution seismic sections show subrosion-induced structures to a depth of ca. 100 m and reveal five features associated with the leaching of Permian deposits: (1) lateral and vertical varying reflection patterns caused by strongly heterogeneous strata, (2) discontinuous reflectors, small offsets, and faults, which show the underground is heavily fractured, (3) formation of depression structures in the near-surface, (4) diffractions in the unmigrated seismic sections that indicate increased scattering of the seismic waves, and (5) varying seismic velocities and low-velocity zones that are presumably caused by fractures and upward-migrating cavities. A previously undiscovered southward-dipping listric normal fault was also found, to the north of the church. It probably serves as a pathway for water to leach the Permian formations below the church and causes the tilting of the church tower. This case study shows the potential of horizontal shear-wave seismic reflection to image near-surface subrosion structures in an urban environment with a horizontal resolution of less than 1 m in the uppermost 10-15 m.

Watch your step! A frustrated total internal reflection approach to forensic footwear imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Needham, J. A.; Sharp, J. S.

2016-02-01

Forensic image retrieval and processing are vital tools in the fight against crime e.g. during fingerprint capture. However, despite recent advances in machine vision technology and image processing techniques (and contrary to the claims of popular fiction) forensic image retrieval is still widely being performed using outdated practices involving inkpads and paper. Ongoing changes in government policy, increasing crime rates and the reduction of forensic service budgets increasingly require that evidence be gathered and processed more rapidly and efficiently. A consequence of this is that new, low-cost imaging technologies are required to simultaneously increase the quality and throughput of the processing of evidence. This is particularly true in the burgeoning field of forensic footwear analysis, where images of shoe prints are being used to link individuals to crime scenes. Here we describe one such approach based upon frustrated total internal reflection imaging that can be used to acquire images of regions where shoes contact rigid surfaces.

Watch your step! A frustrated total internal reflection approach to forensic footwear imaging.

PubMed

Needham, J A; Sharp, J S

2016-02-16

Forensic image retrieval and processing are vital tools in the fight against crime e.g. during fingerprint capture. However, despite recent advances in machine vision technology and image processing techniques (and contrary to the claims of popular fiction) forensic image retrieval is still widely being performed using outdated practices involving inkpads and paper. Ongoing changes in government policy, increasing crime rates and the reduction of forensic service budgets increasingly require that evidence be gathered and processed more rapidly and efficiently. A consequence of this is that new, low-cost imaging technologies are required to simultaneously increase the quality and throughput of the processing of evidence. This is particularly true in the burgeoning field of forensic footwear analysis, where images of shoe prints are being used to link individuals to crime scenes. Here we describe one such approach based upon frustrated total internal reflection imaging that can be used to acquire images of regions where shoes contact rigid surfaces.

Portable total reflection x-ray fluorescence analysis in the identification of unknown laboratory hazards

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

Liu, Ying, E-mail: liu.ying.48r@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Imashuku, Susumu; Sasaki, Nobuharu

In this study, a portable total reflection x-ray fluorescence (TXRF) spectrometer was used to analyze unknown laboratory hazards that precipitated on exterior surfaces of cooling pipes and fume hood pipes in chemical laboratories. With the aim to examine the accuracy of TXRF analysis for the determination of elemental composition, analytical results were compared with those of wavelength-dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometry, scanning electron microscope and energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry, energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, x-ray diffraction spectrometry (XRD), and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Detailed comparison of data confirmed that the TXRF method itself was not sufficient tomore » determine all the elements (Z > 11) contained in the samples. In addition, results suggest that XRD should be combined with XPS in order to accurately determine compound composition. This study demonstrates that at least two analytical methods should be used in order to analyze the composition of unknown real samples.« less

Reflections in computer modeling of rooms: Current approaches and possible extensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Svensson, U. Peter

2005-09-01

Computer modeling of rooms is most commonly done by some calculation technique that is based on decomposing the sound field into separate reflection components. In a first step, a list of possible reflection paths is found and in a second step, an impulse response is constructed from the list of reflections. Alternatively, the list of reflections is used for generating a simpler echogram, the energy decay as function of time. A number of geometrical acoustics-based methods can handle specular reflections, diffuse reflections, edge diffraction, curved surfaces, and locally/non-locally reacting surfaces to various degrees. This presentation gives an overview of how reflections are handled in the image source method and variants of the ray-tracing methods, which are dominating today in commercial software, as well as in the radiosity method and edge diffraction methods. The use of the recently standardized scattering and diffusion coefficients of surfaces is discussed. Possibilities for combining edge diffraction, surface scattering, and impedance boundaries are demonstrated for an example surface. Finally, the number of reflection paths becomes prohibitively high when all such combinations are included as demonstrated for a simple concert hall model. [Work supported by the Acoustic Research Centre through NFR, Norway.

Docking alignment system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Monford, Leo G. (Inventor)

1990-01-01

Improved techniques are provided for alignment of two objects. The present invention is particularly suited for three-dimensional translation and three-dimensional rotational alignment of objects in outer space. A camera 18 is fixedly mounted to one object, such as a remote manipulator arm 10 of the spacecraft, while the planar reflective surface 30 is fixed to the other object, such as a grapple fixture 20. A monitor 50 displays in real-time images from the camera, such that the monitor displays both the reflected image of the camera and visible markings on the planar reflective surface when the objects are in proper alignment. The monitor may thus be viewed by the operator and the arm 10 manipulated so that the reflective surface is perpendicular to the optical axis of the camera, the roll of the reflective surface is at a selected angle with respect to the camera, and the camera is spaced a pre-selected distance from the reflective surface.

Improved docking alignment system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Monford, Leo G. (Inventor)

1988-01-01

Improved techniques are provided for the alignment of two objects. The present invention is particularly suited for 3-D translation and 3-D rotational alignment of objects in outer space. A camera is affixed to one object, such as a remote manipulator arm of the spacecraft, while the planar reflective surface is affixed to the other object, such as a grapple fixture. A monitor displays in real-time images from the camera such that the monitor displays both the reflected image of the camera and visible marking on the planar reflective surface when the objects are in proper alignment. The monitor may thus be viewed by the operator and the arm manipulated so that the reflective surface is perpendicular to the optical axis of the camera, the roll of the reflective surface is at a selected angle with respect to the camera, and the camera is spaced a pre-selected distance from the reflective surface.

Preparation, Characterization and Activity of a Peptide-Cellulosic Aerogel Protease Sensor from Cotton

PubMed Central

Edwards, J. Vincent; Fontenot, Krystal R.; Prevost, Nicolette T.; Pircher, Nicole; Liebner, Falk; Condon, Brian D.

2016-01-01

Nanocellulosic aerogels (NA) provide a lightweight biocompatible material with structural properties, like interconnected high porosity and specific surface area, suitable for biosensor design. We report here the preparation, characterization and activity of peptide-nanocellulose aerogels (PepNA) made from unprocessed cotton and designed with protease detection activity. Low-density cellulosic aerogels were prepared from greige cotton by employing calcium thiocyanate octahydrate/lithium chloride as a direct cellulose dissolving medium. Subsequent casting, coagulation, solvent exchange and supercritical carbon dioxide drying afforded homogeneous cellulose II aerogels of fibrous morphology. The cotton-based aerogel had a porosity of 99% largely dominated by mesopores (2–50 nm) and an internal surface of 163 m2·g−1. A fluorescent tripeptide-substrate (succinyl-alanine-proline-alanine-4-amino-7-methyl-coumarin) was tethered to NA by (1) esterification of cellulose C6 surface hydroxyl groups with glycidyl-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (FMOC), (2) deprotection and (3) coupling of the immobilized glycine with the tripeptide. Characterization of the NA and PepNA included techniques, such as elemental analysis, mass spectral analysis, attenuated total reflectance infrared imaging, nitrogen adsorption, scanning electron microscopy and bioactivity studies. The degree of substitution of the peptide analog attached to the anhydroglucose units of PepNA was 0.015. The findings from mass spectral analysis and attenuated total reflectance infrared imaging indicated that the peptide substrate was immobilized on to the surface of the NA. Nitrogen adsorption revealed a high specific surface area and a highly porous system, which supports the open porous structure observed from scanning electron microscopy images. Bioactivity studies of PepNA revealed a detection sensitivity of 0.13 units/milliliter for human neutrophil elastase, a diagnostic biomarker for inflammatory diseases. The physical properties of the aerogel are suitable for interfacing with an intelligent protease sequestrant wound dressing. PMID:27792201

Application of CO2 Snow Jet Cleaning in Conjunction with Laboratory Based Total Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmeling, M.; Burnett, D. S.; Allton, J. H.; Rodriquez, M.; Tripa, C. E.; Veryovkin, I. V.

2013-01-01

The Genesis mission was the first mission returning solar material to Earth since the Apollo program [1,2]. Unfortunately the return of the space craft on September 8, 2004 resulted in a crash landing, which shattered the samples into small fragments and exposed them to desert soil and other debris. Thus only small fragments of the original collectors are available, each having different degrees of surface contamination. Thorough surface cleaning is required to allow for subsequent analysis of solar wind material embedded within. An initial cleaning procedure was developed in coordination with Johnson Space Center which focused on removing larger sized particulates and a thin film organic contamination acquired during collection in space [3]. However, many of the samples have additional residues and more rigorous and/or innovative cleaning steps might be necessary. These cleaning steps must affect only the surface to avoid leaching and re-distribution of solar wind material from the bulk of the collectors. To aid in development and identification of the most appropriate cleaning procedures each sample has to be thoroughly inspected before and after each cleaning step. Laboratory based total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) spectrometry lends itself to this task as it is a non-destructive and surface sensitive analytical method permitting analysis of elements from aluminum onward present at and near the surface of a flat substrate [4]. The suitability of TXRF has been demonstrated for several Genesis solar wind samples before and after various cleaning methods including acid treatment, gas cluster ion beam, and CO2 snow jet [5 - 7]. The latter one is non-invasive and did show some promise on one sample [5]. To investigate the feasibility of CO2 snow jet cleaning further, several flown Genesis samples were selected to be characterized before and after CO2 snow application with sample 61052 being discussed below.

A normalisation framework for (hyper-)spectral imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grumpe, Arne; Zirin, Vladimir; Wöhler, Christian

2015-06-01

It is well known that the topography has an influence on the observed reflectance spectra. This influence is not compensated by spectral ratios, i.e. the effect is wavelength dependent. In this work, we present a complete normalisation framework. The surface temperature is estimated based on the measured surface reflectance. To normalise the spectral reflectance with respect to a standard illumination geometry, spatially varying reflectance parameters are estimated based on a non-linear reflectance model. The reflectance parameter estimation has one free parameter, i.e. a low-pass function, which sets the scale of the spatial-variance, i.e. the lateral resolution of the reflectance parameter maps. Since the local surface topography has a major influence on the measured reflectance, often neglected shading information is extracted from the spectral imagery and an existing topography model is refined to image resolution. All methods are demonstrated on the Moon Mineralogy Mapper dataset. Additionally, two empirical methods are introduced that deal with observed systematic reflectance changes in co-registered images acquired at different phase angles. These effects, however, may also be caused by the sensor temperature, due to its correlation with the phase angle. Surface temperatures above 300 K are detected and are very similar to a reference method. The proposed method, however, seems more robust in case of absorptions visible in the reflectance spectrum near 2000 nm. By introducing a low-pass into the computation of the reflectance parameters, the reflectance behaviour of the surfaces may be derived at different scales. This allows for an iterative refinement of the local surface topography using shape from shading and the computation reflectance parameters. The inferred parameters are derived from all available co-registered images and do not show significant influence of the local surface topography. The results of the empirical correction show that both proposed methods greatly reduce the influence of different phase angles or sensor temperatures.

Using the Subsurface Soil Sounding Radar for Investigating the Structure and Total Electron Content of the Martian Ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smirnov, V. M.; Yushkova, O. V.; Marchuk, V. N.

2018-05-01

The possibilities of using the Martian soil subsurface sounding radar for investigating the structure of the plasma shell surrounding the planet have been considered. Based on the numerical modeling results and actual soil sounding data, it has been shown that the soil sounding mode of the radio-locating MARSIS radar can be used to assess the structure of the Martian ionosphere. As the emitted signals pass to the planet's surface, it is possible to use the reflected signals to estimate the total electron content of the Martian ionosphere along the flight track of the spacecraft.

A climatology of visible surface reflectance spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zoogman, Peter; Liu, Xiong; Chance, Kelly; Sun, Qingsong; Schaaf, Crystal; Mahr, Tobias; Wagner, Thomas

2016-09-01

We present a high spectral resolution climatology of visible surface reflectance as a function of wavelength for use in satellite measurements of ozone and other atmospheric species. The Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) instrument is planned to measure backscattered solar radiation in the 290-740 nm range, including the ultraviolet and visible Chappuis ozone bands. Observation in the weak Chappuis band takes advantage of the relative transparency of the atmosphere in the visible to achieve sensitivity to near-surface ozone. However, due to the weakness of the ozone absorption features this measurement is more sensitive to errors in visible surface reflectance, which is highly variable. We utilize reflectance measurements of individual plant, man-made, and other surface types to calculate the primary modes of variability of visible surface reflectance at a high spectral resolution, comparable to that of TEMPO (0.6 nm). Using the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Bidirection Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF)/albedo product and our derived primary modes we construct a high spatial resolution climatology of wavelength-dependent surface reflectance over all viewing scenes and geometries. The Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 (GOME-2) Lambertian Equivalent Reflectance (LER) product provides complementary information over water and snow scenes. Preliminary results using this approach in multispectral ultraviolet+visible ozone retrievals from the GOME-2 instrument show significant improvement to the fitting residuals over vegetated scenes.

Surface plasmon resonance phenomenon of the insulating state polyaniline

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

Umiati, Ngurah Ayu Ketut, E-mail: ngurahayuketutumiati@gmail.com; Jurusan Fisika FMIPA Universitas Diponegoro, Jalan Prof. Soedarto, SH Tembalang Semarang 50275; Triyana, Kuwat

2015-04-16

Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) phenomenon of the insulating polyaniline (PANI) is has been observed. Surface Plasmon (SP) is the traveled electromagnetic wave that passes through the interface of dielectric metal and excited by attenuated total reflection (ATR) method in Kretschmannn configuration (Au-PANI prism). The resonance condition is observed through the angle of SPR in such condition that SP wave is coupled by the evanescent constant of laser beam. In this research, the laser beam was generated by He–Ne and its wavelength (λ) was 632,8 nm. SPR curve is obtained through observation of incidence angles of the laser beam in prism.more » SPR phenomenon at the boundary between Au – PANI layer has showed by reflection dip when the laser beam passes through the prism. In this early study, the observation was carried out through simulation Winspall 3.02 software and preliminary compared with some experimental data reported in other referred literatures. The results shows that the optimum layer of Au and polyaniline are 50 and 1,5 nm thick respectively. Our own near future experimental work would be further performed and reported elsewhere.« less

Actin dynamics at the living cell submembrane imaged by total internal reflection fluorescence photobleaching.

PubMed Central

Sund, S E; Axelrod, D

2000-01-01

Although reversible chemistry is crucial to dynamical processes in living cells, relatively little is known about relevant chemical kinetic rates in vivo. Total internal reflection/fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (TIR/FRAP), an established technique previously demonstrated to measure reversible biomolecular kinetic rates at surfaces in vitro, is extended here to measure reversible biomolecular kinetic rates of actin at the cytofacial (subplasma membrane) surface of living cells. For the first time, spatial imaging (with a charge-coupled device camera) is used in conjunction with TIR/FRAP. TIR/FRAP imaging produces both spatial maps of kinetic parameters (off-rates and mobile fractions) and estimates of kinetic correlation distances, cell-wide kinetic gradients, and dependences of kinetic parameters on initial fluorescence intensity. For microinjected rhodamine actin in living cultured smooth muscle (BC3H1) cells, the unbinding rate at or near the cytofacial surface of the plasma membrane (averaged over the entire cell) is measured at 0.032 +/- 0.007 s(-1). The corresponding rate for actin marked by microinjected rhodamine phalloidin is very similar, 0.033 +/- 0.013 s(-1), suggesting that TIR/FRAP is reporting the dynamics of entire filaments or protofilaments. For submembrane fluorescence-marked actin, the intensity, off-rate, and mobile fraction show a positive correlation over a characteristic distance of 1-3 microm and a negative correlation over larger distances greater than approximately 7-14 microm. Furthermore, the kinetic parameters display a statistically significant cell-wide gradient, with the cell having a "fast" and "slow" end with respect to actin kinetics. PMID:10969025

Sensitivity Studies for Space-based Measurement of Atmospheric Total Column Carbon Dioxide Using Reflected Sunlight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mao, Jianping; Kawa, S. Randolph

2003-01-01

A series of sensitivity studies is carried out to explore the feasibility of space-based global carbon dioxide (CO2) measurements for global and regional carbon cycle studies. The detection method uses absorption of reflected sunlight in the CO2 vibration-rotation band at 1.58 microns. The sensitivities of the detected radiances are calculated using the line-by-line model (LBLRTM), implemented with the DISORT (Discrete Ordinates Radiative Transfer) model to include atmospheric scattering in this band. The results indicate that (a) the small (approx.1%) changes in CO2 near the Earth's surface are detectable in this CO2 band provided adequate sensor signal-to-noise ratio and spectral resolution are achievable; (b) the radiance signal or sensitivity to CO2 change near the surface is not significantly diminished even in the presence of aerosols and/or thin cirrus clouds in the atmosphere; (c) the modification of sunlight path length by scattering of aerosols and cirrus clouds could lead to large systematic errors in the retrieval; therefore, ancillary aerosol/cirrus cloud data are important to reduce retrieval errors; (d) CO2 retrieval requires good knowledge of the atmospheric temperature profile, e.g. approximately 1K RMS error in layer temperature; (e) the atmospheric path length, over which the CO2 absorption occurs, must be known in order to correctly interpret horizontal gradients of CO2 from the total column CO2 measurement; thus an additional sensor for surface pressure measurement needs to be attached for a complete measurement package.

Adhesion of living cells revealed by variable-angle total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardoso Dos Santos, Marcelina; Vézy, Cyrille; Jaffiol, Rodolphe

2016-02-01

Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy (TIRFM) is a widespread technique to study cellular process occurring near the contact region with the glass substrate. In this field, determination of the accurate distance from the surface to the plasma membrane constitutes a crucial issue to investigate the physical basis of cellular adhesion process. However, quantitative interpretation of TIRF pictures regarding the distance z between a labeled membrane and the substrate is not trivial. Indeed, the contrast of TIRF images depends on several parameters more and less well known (local concentration of dyes, absorption cross section, angular emission pattern…). The strategy to get around this problem is to exploit a series of TIRF pictures recorded at different incident angles in evanescent regime. This technique called variable-angle TIRF microscopy (vaTIRFM), allowing to map the membrane-substrate separation distance with a nanometric resolution (10-20 nm). vaTIRFM was developed by Burmeister, Truskey and Reichert in the early 1990s with a prism-based TIRF setup [Journal of Microscopy 173, 39-51 (1994)]. We propose a more convenient prismless setup, which uses only a rotatable mirror to adjust precisely the laser beam on the back focal plane of the oil immersion objective (no azimuthal scanning is needed). The series of TIRF images permit us to calculate accurately membrane-surface distances in each pixel. We demonstrate that vaTIRFM are useful to quantify the adhesion of living cells for specific and unspecific membrane-surface interactions, achieved on various functionalized substrates with polymers (BSA, poly-L-lysin) or extracellular matrix proteins (collagen and fibronectin).

Variability in surface infrared reflectance of thirteen nitrile rubber gloves at key wavelengths for analysis of captan.

