51,551 research outputs found
Prediction and analysis of long-term variability of temperature and salinity in the Irish Sea
The variability of temperature and salinity in the Irish Sea over the 40 year period 1960 - 1999 is investigated using a free-running fine-resolution local area model. The skill of the model to represent observed temperature and salinity variability is assessed using conductivity-temperature-depth survey data ( 3397 profiles) and a long time series of measurements from Cypris station (southwest of Isle of Man). This clearly demonstrates that the model can reproduce the observed seasonal and longer-term cycles in temperature, with mean and RMS errors of - 0.01 degrees C and 0.78 degrees C. Particularly apparent is the long-term warming trend at Cypris station and throughout the model domain. Model estimates of salinity are less accurate and are generally too saline (mean and RMS errors are 0.79 and 0.98 practical salinity units). Inaccuracies are likely to arise from boundary conditions and forcing (riverine and surface). However, while absolute values are not particularly well represented, the model reproduces many of the trends in the salinity variability observed at Cypris station, suggesting that the dominant physical processes in the Irish Sea, with timescales up to similar to 3 years, are well represented. The model is also used to investigate the variability in temperature stratification. While stratification is confined to approximately the same geographical area in each year of the simulation, there is significant variability in the timing of the onset and breakdown of stratification and in the peak surface to bed temperature difference. Together, these results suggest that a local area model with limited boundary conditions may be sufficiently accurate for climatic investigation of some (locally forced) parameter
Study of photoconductive indium antimonide
Indium antimonide (InSb) material was assessed for use as photoconductive infrared detectors under low background conditions. Such detectors must be more rugged, and have lower capacitance, than the common photovoltaic InSb detector. Electronic grade n-type InSb was etched to 50 micrometers thickness, and tin and gold contacts were applied by evaporation. The test devices showed a relatively low ultimate impedance: 7 Mohms at 4.2 K. This was attributed to the presence of impurity levels of very shallow energies, and this material was judged unsuitable for low background detection
An overview of the first results on the solar array materials passive LDEF experiment (sample), A0171
Power degradation in the solar cells was consistent with the exposure environment and appears to be produced principally by the radiation and atomic oxygen environments. Atomic oxygen erosion was generally as expected; atomic oxygen effects dominated for the most part in materials that were both atomic oxygen and ultraviolet vulnerable. Silicone coatings appear to protect Kapton, and adhesive systems contained under photon opaque materials were surprisingly environmentally resistant. A high density of small micro-meteroid/space debris impacts were observed on mirrors, protective coatings, paints, and composites. New synergistic effects of the space environment were noted in the interaction of atomic oxygen and copious amounts of contamination and in the induced luminescence of many materials
Spontaneous Raman scattering as a high resolution XUV radiation source
A type of high resolution XUV radiation source is described which is based upon spontaneous anti-Stokes scattering of tunable incident laser radiation from atoms excited to metastable levels. The theory of the source is summarized and two sets of experiments using He (1s2s)(1)S atoms, produced in a cw hollow cathode and in a pulsed high power microwave discharge, are discussed. The radiation source is used to examine transitions originating from the 3p(6) shell of potassium. The observed features include four previously unreported absorption lines and several sharp interferences of closely spaced autoionizing lines. A source linewidth of about 1.9 cm(-1) at 185,000 cm(-1) is demonstrated
Studies of laser and laser devices
The generation of tunable, infrared, and ultraviolet light, and the control of this light by mode-locking and modulation techniques are discussed. Particular emphasis is given to energy storage and extraction using atomic levels, the development of a tunable narrowband vacuum ultraviolet light source, and to the generation and applications of ultrashort optical pulses
Studies on lasers and laser devices
The goal of this grant was to study lasers, laser devices, and uses of lasers for investigating physical phenomena are studied. The active projects included the development of a tunable, narrowband XUV light source and its application to the spectroscopy of core excited atomic states, and the development of a technique for picosecond time resolution spectroscopy of fast photophysical processes
Calibration of the spin-scan ozone imager aboard the dynamics Explorer 1 satellite
The calibration technique, which contains the calibrated backscattered radiance values necessary for performing the calibrations, is presented. The calibration constants for September to October 1981 to determine total columnar ozone from the Spin-Scan Ozone Imager (SOI), which is a part of the auroral imaging instrumentation aboard the Dynamics Explorer 1 Satellite, are provided. The precision of the SOI-derived total columnar ozone is estimated to be better than 2.4 percent. Linear regression analysis was used to calculate correlation coefficients between total columnar ozone obtained from Dobson ground stations and SOI which indicate that the SOI total columnar ozone determination is equally accurate for clear or cloudy weather conditions
Vacuum ultraviolet holography
The authors report the first demonstration of holographic techniques in the vacuum ultraviolet spectral region. Holograms were produced with coherent 1182 A radiation. The holograms were recorded in polymethyl methacrylate and read out with an electron microscope. A holographic grating with a fringe spacing of 836 A was produced and far-field Fraunhofer holograms of sub-micron particles were recorded
Laser velocimeter systems analysis applied to a flow survey above a stalled wing
A laser velocimeter operating in the backscatter mode was used to survey the flow above a stalled wing. Polarization was used to separate the two orthogonal velocity components of the fringe-type laser velocimeter, and digital counters were used for data processing. The velocities of the kerosene seed particles were measured with less than 2 percent uncertainty. The particle velocity measurements were collected into histograms. The flow field survey was carried out above an aspect-ratio-8 stalled wing with an NACA 0012 section. The angle of attack was 19.5 deg, the Mach number was 0.49, and the Reynolds number was 1,400,000. The flow field was characterized by the periodic shedding of discrete vortices from near the crest of the airfoil
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