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Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology

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Articles 1 - 29 of 29

Full-Text Articles in Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics

Bounded Thunderstorm Tracking Of Lightning Events With Muon Detection, Skylar Wardlaw, Ainsley Helgerson, Maria Kaminska, Logan Velvet, Georgii Dubrov, Jackson Stewart, Aaron Jung, Nathaniel O’Hara, Amelia Koth, Nash Mcleod, Emaleth Wyckoff Aug 2026

Bounded Thunderstorm Tracking Of Lightning Events With Muon Detection, Skylar Wardlaw, Ainsley Helgerson, Maria Kaminska, Logan Velvet, Georgii Dubrov, Jackson Stewart, Aaron Jung, Nathaniel O’Hara, Amelia Koth, Nash Mcleod, Emaleth Wyckoff

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

The muon is a high-energy particle that can be produced by cosmic rays and trigger upper-atmospheric particle cascades and energetic processes. It has been hypothesized that such cascades are at the onset of lightning. As such, muons serve as a valuable probe for investigating the underlying mechanisms of its initiation, whose full governing dynamics remain vastly unknown despite extensive research. Traditional approaches to lightning research involve simulations and observations of the discharge itself, but the role of high-energy particle interactions has yet to be fully constrained. The CosmicWatch Muon Detector design enables the detection of atmospheric muons through scintillation events, …


Modeling Formation Of Turbulent Sporadic-E Clouds Using Realistic Wind Data, Aaron M. Schinder, Kenneth S. Obenberger, Jorge L. Chau, Juan M. Urco, Matthias Clahsen, Benjamin F. Akers, Daniel J. Emmons Aug 2026

Modeling Formation Of Turbulent Sporadic-E Clouds Using Realistic Wind Data, Aaron M. Schinder, Kenneth S. Obenberger, Jorge L. Chau, Juan M. Urco, Matthias Clahsen, Benjamin F. Akers, Daniel J. Emmons

Faculty Publications

A high resolution two-dimensional multi-fluid model of sporadic-E layers was developed and driven with physically realistic mesosphere, lower thermosphere (MLT) winds measured over Albuquerque, New Mexico. The realistic E-region winds are produced by the HYdrodynamic Point-wise Environment Reconstructor (HYPER) model that ingests meteor derived wind observations from a Spread-spectrum Interferometric Multistatic meteor radar Observing Network (SIMONe) system combined with the Navier-Stokes equations to provide high resolution three-dimensional wind fields over time. Sporadic-E dynamics are simulated using both realistic winds from HYPER as well as idealized hyperbolic tangent windshears to compare and contrast. Overall, the model shows greater inhomogeneity and irregularity …


A Comparison Of Modeled Daytime E Regions From E-Probed And Pyiri With Ionosonde Observations, Daniel J. Emmons, Cornelius C. J. H. Salinas, Dong L. Wu, Nimalan Swarnalingam, Eugene V. Dao, Jorge L. Chau, Yosuke Yamazaki, Kyle E. Fitch, Victoriya V. Forsythe Jan 2026

A Comparison Of Modeled Daytime E Regions From E-Probed And Pyiri With Ionosonde Observations, Daniel J. Emmons, Cornelius C. J. H. Salinas, Dong L. Wu, Nimalan Swarnalingam, Eugene V. Dao, Jorge L. Chau, Yosuke Yamazaki, Kyle E. Fitch, Victoriya V. Forsythe

Faculty Publications

While the F region is the primary focus of many ionospheric models because it contains the peak electron density, the E region is an important region for ionospheric conductivities and high-frequency radio propagation. This study analyzes modeled E regions from the newly developed PyIRI and E-PROBED models. A long-term comparison of E region predictions from E-PROBED and PyIRI with ionosonde observations is performed for three sites spanning low- (Fortaleza, Brazil), mid- (El Arenosillo, Spain), and high-latitudes (Gakona, Alaska). Modeled foE and hmE trends are compared against a combination of manually-scaled and automatically-scaled ionograms using ARTIST-5 for the period 2009–2024 for …


Retrieval And Characterization Of Aerosol Optical And Microphysical Properties Following Pyrocumulonimbus Events From Sageiii/Iss, Vishal G. Bagadia Jan 2026