PubMed

Phalen, R N; Que Hee, Shane S

2007-02-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the surface variability of 13 powder-free, unlined, and unsupported nitrile rubber gloves using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FT-IR) spectrophotometry at key wavelengths for analysis of captan contamination. The within-glove, within-lot, and between-lot variability was measured at 740, 1124, 1252, and 1735 cm(-1), the characteristic captan reflectance minima wavelengths. Three glove brands were assessed after conditioning overnight at relative humidity (RH) values ranging from 2 +/- 1 to 87 +/- 4% and temperatures ranging from -8.6 +/- 0.7 to 59.2 +/- 0.9 degrees C. For all gloves, 1735 cm(-1) provided the lowest background absorbance and greatest potential sensitivity for captan analysis on the outer glove surface: absorbances ranged from 0.0074 +/- 0.0005 (Microflex) to 0.0195 +/- 0.0024 (SafeSkin); average within-glove coefficients of variation (CV) ranged from 2.7% (Best, range 0.9-5.3%) to 10% (SafeSkin, 1.2-17%); within-glove CVs greater than 10% were for one brand (SafeSkin); within-lot CVs ranged from 2.8% (Best N-Dex) to 28% (SafeSkin Blue); and between-lot variation was statistically significant (p < or = 0.05) for all but two SafeSkin lots. The RH had variable effects dependent on wavelength, being minimal at 1735, 1252, and 1124 cm(-1) and highest at 3430 cm(-1) (O-H stretch region). There was no significant effect of temperature conditioning. Substantial within-glove, within-lot, and between-lot variability was observed. Thus, surface analysis using ATR-FT-IR must treat glove brands and lots as different. ATR-FT-IR proved to be a useful real-time analytical tool for measuring glove variability, detecting surface humidity effects, and choosing selective and sensitive wavelengths for analysis of nonvolatile surface contaminants.

Cassini First Radio Science Observations of Titan's Atmosphere and Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marouf, Essam A.; Flasar, F. M.; French, R. G.; Kliore, A. J.; Nagy, A. F.; Rappaport, N. J.; Schinder, P. J.; McGhee, C. A.; Simpson, R.; Anabtawi, A.; Asmar, S.; Barbinis, E.; Goltz, G.; Fleischman, D.; Kahan, D.; Rochblatt, D.

2006-09-01

The first two Cassini radio occultations of Titan's atmosphere occurred on March 18 (T12) and May 20 (T14), 2006. The atmosphere was probed on the ingress and egress sides, yielding observations at four mid-southern latitudes. Titan's surface was also probed using bistatic-scattering during the inbound period on T12 and the inbound and outbound periods on T14. In all cases, quasi-monochromatic S-, X-, and Ka-bands RCP signals (13, 3.6, and 0.94 cm-wavelength, respectively) were transmitted from Cassini. Both the RCP and LCP signal components were observed at multiple ground receiving stations of the NASA/DSN. Demanding spacecraft maneuvers to point the Cassini high-gain antenna to virtual Earth during the occultations, and to track the specular region on Titan's surface during the bistatic observations were successfully implemented. For the first time ever, quasi-specular bistatic scattering surface echo is detected on both the inbound and outbound T14 observations. Although weak, an X-band RCP and LCP reflected spectral components are clearly detectable. Their total power ratio determines the refractive index of the regions probed and its likely nature (liquid vs solid). The echo appears consistent with reflection from localized hydrocarbon liquid regions embedded in mostly nonspecularly reflecting terrain. The atmospheric refracted S and X signals were tracked down to Titan's surface. The Ka signal was consistently extinguished by atmospheric absorption at about 10 km above the surface. Observed changes of signal frequency is used to recover the refractivity profiles of the neutral atmosphere, hence determine the corresponding temperature-pressure profiles assuming 100% N2 composition. Changes of signal strength, corrected to remove refractive defocusing, reveals both small-scale and large-scale effects. The former is likely due to gravity waves, turbulence, and layers. The latter exhibits remarkable wavelength dependence and is likely caused by dispersive N2-N2 collision-induced gaseous absorption, although additional extinction mechanisms may also be responsible.

Fluorescent solute-partitioning characterization of layered soft contact lenses.

PubMed

Dursch, T J; Liu, D E; Oh, Y; Radke, C J

2015-03-01

Partitioning of aqueous packaging, wetting, and care-solution agents into and out of soft contact lenses (SCLs) is important for improving wear comfort and also for characterizing lens physico-chemical properties. We illustrate both features of partitioning by application of fluorescent-solute partitioning into DAILIES TOTAL1® (delefilcon A) water-gradient SCLs, which exhibit a layered structure of a silicone-hydrogel (SiHy) core sandwiched between thin surface-gel layers. Two-photon fluorescence confocal laser-scanning microscopy and attenuated total-reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) characterize the lens and assess uptake profiles of six prototypical fluorescent solutes. Comparison of solute uptake in a SiHy-core prototype lens (i.e., O2OPTIX(TM)) validates the core SiHy structure of DAILIESTOTAL1®. To establish surface-layer charge, partition coefficients and water contents are obtained for aqueous pH values of 4 and 7.4. Solute fluorescence-intensity profiles clearly confirm a layered structure for the DAILIES TOTAL1® lenses. In all cases, aqueous solute partition coefficients are greater in the surface layers than in the SiHy core, signifying higher water in the surface gels. ATR-FTIR confirms surface-layer mass water contents of 82±3%. Water uptake and hydrophilic-solute uptake at pH 4 compared with that at pH 7.4 reveal that the surface-gel layers are anionic at physiologic pH 7.4, whereas both the SiHy core and O2OPTIX™ (lotrafilcon B) are nonionic. We successfully confirm the layered structure of DAILIES TOTAL1®, consisting of an 80-μm-thick SiHy core surrounded by 10-μm-thick polyelectrolyte surface-gel layers of significantly greater water content and aqueous solute uptake compared with the core. Accordingly, fluorescent-solute partitioning in SCLs provides information on gel structure and composition, in addition to quantifying uptake and release amounts and rates. Copyright © 2014 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Antarctic environment and its effect upon the total carbon and sulfur abundances in recovered meteorites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gibson, E. K., Jr.; Andrawes, F. F.

1980-01-01

Total carbon and sulfur abundances have been measured for 25 meteorites recovered from the Allan Hills area of Antarctica. The majority (greater than 67%) of the meteorites analyzed do not contain enriched carbon abundances resulting from weathering processes. The presence of secondary carbonates in samples which give no apparent evidence of weathering was noted during pyrolysis experiments, despite the 'normal' total carbon abundances. In selected cases, the surfaces of weathered samples may contain up to a factor of two greater carbon content than the interior. Variations in carbon abundances may reflect the degree of weathering and the amount of secondary minerals present. One of the surprises of this study is that the majority of the Antarctic meteorites studied do not exhibit total carbon and sulfur abundances outside the ranges previously observed for falls.

Using Remote Sensing to Quantify Roof Albedo in Seven California Cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ban-Weiss, G. A.; Woods, J.; Millstein, D.; Levinson, R.

2013-12-01

Cool roofs reflect sunlight and therefore can reduce cooling energy use in buildings. Further, since roofs cover about 20-25% of cities, wide spread deployment of cool roofs could mitigate the urban heat island effect and partially counter urban temperature increases associated with global climate change. Accurately predicting the potential for increasing urban albedo using reflective roofs and its associated energy use and climate benefits requires detailed knowledge of the current stock of roofs at the city scale. Until now this knowledge has been limited due to a lack of availability of albedo data with sufficient spatial coverage, spatial resolution, and spectral information. In this work we use a novel source of multiband aerial imagery to derive the albedos of individual roofs in seven California cities: Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Diego, Bakersfield, Sacramento, San Francisco, and San Jose. The radiometrically calibrated, remotely sensed imagery has high spatial resolution (1 m) and four narrow (less than 0.1 μm wide) band reflectances: blue, green, red, and near-infrared. To derive the albedo of roofs in each city, we first locate roof pixels within GIS building outlines. Next we use laboratory measurements of the solar spectral reflectances of 190 roofing products to empirically relate solar reflectance (albedo) to reflectances in the four narrow bands; the root-mean-square of the residuals for the albedo prediction is 0.016. Albedos computed from remotely sensed reflectances are calibrated to ground measurements of roof albedo in each city. The error (both precision and accuracy) of albedo values is presented for each city. The area-weighted mean roof albedo (× standard deviation) for each city ranges from 0.17 × 0.08 (Los Angeles) to 0.29 × 0.15 (San Diego). In each city most roofs have low albedo in the range of 0.1 to 0.3. Roofs with albedo greater than 0.4 comprise less than 3% of total roofs and 7% of total roof area in each city. The California Building Energy Efficiency Standard (Title-24, Part 6) includes the use of high-albedo surfaces on low-sloped roofs on non-residential buildings. Analyzing a subset of large presumably commercial buildings, we find high albedo roofs represent 0.5% and 10% of total roofs and roof surface area, respectively. The potential for high albedo roofs to reduce urban temperatures was investigated for a California city (Bakersfield) with warm summers using a state-of-the-art meteorological model (Weather Research and Forecasting, WRF). Base case and cool roof scenarios were simulated with the only difference being that the surface albedo was increased under the cool roof scenario. Roof albedos derived from the aerial imagery were used as an input to the climate model in the base case scenario. Simulation results indicate that seasonal average afternoon (1500 h) temperatures could be reduced by up to 0.2 °C across Bakersfield during both the summer and winter. While temperature changes are similar during winter and summer, only summer shows statistically significant temperature changes downwind (southeast) from Bakersfield. This indicates that reduced summertime temperatures may be felt over a distance that is 2 or 3 times the length scale of the region with high albedo roofs.

Portable Infrared Reflectometer Designed and Manufactured for Evaluating Emittance in the Laboratory or in the Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaworske, Donald A.

2000-01-01

The optical properties of materials play a key role in spacecraft thermal control. In space, radiant heat transfer is the only mode of heat transfer that can reject heat from a spacecraft. One of the key properties for defining radiant heat transfer is emittance, a measure of how efficiently a surface can reject heat in comparison to a perfect black body emitter. Heat rejection occurs in the infrared region of the spectrum, nominally in the range of 2 to 25 mm. To calculate emittance, one obtains the reflectance over this spectral range, calculates spectral absorptance by difference, and then uses Kirchhoff s Law and the Stefan-Boltzmann equation to calculate emittance. A new portable infrared reflectometer, the SOC 400t, was designed and manufactured to evaluate the emittance of surfaces and coatings in the laboratory or in the field. It was developed by Surface Optics Corporation under a contract with the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field to replace the Center s aging Gier-Dunkle DB-100 infrared reflectometer. The specifications for the new instrument include a wavelength range of 2 to 25 mm; reflectance repeatability of +/-1 percent; self-calibrating, near-normal spectral reflectance measurements; a full scan measurement time of 3.5 min, a sample size of 1.27 cm (0.5 in.); a spectral resolution selectable from 4, 8, 16, or 32/cm; and optical property characterization utilizing an automatic integration to calculate total emittance in a selectable temperature range.

Bayesian aerosol retrieval algorithm for MODIS AOD retrieval over land

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lipponen, Antti; Mielonen, Tero; Pitkänen, Mikko R. A.; Levy, Robert C.; Sawyer, Virginia R.; Romakkaniemi, Sami; Kolehmainen, Ville; Arola, Antti

2018-03-01

We have developed a Bayesian aerosol retrieval (BAR) algorithm for the retrieval of aerosol optical depth (AOD) over land from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). In the BAR algorithm, we simultaneously retrieve all dark land pixels in a granule, utilize spatial correlation models for the unknown aerosol parameters, use a statistical prior model for the surface reflectance, and take into account the uncertainties due to fixed aerosol models. The retrieved parameters are total AOD at 0.55 µm, fine-mode fraction (FMF), and surface reflectances at four different wavelengths (0.47, 0.55, 0.64, and 2.1 µm). The accuracy of the new algorithm is evaluated by comparing the AOD retrievals to Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) AOD. The results show that the BAR significantly improves the accuracy of AOD retrievals over the operational Dark Target (DT) algorithm. A reduction of about 29 % in the AOD root mean square error and decrease of about 80 % in the median bias of AOD were found globally when the BAR was used instead of the DT algorithm. Furthermore, the fraction of AOD retrievals inside the ±(0.05+15 %) expected error envelope increased from 55 to 76 %. In addition to retrieving the values of AOD, FMF, and surface reflectance, the BAR also gives pixel-level posterior uncertainty estimates for the retrieved parameters. The BAR algorithm always results in physical, non-negative AOD values, and the average computation time for a single granule was less than a minute on a modern personal computer.

Interfacial relaxation analysis of InGaAs/GaAsP strain-compensated multiple quantum wells and its optical property

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Hailiang; Sun, Jing; Ma, Shufang; Liang, Jian; Jia, Zhigang; Liu, Xuguang; Xu, Bingshe

2018-02-01

InGaAs/GaAsP strain-compensated multiple quantum wells were prepared by metal organic chemical vapor deposition on GaAs (100) substrates with misorientation of 15° toward [111]. In order to obtain better strain-compensated abrupt heterojunction interfaces, the compressive strain and relaxation of different quantum well and the total accumulated strain were investigated by adjusting In composition and the thickness of InxGa1-xAs well and GaAs1-yPy barrier keep constant. High resolution X-ray diffraction results indicate the crystal and interfacial structures of In0.18Ga0.82As (7 nm)/GaAs1-yPy with the least relaxation and total strain mismatch are better than others. From in-situ surface reflectivity curves, we observed the slope of reflectivity curve of multiple quantum wells increases with increasing lattice relaxation. Atomic force microscopic results show surface morphologies of three samples are Volmer-Weber mode. Indium segregation at heterointerface between well and barrier were investigated by secondary ion mass spectrometry which indicate indium diffusion width increase with the increasing total strain mismatch. Finally, a shoulder peak was observed from Gaussian fitting of photoluminescence, stemming from the lattice relaxation. These results demonstrate that the relaxation process is introduced and indium segregation length widens as the relaxation increases. The experimental results will be favorable for optimizing the epitaxial growth of InGaAs/GaAsP strain-compensated quantum wells in order to obtain high quality smooth heterointerface.

Passively Q-switched side pumped monolithic ring laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Steven X. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for generating a side-pumped passively Q-switched non-planar ring oscillator. The method introduces a laser into a cavity of a crystal, the cavity having a round-trip path formed by a reflection at a dielectrically coated front surface, a first internal reflection at a first side surface of the crystal at a non-orthogonal angle with the front, a second internal reflection at a top surface of the crystal, and a third internal reflection at a second side surface of the crystal at a non-orthogonal angle with the front. The method side pumps the laser at the top or bottom surface with a side pump diode array beam and generates an output laser emanating at a location on the front surface. The design can include additional internal reflections to increase interaction with the side pump. Waste heat may be removed by mounting the crystal to a heatsink.

Active radiometer for self-calibrated furnace temperature measurements

DOEpatents

Woskov, Paul P.; Cohn, Daniel R.; Titus, Charles H.; Wittle, J. Kenneth; Surma, Jeffrey E.

1996-01-01

Radiometer with a probe beam superimposed on its field-of-view for furnace temperature measurements. The radiometer includes a heterodyne millimeter/submillimeter-wave receiver including a millimeter/submillimeter-wave source for probing. The receiver is adapted to receive radiation from a surface whose temperature is to be measured. The radiation includes a surface emission portion and a surface reflection portion which includes the probe beam energy reflected from the surface. The surface emission portion is related to the surface temperature and the surface reflection portion is related to the emissivity of the surface. The simultaneous measurement of surface emissivity serves as a real time calibration of the temperature measurement.

Estimated Water Use in 1990, Island of Kauai, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shade, Patricia J.

1995-01-01

The estimated total quantity of freshwater withdrawn on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, in 1990 was 370.84 million gallons per day of which 46.29 million gallons per day (12 percent) was from ground-water sources, and 324.55 million gallons per day (88 percent) was from surface-water sources. An additional estimated 40.94 million gallons per day of saline water was withdrawn for thermoelectric power generation. Agricultural irrigation was the principal use, accounting for 66 percent of the total freshwater withdrawals. Irrigation accounted for about 40 percent of the fresh ground-water withdrawals, followed by public supply, thermoelectric power generation, self-supplied domestic, self-supplied commercial, and self-supplied industrial withdrawals. Agricultural irrigation accounted for 69 percent of the total fresh surface-water withdrawals, followed by hydroelectric power generation, self-supplied industrial, public-supply and self-supplied livestock withdrawals. A comparison of water-use data for 1980 and 1990 shows total freshwater uses decreased during 1990 by slightly more than 100 million gallons per day because of decreased withdrawals for sugarcane irrigation and processing. During this time, increased domestic, commercial, and thermoelectric power usage reflects increases in the resident population and in tourism on the island.

Sensitivity Studies for Space-based Measurements of Atmospheric Total Column Carbon Dioxide Using Reflected Sunlight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mao, Jianping; Kawa, S. Randolph

2003-01-01

A series of sensitivity studies is carried out to explore the feasibility of space-based global carbon dioxide (CO2) measurements for global and regional carbon cycle studies. The detection method uses absorption of reflected sunlight in the CO2 vibration-rotation band at 1.58 micron. The sensitivities of the detected radiances are calculated using the line-by-line model (LBLRTM), implemented with the DISORT (Discrete Ordinates Radiative Transfer) model to include atmospheric scattering in this band. The results indicate that (a) the small (approx.1%) changes in CO2 near the Earth's surface are detectable in this CO2 band provided adequate sensor signal-to-noise ratio and spectral resolution are achievable; (b) the effects of other interfering constituents, such as water vapor, aerosols and cirrus clouds, on the radiance are significant but the overall effects of the modification of light path length on total back-to-space radiance sensitivity to CO2 change are minor for general cases, which means that generally the total column CO2 can be derived in high precision from the ratio of the on-line center to off-line radiances; (c) together with CO2 gas absorption aerosol/cirrus cloud layer has differential scattering which may result in the modification of on-line to off-line radiance ratio which could lead a large bias in the total column CO2 retrieval. Approaches to correct such bias need further investigation. (d) CO2 retrieval requires good knowledge of the atmospheric temperature profile, e.g. approximately 1K RMS error in layer temperature, which is achievable from new atmospheric sounders in the near future; (e) the atmospheric path length, over which the CO2 absorption occurs, should be known in order to correctly interpret horizontal gradients of CO2 from the total column CO2 measurement; thus an additional sensor for surface pressure measurement needs to be attached for a complete measurement package.

Study on Dynamic Development of Three-dimensional Weld Pool Surface in Stationary GTAW

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Jiankang; He, Jing; He, Xiaoying; Shi, Yu; Fan, Ding

2018-04-01

The weld pool contains abundant information about the welding process. In particular, the type of the weld pool surface shape, i. e., convex or concave, is determined by the weld penetration. To detect it, an innovative laser-vision-based sensing method is employed to observe the weld pool surface of the gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW). A low-power laser dots pattern is projected onto the entire weld pool surface. Its reflection is intercepted by a screen and captured by a camera. Then the dynamic development process of the weld pool surface can be detected. By observing and analyzing, the change of the reflected laser dots reflection pattern, for shape of the weld pool surface shape, was found to closely correlate to the penetration of weld pool in the welding process. A mathematical model was proposed to correlate the incident ray, reflected ray, screen and surface of weld pool based on structured laser specular reflection. The dynamic variation of the weld pool surface and its corresponding dots laser pattern were simulated and analyzed. By combining the experimental data and the mathematical analysis, the results show that the pattern of the reflected laser dots pattern is closely correlated to the development of weld pool, such as the weld penetration. The concavity of the pool surface was found to increase rapidly after the surface shape was changed from convex to concave during the stationary GTAW process.

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.

Radiative transfer simulations of the two-dimensional ocean glint reflectance and determination of the sea surface roughness.

PubMed

Lin, Zhenyi; Li, Wei; Gatebe, Charles; Poudyal, Rajesh; Stamnes, Knut

2016-02-20

An optimized discrete-ordinate radiative transfer model (DISORT3) with a pseudo-two-dimensional bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) is used to simulate and validate ocean glint reflectances at an infrared wavelength (1036 nm) by matching model results with a complete set of BRDF measurements obtained from the NASA cloud absorption radiometer (CAR) deployed on an aircraft. The surface roughness is then obtained through a retrieval algorithm and is used to extend the simulation into the visible spectral range where diffuse reflectance becomes important. In general, the simulated reflectances and surface roughness information are in good agreement with the measurements, and the diffuse reflectance in the visible, ignored in current glint algorithms, is shown to be important. The successful implementation of this new treatment of ocean glint reflectance and surface roughness in DISORT3 will help improve glint correction algorithms in current and future ocean color remote sensing applications.

