The original goal of this three-year project was to investigate bandgap-tunable bilayer-graphene microribbons allowing continuously tunable photodetection in the IR bands. Due to the government sequestration, the 2nd and 3rd years increments toward this project have been defunded. Here we are using our 1st year result as our final performance report. To this end we designed, fabricated, and characterized in Year One a device with suspended graphene microribbons, and found that fully suspended CVD-grown graphene devices are dominated by the photoelectric effect, which is promising towards CVD-grown graphene photodetectors approaching THz cut-off frequencies.

关键词：红外辐射；光电探测器；带隙；化学气相沉积

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The suitport concept has been recently implemented as part of the small pressurized lunar rover (Currently the Space Exploration vehicle, or SEV) and the Multi-Mission Space Exploration Vehicle (MMSEV) concept demonstrator vehicle. Suitport replaces or augments the traditional airlock function of a spacecraft by providing a bulkhead opening, capture mechanism, and sealing system to allow ingress and egress of a space suit while the space suit remains outside of the pressurized volume of the spacecraft. This presents significant new opportunities to EVA exploration in both microgravity and surface environments. The suitport concept will enable three main improvements in EVA by providing reductions in: pre-EVA time from hours to less than thirty minutes; airlock consumables; contamination returned to the cabin with the EVA crewmember. Two second generation suitports were designed and tested. The previously reported second generation Marman Clamp suitport and a newer concept, the Pneumatic Flipper Suitport. These second generation suitports demonstrated human donning and doffing of the Z1 spacesuit with an 8.3 psi pressure differential across the spacesuit. Testing was performed using the JSC B32 Chamber B, a human rated vacuum chamber. The test included human rated suitports, the suitport compatible prototype suit, and chamber modifications. This test brought these three elements together in the first ever pressurized donning of a rear entry suit through a suitport. This paper presents the results of the testing, including unexpected difficulties with doffing, and engineering solutions implemented to ease the difficulties. A review of suitport functions, including a discussion of the need to doff a pressurized suit in earth gravity, is included.

关键词：航天服;夹;舱壁；人因工程；舱外活动；气闸模块

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State-of-the-art spectral analysis of hot stars by means of non-LTE model-atmosphere techniques has arrived at a high level of sophistication. The analysis of high-resolution and high-S/N spectra, however, is strongly restricted by the lack of reliable atomic data for highly ionized species from intermediate-mass metals to trans-iron elements. Especially data for the latter has only been sparsely calculated. Many of their lines are identified in spectra of extremely hot, hydrogen-deficient post-AGB stars. A reliable determination of their abundances establishes crucial constraints for AGB nucleosynthesis simulations and, thus, for stellar evolutionary theory. Aims. In a previous analysis of the UV spectrum of RE 0503-289, spectral lines of highly ionized Ga, Ge, As, Se, Kr, Mo, Sn, Te, I, and Xe were identified. Individual abundance determinations are hampered by the lack of reliable oscillator strengths. Most of these identified lines stem from Ge V. In addition, we identified Ge VI lines for the first time. We calculated Ge V and Ge VI oscillator strengths in order to reproduce the observed spectrum. Methods. We newly calculated Ge V and Ge VI oscillator strengths to consider their radiative and collisional bound-bound transitions in detail in our non-LTE stellar-atmosphere models for the analysis of the Ge IV-VI spectrum exhibited in high-resolution and high-S/N FUV (FUSE) and UV (ORFEUS/BEFS, IUE) observations of RE 0503-289. Results. In the UV spectrum of RE 0503-289, we identify four Ge IV, 37 Ge V, and seven Ge VI lines. Most of these lines are identified for the first time in any star. We can reproduce almost all Ge IV, GeV, and Ge VI lines in the observed spectrum of RE 0503-289 (T(sub eff) = 70 kK, log g = 7.5) at log Ge = -3.8 +/- 0.3 (mass fraction, about 650 times solar). The Ge IV/V/VI ionization equilibrium, that is a very sensitive T(sub eff) indicator, is reproduced well. Conclusions. Reliable measurements and calculations of atomic data are a prerequisite for stellar-atmosphere modeling. Our oscillator-strength calculations have allowed, for the first time, Ge V and Ge VI lines to be successfully reproduced in a white dwarf's (RE 0503-289) spectrum and to determine its photospheric Ge abundance.

关键词：炽热的恒星；局部热力学平衡；高分辨率；频谱分析

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To gain computational efficiency, a split explicit time integration scheme has been implemented in the CAM spectral Eulerian dynamical core. In this scheme, already present in other dynamical core options within the Community Atmosphere Model, version 4 (CAM), the fluid dynamics portion of the model is subcycled to allow a longer time step for the parameterization schemes. The physics parameterization of CAM is not subject to the stability restrictions of the fluid dynamics, and thus finer spatial resolutions of the model do not require the physics time step to be reduced. A brief outline of the subcycling algorithm implementation and resulting model efficiency improvement is presented. A discussion regarding the effect of the climate statistics derived from short model runs is provided.