Retrieval And Characterization Of Aerosol Optical And Microphysical Properties Following Pyrocumulonimbus Events From Sageiii/Iss, Vishal G. Bagadia

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Stratospheric aerosols play an important role in maintaining global radiative balance with impacts to stratospheric equilibria through physical and chemical forcings.  Stratospheric aerosol size distributions, in particular aerosol size, are vitally important in determining the physical and chemical impacts of aerosols in the stratosphere. The representation of aerosol size and size distributions in most climate models contain large uncertainties due to relatively sparse sampling of stratospheric aerosols. Occultation measurements from satellite provide an unique opportunity to retrieve the aerosol size distribution using high quality aerosol extinction measurements. A retrieval algorithm is developed to characterize size distributions of stratospheric aerosols from …


Collision-Induced Absorption Spectra Of N₂ And Ch₄, Ryan M. Johnson, Peter F. Bernath, Brant Billinghurst, Jianbao Zhao Jan 2025

Collision-Induced Absorption Spectra Of N₂ And Ch₄, Ryan M. Johnson, Peter F. Bernath, Brant Billinghurst, Jianbao Zhao

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Collision-induced spectra are essential for radiative transfer modeling of Titan's atmosphere. We present experimental spectra of nitrogen–methane mixtures with an accompanying fit of N₂-CH₄ collision-induced absorption in the 30–400 cm⁻¹ region at about 130 K. We found a peak absorption of 2.30 × 10⁻⁵ cm⁻¹ amagat⁻² at 75 cm⁻¹ and a secondary peak of 1.35 × 10⁻⁵ c⁻¹ amagat⁻² at 206.5 cm⁻¹, which agrees with previous studies. Our work does not support the suggestion that N₂-CH₄ CIA in the far-infrared should be increased by about 50%, as suggested by spectroscopic modeling of Titan using data from A. Borysow & C. …


Phase Error Scaling Law In Two-Wavelength Adaptive Optics, Milo W. Hyde Iv, Matthew Kalensky, Michael J. Spencer Jun 2024

Phase Error Scaling Law In Two-Wavelength Adaptive Optics, Milo W. Hyde Iv, Matthew Kalensky, Michael J. Spencer

Faculty Publications

We derive a simple, physical, closed-form expression for the optical-path difference (OPD) of a two-wavelength adaptive-optics (AO) system. Starting from Hogge and Butts’ classic OPD variance integral expression, we apply Mellin transform techniques to obtain series and asymptotic solutions to the integral. For realistic two-wavelength AO systems, the former converges slowly and has limited utility. The latter, on the other hand, is a simple formula in terms of the separation between the AO sensing (i.e., the beacon) and compensation (or observation) wavelengths. We validate this formula by comparing it to the OPD variances obtained from the aforementioned series and direct …


Global Empirical Model Of Sporadic-E Occurrence Rates, Eli V. Parsch Mar 2024

Global Empirical Model Of Sporadic-E Occurrence Rates, Eli V. Parsch

Theses and Dissertations

Encompassing the Earth, the ionosphere presents unique challenges to modern communication, navigation, and surveillance technologies. Intense ionization enhancements known as sporadic-E (Es), can degrade and disrupt signals in unpredictable ways. Much work has been done to understand this phenomenon and more recent efforts have attempted to model its behavior and impacts. However, there have been limited efforts at modeling global Es occurrence rates (OR) at high time resolutions. This study develops a global empirical model of blanketing sporadic-E (fbEs) occurrence rates using a Karhunen-Lo´eve Expansion (KLE) of global fbEs OR climatologies built with Global Positioning System radio occultations (GPS-RO) and …


Spectra Of Atmospheric And Astronomical Molecules, W. D. Cameron May 2023

Spectra Of Atmospheric And Astronomical Molecules, W. D. Cameron

Physics Theses & Dissertations

Spectroscopy techniques are focused on spectra of molecules of interest to the Earth’s atmosphere and/or astronomy and astrophysics. Laboratory spectroscopy as well as remote satellite sensing are applied. Using the Fourier transform spectrometer aboard the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE) satellite to measure the absorption spectra of the Earth’s atmosphere through solar occultation limb observation demonstrates that volcanic eruption plumes can be located and tracked through their SO2 content. The presence of those plumes is corroborated by overlaying infrared atmospheric aerosol extinction observed by the 1 μm imager on the same satellite. Tracking atmospheric aerosol movement with the ACE …