Radiative Transfer Simulations of the Two-Dimensional Ocean Glint Reflectance and Determination of the Sea Surface Roughness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Zhenyi; Li, Wei; Gatebe, Charles; Poudyal, Rajesh; Stamnes, Knut

2016-01-01

An optimized discrete-ordinate radiative transfer model (DISORT3) with a pseudo-two-dimensional bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) is used to simulate and validate ocean glint reflectances at an infrared wavelength (1036 nm) by matching model results with a complete set of BRDF measurements obtained from the NASA cloud absorption radiometer (CAR) deployed on an aircraft. The surface roughness is then obtained through a retrieval algorithm and is used to extend the simulation into the visible spectral range where diffuse reflectance becomes important. In general, the simulated reflectances and surface roughness information are in good agreement with the measurements, and the diffuse reflectance in the visible, ignored in current glint algorithms, is shown to be important. The successful implementation of this new treatment of ocean glint reflectance and surface roughness in DISORT3 will help improve glint correction algorithms in current and future ocean color remote sensing applications.

An assessment of thin cloud detection by applying bidirectional reflectance distribution function model-based background surface reflectance using Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI): A case study for South Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hye-Won; Yeom, Jong-Min; Shin, Daegeun; Choi, Sungwon; Han, Kyung-Soo; Roujean, Jean-Louis

2017-08-01

In this study, a new assessment of thin cloud detection with the application of bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) model-based background surface reflectance was undertaken by interpreting surface spectra characterized using the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) over a land surface area. Unlike cloud detection over the ocean, the detection of cloud over land surfaces is difficult due to the complicated surface scattering characteristics, which vary among land surface types. Furthermore, in the case of thin clouds, in which the surface and cloud radiation are mixed, it is difficult to detect the clouds in both land and atmospheric fields. Therefore, to interpret background surface reflectance, especially underneath cloud, the semiempirical BRDF model was used to simulate surface reflectance by reflecting solar angle-dependent geostationary sensor geometry. For quantitative validation, Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) data were used to make a comparison with the proposed cloud masking result. As a result, the new cloud masking scheme resulted in a high probability of detection (POD = 0.82) compared with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) (POD = 0.808) for all cloud cases. In particular, the agreement between the CALIPSO cloud product and new GOCI cloud mask was over 94% when detecting thin cloud (e.g., altostratus and cirrus) from January 2014 to June 2015. This result is relatively high in comparison with the result from the MODIS Collection 6 cloud mask product (MYD35).

Jet Surface Interaction Noise in a High Aspect Ratio Rectangular Exhaust

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khavaran, Abbas

2017-01-01

A physics-based prediction model is employed to simulate jet surface interaction (JSI) noise in a transversely sheared jet exhaust. The methodology finds application in jets with a high aspect ratio (AR) rectangular exhaust in the proximity of a flat surface. Two component spectra are simulated: (i) mixing/scrubbing noise; (ii) trailing edge noise--and are superimposed to obtain the far field exhaust noise on either side of a nearby surface. This document describes the necessary input parameters (including mean flow and turbulence information for the nozzle exhaust of interest) that should be prepared in order to initiate the simulation for each noise component. Sample input/output files in connection with an 8:1 aspect ratio rectangular exhaust at Mach 0.98 near a rigid surface are described. Jet noise spectra are examined below at operating conditions listed in Table IV. Individual noise components, designated as Scrubbing Noise and Trailing Edge Noise, are presented and their sum Total Noise (Analysis) is compared with Measurement (Refs. 8 and 9) at selective number of observer polar angles at azimuth f = 90deg. Results are presented on an arc R = 17.80-ft (i.e., R = 100Deq) on both sides of a nearby surface. Although the predicted TE noise component is symmetric with respect to the edge due to symmetry in the propagator, measurements for the majority of cases are not quite symmetric and exhibit a slightly larger peak on the reflected side of the surface. Turbulent mixing/scrubbing noise component has a greater presence on the reflected side, as expected. Figure 13 to Figure 18 show that the peak in the predicted TE component could differ from measurements by as much as 4 dB due to lack of symmetry in measured data, however, the general trend is in agreement with data across the three Mach numbers. The overall sound pressure level (OASPL) associated with the TE noise component follows a U5 velocity scaling in the current modeling (Ref. 4). Directivity predictions for the TE noise component as well as the total noise are shown in Figure 19 (bottom)-and are compared with measurements (top figure) at conditions of Table IV. As anticipated, the TE noise component (dashed-line) overwhelms the directivity factor due to its dominant spectral peak level. Only at small angles to the jet axis the mixing noise component contributes significant enough to weight noticeably on the total noise.

Surface structures of L10-MnGa (001) by scanning tunneling microscopy and first-principles theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corbett, J. P.; Guerrero-Sanchez, J.; Richard, A. L.; Ingram, D. C.; Takeuchi, N.; Smith, A. R.

2017-11-01

We report on the surface reconstructions of L10-ordered MnGa (001) thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy on a 50 nm Mn3N2 (001) layer freshly grown on a magnesium oxide (001) substrate. Scanning tunneling microscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, and reflection high energy electron diffraction are combined with first-principles density functional theory calculations to determine the reconstructions of the L10-ordered MnGa (001) surface. We find two lowest energy reconstructions of the MnGa (001) face: a 1 × 1 Ga-terminated structure and a 1 × 2 structure with a Mn replacing a Ga in the 1 × 1 Ga-terminated surface. The 1 × 2 reconstruction forms a row structure along [100]. The manganese:gallium stoichiometry within the surface based on theoretical modeling is in good agreement with experiment. Magnetic moment calculations for the two lowest energy structures reveal important surface and bulk effects leading to oscillatory total magnetization for ultra-thin MnGa (001) films.

Using Amphiphilic Copolymers and Nanoparticles to Organize Charged Biopolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Jung Hyun; McConnell, Marla; Sun, Yujie; Goldman, Yale; Composto, Russell

2009-03-01

Nanoparticles (NPs) on amphiphilic random copolymers control filamentous actin (F-actin) attachment. 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) coated silica NPs are selectively bonded to acrylic acid groups on the surface of a poly(styrene-r-acrylic acid) (PS-r-PAA) film. By changing the concentration of NPs in the medium, the surface density of positively charged anchors is tuned. Using total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, immobilization of F-actin is observed via electrostatic interaction with NPs at high NP coverages. Below a critical coverage, F-actin is weakly attached and undergoes thermal fluctuations near the surface. Another method to tune F-actin attachment is to use APTES to cross-link and create positive charge in PAA films. Here, the surface coverage of F-actin decreases as APTES concentration increases. This observation is attributed to an increase in surface roughness and hydrophobicity that reduces the effective surface sites that attract F-actin. In addition, in-situ G-actin polymerization to F-actin is observed on both the NP and cross-linked PAA templates.

Frustrated Total Internal Reflection: A Simple Application and Demonstration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zanella, F. P.; Magalhaes, D. V.; Oliveira, M. M.; Bianchi, R. F.; Misoguti, L.; Mendonca, C. R.

2003-01-01

Describes the total internal reflection process that occurs when the internal angle of incidence is equal to or greater than the critical angle. Presents a demonstration of the effect of frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR). (YDS)

Effect of abrasive grit size on wear of manganese-zinc ferrite under three-body abrasion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miyoshi, Kazuhisa

1987-01-01

Wear experiments were conducted using replication electron microscopy and reflection electron diffraction to study abrasion and deformed layers produced in single-crystal Mn-Zn ferrites under three-body abrasion. The abrasion mechanism of Mn-Zn ferrite changes drastically with the size of abrasive grits. With 15-micron (1000-mesh) SiC grits, abrasion of Mn-Zn ferrite is due principally to brittle fracture; while with 4- and 2-micron (4000- and 6000-mesh) SiC grits, abrasion is due to plastic deformation and fracture. Both microcracking and plastic flow produce polycrystalline states on the wear surfaces of single-crystal Mn-Zn ferrites. Coefficient of wear, total thickness of the deformed layers, and surface roughness of the wear surfaces increase markedly with an increase in abrasive grit size. The total thicknesses of the deformed layers are 3 microns for the ferrite abraded by 15-micron SiC, 0.9 microns for the ferrite abraded by 4-micron SiC, and 0.8 microns for the ferrite abraded by 1-micron SiC.

Hydroxylamine Promoted Goethite Surface Fenton Degradation of Organic Pollutants.

PubMed

Hou, Xiaojing; Huang, Xiaopeng; Jia, Falong; Ai, Zhihui; Zhao, Jincai; Zhang, Lizhi

2017-05-02

In this study, we construct a surface Fenton system with hydroxylamine (NH 2 OH), goethite (α-FeOOH), and H 2 O 2 (α-FeOOH-HA/H 2 O 2 ) to degrade various organic pollutants including dyes (methyl orange, methylene blue, and rhodamine B), pesticides (pentachlorophenol, alachlor, and atrazine), and antibiotics (tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and lincomycin) at pH 5.0. In this surface Fenton system, the presence of NH 2 OH could greatly promote the H 2 O 2 decomposition on the α-FeOOH surface to produce ·OH without releasing any detectable iron ions during the alachlor degradation, which was different from some previously reported heterogeneous Fenton counterparts. Moreover, the ·OH generation rate constant of this surface Fenton system was 10 2 -10 4 times those of previous heterogeneous Fenton processes. The interaction between α-FeOOH and NH 2 OH was investigated with using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. The effective degradation of organic pollutants in this surface Fenton system was ascribed to the efficient Fe(III)/Fe(II) cycle on the α-FeOOH surface promoted by NH 2 OH, which was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. The degradation intermediates and mineralization of alachlor in this surface Fenton system were then systematically investigated using total organic carbon and ion chromatography, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. This study offers a new strategy to degrade organic pollutants and also sheds light on the environmental effects of goethite.

Applications of fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to surface analysis problems 2

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

Powell, G.L.; Milosevic, M.

Applications of infrared spectroscopy to surface analysis are described in terms of the combined use of a number of techniques to solve specific surface analysis problems involving both qualitative and quantitative analysis of surface species. Emphasis is placed on the characterization of both the substrate and the surface species and the application of this to the monitoring of surface processes and the inspection of manufactured items. Lithium Hydride has been studied using remote analysis by diffuse reflectance in glove boxes containing very pure argon or controlled moisture levels with robot-operated gravimetric monitoring. These experiments are supported by internal reflectance andmore » diffuse reflectance measurements in spectrometer sample compartments to characterize the reactants. Beryllium oxide has been studied using an evacuable diffuse reflectance cell to determine the effects of vacuum baking reexposure to moisture on the surface hydroxyl species. Diffuse reflectance and emission measurements have been used to monitor the curing and reaction of environmental gases with composite materials such as graphite-expoxy structures. A direct comparison of diffuse reflectance and emission spectra was done using a barrel ellipsoid diffuse reflectance/emission detector and Spectropus optical transfer system. Grazing-incidence external-reflectance with p-polarized light was used to study the oxidation in room air of polished uranium coupons. The absorption band at 570 cm{sup {minus}1} was used to monitor the extent of oxidation with a resolution of approximately one monolayer of UO{sub 2} and to distinguish the parabolic, linear, and breakaway corrosion domains. External reflectance is compared with diffuse reflectance as a method for stain analysis and for measuring the effects of H{sub 2}O in UO{sub 2} corrosion films.« less

Applications of fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to surface analysis problems 2. Revision 1

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

Powell, G.L.; Milosevic, M.

Applications of infrared spectroscopy to surface analysis are described in terms of the combined use of a number of techniques to solve specific surface analysis problems involving both qualitative and quantitative analysis of surface species. Emphasis is placed on the characterization of both the substrate and the surface species and the application of this to the monitoring of surface processes and the inspection of manufactured items. Lithium Hydride has been studied using remote analysis by diffuse reflectance in glove boxes containing very pure argon or controlled moisture levels with robot-operated gravimetric monitoring. These experiments are supported by internal reflectance andmore » diffuse reflectance measurements in spectrometer sample compartments to characterize the reactants. Beryllium oxide has been studied using an evacuable diffuse reflectance cell to determine the effects of vacuum baking reexposure to moisture on the surface hydroxyl species. Diffuse reflectance and emission measurements have been used to monitor the curing and reaction of environmental gases with composite materials such as graphite-expoxy structures. A direct comparison of diffuse reflectance and emission spectra was done using a barrel ellipsoid diffuse reflectance/emission detector and Spectropus optical transfer system. Grazing-incidence external-reflectance with p-polarized light was used to study the oxidation in room air of polished uranium coupons. The absorption band at 570 cm{sup {minus}1} was used to monitor the extent of oxidation with a resolution of approximately one monolayer of UO{sub 2} and to distinguish the parabolic, linear, and breakaway corrosion domains. External reflectance is compared with diffuse reflectance as a method for stain analysis and for measuring the effects of H{sub 2}O in UO{sub 2} corrosion films.« less

Extreme ultraviolet reflector

DOEpatents

Newnam, Brian E.

1990-01-01

A multi-faceted mirror forms a retroreflector for a resonator loop in a free electron laser (FEL) operating in the XUV (.lambda.=10-100 nm). The number of facets is determined by the angle-of-incidence needed to obtain total external reflectance (TER) from the facet surface and the angle through which the FEL beam is to be turned. Angles-of-incidence greater than the angle for TER may be used to increase the area of the beam incident on the surface and reduce energy absorption density. Suitable surface films having TER in the 10-100 nm range may be formed from a variety of materials, including Al, single-crystal Si, Ag, and Rh. One of the facets is formed as an off-axis conic section to collimate the output beam with minimum astigmatism.

Achromatic illumination system for small targets

DOEpatents

Sigler, Robert D.

1979-01-01

A pair of light beams is directed to provide illumination that is substantially uniform from all directions on a small target by a system comprising a pair of corrector windows, a pair of planar reflecting surfaces, a pair of paraboloidal mirrors and a reflecting mirror cavity. The components are arranged so that each of the beams passes through a corrector and is reflected from the planar surface to the paraboloidal mirror, from which it is focused through a hole in the planar surface to the interior of the cavity. The surface of the interior portion of the cavity is shaped to reflect the focused beam three times before the focused reflected beam strikes the target.

Unpolarized emissivity with shadow and multiple reflections from random rough surfaces with the geometric optics approximation: application to Gaussian sea surfaces in the infrared band.

PubMed

Bourlier, Christophe

2006-08-20

The emissivity from a stationary random rough surface is derived by taking into account the multiple reflections and the shadowing effect. The model is applied to the ocean surface. The geometric optics approximation is assumed to be valid, which means that the rough surface is modeled as a collection of facets reflecting locally the light in the specular direction. In particular, the emissivity with zero, single, and double reflections are analytically calculated, and each contribution is studied numerically by considering a 1D sea surface observed in the near infrared band. The model is also compared with results computed from a Monte Carlo ray-tracing method.

INTEGRATED AND FIBER OPTICS: Anomalous reflection of light from the surface of an amplifying corrugated waveguide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avrutskiĭ, I. A.; Sychugov, V. A.

1989-02-01

The problem of reflection of light from the surface of an amplifying corrugated waveguide is solved. An increase in the waveguide gain increases considerably the reflection coefficient and reduces the spectral width of the reflection peak.

A Fast Smoothing Algorithm for Post-Processing of Surface Reflectance Spectra Retrieved from Airborne Imaging Spectrometer Data

PubMed Central

Gao, Bo-Cai; Liu, Ming

2013-01-01

Surface reflectance spectra retrieved from remotely sensed hyperspectral imaging data using radiative transfer models often contain residual atmospheric absorption and scattering effects. The reflectance spectra may also contain minor artifacts due to errors in radiometric and spectral calibrations. We have developed a fast smoothing technique for post-processing of retrieved surface reflectance spectra. In the present spectral smoothing technique, model-derived reflectance spectra are first fit using moving filters derived with a cubic spline smoothing algorithm. A common gain curve, which contains minor artifacts in the model-derived reflectance spectra, is then derived. This gain curve is finally applied to all of the reflectance spectra in a scene to obtain the spectrally smoothed surface reflectance spectra. Results from analysis of hyperspectral imaging data collected with the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data are given. Comparisons between the smoothed spectra and those derived with the empirical line method are also presented. PMID:24129022

Evidence for highly reflecting materials on the surface and subsurface of Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jurgens, R. F.; Slade, M. A.; Saunders, R. S.

1988-01-01

Radar images at a 12.5-centimeter wavelength made with the Goldstone radar interferometer in 1980 and 1986, together with lunar radar images and recent Venera 15 and 16 data, indicate that material on the surface and subsurface of Venus has a Fresnel reflectivity in excess of 50 percent. Such high reflectivities have been reported on the surface in mountainous regions. Material of high reflectivity may also underlie lower reflectivity surficial materials of the plains regions, where it has been excavated by impact cratering in some areas.

Light-scattering measurements of optical thin-film components at 157 and 193 nm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gliech, Stefan; Steinert, Jorg; Duparre, Angela

2002-06-01

An instrument for total backscattering and forward-scattering measurements of optical coating components at 157 and 193 nm is described. The system is operated in both vacuum and nitrogen purge gas. An excimer laser as well as a deuterium lamp can be used as a radiation source. Suppression of the background signal level to 1 part in 106 permits measurements even of low-scatter samples such as superpolished substrates and antireflection coatings. Results of investigations of antireflective and highly reflective multilayers and CaF2 substrates reveal scattering from surface and interface roughness as well as from the volume of the substrate material. First steps to extend the instrument for angle-resolved scatter, transmittance, and reflectance measurements are described.

A parallel bubble column system for the cultivation of phototrophic microorganisms.

PubMed

Havel, Jan; Franco-Lara, Ezequiel; Weuster-Botz, Dirk

2008-07-01

An incubator with up to 16 parallel bubble columns was equipped with artificial light sources assuring a light supply with a homogenous light spectrum directly above the bioreactors. Cylindrical light reflecting tubes were positioned around every single bubble column to avoid light scattering effects and to redirect the light from the top onto the cylindrical outer glass surface of each bubble column. The light reflecting tubes were equipped with light intensity filters to control the total light intensity for every single photo-bioreactor. Parallel cultivations of the unicellular obligate phototrophic cyanobacterium, Synechococcus PCC7942, were studied under different constant light intensities ranging from 20 to 102 microE m(-2)s(-1) at a constant humidified air flow rate supplemented with CO(2).

Effects of bleaching agents on human enamel light reflectance.

PubMed

Markovic, Ljubisa; Fotouhi, Kasra; Lorenz, Heribert; Jordan, Rainer A; Gaengler, Peter; Zimmer, Stefan

2010-01-01

Tooth whitening has been associated with splitting-up chromogenic molecules by hydrogen peroxides. Though micromorphological alterations are well documented, little is known about optical changes as a function of shifting in wavelengths. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to measure reflectance changes after bleaching in vitro by using a spectrometer. Forty-eight enamel slabs (diameter = 5 mm) were prepared from the sound enamel of extracted human teeth that were: 1) fully impacted, 2) from juveniles ages 10 to 16 years, 3) from adults 35 to 45 years of age and 4) from seniors older than age 65. In all specimens, the baseline total reflectance measurement was performed with a computer-assisted spectrometer (Ocean Optics, Dunedin, FL, USA) within wavelengths (wl) from 430 nm to 800 nm. Four enamel samples of each age group were exposed to either 10% or 15% carbamide peroxide (Illuminé Home, Dentsply, Konstanz, Germany) or 35% hydrogen peroxide (Pola Office, SDI Limited, Victoria, Australia). After surface treatment, all slabs underwent total reflectance measurement again. Statistical analysis was calculated at wl 450, 500 and 750 nm using the Student's paired t-test and one-way variance analysis. Total reflectance significantly increased after bleaching at all enamel maturation stages, irrespective of the bleaching agent concentration, for wl 450 nm (blue) and 500 nm (green) with p<0.0001. At 750 nm (red), significant changes only occurred in enamel from adults and seniors (p<0.04). However, the efficacy of bleaching was significantly increased in the blue and green light spectra as compared to the red spectra (p<0.0001). The results of the current study showed that the exclusive assumption of the "chromophore effect" in dental bleaching could not be sustained, because whitening of the dental enamel works at different maturation stages, even in impacted teeth. This effect is irrespective of the bleaching protocol used and the bleaching agent concentration.

