Theoretical molecular line absorption of CO in late spectral type atmospheres

Theoretical molecular line absorption of carbon monoxide in late spectral type stellar atmosphere

Shrinking targets and eventually always hitting points for interval maps

We study shrinking target problems and the set $\mathcal{E}_{\text{ah}}$ of eventually always hitting points. These are the points whose first $n$ iterates will never have empty intersection with the $n$-th target for sufficiently large $n$. We derive necessary and sufficient conditions on the shrinking rate of the targets for $\mathcal{E}_{\text{ah}}$ to be of full or zero measure especially for some interval maps including the doubling map, some quadratic maps and the Manneville-Pomeau map. We also obtain results for the Gauss map and correspondingly for the maximal digits in continued fractions expansions. In the case of the doubling map we also compute the packing dimension of $\mathcal{E}_{\text{ah}}$ complementing already known results on the Hausdorff dimension of $\mathcal{E}_{\text{ah}}$.Comment: 21 pages, 1 figure, comments welcome

Stratospheric constituent distributions from balloon-based limb thermal emission measurements

This research task deals with an analysis of infrared thermal emission observations of the Earth's atmosphere for determination of trace constituent distributions. Infrared limb thermal emission spectra in the 700-2000 cm(exp -1) region were obtained with a liquid nitrogen cooled Michelson interferometer-spectrometer (SIRIS) on a balloon flight launched from Palestine, Texas, at nighttime on September 15-16, 1986. An important objective of this work is to obtain simultaneously measured vertical mixing ratio profiles of O3, H2O, N2O, NO2, N2O5, HNO3 and ClONO2 and compare with measurements made with a variety of techniques by other groups as well as with photochemical model calculations. A portion of the observed spectra obtained by SIRIS from the balloon flight on September 15-16, 1986, has been analyzed with a focus on calculation of the total nighttime odd nitrogen budget from the simultaneously measured profiles of important members of the NO(sub x) family. The measurements permit first direct determination of the nighttime total odd nitrogen concentrations NO(sub y) and the partitioning of the important elements of the NO(sub x) family

Fourier spectroscopy and planetary research

The application of Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (FTS) to planetary research is reviewed. The survey includes FTS observations of the sun, all the planets except Uranus and Pluto, the Galilean satellites and Saturn's rings. Instrumentation and scientific results are considered and the prospects and limitations of FTS for planetary research in the forthcoming years are discussed

Estimation of sea surface temperature from remote sensing in the 11-13 micron window region

The Nimbus 3 and 4 IRIS spectral data in the 11-13 micron water vapor window region are analyzed to determine the sea surface temperature (SST). The high spectral resolution data of IRIS are averaged over approximately 1 micron wide intervals to simulate channels of a radiometer to measure the SST. Three channels are utilized to measure SST over cloud-free oceans. However, two of these channels are sufficient in routine SST determination. The differential absorption properties of water vapor in the two channels enable one to determine the water vapor absorption correction without detailed knowledge of the vertical profiles of temperature and water vapor. The feasibility of determining the SST is demonstrated globally with Nimbus 3 data where cloud-free areas can be selected with the help of albedo data from the MRIR experiment on board the same satellite

OMIS 498 SharePoint Collaboration Portal

Problem Statement: Each semester, the OMIS498 Capstone course creates a new SharePoint site in order to facilitate team collaboration, causing wasted time and lost resources. When a new site is created, it a standard, featureless site that must be rebuilt from the ground up. The gap that my work addressed was to find ways to easier facilitate the SharePoint site in such a way to better utilize its features, and make transitions to future semesters more seamless. Methods: My work consisted of a four-phase process. It started with envisioning an optimal state of functionality. This was done by working with Dr. Aase to determine a desired state, and working with team leaders within our class. Then I planned my approach, which included research and working to get the SharePoint web server configured to allow features and maximum functionality. Next, I developed team sites, pages, templates and started enabling features such as alerts and calendars to improve class productivity. The class began using the SharePoint site early in the development phase. Finally, during the stabilization phase, I troubleshot any quirks, took requests for added features and made sure optimal features were being used. Results: As a result of the above process, the team collaboration portal has been used successfully by our class for the majority of the semester. Large quantities of data have been uploaded to the SharePoint site without issue, alerts and calendars are working and information is flowing as it should through the site. We also used the website to coordinate community service efforts with a local soup kitchen, Feed em' Soup. Conclusion: Overall, I am very satisfied with the results of the SharePoint team collaboration portal. There were some kinks in the beginning of the project relating to server configuration and settings within SharePoint itself. Once these issues were addressed, operations ran very smoothly. Ultimately, the class was able to fully utilize the team sites and its features, creating a better, more efficient flow of information for the teams.B.A. (Bachelor of Arts

Upcoming planetary missions and the applicability of high temperature superconductor bolometers

Planetary missions to Mars and beyond can last 11 years and longer, making impractical the use of stored cryogens. Passive radiative coolers and single-stage mechanical coolers remain possibilities. CRAF and CASSINI, both using the newly developed Mariner Mark 2 spacecraft, will be the next outer planet missions after Galileo; they are intended to provide information on the origin and evolution of the solar system. CRAF is a cometary rendezvous mission slated for a 1994 launch. CASSINI has been chosen by ESA and will be launched by a Titan 4/Centaur in 1996. It will fly by Jupiter in 2000, inject an ESA-supplied probe into Titan in 2002, and take data in Saturn orbit from 2002 to 2006. NASA/Goddard is currently developing a prototype Fourier transform spectrometer (CIRS) that will be proposed for the CASSINI mission. The baseline infrared detectors for CIRS are HgCdTe to 16 microns and Schwarz-type thermopiles from 16 to 1000 microns. The far infrared focal plane could be switched from thermopiles to high temperature superconductor (HTS) bolometers between now and 1996. An HTS bolometer could be built using the kinetic inductance effect, or the sharp resistance change at the transition. The transition-edge bolometer is more straightforward to implement and initial efforts at NASA/Goddard are directed to that device. A working device was made and tested in early 1989. It also has somewhat elevated noise levels below 100 Hz. Upcoming efforts will center on reducing the time constant of the HTS bolometer by attempting to deposit an HTS film on a diamond substrate, and by thinning SrTiO3 substrates. Attempts will be made to improve the film quality to reduce th 1/f noise level, and to improve the thermal isolation to increase the bolometer sensitivity. An attempt is being made to deposit good-quality HTS films on diamond films using an MOCVD technique