Large Cloud Droplets And The Initiation Of Ice By Pressure Fluctuations: Molecular Simulations And Airborne In-Situ Observations, Elise Rosky Jan 2023

Large Cloud Droplets And The Initiation Of Ice By Pressure Fluctuations: Molecular Simulations And Airborne In-Situ Observations, Elise Rosky

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

From the molecular dynamics of water molecules to the global processes that control atmospheric circulation: describing the evolution of atmospheric clouds necessitates physics that spans vast spatial scales. In this work, steps are taken towards connecting the molecular physics of ice-nucleation to the growth and subsequent freezing of cloud droplets in convective cumulus clouds. Motivated by experimental evidence of ice nucleation triggered by agitation and distortion of a water droplet surface, the first study in this dissertation uses molecular dynamics simulations to demonstrate that negative Laplace pressure from a curved water surface leads to heterogeneous ice nucleation at higher temperatures. …


Feasibility Of Obtaining Surface Layer Moisture Flux Using An Ir Thermometer, Steven T. Fiorino, Lance Todorowski, Jaclyn Schmidt, Yogendra Raut, Jacob Margraf May 2022

Feasibility Of Obtaining Surface Layer Moisture Flux Using An Ir Thermometer, Steven T. Fiorino, Lance Todorowski, Jaclyn Schmidt, Yogendra Raut, Jacob Margraf

Faculty Publications

This paper evaluates the feasibility of a method using a single hand-held infrared (IR) thermometer and a mini tower of wet and dry paper towels to psychometrically obtain surface layer temperature and moisture gradients and fluxes. Sling Psychrometers have long been standard measuring devices for quantifying the thermodynamics of near-surface atmospheric gas–vapor mixtures, specifically moisture parameters. However, these devices are generally only used to measure temperature and humidity at one near-surface level. Multiple self-aspirating psychrometers can be used in a vertical configuration to measure temperature and moisture gradients and fluxes in the first 1–2 m of the surface layer. This …


Investigating Ice Nucleation At Negative Pressures Using Molecular Dynamics: A First Order Approximation Of The Dependence Of Ice Nucleation Rate On Pressure, Elise Rosky Jan 2021

Investigating Ice Nucleation At Negative Pressures Using Molecular Dynamics: A First Order Approximation Of The Dependence Of Ice Nucleation Rate On Pressure, Elise Rosky

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Atmospheric scientists and climate modelers are faced with uncertainty around the process of ice production in clouds. While significant progress has been made in predicting homogeneous and heterogeneous ice nucleation rates as a function of temperature, recent experiments have shown that ice nucleation rates can be enhanced without decreasing temperature, through various mechanical agitations. One hypothesis for these findings is that mechanisms of stretching water and thereby inducing negative pressure in the liquid could lead to an increase in freezing rate. To better understand the viability of this concept, the effect of negative pressure on ice nucleation rates needs to …


Upper Limit Of Electron Fluxes Observed In The Radiation Belts, Kun Zhang, Xinlin Li, Hong Zhao, Zheng Xiang, Leng Ying Khoo, Wenxun Zhang, Benjamin Hogan, Michael A. Temerin Dec 2020

Upper Limit Of Electron Fluxes Observed In The Radiation Belts, Kun Zhang, Xinlin Li, Hong Zhao, Zheng Xiang, Leng Ying Khoo, Wenxun Zhang, Benjamin Hogan, Michael A. Temerin

Publications

Radiation belt electrons have a complicated relationship with geomagnetic activity. We select electron measurements from 7 years of DEMETER and 6 years of Van Allen Probes data during geomagnetic storms to conduct statistical analysis focusing on the correlation between electron flux and Dst index. We report, for the first time, an upper limit of electron fluxes observed by both satellites throughout the inner and outer belts across a wide energy range from ∼100s keV to multi-MeV. The upper flux limit is determined at different L's and energies, for example, 1.9 × 107/cm2-s-sr-MeV at 470 keV at L = 1.5 and …


Physics-Constrained Hyperspectral Data Exploitation Across Diverse Atmospheric Scenarios, Nicholas M. Westing Sep 2020