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

Rb + adsorption at the quartz(101)-aqueous interface: comparison of resonant anomalous x-ray reflectivity with ab initio calculations

DOE PAGES

Bellucci, Francesco; Lee, Sang Soo; Kubicki, James D.; ...

2015-01-29

We study adsorption of Rb + to the quartz(101)–aqueous interface at room temperature with specular X-ray reflectivity, resonant anomalous X-ray reflectivity, and density functional theory. The interfacial water structures observed in deionized water and 10 mM RbCl solution at pH 9.8 were similar, having a first water layer at height of 1.7 ± 0.1 Å above the quartz surface and a second layer at 4.8 ± 0.1 Å and 3.9 ± 0.8 Å for the water and RbCl solutions, respectively. The adsorbed Rb + distribution is broad and consists of presumed inner-sphere (IS) and outer-sphere (OS) complexes at heights ofmore » 1.8 ± 0.1 and 6.4 ± 1.0 Å, respectively. Projector-augmented planewave density functional theory (DFT) calculations of potential configurations for neutral and negatively charged quartz(101) surfaces at pH 7 and 12, respectively, reveal a water structure in agreement with experimental results. These DFT calculations also show differences in adsorbed speciation of Rb + between these two conditions. At pH 7, the lowest energy structure shows that Rb + adsorbs dominantly as an IS complex, whereas at pH 12 IS and OS complexes have equivalent energies. The DFT results at pH 12 are generally consistent with the two site Rb distribution observed from the X-ray data at pH 9.8, albeit with some differences that are discussed. In conclusion, surface charge estimated on the basis of the measured total Rb + coverage was -0.11 C/m 2, in good agreement with the range of the surface charge magnitudes reported in the literature.« less

Use of ground-based telescopes in determining the composition of the surfaces of solar system objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccord, T. B.; Adams, J. B.

1977-01-01

Recent evidence suggests that the way that the surfaces of the solar system objects reflect solar radiation is controlled by the composition and mineralogy of the surface materials. The way sunlight is reflected from the surface as a function of wavelength, i.e., the spectral reflectance, is the most important property. Laboratory efforts to use ground-based optical telescope measurements to determine the composition of the surfaces of the solar system objects are reviewed.

Optical Estimation of the 3D Shape of a Solar Illuminated, Reflecting Satellite Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antolin, J.; Yu, Z.; Prasad, S.

2016-09-01

The spatial distribution of the polarized component of the power reflected by a macroscopically smooth but microscopically roughened curved surface under highly directional illumination, as characterized by an appropriate bi-directional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), carries information about the three-dimensional (3D) shape of the surface. This information can be exploited to recover the surface shape locally under rather general conditions whenever power reflectance data for at least two different illumination or observation directions can be obtained. We present here two different parametric approaches for surface reconstruction, amounting to the recovery of the surface parameters that are either the global parameters of the family to which the surface is known a priori to belong or the coefficients of a low-order polynomial that can be employed to characterize a smoothly varying surface locally over the observed patch.

Detection of reflecting surfaces by a statistical model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Qiang; Chu, Chee-Hung H.

2009-02-01

Remote sensing is widely used assess the destruction from natural disasters and to plan relief and recovery operations. How to automatically extract useful features and segment interesting objects from digital images, including remote sensing imagery, becomes a critical task for image understanding. Unfortunately, current research on automated feature extraction is ignorant of contextual information. As a result, the fidelity of populating attributes corresponding to interesting features and objects cannot be satisfied. In this paper, we present an exploration on meaningful object extraction integrating reflecting surfaces. Detection of specular reflecting surfaces can be useful in target identification and then can be applied to environmental monitoring, disaster prediction and analysis, military, and counter-terrorism. Our method is based on a statistical model to capture the statistical properties of specular reflecting surfaces. And then the reflecting surfaces are detected through cluster analysis.

Effect of bentonite modification on hardness and mechanical properties of natural rubber nanocomposites

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

Santiago, Denise Ester O.; Department of Chemical Engineering, University of the Philippines, Los Baños, College, Laguna 4031 Philippines; Pajarito, Bryan B.

The effect of sodium activation, ion-exchange with tertiary amine salt, surface treatment with non-ionic surfactant, and wet grinding of bentonite on hardness and mechanical properties of natural rubber nanocomposites (NRN) was studied using full factorial design of experiment. Results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) show increase in basal spacing d of bentonite due to modification, while attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) confirm the organic modification of bentonite. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) shows that the main effect of surface treatment increases the hardness and decreases the tensile modulus of the NRN. The surface treatment and wet grinding of bentonitemore » decrease the tensile stresses at 100, 200 and 300% strain of NRN. Sodium activation and ion-exchange negatively affect the compressive properties, while surface treatment significantly improves the compressive properties of NRN.« less

Confined Three-Dimensional Plasmon Modes inside a Ring-Shaped Nanocavity on a Silver Film Imaged by Cathodoluminescence Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Xinli; Zhang, Jiasen; Xu, Jun; Yu, Dapeng

2011-03-01

The confined modes of surface plasmon polaritons in boxing ring-shaped nanocavities have been investigated and imaged by using cathodoluminescence spectroscopy. The mode of the out-of-plane field components of surface plasmon polaritons dominates the experimental mode patterns, indicating that the electron beam locally excites the out-of-plane field component of surface plasmon polaritons. Quality factors can be directly acquired from the spectra induced by the ultrasmooth surface of the cavity and the high reflectivity of the silver reflectors. Because of its three-dimensional confined characteristics and the omnidirectional reflectors, the nanocavity exhibits a small modal volume, small total volume, rich resonant modes, and flexibility in mode control. This work is supported by NSFC (10804003, 61036005 and 11074015), the national 973 program of China (2007CB936203, 2009CB623703), MOST and NSFC/RGC (N HKUST615/06).

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

Lii-Rosales, Ann; Zhou, Yinghui; Wallingford, Mark

When using scanning tunneling microscopy, we characterize a surface carbide that forms such that Dy is deposited on the basal plane of graphite. In order to form carbide islands on terraces, Dy is first deposited at 650–800 K, which forms large metallic islands. Upon annealing at 1000 K, these clusters convert to carbide. Deposition directly at 1000 K is ineffective because nucleation on terraces is inhibited. Reaction is signaled by the fact that each carbide cluster is partially or totally surrounded by an etch pit. The etch pit is one carbon layer deep for most carbide clusters. Carbide clusters aremore » also identifiable by striations on their surfaces. Based on mass balance, and assuming that only the surface layer of carbon is involved in the reaction, the carbide has stoichiometry D y 2 C . This is Dy-rich compared with the most common bulk carbide Dy C 2 , which may reflect limited surface carbon transport to the carbide.« less

Soil Moisture and Vegetation Effects on GPS Reflectivity From Land

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres, O.; Grant, M. S.; Bosch, D.

2004-12-01

While originally designed as a navigation system, the GPS signal has been used to achieve a number of useful scientific measurements. One of these measurements utilizes the reflection of the GPS signal from land to determine soil moisture. The study of GPS reflections is based on a bistatic configuration that utilizes forward reflection from the surface. The strength of the GPS signal varies in proportion to surface parameters such as soil moisture, soil type, vegetation cover, and topography. This paper focuses on the effects of soil water content and vegetation cover on the surface based around a reflectivity. A two-part method for calibrating the GPS reflectivity was developed that permits the comparison of the data with surface parameters. The first part of the method relieves the direct signal from any multipath effects, the second part is an over-water calibration that yields a reflectivity independent of the transmitting satellite. The sensitivity of the GPS signal to water in the soil is shown by presenting the increase in reflectivity after rain as compared to before rain. The effect of vegetation on the reflected signal is also presented by the inclusion of leaf area index as a fading parameter in the reflected signal from corn and soy bean fields. The results are compared to extensive surface measurements made as part of the Soil Moisture Experiment 2002 (SMEX 2002) in Iowa and SMEX 2003 in Georgia.

Cost/performance of solar reflective surfaces for parabolic dish concentrators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bouquet, F.

1980-01-01

Materials for highly reflective surfaces for use in parabolic dish solar concentrators are discussed. Some important factors concerning performance of the mirrors are summarized, and typical costs are treated briefly. Capital investment cost/performance ratios for various materials are computed specifically for the double curvature parabolic concentrators using a mathematical model. The results are given in terms of initial investment cost for reflective surfaces per thermal kilowatt delivered to the receiver cavity for various operating temperatures from 400 to 1400 C. Although second surface glass mirrors are emphasized, first surface, chemically brightened and anodized aluminum surfaces as well as second surface, metallized polymeric films are treated. Conventional glass mirrors have the lowest cost/performance ratios, followed closely by aluminum reflectors. Ranges in the data due to uncertainties in cost and mirror reflectance factors are given.

Active radiometer for self-calibrated furnace temperature measurements

DOEpatents

Woskov, P.P.; Cohn, D.R.; Titus, C.H.; Wittle, J.K.; Surma, J.E.

1996-11-12

A radiometer is described with a probe beam superimposed on its field-of-view for furnace temperature measurements. The radiometer includes a heterodyne millimeter/submillimeter-wave receiver including a millimeter/submillimeter-wave source for probing. The receiver is adapted to receive radiation from a surface whose temperature is to be measured. The radiation includes a surface emission portion and a surface reflection portion which includes the probe beam energy reflected from the surface. The surface emission portion is related to the surface temperature and the surface reflection portion is related to the emissivity of the surface. The simultaneous measurement of surface emissivity serves as a real time calibration of the temperature measurement. 5 figs.

Site-specific ultrasound reflection properties and superficial collagen content of bovine knee articular cartilage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laasanen, Mikko S.; Saarakkala, Simo; Töyräs, Juha; Rieppo, Jarno; Jurvelin, Jukka S.

2005-07-01

Previous quantitative 2D-ultrasound imaging studies have demonstrated that the ultrasound reflection measurement of articular cartilage surface sensitively detects degradation of the collagen network, whereas digestion of cartilage proteoglycans has no significant effect on the ultrasound reflection. In this study, the first aim was to characterize the ability of quantitative 2D-ultrasound imaging to detect site-specific differences in ultrasound reflection and backscattering properties of cartilage surface and cartilage-bone interface at visually healthy bovine knee (n = 30). As a second aim, we studied factors controlling ultrasound reflection properties of an intact cartilage surface. The ultrasound reflection coefficient was determined in time (R) and frequency domains (IRC) at medial femoral condyle, lateral patello-femoral groove, medial tibial plateau and patella using a 20 MHz ultrasound imaging instrument. Furthermore, cartilage surface roughness was quantified by calculating the ultrasound roughness index (URI). The superficial collagen content of the cartilage was determined using a FT-IRIS-technique. A significant site-dependent variation was shown in cartilage thickness, ultrasound reflection parameters, URI and superficial collagen content. As compared to R and IRC, URI was a more sensitive parameter in detecting differences between the measurement sites. Ultrasound reflection parameters were not significantly related to superficial collagen content, whereas the correlation between R and URI was high. Ultrasound reflection at the cartilage-bone interface showed insignificant site-dependent variation. The current results suggest that ultrasound reflection from the intact cartilage surface is mainly dependent on the cartilage surface roughness and the collagen content has a less significant role.

Light reflecting apparatus including a multi-aberration light reflecting surface

DOEpatents

Sawicki, Richard H.; Sweatt, William

1987-01-01

A light reflecting apparatus including a multi-aberration bendable light reflecting surface is disclosed herein. This apparatus includes a structural assembly comprised of a rectangular plate which is resiliently bendable, to a limited extent, and which has a front side defining the multi-aberration light reflecting surface and an opposite back side, and a plurality of straight leg members rigidly connected with the back side of the plate and extending rearwardly therefrom. The apparatus also includes a number of different adjustment mechanisms, each of which is connected with specific ones of the leg members. These mechanisms are adjustably movable in different ways for applying corresponding forces to the leg members in order to bend the rectangular plate and light reflecting surface into different predetermined curvatures and which specifically include quadratic and cubic curvatures corresponding to different optical aberrations.

A light reflecting apparatus including a multi-aberration light reflecting surface

DOEpatents

Sawicki, R.H.; Sweatt, W.

1985-11-21

A light reflecting apparatus including a multi-aberration bendable light reflecting surface is disclosed herein. This apparatus includes a structural assembly comprised of a rectangular plate which is resiliently bendable, to a limited extent, and which has a front side defining the multi-aberration light reflecting surface and an opposite back side, and a plurality of straight leg members rigidly connected with the back side of the plate and extending rearwardly therefrom. The apparatus also includes a number of different adjustment mechanisms, each of which is connected with specific ones of the leg members. These mechanisms are adjustably movable in different ways for applying corresponding forces to the leg members in order to bend the rectangular plate and light reflecting surface into different predetermined curvatures and which specifically include quadratic and cubic curvatures corresponding to different optical aberrations.

Apparent Activation Energies Associated with Protein Dynamics on Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Surfaces

PubMed Central

Langdon, Blake B.; Kastantin, Mark; Schwartz, Daniel K.

2012-01-01

With the use of single-molecule total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM), the dynamics of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human fibrinogen (Fg) at low concentrations were observed at the solid-aqueous interface as a function of temperature on hydrophobic trimethylsilane (TMS) and hydrophilic fused silica (FS) surfaces. Multiple dynamic modes and populations were observed and characterized by their surface residence times and squared-displacement distributions (surface diffusion). Characteristic desorption and diffusion rates for each population/mode were generally found to increase with temperature, and apparent activation energies were determined from Arrhenius analyses. The apparent activation energies of desorption and diffusion were typically higher on FS than on TMS surfaces, suggesting that protein desorption and mobility were hindered on hydrophilic surfaces due to favorable protein-surface and solvent-surface interactions. The diffusion of BSA on TMS appeared to be activationless for several populations, whereas diffusion on FS always exhibited an apparent activation energy. All activation energies were small in absolute terms (generally only a few kBT), suggesting that most adsorbed protein molecules are weakly bound and move and desorb readily under ambient conditions. PMID:22713578

Nanoscale silver-assisted wet etching of crystalline silicon for anti-reflection surface textures.

PubMed

Li, Rui; Wang, Shuling; Chuwongin, Santhad; Zhou, Weidong

2013-01-01

We report here an electro-less metal-assisted chemical etching (MacEtch) process as light management surface-texturing technique for single crystalline Si photovoltaics. Random Silver nanostructures were formed on top of the Si surface based on the thin film evaporation and annealing process. Significant reflection reduction was obtained from the fabricated Si sample, with approximately 2% reflection over a wide spectra range (300 to 1050 nm). The work demonstrates the potential of MacEtch process for anti-reflection surface texture fabrication of large area, high efficiency, and low cost thin film solar cell.

Fine tuning and orientation control of surface Cu complexes on TiO2(110) premodified with mercapto compounds: the effect of different mercapto group positions.

PubMed

Takakusagi, Satoru; Nojima, Hirotaka; Ariga, Hiroko; Uehara, Hiromitsu; Miyazaki, Kotaro; Chun, Wang-Jae; Iwasawa, Yasuhiro; Asakura, Kiyotaka

2013-09-07

Three-dimensional structures of vacuum-deposited Cu species formed on TiO2(110) surfaces premodified with three mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA) isomers were studied using polarization-dependent total reflection fluorescence X-ray absorption fine structure (PTRF-XAFS). We explored the possibility of fine tuning and orientation control of the surface Cu structures, including their coordination and configuration against the surface, according to the different mercapto group positions of the three MBA isomers (o-, m-, and p-MBA). Almost linear S-Cu-O (lattice O of TiO2) surface compounds were formed on the three MBA-modified TiO2(110) surfaces; however, the orientation of the Cu species on the o- and m-MBA-modified TiO2(110) surfaces (40-45° inclined from the surface normal) was different from that on the p-MBA-modified TiO2(110) surface (60° from the surface normal). This work suggests that the selection of a different MBA isomer for premodification of a single crystal TiO2(110) surface enables fine tuning and orientation control of surface Cu complexes.

Manipulating Acoustic Wavefront by Inhomogeneous Impedance and Steerable Extraordinary Reflection

PubMed Central

Zhao, Jiajun; Li, Baowen; Chen, Zhining; Qiu, Cheng-Wei

2013-01-01

We unveil the connection between the acoustic impedance along a flat surface and the reflected acoustic wavefront, in order to empower a wide wariety of novel applications in acoustic community. Our designed flat surface can generate double reflections: the ordinary reflection and the extraordinary one whose wavefront is manipulated by the proposed impedance-governed generalized Snell's law of reflection (IGSL). IGSL is based on Green's function and integral equation, instead of Fermat's principle for optical wavefront manipulation. Remarkably, via the adjustment of the designed specific acoustic impedance, extraordinary reflection can be steered for unprecedented acoustic wavefront while that ordinary reflection can be surprisingly switched on or off. The realization of the complex discontinuity of the impedance surface has been proposed using Helmholtz resonators. PMID:23985717

Front lighted optical tooling method and apparatus

DOEpatents

Stone, William J.

1985-06-18

An optical tooling method and apparatus uses a front lighted shadowgraphic technique to enhance visual contrast of reflected light. The apparatus includes an optical assembly including a fiducial mark, such as cross hairs, reflecting polarized light with a first polarization, a polarizing element backing the fiducial mark and a reflective surface backing the polarizing element for reflecting polarized light bypassing the fiducial mark and traveling through the polarizing element. The light reflected by the reflecting surface is directed through a second pass of the polarizing element toward the frontal direction with a polarization differing from the polarization of the light reflected by the fiducial mark. When used as a tooling target, the optical assembly may be mounted directly to a reference surface or may be secured in a mounting, such as a magnetic mounting. The optical assembly may also be mounted in a plane defining structure and used as a spherometer in conjunction with an optical depth measuring instrument. A method of measuring a radius of curvature of an unknown surface includes positioning the spherometer on a surface between the surface and a depth measuring optical instrument. As the spherometer is frontally illuminated, the distance from the depth measuring instrument to the fiducial mark and the underlying surface are alternately measured and the difference in these measurements is used as the sagittal height to calculate a radius of curvature.

Prisms with total internal reflection as solar reflectors

DOEpatents

Rabl, Arnulf; Rabl, Veronika

1978-01-01

An improved reflective wall for radiant energy collection and concentration devices is provided. The wall is comprised of a plurality of prisms whose frontal faces are adjacent and which reflect the desired radiation by total internal reflection.

Fabrication of multi-functional silicon surface by direct laser writing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verma, Ashwani Kumar; Soni, R. K.

2018-05-01

We present a simple, quick and one-step methodology based on nano-second laser direct writing for the fabrication of micro-nanostructures on silicon surface. The fabricated surfaces suppress the optical reflection by multiple reflection due to light trapping effect to a much lower value than polished silicon surface. These textured surfaces offer high enhancement ability after gold nanoparticle deposition and then explored for Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) for specific molecular detection. The effect of laser scanning line interval on optical reflection and SERS signal enhancement ability was also investigated. Our results indicate that low optical reflection substrates exhibit uniform SERS enhancement with enhancement factor of the order of 106. Furthermore, this methodology provide an alternative approach for cost-effective large area fabrication with good control over feature size.

Measurement of the Solar Absorptance and Thermal Emittance of Lunar Simulants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaier, James R.; Street, Kenneth W.; Gustafson, Robert J.

