NASA Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports

Department is playing in addressing and solving key meteorological challenges facing the Department of the Navy and the
Department of Defense. The mastery of the Battlespace Atmospheric Environment is a necessary component for the successful
implementation of SEA POWER 21. This article presents a review of some of the unique and valuable efforts undertaken by
the faculty and students within the Department in support of SEA POWER 21. Readers are asked to consider the diverse ways
in which atmospheric processes and phenomena impact military and naval operations. Weather challenges take on many forms
as the U.S. military defends this nation. The impact of major storms on military operations is well known. In December 1944
during World War II, Typhoon Cobra struck the Pacific Fleet, which was operating in support of the invasion of the
Philippines. Three ships were lost with practically all hands, 28 other ships sustained serious damage, and 790 officers and
sailors were lost. During the same year, military planners found weather, ocean, and tidal conditions were the key elements
in determining the day and time of the largest amphibious operation in history, the Normandy D-Day invasion. In the recent
Operation Iraqi Freedom, the fierce sandstorm of March 25-27 brought military operations to a near standstill. The main article
in this issue is ‘The Naval Postgraduate School’s Department of Meteorology Addresses the Critical Role of Atmospheric
Sciences for Sea Power 21 and National Security. ‘ The article is divided into three sections: ‘Meteorological Requirements
and Contributions to Sea Strike,’ "Role of Weather in Sea Basing and Dominant Maneuver,’ and ‘Atmospheric Impacts
on Sea Shield."
DTIC
Atmospheric Physics; Forecasting; Meteorology; Military Operations; Schools
20040111610 Spectral Sciences, Inc., Burlington, MA
MODTRAN5: A Reformulated Atmospheric Band Model with Auxiliary Species and Practical Multiple Scattering
Options
Berk, Alexander; Anderson, Gail P.; Acharya, Prabhat K.; Bernstein, Lawrence S.; Fox, Marsha; Jan. 2004; 9 pp.; In English
Contract(s)/Grant(s): Proj-1010
Report No.(s): AD-A425699; AFRL-VS-HA-TR-2004-1139; No Copyright; Avail: CASI; A02, Hardcopy
The MODTRAN5 radiation transport (RT) model is a major advancement over earlier versions of the MODTRAN
atmospheric transmittance and radiance model. The new model’s features include the following: (1) finer spectral resolution
via the Spectrally Enhanced Resolution MODTRAN (SERTRAN) molecular band model, (2) a fully coupled treatment of
auxiliary molecular species, and (3) a rapid and high-fidelity multiple scattering (MS) option. The finer spectral resolution
improves model accuracy, especially in the intermediate- and long-wave infrared spectra. The auxiliary species will permit the
addition of any or the entire suite of HITRAN species, along with default and user-defined profile specifications. The MS
option makes feasible the calculation of Vis-NIR (Near InfraRed) databases that include high-fidelity scattered radiances. (9
figures, 11 refs.)
DTIC
Atmospheric Models; Detection; Far Infrared Radiation; Imagery; Infrared Radiation; Radiative Transfer; Remote Sensing;
Scattering
20040111664 Utah State Univ., Logan, UT
Response of the Ionosphere and Thermosphere to Extreme Solar Conditions
Smithtro, Christopher G.; Jan. 2004; 132 pp.; In English
Report No.(s): AD-A425778; AFIT-CI-04-583; No Copyright; Avail: CASI; A07, Hardcopy
From the sun spot record, we know the Sun underwent an extended period of extremely low activity from 1640-1710
A.D., known as the Maunder Minimum. Conversely, astronomers have observed ‘Sun-like%’ stars that exhibit much higher
levels of activity. To explore the impact of such extreme solar input, we built a one-dimensional physical model of the coupled
thermosphere and ionosphere. Results from this global average model were found to be in good agreement with other
empirical models, as well as previous physical models. Extrapolating the solar irradiance to assumed Maunder Minimum
levels, we found the ionosphere undergoes a dramatic change, in which NO4 comes to dominate over 0+ in the F-region.
Increasing the solar flux to exceptionally high levels revealed a plateau in the peak electron density, although the total electron
content continued to rise.
DTIC
Solar Activity; Thermosphere
20040112061 Hawaii Univ., Honolulu, HI, USA
Post Eruption Hazards at Mt. Pinatubo, Philippines
Mouginis-Mark, Peter J.; [2004]; 14 pp.; In English; Original contains color illustrations
Contract(s)/Grant(s): NAG5-7578; No Copyright; Avail: CASI; A03, Hardcopy
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