Physics-Constrained Hyperspectral Data Exploitation Across Diverse Atmospheric Scenarios, Nicholas M. Westing

Theses and Dissertations

Hyperspectral target detection promises new operational advantages, with increasing instrument spectral resolution and robust material discrimination. Resolving surface materials requires a fast and accurate accounting of atmospheric effects to increase detection accuracy while minimizing false alarms. This dissertation investigates deep learning methods constrained by the processes governing radiative transfer to efficiently perform atmospheric compensation on data collected by long-wave infrared (LWIR) hyperspectral sensors. These compensation methods depend on generative modeling techniques and permutation invariant neural network architectures to predict LWIR spectral radiometric quantities. The compensation algorithms developed in this work were examined from the perspective of target detection performance using …


Long‐Term Variations Of Quasi‐Trapped And Trapped Electrons In The Inner Radiation Belt Observed By Demeter And Sampex, Kun Zhang, Xinlin Li, Zheng Xiang, Leng Ying Khoo, Hong Zhao, Mark D. Looper, Michael A. Temerin, Jean-Andre Sauvaud Aug 2020

Long‐Term Variations Of Quasi‐Trapped And Trapped Electrons In The Inner Radiation Belt Observed By Demeter And Sampex, Kun Zhang, Xinlin Li, Zheng Xiang, Leng Ying Khoo, Hong Zhao, Mark D. Looper, Michael A. Temerin, Jean-Andre Sauvaud

Publications

Electrons in the Earth's radiation belts can be categorized into three populations: precipitating, quasi‐trapped, and trapped. We use data from the Detection of Electro‐Magnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions (DEMETER) and Solar, Anomalous, and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer satellite (SAMPEX) missions and from ground‐based neutron monitors (NM) and sunspot observations to investigate the long‐term variation of quasi‐trapped and trapped sub‐MeV electrons on different L shells in the inner belt. DEMETER and SAMPEX measurements span over 17 years and show that at L ≤ 1.14 the electron flux is anticorrelated with sunspot number, but proportional to the cosmic ray intensity represented by …


Measurement Of Solar Spectral Irradiance And Surface Ozone At Carrollton, Georgia, Usa, During The Great American Eclipse On 21 August 2017, Kirthi Tennakone, L Ajith Desilva, Charles A. Zander*, Shea Rose, Austin B. Kerlin Mar 2019

Measurement Of Solar Spectral Irradiance And Surface Ozone At Carrollton, Georgia, Usa, During The Great American Eclipse On 21 August 2017, Kirthi Tennakone, L Ajith Desilva, Charles A. Zander*, Shea Rose, Austin B. Kerlin

Georgia Journal of Science

Measurements conducted at the University of West Georgia, Carrollton, Georgia, during the time of the solar eclipse of 21st August 2017 demonstrated that the integrated spectral irradiance in defined wavelength ranges in the ultraviolet and visible calculated as a fraction of the total irradiance reached a minimum at maximum obscuration of the Sun, whereas in an infrared range it was maximum. The method of analysis adopted supports the view that the changes in spectral irradiance during highly obscured partial phases is a consequence of limb darkening. In a surface ozone measurement, a minimum in ozone concentration occurred 30 +_ …


Cosmic Ray Albedo Neutron Decay (Crand) As A Source Of Inner Belt Electrons: Energy Spectrum Study, Kun Zhang, X. Li, H. Zhao, Q. Schiller, L. Khoo, Y. Khoo, Z. Xiang, R. Selesnick, M. A. Temerin, J. A. Sauvaud Jan 2019

Cosmic Ray Albedo Neutron Decay (Crand) As A Source Of Inner Belt Electrons: Energy Spectrum Study, Kun Zhang, X. Li, H. Zhao, Q. Schiller, L. Khoo, Y. Khoo, Z. Xiang, R. Selesnick, M. A. Temerin, J. A. Sauvaud

Publications

Cosmic Ray Albedo Neutron Decay (CRAND) has been recently confirmed as a source of energetic electrons at the inner edge of the inner belt by the Colorado Student Space Weather Experiment (CSSWE)mission. Here we use observations from the Detection of Electro‐Magnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions (DEMETER) mission, to investigate the CRAND contribution to inner belt electrons quantitatively over a broad energy range (~100–800 keV). Spectral fitting analysis supports the conclusion that CRAND is the most important electron source at the inner edge of the innerbelt. For the first time, we show that CRAND is the dominant source of >250‐keV …