2010-01-01

The first comparative study of the reflectance spectra of lunar simulants is presented. All of the simulants except one had a wavelength-dependent reflectivity, rho(lambda), near 0.10 over the wavelength range of 8 to 25 microns, so they are highly emitting at room temperature and lower. The 300 K emittance, epsilon, of all the lunar simulants except one ranged from 0.884 to 0.906. The 300 K epsilon of JSC Mars-1 simulant was 0.927. There was considerably more variation in the lunar simulant reflectance in the solar spectral range (250 to 2500 nm) than in the thermal infrared. Larger particle size simulants reflected much less than those with smaller particle size. As expected, the lunar highlands simulants were more reflective in this wavelength range than the lunar mare simulants. The alpha of the simulants ranged from 0.413 to 0.817 for those with smaller particles and 0.669 to 0.906 for large particles. Although spectral differences were observed, the total integrated alpha for the simulants appears to be similar to that of lunar soils (0.65 to 0.88). These data are now available to be used in modeling the effects of dust on thermal control surfaces.

Surface reflectance drives nest box temperature profiles and thermal suitability for target wildlife.

PubMed

Griffiths, Stephen R; Rowland, Jessica A; Briscoe, Natalie J; Lentini, Pia E; Handasyde, Kathrine A; Lumsden, Linda F; Robert, Kylie A

2017-01-01

Thermal properties of tree hollows play a major role in survival and reproduction of hollow-dependent fauna. Artificial hollows (nest boxes) are increasingly being used to supplement the loss of natural hollows; however, the factors that drive nest box thermal profiles have received surprisingly little attention. We investigated how differences in surface reflectance influenced temperature profiles of nest boxes painted three different colors (dark-green, light-green, and white: total solar reflectance 5.9%, 64.4%, and 90.3% respectively) using boxes designed for three groups of mammals: insectivorous bats, marsupial gliders and brushtail possums. Across the three different box designs, dark-green (low reflectance) boxes experienced the highest average and maximum daytime temperatures, had the greatest magnitude of variation in daytime temperatures within the box, and were consistently substantially warmer than light-green boxes (medium reflectance), white boxes (high reflectance), and ambient air temperatures. Results from biophysical model simulations demonstrated that variation in diurnal temperature profiles generated by painting boxes either high or low reflectance colors could have significant ecophysiological consequences for animals occupying boxes, with animals in dark-green boxes at high risk of acute heat-stress and dehydration during extreme heat events. Conversely in cold weather, our modelling indicated that there are higher cumulative energy costs for mammals, particularly smaller animals, occupying light-green boxes. Given their widespread use as a conservation tool, we suggest that before boxes are installed, consideration should be given to the effect of color on nest box temperature profiles, and the resultant thermal suitability of boxes for wildlife, particularly during extremes in weather. Managers of nest box programs should consider using several different colors and installing boxes across a range of both orientations and shade profiles (i.e., levels of canopy cover), to ensure target animals have access to artificial hollows with a broad range of thermal profiles, and can therefore choose boxes with optimal thermal conditions across different seasons.

Surface reflectance drives nest box temperature profiles and thermal suitability for target wildlife

PubMed Central

Rowland, Jessica A.; Briscoe, Natalie J.; Lentini, Pia E.; Handasyde, Kathrine A.; Lumsden, Linda F.; Robert, Kylie A.

2017-01-01

Thermal properties of tree hollows play a major role in survival and reproduction of hollow-dependent fauna. Artificial hollows (nest boxes) are increasingly being used to supplement the loss of natural hollows; however, the factors that drive nest box thermal profiles have received surprisingly little attention. We investigated how differences in surface reflectance influenced temperature profiles of nest boxes painted three different colors (dark-green, light-green, and white: total solar reflectance 5.9%, 64.4%, and 90.3% respectively) using boxes designed for three groups of mammals: insectivorous bats, marsupial gliders and brushtail possums. Across the three different box designs, dark-green (low reflectance) boxes experienced the highest average and maximum daytime temperatures, had the greatest magnitude of variation in daytime temperatures within the box, and were consistently substantially warmer than light-green boxes (medium reflectance), white boxes (high reflectance), and ambient air temperatures. Results from biophysical model simulations demonstrated that variation in diurnal temperature profiles generated by painting boxes either high or low reflectance colors could have significant ecophysiological consequences for animals occupying boxes, with animals in dark-green boxes at high risk of acute heat-stress and dehydration during extreme heat events. Conversely in cold weather, our modelling indicated that there are higher cumulative energy costs for mammals, particularly smaller animals, occupying light-green boxes. Given their widespread use as a conservation tool, we suggest that before boxes are installed, consideration should be given to the effect of color on nest box temperature profiles, and the resultant thermal suitability of boxes for wildlife, particularly during extremes in weather. Managers of nest box programs should consider using several different colors and installing boxes across a range of both orientations and shade profiles (i.e., levels of canopy cover), to ensure target animals have access to artificial hollows with a broad range of thermal profiles, and can therefore choose boxes with optimal thermal conditions across different seasons. PMID:28472147

Analysis of thin-film polymers using attenuated total internal reflection-Raman microspectroscopy.

PubMed

Tran, Willie; Tisinger, Louis G; Lavalle, Luis E; Sommer, André J

2015-01-01

Two methods commonly employed for molecular surface analysis and thin-film analysis of microscopic areas are attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) microspectroscopy and confocal Raman microspectroscopy. In the former method, the depth of the evanescent probe beam can be controlled by the wavelength of light, the angle of incidence, or the refractive index of the internal reflection element. Because the penetration depth is proportional to the wavelength of light, one could interrogate a smaller film thickness by moving from the mid-infrared region to the visible region employing Raman spectroscopy. The investigation of ATR Raman microspectroscopy, a largely unexplored technique available to Raman microspectroscopy, was carried out. A Renishaw inVia Raman microscope was externally modified and used in conjunction with a solid immersion lens (SIL) to perform ATR Raman experiments. Thin-film polymer samples were analyzed to explore the theoretical sampling depth for experiments conducted without the SIL, with the SIL, and with the SIL using evanescent excitation. The feasibility of micro-ATR Raman was examined by collecting ATR spectra from films whose thickness measured from 200 to 60 nm. Films of these thicknesses were present on a much thicker substrate, and features from the underlying substrate did not become visible until the thin film reached a thickness of 68 nm.

Nonintrusive measurement of the liquid refractive index by using properties of the cuvette wall.

PubMed

Xu, Ming; Ren, Junpeng; Miao, Runcai; Zhang, Zongquan

2016-10-01

We present a method of nonintrusive measurement of the refractive index of a liquid in a glass cuvette, which uses some optical properties of the cuvette wall and the principle of total internal reflection. By coating a transmission-scattering paint layer on the outer surface of the cuvette, we transform an incident laser beam into a transmitted scattered light. When the transmitted scattered light reaches the interface between the container wall and the liquid inside, the light beams satisfying the condition of total internal reflection are reflected to the coating layer, automatically forming a circular dark pattern that is related to the refractive index of the liquid. Based on an analytic relation between the diameter of the circular dark pattern and the refractive index of the liquid, we devised a method of in situ nonintrusive refractive index measurement. We tested the effect of several parameters on the measuring accuracy and found that the optimal thickness of the transmission-scattering layer is in the range of 50-70 μm, and the aperture of the diaphragm should be in the range of 0.7-1.0 mm. We measured the refractive indices of ethanol, Coca Cola, and red wine, and achieved an accuracy of ±3×10^-4  RIU (refractive index unit).

Simplified Night Sky Display System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Castellano, Timothy P.

2010-01-01

A document describes a simple night sky display system that is portable, lightweight, and includes, at most, four components in its simplest configuration. The total volume of this system is no more than 10(sup 6) cm(sup 3) in a disassembled state, and weighs no more than 20 kilograms. The four basic components are a computer, a projector, a spherical light-reflecting first surface and mount, and a spherical second surface for display. The computer has temporary or permanent memory that contains at least one signal representing one or more images of a portion of the sky when viewed from an arbitrary position, and at a selected time. The first surface reflector is spherical and receives and reflects the image from the projector onto the second surface, which is shaped like a hemisphere. This system may be used to simulate selected portions of the night sky, preserving the appearance and kinesthetic sense of the celestial sphere surrounding the Earth or any other point in space. These points will then show motions of planets, stars, galaxies, nebulae, and comets that are visible from that position. The images may be motionless, or move with the passage of time. The array of images presented, and vantage points in space, are limited only by the computer software that is available, or can be developed. An optional approach is to have the screen (second surface) self-inflate by means of gas within the enclosed volume, and then self-regulate that gas in order to support itself without any other mechanical support.

Spectropolarimetric Imaging Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradley, Christine Lavella

The capability to map anthropogenic aerosol quantities and properties over land can provide significant insights for climate and environmental studies on global and regional scales. One of the primary challenges in aerosol information monitoring is separating two signals measured by downward-viewing airborne or spaceborne instruments: the light scattered from the aerosols and light reflected from the Earth's surface. In order to study the aerosols independently, the surface signal needs to be subtracted out from the measurements. Some observational modalities, such as multispectral and multiangle, do not provide enough information to uniquely define the Earth's directional reflectance properties for this task due to the high magnitude and inhomogeneity of albedo for land surface types. Polarization, however, can provide additional information to define surface reflection. To improve upon current measurement capabilities of aerosols over urban areas, Jet Propulsion Laboratory developed the Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imager (MSPI) that can accurately measure the Degree of Linear Polarization to 0.5%. In particular, data acquired by the ground-based prototype, GroundMSPI, is used for directional reflectance studies of outdoor surfaces in this dissertation. This work expands upon an existing model, the microfacet model, to characterize the polarized bidirectional reflectance distribution function (pBRDF) of surfaces and validate an assumption, the Spectral Invariance Hypothesis, on the surface pBRDF that is used in aerosol retrieval algorithms. The microfacet model is commonly used to represent the pBRDF of Earth's surface types, such as ocean and land. It represents a roughened surface comprised of randomly oriented facets that specularly reflect incoming light into the upward hemisphere. The analytic form of the pBRDF for this model assumes only a single reflection of light from the microfaceted surface. If the incoming illumination is unpolarized, as it is with natural light from the Sun, the reflected light is linearly polarized perpendicular to the plane that contains the illumination and view directions, the scattering plane. However, previous work has shown that manmade objects, such as asphalt and brick, show a polarization signature that differs from the single reflection microfacet model. Using the polarization ray-tracing (PRT) program POLARIS-M, a numerical calculation for the pBRDF is made for a roughened surface to account for multiple reflections that light can experience between microfacets. Results from this numerical PRT method shows rays that experience two or more reflections with the microfacet surface can be polarized at an orientation that differs from the analytical single reflection microfacet model. This PRT method is compared against GroundMSPI data of manmade surfaces. An assumption made regarding the pBRDF for this microfacet model is verified with GroundMSPI data of urban areas. This is known as the Spectral Invariance Hypothesis and asserts that the magnitude and shape of the polarized bidirectional reflectance factor (pBRF) is the same for all wavelengths. This simplifies the microfacet model by assuming some surface parameters such as the index of refraction are spectrally neutral. GroundMSPI acquires the pBRF for five prominent region types, asphalt, brick, cement, dirt, and grass, for day-long measurements on clear sky conditions. Over the course of each day, changing solar position in the sky provides a large range of scattering angles for this study. The pBRF is measured for the three polarimetric wavelengths of GroundMSPI, 470, 660, and 865nm, and the best fit slope of the spectral correlation is reported. This investigation shows agreement to the Spectral Invariance Hypothesis within 10% for all region types excluding grass. Grass measurements show a large mean deviation of 31.1%. This motivated an angle of linear polarization (AoLP) analysis of cotton crops to isolate single reflection cases, or specular reflections, from multiple scattering cases of light in vegetation. Results from this AoLP method show that specular reflections off the top surface of leaves follow the Spectral Invariance Hypothesis.

Imposing constraints on parameter values of a conceptual hydrological model using baseflow response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunn, S. M.

Calibration of conceptual hydrological models is frequently limited by a lack of data about the area that is being studied. The result is that a broad range of parameter values can be identified that will give an equally good calibration to the available observations, usually of stream flow. The use of total stream flow can bias analyses towards interpretation of rapid runoff, whereas water quality issues are more frequently associated with low flow condition. This paper demonstrates how model distinctions between surface an sub-surface runoff can be used to define a likelihood measure based on the sub-surface (or baseflow) response. This helps to provide more information about the model behaviour, constrain the acceptable parameter sets and reduce uncertainty in streamflow prediction. A conceptual model, DIY, is applied to two contrasting catchments in Scotland, the Ythan and the Carron Valley. Parameter ranges and envelopes of prediction are identified using criteria based on total flow efficiency, baseflow efficiency and combined efficiencies. The individual parameter ranges derived using the combined efficiency measures still cover relatively wide bands, but are better constrained for the Carron than the Ythan. This reflects the fact that hydrological behaviour in the Carron is dominated by a much flashier surface response than in the Ythan. Hence, the total flow efficiency is more strongly controlled by surface runoff in the Carron and there is a greater contrast with the baseflow efficiency. Comparisons of the predictions using different efficiency measures for the Ythan also suggest that there is a danger of confusing parameter uncertainties with data and model error, if inadequate likelihood measures are defined.

Retrieval and Validation of aerosol optical properties from AHI measurements: impact of surface reflectance assumption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, H.; Choi, M.; Kim, J.; Go, S.; Chan, P.; Kasai, Y.

2017-12-01

This study attempts to retrieve the aerosol optical properties (AOPs) based on the spectral matching method, with using three visible and one near infrared channels (470, 510, 640, 860nm). This method requires the preparation of look-up table (LUT) approach based on the radiative transfer modeling. Cloud detection is one of the most important processes for guaranteed quality of AOPs. Since the AHI has several infrared channels, which are very advantageous for cloud detection, clouds can be removed by using brightness temperature difference (BTD) and spatial variability test. The Yonsei Aerosol Retrieval (YAER) algorithm is basically utilized on a dark surface, therefore a bright surface (e.g., desert, snow) should be removed first. Then we consider the characteristics of the reflectance of land and ocean surface using three visible channels. The known surface reflectivity problem in high latitude area can be solved in this algorithm by selecting appropriate channels through improving tests. On the other hand, we retrieved the AOPs by obtaining the visible surface reflectance using NIR to normalized difference vegetation index short wave infrared (NDVIswir) relationship. ESR tends to underestimate urban and cropland area, we improved the visible surface reflectance considering urban effect. In this version, ocean surface reflectance is using the new cox and munk method which considers ocean bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). Input of this method has wind speed, chlorophyll, salinity and so on. Based on validation results with the sun-photometer measurement in AErosol Robotic NETwork (AERONET), we confirm that the quality of Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) from the YAER algorithm is comparable to the product from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) retrieval algorithm. Our future update includes a consideration of improvement land surface reflectance by hybrid approach, and non-spherical aerosols. This will improve the quality of YAER algorithm more, particularly retrieval for the dust particle over the bright surface in East Asia.

Reflection Matrix Method for Controlling Light After Reflection From a Diffuse Scattering Surface

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-22

reflective inverse diffusion, which was a proof-of-concept experiment that used phase modulation to shape the wavefront of a laser causing it to refocus...after reflection from a rough surface. By refocusing the light, reflective inverse diffusion has the potential to eliminate the complex radiometric model...photography. However, the initial reflective inverse diffusion experiments provided no mathematical background and were conducted under the premise that the

Paraboloid Structured Silicon Surface for Enhanced Light Absorption: Experimental and Simulative Investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Firoz; Baek, Seong-Ho; Kaur, Jasmeet; Fareed, Imran; Mobin, Abdul; Kim, Jae Hyun

2015-09-01

In this paper, we present an optical model that simulates the light trapping and scattering effects of a paraboloid texture surface first time. This model was experimentally verified by measuring the reflectance values of the periodically textured silicon (Si) surface with the shape of a paraboloid under different conditions. A paraboloid texture surface was obtained by electrochemical etching Si in the solution of hydrofluoric acid, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), and deionized (DI) water. The paraboloid texture surface has the advantage of giving a lower reflectance value than the hemispherical, random pyramidal, and regular pyramidal texture surfaces. In the case of parabola, the light can be concentrated in the direction of the Si surface compared to the hemispherical, random pyramidal, and regular pyramidal textured surfaces. Furthermore, in a paraboloid textured surface, there can be a maximum value of 4 or even more by anisotropic etching duration compared to the hemispherical or pyramidal textured surfaces which have a maximum h/ D (depth and diameter of the texture) value of 0.5. The reflectance values were found to be strongly dependent on the h/ D ratio of the texture surface. The measured reflectance values were well matched with the simulated ones. The minimum reflectance value of ~4 % was obtained at a wavelength of 600 nm for an h/ D ratio of 3.75. The simulation results showed that the reflectance value for the h/ D ratio can be reduced to ~0.5 % by reducing the separations among the textures. This periodic paraboloidal structure can be applied to the surface texturing technique by substituting with a conventional pyramid textured surface or moth-eye antireflection coating.

Interfacial structure of soft matter probed by SFG spectroscopy.

PubMed

Ye, Shen; Tong, Yujin; Ge, Aimin; Qiao, Lin; Davies, Paul B

2014-10-01

Sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy, an interface-specific technique in contrast to, for example, attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy, which is only interface sensitive, has been employed to investigate the surface and interface structure of soft matter on a molecular scale. The experimental arrangement required to carry out SFG spectroscopy, with particular reference to soft matter, and the analytical methods developed to interpret the spectra are described. The elucidation of the interfacial structure of soft matter systems is an essential prerequisite in order to understand and eventually control the surface properties of these important functional materials. Copyright © 2014 The Chemical Society of Japan and Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Inferring total canopy APAR from PAR bidirectional reflectances and vegetation indices in tallgrass prairie. [Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Middleton, Elizabeth M.

1992-01-01

The fraction of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) absorbed by a vegetated canopy (APARc) or landscape (APARs) is a critical parameter in climate processes. A grassland study examined: 1) whether APARs can be estimated from PAR bidirectional exitance fractions; and 2) whether APARs is correlated with spectral vegetation indices (SVIs). Data were acquired with a high resolution continuous spectroradiometer at 4 sun angles on grassland sites. APARs was computed from the scattered surface PAR exitance fractions. The nadir APARs value was the most variable diurnally; it provided a good estimate of the average surface APARs at 95 percent. APARc was best represented by exitance factors between 30-60* forward.

Resolving the Pinning Force of Nanobubbles with Optical Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Beng Hau; An, Hongjie; Ohl, Claus-Dieter

2017-02-01

Many of the remarkable properties of surface nanobubbles, such as unusually small contact angles and long lifetimes, are related to the force that pins them onto their substrates. This pinning force is yet to be quantified experimentally. Here, surface-attached nanobubbles are pulled with an atomic force microscope tip while their mechanical responses are observed with total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. We estimate that a pinning force on the order of 0.1 μ N is required to unpin a nanobubble from its substrate. The maximum force that the tip can exert on the nanobubble is limited by the stability of the neck pulled from the bubble and is enhanced by the hydrophobicity of the tip.

The Research of Correlation of Water Surface Spectral and Sediment Parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, J.; Gong, G.; Fang, W.; Sun, W.

2018-04-01

In the method of survey underwater topography using remote sensing, and the water surface spectral reflectance R, which remote sensing inversion results were closely related to affects by the water and underwater sediment and other aspects, especially in shallow nearshore coastal waters, different sediment types significantly affected the reflectance changes. Therefore, it was of great significance of improving retrieval accuracy to explore the relation of sediment and water surface spectral reflectance. In this study, in order to explore relationship, we used intertidal sediment sand samples in Sheyang estuary, and in the laboratory measured and calculated the chroma indicators, and the water surface spectral reflectance. We found that water surface spectral reflectance had a high correlation with the chroma indicators; research result stated that the color of the sediment had an very important impact on the water surface spectral, especially in Red-Green chroma a*. Also, the research determined the sensitive spectrum bands of the Red-Green chroma a*, which were 636-617 nm, 716-747 nm and 770-792 nm.