Comparison Of Various Mean Field Formulations For Retrieving Refractive Indices Of Aerosol Particles Containing Inclusions, Kristin S. Dooley, Jessica Deyoung Jan 2018

Comparison Of Various Mean Field Formulations For Retrieving Refractive Indices Of Aerosol Particles Containing Inclusions, Kristin S. Dooley, Jessica Deyoung

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Application of effective medium approximation (EMA) methods to two-component systems are presented. Systems studied are composed of water, sulfate, soot, and dust as these are commonly encountered atmospheric aerosol components. Atmospheric models often employ EMAs to include internally mixed aerosols without the computational burden of exact theory. In the current work, several types of mixing rules (Maxwell-Garnet, Bruggeman, and coherent potential approximation) have been applied to various two-component internally mixed particles at 550 nm using volume fractions of the minor component below 0.1. As expected, results show that the formulations tested produce very similar effective refractive indices indicating that electric …


Analysis Of The Red And Green Optical Absorption Spectrum Of Gas Phase Ammonia, Nikolai F. Zobov, Phillip A. Coles, Roman I. Ovsyannikov, Aleksandra A. Kyuberis, Robert J. Hargreaves, Peter F. Bernath, Jonathan Tennyson, Sergei N. Yurchenko, Oleg L. Polyansky Jan 2018

Analysis Of The Red And Green Optical Absorption Spectrum Of Gas Phase Ammonia, Nikolai F. Zobov, Phillip A. Coles, Roman I. Ovsyannikov, Aleksandra A. Kyuberis, Robert J. Hargreaves, Peter F. Bernath, Jonathan Tennyson, Sergei N. Yurchenko, Oleg L. Polyansky

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Room temperature NH3 absorption spectra recorded at the Kitt Peak National Solar Observatory in 1980 are analyzed. The spectra cover two regions in the visible: 15,200 - 15,700 cm-1 and 17,950 - 18,250 cm-1. These high overtone rotation-vibration spectra are analyzed using both combination differences and variational line lists. Two variational line lists were computed using the TROVE nuclear motion program: one is based on an ab initio potential energy surface (PES) while the other used a semi-empirical PES. Ab initio dipole moment surfaces are used in both cases. 95 energy levels with J = 1 …


Detailed Characteristics Of Radiation Belt Electrons Revealed By Csswe/Reptile Measurements: Geomagnetic Activity Response And Precipitation Observation, Kun Zhang, X. Li, Q. Schiller, D. Gerhardt, H. Zhao, R. Millan Aug 2017

Detailed Characteristics Of Radiation Belt Electrons Revealed By Csswe/Reptile Measurements: Geomagnetic Activity Response And Precipitation Observation, Kun Zhang, X. Li, Q. Schiller, D. Gerhardt, H. Zhao, R. Millan

Publications

Earth’s outer radiation belt electrons are highly dynamic. We study the detailed characteristics of relativistic electrons in the outer belt using measurements from the Colorado Student Space Weather Experiment (CSSWE) mission, a low Earth orbit (LEO) CubeSat, which traverses the radiation belt four times in one orbit (~1.5 h) and has the advantage of measuring the dynamic activities of the electrons including their rapid precipitation. We focus on the measured electron response to geomagnetic activity for different energies to show that there are abundant sub-MeV electrons in the inner belt and slot region. These electrons are further enhanced during active …


Effects Of Major Sudden Stratospheric Warmings Identified In Midlatitude Mesospheric Rayleigh-Scatter Lidar Temperatures, Leda Sox, Vincent B. Wickwar, Chad Fish, Josh Herron Dec 2014

Effects Of Major Sudden Stratospheric Warmings Identified In Midlatitude Mesospheric Rayleigh-Scatter Lidar Temperatures, Leda Sox, Vincent B. Wickwar, Chad Fish, Josh Herron