Quantifying the Significance of Heterogeneity in Supraglacial Reflectance Characteristics for Meltwater Production in Southwest Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irvine-Fynn, T. D.; Bunting, P.; Cook, J.; Hardy, A. J.; Hodson, A. J.; Holt, T.; Hubbard, A.; Naegeli, K.; Nilsson, J.; Ryan, J.; Roberts, O.; Tedstone, A.; Tranter, M.; Williamson, C.

2017-12-01

The seasonal melt on the southwestern margin of the Greenland Ice Sheet has been enhanced due to processes affecting the ablation area's ice surface reflectance (albedo). Recent trends in surface reflectance in the region suggest a decline potentially linked to an albedo-feedback associated with regional climate warming, emergence of organic and mineral particulates, and expansion of melt area. However, the heterogeneity of reflectance over bare ice areas in space and time has remained relatively poorly characterised. Numerous surface mass balance models utilise albedo products derived from remote sensing platforms with coarse scale resolution. Such products provide reasonable albedo estimates, but quantification of local variability in reflectance remains lacking. Consequently, there is a need to better define the distribution and representativeness of ice surface reflectance at and below the scale of satellite sensor pixel footprints to facilitate examination of albedo parameterisations. Here, we present reflectance data repeatedly collected in SW Greenland during the 2016 summer melt season over a 0.0625 km2 area proximate to the IMAU K-transect site S6 (67°04.5'N, 49°21.0'W). The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) albedo product MOD10A1(c6) for the study site was compared to reflectance data from Sentinel-2, centimetre resolution calibrated 12Mpix optical imagery collected using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flown at a height of 70 m above the ice surface, and ground-based reflectance survey data acquired using a StellarNet Red-Dwarf/Blue-Wave visible-infrared dual system (250-1700nm) at 30 sites distributed over the area of interest. Our data highlight variability in the spatial distribution of ice surface reflectance characteristics over time. Specifically, data demonstrate marked changes in the distribution of reflectance values, despite maintaining a broadly equitable mean and median during July and August. The influence of the varied surface heterogeneity is explored further using surface energy balance modelling to quantify the impact of such changes on melt production. The findings determine the necessity to account for local variability underlying the pixel-averaged values retrieved from remote sensing platforms such as MODIS.

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

Velázquez, Daniel; Seibert, Rachel; Spentzouris, Linda

We report on the growth of 1–10 ML films of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), also known as white graphene, on fiber-oriented Ag buffer films on SrTiO{sub 3}(001) by pulsed laser deposition. The Ag buffer films of 40 nm thickness were used as substitutes for expensive single crystal metallic substrates. In-situ, reflection high-energy electron diffraction was used to monitor the surface structure of the Ag films and to observe the formation of the characteristic h-BN diffraction pattern. Further evidence of the growth of h-BN was provided by attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy, which showed the characteristic h-BN peaks at ∼780 cm{sup −1} and 1367.4 cm{supmore » −1}. Ex-situ photoelectron spectroscopy showed that the surface of the h-BN films is stoichiometric. The physical structure of the films was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. The h-BN films grew as large, sub-millimeter sheets with nano- and micro-sheets scattered on the surface. The h-BN sheets can be exfoliated by the micromechanical adhesive tape method. Spectral analysis was performed by energy dispersive spectroscopy in order to identify the h-BN sheets after exfoliation. The use of thin film Ag allows for reduced use of Ag and makes it possible to adjust the surface morphology of the thin film prior to h-BN growth.« less

Pulsed laser deposition of single layer, hexagonal boron nitride (white graphene, h-BN) on fiber-oriented Ag(111)/SrTiO3(001)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velázquez, Daniel; Seibert, Rachel; Man, Hamdi; Spentzouris, Linda; Terry, Jeff

2016-03-01

We report on the growth of 1-10 ML films of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), also known as white graphene, on fiber-oriented Ag buffer films on SrTiO3(001) by pulsed laser deposition. The Ag buffer films of 40 nm thickness were used as substitutes for expensive single crystal metallic substrates. In-situ, reflection high-energy electron diffraction was used to monitor the surface structure of the Ag films and to observe the formation of the characteristic h-BN diffraction pattern. Further evidence of the growth of h-BN was provided by attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy, which showed the characteristic h-BN peaks at ˜780 cm-1 and 1367.4 cm-1. Ex-situ photoelectron spectroscopy showed that the surface of the h-BN films is stoichiometric. The physical structure of the films was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. The h-BN films grew as large, sub-millimeter sheets with nano- and micro-sheets scattered on the surface. The h-BN sheets can be exfoliated by the micromechanical adhesive tape method. Spectral analysis was performed by energy dispersive spectroscopy in order to identify the h-BN sheets after exfoliation. The use of thin film Ag allows for reduced use of Ag and makes it possible to adjust the surface morphology of the thin film prior to h-BN growth.

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.

Variations in the abundance of iron on Mercury's surface from MESSENGER X-Ray Spectrometer observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weider, Shoshana Z.; Nittler, Larry R.; Starr, Richard D.; McCoy, Timothy J.; Solomon, Sean C.

2014-06-01

We present measurements of Mercury's surface composition from the analysis of MESSENGER X-Ray Spectrometer data acquired during 55 large solar flares, which each provide a statistically significant detection of Fe X-ray fluorescence. The Fe/Si data display a clear dependence on phase angle, for which the results are empirically corrected. Mercury's surface has a low total abundance of Fe, with a mean Fe/Si ratio of ˜0.06 (equivalent to ˜1.5 wt% Fe). The absolute Fe/Si values are subject to a number of systematic uncertainties, including the phase-angle correction and possible mineral mixing effects. Individual Fe/Si measurements have an intrinsic error of ˜10%. Observed Fe/Si values display small variations (significant at two standard deviations) from the planetary average value across large regions in Mercury's southern hemisphere. Larger differences are observed between measured Fe/Si values from more spatially resolved footprints on volcanic smooth plains deposits in the northern hemisphere and from those in surrounding terrains. Fe is most likely contained as a minor component in sulfide phases (e.g., troilite, niningerite, daubréelite) and as Fe metal, rather than within mafic silicates. Variations in surface reflectance (i.e., differences in overall reflectance and spectral slope) across Mercury are unlikely to be caused by variations in the abundance of Fe.

The Moon observed in Energetic Neutral Atoms: Review of the Scientific Findings from SARA/CENA on board Chandrayaan-1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vorburger, Audrey; Wurz, Peter; Barabash, Stas; Wieser, Martin; Futaana, Yoshifumi; Bhardwaj, Anil; Dhanya, Mb; Asamura, Kazushi

2017-04-01

The Sub-keV Atom Reflecting Analyzer (SARA) instrument on board Chandrayaan-1 was exceptionally successful. The instrument not only achieved all its set science goals but also revealed several hitherto unknown and unexpected properties of the solar wind interaction with the lunar surface. SARA's scientific findings can be divided into two groups based on the nature of the particles detected: The first group contains findings gained from ion measurements (from SWIM, SARA's ion sensor) whereas the second group contains findings gained from energetic neutral atom (ENA) measurements (from CENA, SARA's ENA sensor). Here, we present a review of all scientific findings based on ENA measurements. Since the Moon is constantly bombarded by solar wind ions. Until recently, it was tacitly assumed that the ions that impinge onto the lunar surface are almost completely absorbed, with less than 1% reflection, (e.g. Crider and Vondrak, Adv. Space Res., 2002; Feldman et al., JGR, 2000). However, recent observations conducted showed that on average 16% of the impinging solar wind ions are reflected as ENAs (e.g. McComas et al., GRL, 2009; Wieser et al., PSS, 2009; Vorburger et al., JGR, 2013). The energy spectrum of the reflected ENAs is broader than the spectrum of the incident solar wind protons (Futaana et al., JGR, 2012; Harada et al., JGR, 2014), and the characteristic energy is < 50% of the incident solar wind characteristic energy. This hints at multiple scattering processes taking place on the lunar surface. Determination of the ENA angular backscatter function showed that, contrary to expectations, as the solar zenith angle (SZA) increases, particles scatter more toward the sunward direction than in the anti-sunward direction (Vorburger et al., GRL, 2011; Lue et al., JGR, 2016). The ENA reflection ratio is rather featureless over the lunar surface (Vorburger et al., JGR., 2013), showing only strong variations at local crustal magnetic fields due to the interaction of the plasma with so-called mini-magnetospheres (e.g., Wieser et al., GRL, 2010; Vorburger et al., JGR, 2012; Vorburger et al., JGR, 2013). CENA measurements were also used to derive the electric potential above a lunar magnetic anomaly (Futaana et al., GRL, 2012, Järvinen et al. GRL, 2014). Electrical potentials are of scientific interest because they can influence the local plasma and dust environment near the magnetic anomaly. CENA also presented the first-ever measurements of sputtered lunar oxygen (Vorburger et al., JGR., 2012) as well as the first-ever observations of backscattered solar wind helium (Vorburger et al., JGR., 2012). With the backscattered proton signal being unexpectedly large, these signals are small in comparison, but persistent nevertheless. Finally, recent CENA data analyses showed that a significant fraction of the solar wind plasma is able to reach far into the lunar nightside surface: CENA measured a 30 deg broad ENA ring parallel to the terminator, with a total flux equal to 1.5% of the total dayside flux (Vorburger et al., GR., 2016). These measurements shed light onto the expansion of plasma into voids as they occur in planetary wakes.

Ground based measurements on reflectance towards validating atmospheric correction algorithms on IRS-P6 AWiFS data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rani Sharma, Anu; Kharol, Shailesh Kumar; Kvs, Badarinath; Roy, P. S.

In Earth observation, the atmosphere has a non-negligible influence on the visible and infrared radiation which is strong enough to modify the reflected electromagnetic signal and at-target reflectance. Scattering of solar irradiance by atmospheric molecules and aerosol generates path radiance, which increases the apparent surface reflectance over dark surfaces while absorption by aerosols and other molecules in the atmosphere causes loss of brightness to the scene, as recorded by the satellite sensor. In order to derive precise surface reflectance from satellite image data, it is indispensable to apply the atmospheric correction which serves to remove the effects of molecular and aerosol scattering. In the present study, we have implemented a fast atmospheric correction algorithm to IRS-P6 AWiFS satellite data which can effectively retrieve surface reflectance under different atmospheric and surface conditions. The algorithm is based on MODIS climatology products and simplified use of Second Simulation of Satellite Signal in Solar Spectrum (6S) radiative transfer code, which is used to generate look-up-tables (LUTs). The algorithm requires information on aerosol optical depth for correcting the satellite dataset. The proposed method is simple and easy to implement for estimating surface reflectance from the at sensor recorded signal, on a per pixel basis. The atmospheric correction algorithm has been tested for different IRS-P6 AWiFS False color composites (FCC) covering the ICRISAT Farm, Patancheru, Hyderabad, India under varying atmospheric conditions. Ground measurements of surface reflectance representing different land use/land cover, i.e., Red soil, Chick Pea crop, Groundnut crop and Pigeon Pea crop were conducted to validate the algorithm and found a very good match between surface reflectance and atmospherically corrected reflectance for all spectral bands. Further, we aggregated all datasets together and compared the retrieved AWiFS reflectance with aggregated ground measurements which showed a very good correlation of 0.96 in all four spectral bands (i.e. green, red, NIR and SWIR). In order to quantify the accuracy of the proposed method in the estimation of the surface reflectance, the root mean square error (RMSE) associated to the proposed method was evaluated. The analysis of the ground measured versus retrieved AWiFS reflectance yielded smaller RMSE values in case of all four spectral bands. EOS TERRA/AQUA MODIS derived AOD exhibited very good correlation of 0.92 and the data sets provides an effective means for carrying out atmospheric corrections in an operational way. Keywords: Atmospheric correction, 6S code, MODIS, Spectroradiometer, Sun-Photometer

Experimental study of EUV mirror radiation damage resistance under long-term free-electron laser exposures below the single-shot damage threshold

PubMed Central

Makhotkin, Igor A.; Sobierajski, Ryszard; Chalupský, Jaromir; Tiedtke, Kai; de Vries, Gosse; Störmer, Michael; Scholze, Frank; Siewert, Frank; van de Kruijs, Robbert W. E.; Milov, Igor; Louis, Eric; Jacyna, Iwanna; Jurek, Marek; Klinger, Dorota; Syryanyy, Yevgen; Juha, Libor; Hájková, Věra; Saksl, Karel; Faatz, Bart; Keitel, Barbara; Plönjes, Elke; Toleikis, Sven; Loch, Rolf; Hermann, Martin; Strobel, Sebastian; Nienhuys, Han-Kwang; Gwalt, Grzegorz; Mey, Tobias; Enkisch, Hartmut

2018-01-01

The durability of grazing- and normal-incidence optical coatings has been experimentally assessed under free-electron laser irradiation at various numbers of pulses up to 16 million shots and various fluence levels below 10% of the single-shot damage threshold. The experiment was performed at FLASH, the Free-electron LASer in Hamburg, using 13.5 nm extreme UV (EUV) radiation with 100 fs pulse duration. Polycrystalline ruthenium and amorphous carbon 50 nm thin films on silicon substrates were tested at total external reflection angles of 20° and 10° grazing incidence, respectively. Mo/Si periodical multilayer structures were tested in the Bragg reflection condition at 16° off-normal angle of incidence. The exposed areas were analysed post-mortem using differential contrast visible light microscopy, EUV reflectivity mapping and scanning X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The analysis revealed that Ru and Mo/Si coatings exposed to the highest dose and fluence level show a few per cent drop in their EUV reflectivity, which is explained by EUV-induced oxidation of the surface. PMID:29271755

Experimental study of EUV mirror radiation damage resistance under long-term free-electron laser exposures below the single-shot damage threshold.

PubMed

Makhotkin, Igor A; Sobierajski, Ryszard; Chalupský, Jaromir; Tiedtke, Kai; de Vries, Gosse; Störmer, Michael; Scholze, Frank; Siewert, Frank; van de Kruijs, Robbert W E; Milov, Igor; Louis, Eric; Jacyna, Iwanna; Jurek, Marek; Klinger, Dorota; Nittler, Laurent; Syryanyy, Yevgen; Juha, Libor; Hájková, Věra; Vozda, Vojtěch; Burian, Tomáš; Saksl, Karel; Faatz, Bart; Keitel, Barbara; Plönjes, Elke; Schreiber, Siegfried; Toleikis, Sven; Loch, Rolf; Hermann, Martin; Strobel, Sebastian; Nienhuys, Han Kwang; Gwalt, Grzegorz; Mey, Tobias; Enkisch, Hartmut

2018-01-01

The durability of grazing- and normal-incidence optical coatings has been experimentally assessed under free-electron laser irradiation at various numbers of pulses up to 16 million shots and various fluence levels below 10% of the single-shot damage threshold. The experiment was performed at FLASH, the Free-electron LASer in Hamburg, using 13.5 nm extreme UV (EUV) radiation with 100 fs pulse duration. Polycrystalline ruthenium and amorphous carbon 50 nm thin films on silicon substrates were tested at total external reflection angles of 20° and 10° grazing incidence, respectively. Mo/Si periodical multilayer structures were tested in the Bragg reflection condition at 16° off-normal angle of incidence. The exposed areas were analysed post-mortem using differential contrast visible light microscopy, EUV reflectivity mapping and scanning X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The analysis revealed that Ru and Mo/Si coatings exposed to the highest dose and fluence level show a few per cent drop in their EUV reflectivity, which is explained by EUV-induced oxidation of the surface.

Apparatus for and method of correcting for aberrations in a light beam

DOEpatents

Sawicki, Richard H.

1996-01-01

A technique for adjustably correcting for aberrations in a light beam is disclosed herein. This technique utilizes first means which defines a flat, circular light reflecting surface having opposite reinforced circumferential edges and a central post and which is resiliently distortable, to a limited extent, into different concave and/or convex curvatures, which may be Gaussian-like, about the central axis, and second means acting on the first means for adjustably distorting the light reflecting surface into a particular selected one of the different curvatures depending upon the aberrations to be corrected for and for fixedly maintaining the curvature selected. In the embodiment disclosed, the light reflecting surface is adjustably distorted into the selected curvature by application of particular axial moments to the central post on the opposite side from the light reflecting surface and lateral moments to the circumference of the reflecting surface.

Apparatus for and method of correcting for aberrations in a light beam

DOEpatents

Sawicki, R.H.

1996-09-17

A technique for adjustably correcting for aberrations in a light beam is disclosed herein. This technique utilizes first means which defines a flat, circular light reflecting surface having opposite reinforced circumferential edges and a central post and which is resiliently distortable, to a limited extent, into different concave and/or convex curvatures, which may be Gaussian-like, about the central axis, and second means acting on the first means for adjustably distorting the light reflecting surface into a particular selected one of the different curvatures depending upon the aberrations to be corrected for and for fixedly maintaining the curvature selected. In the embodiment disclosed, the light reflecting surface is adjustably distorted into the selected curvature by application of particular axial moments to the central post on the opposite side from the light reflecting surface and lateral moments to the circumference of the reflecting surface. 8 figs.

Ultraviolet leaf reflectance of common urban trees and the prediction of reflectance from leaf surface characteristics

Treesearch

Richard H. Grant; Gordon M. Heisler; Wei Gao; Matthew Jenks

2003-01-01

The spectral reflectance and transmittance over the wavelength range of 250-700nm were evaluated for leaves of 20 deciduous tree species and leaf sheaths of five isogenic wax variants of Sorghum bicolor differing in visible reflectance due to cuticular waxes. Using the sorghum sheath reflectance and cuticle surface characteristics as a model, it was concluded that tree...

Alignment of optical system components using an ADM beam through a null assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayden, Joseph E. (Inventor); Olczak, Eugene G. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A system for testing an optical surface includes a rangefinder configured to emit a light beam and a null assembly located between the rangefinder and the optical surface. The null assembly is configured to receive and to reflect the emitted light beam toward the optical surface. The light beam reflected from the null assembly is further reflected back from the optical surface toward the null assembly as a return light beam. The rangefinder is configured to measure a distance to the optical surface using the return light beam.

SO2 frost - UV-visible reflectivity and Io surface coverage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nash, D. B.; Fanale, F. P.; Nelson, R. M.

1980-01-01

The reflectance spectrum in the range 0.24-0.85 microns of SO2 frost is measured in light of the discovery of SO2 gas in the atmosphere of Io and the possible discovery of the frost on its surface. Frost deposits up to 1.5 mm thick were grown in vacuum at 130 K and bi-directional reflectance spectra were obtained. Typical SO2 frost is found to exhibit very low reflectivity (2-5%) at 0.30 microns, rising steeply at 0.32 microns to attain a maximum reflectivity (75-80%) at 4.0 microns and uniformly high reflectivity throughout the visible and near infrared. Comparison with the full disk spectrum of Io reveals that no more than 20% of the surface can be covered with optically thick SO2 frost. Combinations of surface materials including SO2 frost which can produce the observed spectrum are indicated.

n-Alkanes in sediments from the Yellow River Estuary, China: Occurrence, sources and historical sedimentary record.

PubMed

Wang, Shanshan; Liu, Guijian; Yuan, Zijiao; Da, Chunnian

2018-04-15

A total of 21 surface sediments from the Yellow River Estuary (YRE) and a sediment core from the abandoned Old Yellow River Estuary (OYRE) were analyzed for n-alkanes using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). n-Alkanes in the range C 12 -C 33 and C 13 -C 34 were identified in the surface sediments and the core, respectively. The homologous series were mainly bimodal distribution pattern without odd/even predominance in the YRE and OYRE. The total n-alkanes concentrations in the surface sediments ranged from 0.356 to 0.572mg/kg, with a mean of 0.434mg/kg on dry wt. Evaluation of n-alkanes proxies indicated that the aliphatic hydrocarbons in the surface sediments were derived mainly from a petrogenic source with a relatively low contribution of submerged/floating macrophytes, terrestrial and emergent plants. The dated core covered the time period 1925-2012 and the mean sedimentation rate was ca. 0.5cm/yr. The total n-alkanes concentrations in the core ranged from 0.0394 to 0.941mg/kg, with a mean of 0.180mg/kg. The temporal evolution of n-alkanes reflected the historical input of aliphatic hydrocarbons and was consistent with local and regional anthropogenic activity. In general, the investigation on the sediment core revealed a trend of regional environmental change and the role of anthropogenic activity in environmental change. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modeling Suomi-NPP VIIRS Solar Diffuser Degradation due to Space Radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, X.; Cao, C.