Physics Student Research

Mesospheric temperature anomalies associated with Sudden Stratospheric Warmings (SSWs) have been observed extensively in the polar regions. However, observations of these anomalies at midlatitudes are sparse. The very dense 11-year data set, collected between 1993–2004, with the Rayleigh-scatter lidar at the Atmospheric Lidar Observatory (ALO; 41.7°N, 111.8°W) at the Center for Atmospheric and Space Sciences (CASS) on the campus of Utah State University (USU), has been carefully examined for such anomalies. The temperatures derived from these data extend over the mesosphere, from 45 to 90 km. During this period extensive data were acquired during seven major SSW events. In this …


Passive Ranging Of Dynamic Rocket Plumes Using Infrared And Visible Oxygen Attenuation, Robert Anthony Vincent Mar 2011

Passive Ranging Of Dynamic Rocket Plumes Using Infrared And Visible Oxygen Attenuation, Robert Anthony Vincent

Theses and Dissertations

Atmospheric oxygen absorption bands in observed spectra of boost phase missiles can be used to accurately estimate range from sensor to target. This work compares two oxygen absorption bands in the near-infrared (NIR) and visible (Vis) spectrum, centered at 762nm and 690 nm, to passively determine range. Spectra were observed from static tests of both surface-to-air missile simulators at 405m range and a full-scale solid rocket motor at 900m range. The NIR O2 band provided range estimates accurate to within 3% for both tests, while the Vis O2 band had range errors of 77% and 15 %, respectively. …


Passive Ranging Using Infra-Red Atmospheric Attenuation, Douglas J. Macdonald Mar 2010

Passive Ranging Using Infra-Red Atmospheric Attenuation, Douglas J. Macdonald

Theses and Dissertations

Methods of estimating range to an emissive target based on the depth of an atmospheric absorption band are demonstrated. The present work uses measurements of the CO2 absorption band centered at 2.0 µm where signal-to-background ratios are maximum for many applications. Model results, based on high-resolution transmission molecular absorption (HITRAN) database cross sections, are used to predict range accuracy at ranges of up to 50 km and are compared with short range (<5km) experimental results. The spectra of 23 high explosive events were used to validate the model. Using the assumption of a blackbody spectrum, extracted ranges consistently underestimated the true range by approximately 13%. By incorporating the stoichiometry of the fireball from previous research and using particulate contribution as a parameter, the error for the range estimates could be reduced to 3%.


Demonstration And Verification Of A Broad Spectrum Anomalous Dispersion Effects Tool For Index Of Refraction And Optical Turbulence Calculations, J. Jean Cohen Mar 2009

Demonstration And Verification Of A Broad Spectrum Anomalous Dispersion Effects Tool For Index Of Refraction And Optical Turbulence Calculations, J. Jean Cohen

Theses and Dissertations

An atmospheric optical turbulence strength model with a broad wavelength range of 355nm (ultraviolet) to 8.6m (radio frequencies) has been created at AFIT and implemented into the High Energy Laser End-to-End Operational Simulation tool (HELEEOS). This modeling and simulation tool is a first principles atmospheric propagation and characterization model. Within HELEEOS lies the High-Resolution Transmission Molecular Absorption (HITRAN) database, containing 1,734,469 spectral lines for 37 different molecules as of version 12.0 (2004). HITRAN affords HELEEOS incredible accuracy for electromagnetic (EM) propagation prediction. A full understanding of optical turbulence is needed to successfully predict EM radiation propagation, particularly within the application …


Radiometric Analysis Of Daytime Satellite Detection, Katherine B. Lilevjen Mar 2006

Radiometric Analysis Of Daytime Satellite Detection, Katherine B. Lilevjen

Theses and Dissertations

A radiometric model for daylight satellite detection is developed and used to evaluate the effects of various parameters on signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Detection of reflected sunlight from a low-earth orbit, diffuse, planar satellite by a single-pixel infrared photovoltaic detector is considered. Noise considered includes photon noise from the background and signal, as well as thermal noise. Parameters considered include atmospheric conditions, optical parameters, and detector parameters. The Phillips Laboratory Expert-assisted User System, an atmospheric modeling tool that employs the MODTRAN and FASCODE transmission codes, is used to model wavelength-dependent atmospheric transmission and background radiance. The SNR is found to increase …


Measurement Of Proton Transfer Reaction Rates In A Microwave Cavity Discharge Flowing Afterglow, George M. Brooke Iv Apr 2003

Measurement Of Proton Transfer Reaction Rates In A Microwave Cavity Discharge Flowing Afterglow, George M. Brooke Iv