2014-12-01

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) onboard Suomi-NPP uses a solar diffuser (SD) as on-board radiometric calibrator for the reflective solar band (RSB) calibration. Solar diffuser is made of Spectralon (one type of fluoropolymer) and was chosen because of its controlled reflectance in the VIS-NIR-SWIR region and its near-Lambertian reflectance profile. Spectralon is known to degrade in reflectance at the blue end of the spectrum due to exposure to space radiations such as solar UV radiation and energetic protons. These space radiations can modify the Spectralon surface through breaking C-C and C-F bonds and scissioning or cross linking the polymer, which causes the surface roughness and degrades its reflectance. VIIRS uses a SDSM (Solar Diffuser Stability Monitor) to monitor the change in the Solar Diffuser reflectance in the 0.4 - 0.94 um wavelength range and provide a correction to the calibration constants. The H factor derived from SDSM reveals that reflectance of 0.4 to 0.6um channels of VIIRS degrades faster than the reflectance of longer wavelength RSB channels. A model is developed to derive characteristic parameters such as mean SD surface roughness height and autocovariance length of SD surface roughness from the long term spectral degradation of SD reflectance as monitored by SDSM. These two parameters are trended to assess development of surface roughness of the SD over the operation period of VIIRS.

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.

Polymer diffusion in the interphase between surface and solution.

PubMed

Weger, Lukas; Weidmann, Monika; Ali, Wael; Hildebrandt, Marcus; Gutmann, Jochen Stefan; Hoffmann-Jacobsen, Kerstin

2018-05-22

Total internal reflection fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (TIR-FCS) is applied to study the self-diffusion of polyethylene glycol solutions in the presence of weakly attractive interfaces. Glass coverslips modified with aminopropyl- and propyl-terminated silanes are used to study the influence of solid surfaces on polymer diffusion. A model of three phases of polymer diffusion allows to describe the experimental fluorescence autocorrelation functions. Besides the two-dimensional diffusion of adsorbed polymer on the substrate and three-dimensional free diffusion in bulk solution, a third diffusion time scale is observed with intermediate diffusion times. This retarded three-dimensional diffusion in solution is assigned to long range effects of solid surfaces on diffusional dynamics of polymers. The respective diffusion constants show Rouse scaling (D~N -1 ) indicating a screening of hydrodynamic interactions by the presence of the surface. Hence, the presented TIR-FCS method proves to be a valuable tool to investigate the effect of surfaces on polymer diffusion beyond the first adsorbed polymer layer on the 100 nm length scale.

Oxygen and nitrogen plasma etching of three-dimensional hydroxyapatite/chitosan scaffolds fabricated by additive manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myung, Sung-Woon; Kim, Byung-Hoon

2016-01-01

Three-dimensional (3D) chitosan and hydroxyapatite (HAp)/chitosan (CH) scaffolds were fabricated by additive manufacturing, then their surfaces were etched with oxygen (O2) and nitrogen (N2) plasma. O2 and N2 plasma etching was performed to increase surface properties such as hydrophilicity, roughness, and surface chemistry on the scaffolds. After etching, hydroxyapatite was exposed on the surface of 3D HAp/CH scaffolds. The surface morphology and chemical properties were characterized by contact angle measurement, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and attenuated total reflection Fourier infrared spectroscopy. The cell viability of 3D chitosan scaffolds was examined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The differentiation of preosteoblast cells was evaluated by alkaline phosphatase assay. The cell viability was improved by O2 and N2 plasma etching of 3D chitosan scaffolds. The present fabrication process for 3D scaffolds might be applied to a potential tool for preparing biocompatible scaffolds.

Discovery of Cellulose Surface Layer Conformation by Nonlinear Vibrational Spectroscopy

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

Zhang, Libing; Fu, Li; Wang, Hong-fei

2017-03-14

Significant questions remain with respect to the structure and polymorphs of cellulose. These include the cellulose surface layers and the bulk crystalline core as well as the conformational differences. The Total Internal Reflection Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy (TIR-SFG-VS) combined with the conventional SFG-VS (non-TIR) can help to resolve these questions by selectively characterizing the molecular structures of surface layers and the crystalline core of cellulose. From the SFG spectra in the C-H and O-H regions, we found that the surface layers of Avicel are essentially amorphous; while the surface layers of Iβ cellulose are crystalline but with different structuralmore » and spectroscopic signatures than that of its crystalline core. This work demonstrates the capacity of TIR and Non-TIR SFG-VS tools in selectively studying the structures and polymorphs of cellulose. In addition, these results also suggest that the assignments of major vibrational peaks for cellulose need to be further determined.« less

Formation of dysprosium carbide on the graphite (0001) surface

DOE PAGES

Lii-Rosales, Ann; Zhou, Yinghui; Wallingford, Mark; ...

2017-07-12

When using scanning tunneling microscopy, we characterize a surface carbide that forms such that Dy is deposited on the basal plane of graphite. In order to form carbide islands on terraces, Dy is first deposited at 650–800 K, which forms large metallic islands. Upon annealing at 1000 K, these clusters convert to carbide. Deposition directly at 1000 K is ineffective because nucleation on terraces is inhibited. Reaction is signaled by the fact that each carbide cluster is partially or totally surrounded by an etch pit. The etch pit is one carbon layer deep for most carbide clusters. Carbide clusters aremore » also identifiable by striations on their surfaces. Based on mass balance, and assuming that only the surface layer of carbon is involved in the reaction, the carbide has stoichiometry D y 2 C . This is Dy-rich compared with the most common bulk carbide Dy C 2 , which may reflect limited surface carbon transport to the carbide.« less

Surface layering and melting in an ionic liquid studied by resonant soft X-ray reflectivity

PubMed Central

Mezger, Markus; Ocko, Benjamin M.; Reichert, Harald; Deutsch, Moshe

2013-01-01

The molecular-scale structure of the ionic liquid [C18mim]+[FAP]− near its free surface was studied by complementary methods. X-ray absorption spectroscopy and resonant soft X-ray reflectivity revealed a depth-decaying near-surface layering. Element-specific interfacial profiles were extracted with submolecular resolution from energy-dependent soft X-ray reflectivity data. Temperature-dependent hard X-ray reflectivity, small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering, and infrared spectroscopy uncovered an intriguing melting mechanism for the layered region, where alkyl chain melting drove a negative thermal expansion of the surface layer spacing. PMID:23431181

Off-axis reflective optical apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ames, Lawrence L. (Inventor); Leary, David F. (Inventor); Mammini, Paul V. (Inventor)

2005-01-01

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a simple apparatus and a convenient and accurate method of mounting the components to form an off-axis reflective optical apparatus such as a collimator. In one embodiment, an off-axis reflective optical apparatus comprises a mounting block having a ferrule holder support surface and an off-axis reflector support surface which is generally perpendicular to the ferrule holder support surface. An optical reflector is mounted on the off-axis reflector support surface and has a reflected beam centerline. The optical reflector has a conic reflective surface and a conic center. A ferrule holder is mounted on the ferrule holder support surface. The ferrule holder provides a ferrule for coupling to an optical fiber and orienting a fiber tip of the optical fiber along a fiber axis toward the optical reflector. The fiber axis is nonparallel to the reflected beam centerline. Prior to mounting the optical reflector to the off-axis reflector support surface and prior to mounting the ferrule holder to the ferrule holder support surface, the optical reflector is movable on the off-axis reflector surface and the ferrule holder is movable on the ferrule holder support surface to align the conic center of the optical reflector with respect to the fiber tip of the optical fiber, and the apparatus has at least one of the following features: (1) the optical reflector is movable on the off-axis reflector support surface to adjust a focus of the fiber tip with respect to the optical reflector, and (2) the ferrule holder is movable on the ferrule holder support surface to adjust the focus of the fiber tip with respect to the optical reflector.

Toward surface quantification of liver fibrosis progression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Yuting; Kang, Chiang Huen; Xu, Shuoyu; Tuo, Xiaoye; Trasti, Scott; Tai, Dean C. S.; Raja, Anju Mythreyi; Peng, Qiwen; So, Peter T. C.; Rajapakse, Jagath C.; Welsch, Roy; Yu, Hanry

2010-09-01

Monitoring liver fibrosis progression by liver biopsy is important for certain treatment decisions, but repeated biopsy is invasive. We envision redefinition or elimination of liver biopsy with surface scanning of the liver with minimally invasive optical methods. This would be possible only if the information contained on or near liver surfaces accurately reflects the liver fibrosis progression in the liver interior. In our study, we acquired the second-harmonic generation and two-photon excitation fluorescence microscopy images of liver tissues from bile duct-ligated rat model of liver fibrosis. We extracted morphology-based features, such as total collagen, collagen in bile duct areas, bile duct proliferation, and areas occupied by remnant hepatocytes, and defined the capsule and subcapsular regions on the liver surface based on image analysis of features. We discovered a strong correlation between the liver fibrosis progression on the anterior surface and interior in both liver lobes, where biopsy is typically obtained. The posterior surface exhibits less correlation with the rest of the liver. Therefore, scanning the anterior liver surface would obtain similar information to that obtained from biopsy for monitoring liver fibrosis progression.

Deviation characteristics of specular reflectivity of micro-rough surface from Fresnel's equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, W. J.; Qiu, J.; Liu, L. H.

2015-07-01

Specular reflectivity is an important radiative property in thermal engineering applications and reflection-based optical constant determinations, yet it will be influenced by surface micro-roughness which cannot be completely removed during the polishing process. In this work, we examined the deviation characteristics of the specular reflectivity of micro-rough surfaces from that predicted by the Fresnel's equation under the assumption of smooth surface. The effects of incident angle and relative roughness were numerically investigated for both 1D and 2D micro randomly rough surfaces using full wave analysis under the condition that the relative roughness is smaller than 0.05. For transverse magnetic (TM) wave incidence, it is observed that the deviation of specular reflectivity dramatically rises as the incident angle approaches to the pseudo Brewster's angle, which violates the prediction based on Rayleigh criterion. While for the transverse electric (TE) wave incidence, the deviation of the specular reflectivity is much smaller and decreases monotonically with the increase of incident angle, which agrees with the predication from Rayleigh criterion. Generally, the deviation of specular reflectivity for both TM and TE increases with the relative roughness as commonly expected.

Land Surface Albedo from MERIS Reflectances Using MODIS Directional Factors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaaf, Crystal L. B.; Gao, Feng; Strahler, Alan H.

2004-01-01

MERIS Level 2 surface reflectance products are now available to the scientific community. This paper demonstrates the production of MERIS-derived surface albedo and Nadir Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) adjusted reflectances by coupling the MERIS data with MODIS BRDF products. Initial efforts rely on the specification of surface anisotropy as provided by the global MODIS BRDF product for a first guess of the shape of the BRDF and then make use all of the coincidently available, partially atmospherically corrected, cloud cleared, MERIS observations to generate MERIS-derived BRDF and surface albedo quantities for each location. Comparisons between MODIS (aerosol-corrected) and MERIS (not-yet aerosol-corrected) surface values from April and May 2003 are also presented for case studies in Spain and California as well as preliminary comparisons with field data from the Devil's Rock Surfrad/BSRN site.

Reshaping Light-Emitting Diodes To Increase External Efficiency

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogowski, Robert; Egalon, Claudio

1995-01-01

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) reshaped, according to proposal, increasing amount of light emitted by decreasing fraction of light trapped via total internal reflection. Results in greater luminous output power for same electrical input power; greater external efficiency. Furthermore, light emitted by reshaped LEDs more nearly collimated (less diffuse). Concept potentially advantageous for conventional red-emitting LEDs. More advantageous for new "blue" LEDs, because luminous outputs and efficiencies of these devices very low. Another advantage, proposed conical shapes achieved relatively easily by chemical etching of semiconductor surfaces.

Nickel-Phosphorous Development for Total Solar Irradiance Measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlesso, F.; Berni, L. A.; Vieira, L. E. A.; Savonov, G. S.; Nishimori, M.; Dal Lago, A.; Miranda, E.

2017-10-01

The development of an absolute radiometer instrument is currently a effort at INPE for TSI measurements. In this work, we describe the development of black Ni-P coatings for TSI radiometers absorptive cavities. We present a study of the surface blackening process and the relationships between morphological structure, chemical composition and coating absorption. Ni-P deposits with different phosphorous content were obtained by electroless techniques on aluminum substrates with a thin zincate layer. Appropriate phosphorus composition and etching parameters process produce low reflectance black coatings.

Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopic characterization of homogeneous solution concentration gradients near a container wall at different temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loo, B. H.; Burns, D. H.; Lee, Y. G. L.; Emerson, M. T.

1991-01-01

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopic techniques were used to study the solution concentration gradient in succino nitrile-rich and water-rich homogeneous solutions. The spectroscopic data shows significant concentration dependency. Although FTIR-attenuated total reflectance could not yield surface spectra since the evanescent infrared wave penetrated deep into the bulk solution, it showed that water-rich clusters were decreased at higher temperatures. This result is consistent with the calorimetric results reported earlier.

High efficiency thin-film crystalline Si/Ge tandem solar cell.

PubMed

Sun, G; Chang, F; Soref, R A

2010-02-15

We propose and simulate a photovoltaic solar cell comprised of Si and Ge pn junctions in tandem. With an anti-reflection film at the front surface, we have shown that optimal solar cells favor a thin Si layer and a thick Ge layer with a thin tunnel hetero-diode placed in between. We predict efficiency ranging from 19% to 28% for AM1.5G solar irradiance concentrated from 1 approximately 1000 Suns for a cell with a total thickness approximately 100 microm.

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.

Bidirectional reflection functions from surface bump maps

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

Cabral, B.; Max, N.; Springmeyer, R.

1987-04-29

The Torrance-Sparrow model for calculating bidirectional reflection functions contains a geometrical attenuation factor to account for shadowing and occlusions in a hypothetical distribution of grooves on a rough surface. Using an efficient table-based method for determining the shadows and occlusions, we calculate the geometric attenuation factor for surfaces defined by a specific table of bump heights. Diffuse and glossy specular reflection of the environment can be handled in a unified manner by using an integral of the bidirectional reflection function times the environmental illumination, over the hemisphere of solid angle above a surface. We present a method of estimating themore » integral, by expanding the bidirectional reflection coefficient in spherical harmonics, and show how the coefficients in this expansion can be determined efficiently by reorganizing our geometric attenuation calculation.« less

Perceptual asymmetry reveals neural substrates underlying stereoscopic transparency.

PubMed

Tsirlin, Inna; Allison, Robert S; Wilcox, Laurie M

2012-02-01

We describe a perceptual asymmetry found in stereoscopic perception of overlaid random-dot surfaces. Specifically, the minimum separation in depth needed to perceptually segregate two overlaid surfaces depended on the distribution of dots across the surfaces. With the total dot density fixed, significantly larger inter-plane disparities were required for perceptual segregation of the surfaces when the front surface had fewer dots than the back surface compared to when the back surface was the one with fewer dots. We propose that our results reflect an asymmetry in the signal strength of the front and back surfaces due to the assignment of the spaces between the dots to the back surface by disparity interpolation. This hypothesis was supported by the results of two experiments designed to reduce the imbalance in the neuronal response to the two surfaces. We modeled the psychophysical data with a network of inter-neural connections: excitatory within-disparity and inhibitory across disparity, where the spread of disparity was modulated according to figure-ground assignment. These psychophysical and computational findings suggest that stereoscopic transparency depends on both inter-neural interactions of disparity-tuned cells and higher-level processes governing figure ground segregation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A simple, sensitive and non-destructive technique for characterizing bovine dental enamel erosion: attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Kim, In-Hye; Son, Jun Sik; Min, Bong Ki; Kim, Young Kyoung; Kim, Kyo-Han; Kwon, Tae-Yub

2016-01-01

Although many techniques are available to assess enamel erosion in vitro, a simple, non-destructive method with sufficient sensitivity for quantifying dental erosion is required. This study characterized the bovine dental enamel erosion induced by various acidic beverages in vitro using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Deionized water (control) and 10 acidic beverages were selected to study erosion, and the pH and neutralizable acidity were measured. Bovine anterior teeth (110) were polished with up to 1 200-grit silicon carbide paper to produce flat enamel surfaces, which were then immersed in 20 mL of the beverages for 30 min at 37 °C. The degree of erosion was evaluated using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and Vickers' microhardness measurements. The spectra obtained were interpreted in two ways that focused on the ν1, ν3 phosphate contour: the ratio of the height amplitude of ν3 PO4 to that of ν1 PO4 (Method 1) and the shift of the ν3 PO4 peak to a higher wavenumber (Method 2). The percentage changes in microhardness after the erosion treatments were primarily affected by the pH of the immersion media. Regression analyses revealed highly significant correlations between the surface hardness change and the degree of erosion, as detected by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy (P<0.001). Method 1 was the most sensitive to these changes, followed by surface hardness change measurements and Method 2. This study suggests that ATR-FTIR spectroscopy is potentially advantageous over the microhardness test as a simple, non-destructive, sensitive technique for the quantification of enamel erosion. PMID:27025266

A simple, sensitive and non-destructive technique for characterizing bovine dental enamel erosion: attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

PubMed

Kim, In-Hye; Son, Jun Sik; Min, Bong Ki; Kim, Young Kyoung; Kim, Kyo-Han; Kwon, Tae-Yub

2016-03-30

Although many techniques are available to assess enamel erosion in vitro, a simple, non-destructive method with sufficient sensitivity for quantifying dental erosion is required. This study characterized the bovine dental enamel erosion induced by various acidic beverages in vitro using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Deionized water (control) and 10 acidic beverages were selected to study erosion, and the pH and neutralizable acidity were measured. Bovine anterior teeth (110) were polished with up to 1 200-grit silicon carbide paper to produce flat enamel surfaces, which were then immersed in 20 mL of the beverages for 30 min at 37 °C. The degree of erosion was evaluated using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and Vickers' microhardness measurements. The spectra obtained were interpreted in two ways that focused on the ν1, ν3 phosphate contour: the ratio of the height amplitude of ν3 PO4 to that of ν1 PO4 (Method 1) and the shift of the ν3 PO4 peak to a higher wavenumber (Method 2). The percentage changes in microhardness after the erosion treatments were primarily affected by the pH of the immersion media. Regression analyses revealed highly significant correlations between the surface hardness change and the degree of erosion, as detected by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy (P<0.001). Method 1 was the most sensitive to these changes, followed by surface hardness change measurements and Method 2. This study suggests that ATR-FTIR spectroscopy is potentially advantageous over the microhardness test as a simple, non-destructive, sensitive technique for the quantification of enamel erosion.

Influence of equatorial QBO (quasi-biennial oscillation) and SST (sea-surface temperature) on polar total ozone, and the 1990 Antarctic ozone hole

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

Angell, J.K.

1990-09-01

Based on data through 1989, comparisons are made between the variation of total ozone at Resolute, Canada (75{degree}N) and South Pole, and the variation of low-stratospheric temperature at Singapore (reflecting the equatorial QBO) and SST in eastern equatorial Pacific (reflecting the ENSO phenomenon). Total-ozone variations at Resolute have been more closely related to the QBO, whereas the total-ozone variations at South Pole appear to have been almost equally related to QBO and SST. When the average of 50 mb and 30 mb June-July-August (JJA) values of Singapore temperature ({bar T}) increased from one year to the next, the decrease inmore » South Pole springtime total ozone for the same years averaged 21 {plus minus} 14% greater than when {bar T} decreased. When the JJA values of equatorial SST increased from one year to the next, the decrease in South Pole springtime total ozone for the same years averaged 18 {plus minus} 12% greater than when SST decreased. In the 6 cases when JJA values of both Singapore {bar T} and equatorial SST increased from one year to the next, the spring values of South Pole total ozone have decreased, whereas in the 6 cases when both {bar T} and SST decreased from one year to the next, South Pole total ozone has increased. Both Singapore {bar T} and equatorial SST will probably be warmer in JJA of 1990 than they were in JJA of 1989 suggesting, based on these previous relations, an even deeper Antarctic ozone hole in 1990 than in 1989 and ending the biennial variation in depth of the hole of the last 6 years.« less

The Improved Dual-view Field Goniometer System FIGOS

PubMed Central

Schopfer, Jürg; Dangel, Stefan; Kneubühler, Mathias; Itten, Klaus I.