Physics Theses & Dissertations

The reaction rate coefficients between the hydronium ion and the molecules ethene (C2H4), propene (C3H6), 1-butene (C4H8) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) were measured at 296 K. The measured reaction rates were compared to collision rates calculated using average dipole orientation (ADO) theory. Reaction efficiency depends primarily upon the proton affinity of the molecules. All the measurements were obtained using the newly developed microwave cavity discharge flowing afterglow (MCD-FA) apparatus. This device uses an Asmussen-type microwave cavity discharge ion source that is …


Analyzing The Effects Of Meteorology On Radar Measured Index Of Refraction Structure Parameter, Jeffrey W. Budai Mar 2001

Analyzing The Effects Of Meteorology On Radar Measured Index Of Refraction Structure Parameter, Jeffrey W. Budai

Theses and Dissertations

Forecasting optical turbulence is essential for the Air Force's Airborne Laser program to optimize placement of aircraft. To find bow meteorology affects Cn2, the intensity of turbulence in the index of refraction, case studies of synoptically interesting times are first chosen. Correlation coefficients are then computed between radar measured Cn2 and meteorological quantities. The potential for mechanically turbulent activity is looked at. In the analysis of this work, six meteorological features were found likely to affect Cn2. Two features associated with affecting potential refractivity, and thus Cn2, are jets …


Tunable Mid-Ir Optical Parametric Oscillator Using Periodically Poled Rubidum Titanyl Arsenate, Frank J. Glavic Mar 2000

Tunable Mid-Ir Optical Parametric Oscillator Using Periodically Poled Rubidum Titanyl Arsenate, Frank J. Glavic

Theses and Dissertations

Tunable sources of coherent radiation are needed for a variety of military and commercial applications, including infrared countermeasures and atmospheric remote sensing. This research investigates a tunable mid-infrared coherent source using periodically-poled rubidium titanyl arsenate (PPRTA) as a quasi-phase matched (QPM) optical parametric oscillator (OPO). The advantages of PPRTA over periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) are presented. Quasi-phase matching and periodic poling theory are discussed, along with some important historical results and current developments. Experimental setups for determining threshold, conversion efficiency, pump depletion, and beam quality are presented along with experimental results. The research effort is focused on characterizing PPRTA …


Atmospheric Temperature Profiles By Ground-Based Infrared Spectrometer Measurements, Jon M. Saul Mar 2000

Atmospheric Temperature Profiles By Ground-Based Infrared Spectrometer Measurements, Jon M. Saul

Theses and Dissertations

A method to recover atmospheric temperature profiles using a ground-based Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometer was investigated. The method used a difference form of the radiative transfer equation, a Bomem MR series Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer to collect atmospheric radiance values, and the Phillips Laboratory Expert- assisted User Software (PLEXUS) atmospheric radiance model, to recover an atmospheric temperature profile. The method researched uses radiance values from both the spectrometer measurements and the atmospheric model, along with kernel functions calculated by the atmospheric model as input to a difference form of the radiation transfer equation. From this the change in brightness temperatures …


A Comparison Of Methods For Estimating Rms Error: A `Brute Force" Approach Versus A Mathematically-Elegant Approach, As Applied To The Calculation Of A Specific Retrieval Error For A Limb-Scanning Microwave Radiometer-Spectrometer, Larry L. Johnson Dec 1995

A Comparison Of Methods For Estimating Rms Error: A `Brute Force" Approach Versus A Mathematically-Elegant Approach, As Applied To The Calculation Of A Specific Retrieval Error For A Limb-Scanning Microwave Radiometer-Spectrometer, Larry L. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The Millimeter-wave Atmospheric Sounder (MAS) is a high resolution limb- scanning microwave radiometer-spectrometer which has been flown aboard the Space Shuttle. The instrument was designed to sense the microwave emission from several upper atmospheric constituents, including water vapor and ozone. The resonant frequencies of water vapor and ozone are extremely close (183 and 184 GHz, respectively), so that the high-frequency wing of the water vapor spectrum overlaps the low frequency wing of the ozone spectrum. Consequently, the measured ozone spectrum incorporates a slight water vapor contribution; therefore, the retrieved ozone profile is dependent on the true water vapor profile. The …