2008-01-01

In spectrodirectional Remote Sensing (RS) the Earth's surface reflectance characteristics are studied by means of their angular dimensions. Almost all natural surfaces exhibit an individual anisotropic reflectance behaviour due to the contrast between the optical properties of surface elements and background and the geometric surface properties of the observed scene. The underlying concept, which describes the reflectance characteristic of a specific surface area, is called the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). BRDF knowledge is essential for both correction of directional effects in RS data and quantitative retrieval of surface parameters. Ground-based spectrodirectional measurements are usually performed with goniometer systems. An accurate retrieval of the bidirectional reflectance factors (BRF) from field goniometer measurements requires hyperspectral knowledge of the angular distribution of the reflected and the incident radiation. However, prior to the study at hand, no operational goniometer system was able to fulfill this requirement. This study presents the first dual-view field goniometer system, which is able to simultaneously collect both the reflected and the incident radiation at high angular and spectral resolution and, thus, providing the necessary spectrodirectional datasets to accurately retrieve the surface specific BRF. Furthermore, the angular distribution of the incoming diffuse radiation is characterized for various atmospheric conditions and the BRF retrieval is performed for an artificial target and compared to laboratory spectrodirectional measurement results obtained with the same goniometer system. Suggestions for further improving goniometer systems are given and the need for intercalibration of various goniometers as well as for standardizing spectrodirectional measurements is expressed. PMID:27873805

The Improved Dual-view Field Goniometer System FIGOS.

PubMed

Schopfer, Jürg; Dangel, Stefan; Kneubühler, Mathias; Itten, Klaus I

2008-08-28

In spectrodirectional Remote Sensing (RS) the Earth's surface reflectance characteristics are studied by means of their angular dimensions. Almost all natural surfaces exhibit an individual anisotropic reflectance behaviour due to the contrast between the optical properties of surface elements and background and the geometric surface properties of the observed scene. The underlying concept, which describes the reflectance characteristic of a specific surface area, is called the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). BRDF knowledge is essential for both correction of directional effects in RS data and quantitative retrieval of surface parameters. Ground-based spectrodirectional measurements are usually performed with goniometer systems. An accurate retrieval of the bidirectional reflectance factors (BRF) from field goniometer measurements requires hyperspectral knowledge of the angular distribution of the reflected and the incident radiation. However, prior to the study at hand, no operational goniometer system was able to fulfill this requirement. This study presents the first dual-view field goniometer system, which is able to simultaneously collect both the reflected and the incident radiation at high angular and spectral resolution and, thus, providing the necessary spectrodirectional datasets to accurately retrieve the surface specific BRF. Furthermore, the angular distribution of the incoming diffuse radiation is characterized for various atmospheric conditions and the BRF retrieval is performed for an artificial target and compared to laboratory spectrodirectional measurement results obtained with the same goniometer system. Suggestions for further improving goniometer systems are given and the need for intercalibration of various goniometers as well as for standardizing spectrodirectional measurements is expressed.

Surface Reflectance of Mars Observed by CRISM-MRO: 1. Multi-angle Approach for Retrieval of Surface Reflectance from CRISM Observations (mars-reco)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ceamanos, Xavier; Doute, S.; Fernando, J.; Pinet, P.; Lyapustin, A.

2013-01-01

This article addresses the correction for aerosol effects in near-simultaneous multiangle observations acquired by the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. In the targeted mode, CRISM senses the surface of Mars using 11 viewing angles, which allow it to provide unique information on the scattering properties of surface materials. In order to retrieve these data, however, appropriate strategies must be used to compensate the signal sensed by CRISM for aerosol contribution. This correction is particularly challenging as the photometric curve of these suspended particles is often correlated with the also anisotropic photometric curve of materials at the surface. This article puts forward an innovative radiative transfer based method named Multi-angle Approach for Retrieval of Surface Reflectance from CRISM Observations (MARS-ReCO). The proposed method retrieves photometric curves of surface materials in reflectance units after removing aerosol contribution. MARS-ReCO represents a substantial improvement regarding previous techniques as it takes into consideration the anisotropy of the surface, thus providing more realistic surface products. Furthermore, MARS-ReCO is fast and provides error bars on the retrieved surface reflectance. The validity and accuracy of MARS-ReCO is explored in a sensitivity analysis based on realistic synthetic data. According to experiments, MARS-ReCO provides accurate results (up to 10 reflectance error) under favorable acquisition conditions. In the companion article, photometric properties of Martian materials are retrieved using MARS-ReCO and validated using in situ measurements acquired during the Mars Exploration Rovers mission.

An investigation of surface albedo variations during the recent sahel drought. [ats 3 observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norton, C. C.; Mosher, F. R.; Hinton, B.

1978-01-01

Applications Technology Satellite 3 green sensor data were used to measure surface reflectance variations in the Sahara/Sahel during the recent drought period; 1967 to 1974. The magnitude of the seasonal reflectance change is shown to be as much as 80% for years of normal precipitation and less than 50% for drought years. Year to year comparisons during both wet and dry seasons reveal the existence of a surface reflectance cycle coincident with the drought intensity. The relationship between the green reflectance and solar albedo is examined and estimated to be about 0.6 times the reflectance change observed by the green channel.

Photopolarimetric Retrievals of Snow Properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ottaviani, M.; van Diedenhoven, B.; Cairns, B.

2015-01-01

Polarimetric observations of snow surfaces, obtained in the 410-2264 nm range with the Research Scanning Polarimeter onboard the NASA ER-2 high-altitude aircraft, are analyzed and presented. These novel measurements are of interest to the remote sensing community because the overwhelming brightness of snow plagues aerosol and cloud retrievals based on airborne and spaceborne total reflection measurements. The spectral signatures of the polarized reflectance of snow are therefore worthwhile investigating in order to provide guidance for the adaptation of algorithms currently employed for the retrieval of aerosol properties over soil and vegetated surfaces. At the same time, the increased information content of polarimetric measurements allows for a meaningful characterization of the snow medium. In our case, the grains are modeled as hexagonal prisms of variable aspect ratios and microscale roughness, yielding retrievals of the grains' scattering asymmetry parameter, shape and size. The results agree with our previous findings based on a more limited data set, with the majority of retrievals leading to moderately rough crystals of extreme aspect ratios, for each scene corresponding to a single value of the asymmetry parameter.

Effect of Aerosol Variation on Radiance in the Earth's Atmosphere-Ocean System.

PubMed

Plass, G N; Kattawar, G W

1972-07-01

The reflected and transmitted radiance is calculated for a realistic model of the atmosphere-ocean system. Multiple scattering to all orders as well as anisotropic scattering from aerosols are taken into account by a Monte Carlo technique. The probability for reflection or refraction at the ocean surface is calculated for each photon. Scattering and absorption by water molecules (Rayleigh) and by hydrosols (Mie) are taken into account within the ocean. The radiance is calculated for a normal aerosol distribution as well as for a three and ten times normal distribution. Calculations are also made for an aerosol layer near the earth as well as for one in the stratosphere. The upward radiance at the top of the atmosphere depends strongly on the total number of aerosols but not on their spatial distribution. Variations in the ozone amount also have little effect on the upward radiance. The calculations are made at the following wavelengths: 0.7 micro, 0.9 micro, 1.67 micro. The radiance above and below the ocean surface as well as the flux at various levels are also discussed.

Extracting the pair distribution function of liquids and liquid-vapor surfaces by grazing incidence x-ray diffraction mode.

PubMed

Vaknin, David; Bu, Wei; Travesset, Alex

2008-07-28

We show that the structure factor S(q) of water can be obtained from x-ray synchrotron experiments at grazing angle of incidence (in reflection mode) by using a liquid surface diffractometer. The corrections used to obtain S(q) self-consistently are described. Applying these corrections to scans at different incident beam angles (above the critical angle) collapses the measured intensities into a single master curve, without fitting parameters, which within a scale factor yields S(q). Performing the measurements below the critical angle for total reflectivity yields the structure factor of the top most layers of the water/vapor interface. Our results indicate water restructuring at the vapor/water interface. We also introduce a new approach to extract g(r), the pair distribution function (PDF), by expressing the PDF as a linear sum of error functions whose parameters are refined by applying a nonlinear least square fit method. This approach enables a straightforward determination of the inherent uncertainties in the PDF. Implications of our results to previously measured and theoretical predictions of the PDF are also discussed.

Thermal lens elimination by gradient-reduced zone coupling of optical beams

DOEpatents

Page, Ralph H.; Beach, Raymond J.

2000-01-01

A thermal gradient-reduced-zone laser includes a laser medium and an optically transparent plate with an index of refraction that is less than the index of refraction of the laser medium. The pump face of the laser medium is bonded to a surface of the optically transparent member. Pump light is directed through the transparent plate to optically pump the solid state laser medium. Heat conduction is mainly through the surface of the laser medium where the heat is introduced by the pump light. Heat flows in a direction opposite to that of the pump light because the side of the laser medium that is opposite to that of the pump face is not in thermal contact with a conductor and thus there is no heat flux (and hence, no temperature gradient), thus producing a thermal gradient-reduced zone. A laser cavity is formed around the laser medium such that laser light oscillating within the laser cavity reflects by total-internal-reflection from the interface between the pump face and the optically transparent plate and enters and exits through a thermal gradient-reduced zone.

Depth resolved grazing incidence neutron scattering experiments from semi-infinite interfaces: a statistical analysis of the scattering contributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adlmann, Franz A.; Herbel, Jörg; Korolkovas, Airidas; Bliersbach, Andreas; Toperverg, Boris; Van Herck, Walter; Pálsson, Gunnar K.; Kitchen, Brian; Wolff, Max

2018-04-01

Grazing incidence neutron scattering experiments offer surface sensitivity by reflecting from an interface at momentum transfers close to total external reflection. Under these conditions the penetration depth is strongly non-linear and may change by many orders of magnitude. This fact imposes severe challenges for depth resolved experiments, since the brilliance of neutron beams is relatively low in comparison to e.g. synchrotron radiation. In this article we use probability density functions to calculate the contribution of scattering at different distances from an interface to the intensities registered on the detector. Our method has the particular advantage that the depth sensitivity is directly extracted from the scattering pattern itself. Hence for perfectly known samples exact resolution functions can be calculated and visa versa. We show that any tails in the resolution function, e.g. Gaussian shaped, hinders depth resolved experiments. More importantly we provide means for a descriptive statistical analysis of detector images with respect to the scattering contributions and show that even for perfect resolution near surface scattering is hardly accessible.

Preparation of InYO3 catalyst and its application in photodegradation of molasses fermentation wastewater.

PubMed

Qin, Zuzeng; Liang, Yi; Liu, Zili; Jiang, Weiqing

2011-01-01

An InYO3 photocatalyst was prepared through a precipitation method and used for the degradation of molasses fermentation wastewater. The InYO3 photocatalyst characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, surface area and porosimetry. Energy band structures and density of states were achieved using the Cambridge Serial Total Energy package (CASTEP). The results indicated that the photodegradation of molasses fermentation wastewater was significantly enhanced in the presence of InYO3 when compared with PbWO4. The calcination temperature was found to have a significant effect on the photocatalytic activity of InYO3. Specifically, InYO3 calcined at 700 degrees C had a considerably larger surface area and lower reflectance intensity and showed higher photocatalytic activity. The mathematical simulation results indicated that InYO3 is a direct band gap semiconductor, and its conduction band is composed of In 5p and Y 4d orbitals, whereas its valence band is composed of O 2p and In 5s orbitals.

Visual Inspection of Surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hughes, David; Perez, Xavier

2007-01-01

This presentation evaluates the parameters that affect visual inspection of cleanliness. Factors tested include surface reflectance, surface roughness, size of the largest particle, exposure time, inspector and distance from sample surface. It is concluded that distance predictions were not great, particularly because the distance at which contamination is seen may depend on more variables than those tested. Most parameters estimates had confidence of 95% or better, except for exposure and reflectance. Additionally, the distance at which surface is visibly contaminated decreases with increasing reflectance, roughness, and exposure. The distance at which the surface is visually contaminated increased with the largest particle size. These variables were only slightly affected the observer.

On the Angular Variation of Solar Reflectance of Snow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, A. T. C.; Choudhury, B. J.

1979-01-01

Spectral and integrated solar reflectance of nonhomogeneous snowpacks were derived assuming surface reflection of direct radiation and subsurface multiple scattering. For surface reflection, a bidirectional reflectance distribution function derived for an isotropic Gaussian faceted surface was considered and for subsurface multiple scattering, an approximate solution of the radiative transfer equation was studied. Solar radiation incident on the snowpack was decomposed into direct and atmospherically scattered radiation. Spectral attenuation coefficients of ozone, carbon dioxide, water vapor, aerosol and molecular scattering were included in the calculation of incident solar radiation. Illustrative numerical results were given for a case of North American winter atmospheric conditions. The calculated dependence of spectrally integrated directional reflectance (or albedo) on solar elevation was in qualitative agreement with available observations.

Alteration of the UV-visible reflectance spectra of H2O ice by ion bombardment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sack, N. J.; Boring, J. W.; Johnson, R. E.; Baragiola, R. A.; Shi, M.

1991-01-01

Satellite in the Jovian and Saturnian system exhibit differences in reflectivity between their 'leading' and 'trailing' surfaces which can affect the local vapor pressure. Since these differences are thought to be due to differences in the flux of bombarding magnetospheric ions, the influence of ion impact on the UV-visible reflectance of water ice surfaces (20-90 K) by keV ion bombardment was studied. An observed decrease in reflectance in the UV is attributed to rearrangement processes that affect the physical microstructure and surface 'roughness'. The ratio in reflectance of bombarded to freshly deposited films is compared to the ratio of the reflectance of the leading and trailing hemispheres for Europa and Ganymede.

Water-leaving contribution to polarized radiation field over ocean.

PubMed

Zhai, Peng-Wang; Knobelspiesse, Kirk; Ibrahim, Amir; Franz, Bryan A; Hu, Yongxiang; Gao, Meng; Frouin, Robert

2017-08-07

The top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiation field from a coupled atmosphere-ocean system (CAOS) includes contributions from the atmosphere, surface, and water body. Atmospheric correction of ocean color imagery is to retrieve water-leaving radiance from the TOA measurement, from which ocean bio-optical properties can be obtained. Knowledge of the absolute and relative magnitudes of water-leaving signal in the TOA radiation field is important for designing new atmospheric correction algorithms and developing retrieval algorithms for new ocean biogeochemical parameters. In this paper we present a systematic sensitivity study of water-leaving contribution to the TOA radiation field, from 340 nm to 865 nm, with polarization included. Ocean water inherent optical properties are derived from bio-optical models for two kinds of waters, one dominated by phytoplankton (PDW) and the other by non-algae particles (NDW). In addition to elastic scattering, Raman scattering and fluorescence from dissolved organic matter in ocean waters are included. Our sensitivity study shows that the polarized reflectance is minimized for both CAOS and ocean signals in the backscattering half plane, which leads to numerical instability when calculating water leaving relative contribution, the ratio between polarized water leaving and CAOS signals. If the backscattering plane is excluded, the water-leaving polarized signal contributes less than 9% to the TOA polarized reflectance for PDW in the whole spectra. For NDW, the polarized water leaving contribution can be as much as 20% in the wavelength range from 470 to 670 nm. For wavelengths shorter than 452 nm or longer than 865 nm, the water leaving contribution to the TOA polarized reflectance is in general smaller than 5% for NDW. For the TOA total reflectance, the water-leaving contribution has maximum values ranging from 7% to 16% at variable wavelengths from 400 nm to 550 nm from PDW. The water leaving contribution to the TOA total reflectance can be as large as 35% for NDW, which is in general peaked at 550 nm. Both the total and polarized reflectances from water-leaving contributions approach zero in the ultraviolet and near infrared bands. These facts can be used as constraints or guidelines when estimating the water leaving contribution to the TOA reflectance for new atmospheric correction algorithms for ocean color imagery.

Water-Leaving Contribution to Polarized Radiation Field Over Ocean

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhai, Peng-Wang; Knobelspiesse, Kirk D.; Ibrahim, Amir; Franz, Bryan A.; Hu, Yongxiang; Gao, Meng; Frouin, Robert

2017-01-01

The top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiation field from a coupled atmosphere-ocean system (CAOS) includes contributions from the atmosphere, surface, and water body. Atmo-spheric correction of ocean color imagery is to retrieve water-leaving radiance from the TOA measurement, from which ocean bio-optical properties can be obtained. Knowledge of the ab-solute and relative magnitudes of water-leaving signal in the TOA radiation field is important for designing new atmospheric correction algorithms and developing retrieval algorithms for new ocean biogeochemical parameters. In this paper we present a systematic sensitivity study of water-leaving contribution to the TOA radiation field, from 340 nm to 865 nm, with polarization included. Ocean water inherent optical properties are derived from bio-optical models for two kinds of waters, one dominated by phytoplankton (PDW) and the other by non-algae particles (NDW). In addition to elastic scattering, Raman scattering and fluorescence from dissolved organic matter in ocean waters are included. Our sensitivity study shows that the polarized reflectance is minimized for both CAOS and ocean signals in the backscattering half plane, which leads to numerical instability when calculating water leaving relative contribution, the ratio between polarized water leaving and CAOS signals. If the backscattering plane is excluded, the water-leaving polarized signal contributes less than 9% to the TOA polarized reflectance for PDW in the whole spectra. For NDW, the polarized water leaving contribution can be as much as 20% in the wavelength range from 470 to 670 nm. For wavelengths shorter than 452 nm or longer than 865 nm, the water leaving contribution to the TOA polarized reflectance is in general smaller than 5% for NDW. For the TOA total reflectance, the water-leaving contribution has maximum values ranging from 7% to 16% at variable wavelengths from 400 nm to 550 nm from PDW. The water leaving contribution to the TOA total reflectance can be as large as 35%for NDW, which is in general peaked at 550 nm. Both the total and polarized reflectances from water-leaving contributions approach zero in the ultraviolet and near infrared bands. These facts can be used as constraints or guidelines when estimating the water leaving contribution to the TOA reflectance for new atmospheric correction algorithms for ocean color imagery.

SW radiative effect of aerosol in GRAPES_GFS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Qiying

2017-04-01

The aerosol particles can scatter and absorb solar radiation, and so change the shortwave radiation absorbed by the atmosphere, reached the surface and that reflected back to outer space at TOA. Since this process doesn't interact with other processes, it is called direct radiation effect. The clear sky downward SW and net SW fluxes at the surface in GRAPES_GFS of China Meteorological Administration are overestimated in Northern multitudes and Tropics. The main source of these errors is the absence of aerosol SW effect in GRAPES_GFS. The climatic aerosol mass concentration data, which include 13 kinds of aerosol and their 14 SW bands optical properties are considered in GRAPES_GFS. The calculated total optical depth, single scatter albedo and asymmetry factor are used as the input to radiation scheme. Compared with the satellite observation from MISER, the calculated total optical depth is in good consistent. The seasonal experiments show that, the summer averaged clear sky radiation fluxes at the surface are improved after including the SW effect of aerosol. The biases in the clear sky downward SW and net SW fluxes at the surface in Northern multitudes and Tropic reduced obviously. Furthermore, the weather forecast experiments also show that the skill scores in Northern hemisphere and East Asia also become better.