关键词：大气模型;气候;算法;流体动力学

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Glacierized change in the Himalayas affects river-discharge, hydro-energy and agricultural production, and Glacial Lake Outburst Flood potential, but its quantification and extent of impacts remains highly uncertain. Here we present conservative, comprehensive and quantitative predictions for glacier area and meltwater flux changes in Bhutan, monsoonal Himalayas. In particular, we quantify the uncertainties associated with the glacier area and meltwater flux changes due to uncertainty in climate data, a critical problem for much of High Asia. Based on a suite of gridded climate data and a robust glacier melt model, our results show that glacier area and meltwater change projections can vary by an order of magnitude for different climate datasets. However, the most conservative results indicate that, even if climate were to remain at the present-day mean values, almost 10of Bhutan s glacierized area would vanish and the meltwater flux would drop by as much as 30. Under the conservative scenario of an additional 1 C regional warming, glacier retreat is going to continue until about 25of Bhutan s glacierized area will have disappeared and the annual meltwater flux, after an initial spike, would drop by as much as 65.

关键词：冰川；气候；预测；洪水；大气加热

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Simulation of surface wind and upper-ocean variability associated with the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) by a regional coupled model, the Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS), is evaluated by the comparison with in situ and satellite observations. COAMPS is configured for the tropical Indian Ocean domain with the horizontal resolution of 27 km for the atmospheric component and 1/8 deg for the ocean component. A high-resolution nested grid (9 km) for the atmospheric component is used for the central Indian Ocean. While observational data are assimilated into the atmospheric component, no data are assimilated into the ocean component. The model was integrated during 1 March-30 April 2009 when an active episode of large-scale convection associated with the MJO passed eastward across the Indian Ocean. During this MJO event, strong surface westerly winds (approximately 8 ms-1) were observed in the central equatorial Indian Ocean, and they generated a strong eastward jet (approximately 1 ms -1) on the equator. COAMPS can realistically simulate these surface wind and upper-ocean variations. The sensitivity of upper-ocean variability to the atmospheric model resolution is examined by the COAMPS experiment without the high-resolution nested grid. The equatorial jet generated in this experiment is about 20weaker than that in the first experiment, which significantly influences upper-ocean salinity and temperature. The large diurnal warming of SST during the suppressed phase of the MJO is also adequately simulated by the model. Weak winds during this period are mostly responsible for the large SST diurnal variation based on the comparison with the spatial variation of surface forcing fields.

关键词：荡;季节变化，热带地区;人工卫星;大气模式

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The spectral and temporal behavior of exoplanet host stars is a critical input to models of the chemistry and evolution of planetary atmospheres. Ultraviolet photons influence the atmospheric temperature profiles and production of potential biomarkers on Earth-like planets around these stars. At present, little observational or theoretical basis exists for understanding the ultraviolet spectra of M dwarfs, despite their critical importance to predicting and interpreting the spectra of potentially habitable planets as they are obtained in the coming decades. Using observations from the Hubble Space Telescope, we present a study of the UV radiation fields around nearby M dwarf planet hosts that covers both far-UV (FUV) and near-UV (NUV) wavelengths. The combined FUV+NUV spectra are publicly available in machine-readable format. We find that all six exoplanet host stars in our sample (GJ 581, GJ 876, GJ 436, GJ 832, GJ 667C, and GJ 1214) exhibit some level of chromospheric and transition region UV emission. No "UV-quiet" M dwarfs are observed. The bright stellar Lyman-alpha emission lines are reconstructed, and we find that the Lyman-alpha line fluxes comprise approximately 37-75of the total 1150-3100 A flux from most M dwarfs; approximately greater than 10(exp3) times the solar value. We develop an empirical scaling relation between Lyman-alpha and Mg II emission, to be used when interstellar H I attenuation precludes the direct observation of Lyman-alpha. The intrinsic unreddened flux ratio is F(Lyman-alpha)/F(Mg II) = 10(exp3). The F(FUV)/F(NUV) flux ratio, a driver for abiotic production of the suggested biomarkers O2 and O3, is shown to be approximately 0.5-3 for all M dwarfs in our sample, greather than 10(exp3) times the solar ratio. For the four stars with moderate signal-to-noise Cosmic Origins Spectrograph time-resolved spectra, we find UV emission line variability with amplitudes of 50.500on 10(exp2)-10(exp3) s timescales. This effect should be taken into account in future UV transiting planet studies, including searches for O3 on Earth-like planets. Finally, we observe relatively bright H2 fluorescent emission from four of the M dwarf exoplanetary systems (GJ 581, GJ 876, GJ 436, and GJ 832). Additional modeling work is needed to differentiate between a stellar photospheric or possible exoplanetary origin for the hot (T(H2) approximately equal to 2000-4000 K) molecular gas observed in these objects.

关键词：莱曼光谱；紫外光谱；M型恒星；白矮星；莱曼α辐射

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Atmospheric deposition, a process that transfers pollutants, including NOx, SO2, and mercury, from the air to the earth's surface, can significantly impair the quality of the nation's waters. EPA can potentially address atmospheric deposition through the CWA and the CAA, but concerns have been raised about its ability to do so. GAO was asked to examine EPA's efforts to address atmospheric deposition of pollutants that impair waterbodies. This report examines (1) the extent to which atmospheric deposition of NOx, SO2, and mercury contributes to the impairment of the nation's waters and identify the key sources of these pollutants; (2) the regulatory tools that EPA uses under the CWA to address the effects of atmospheric deposition, and the challenges, if any, that it faces in doing so; and (3) the regulatory tools that EPA uses under the CAA to address the effects of atmospheric deposition, and the challenges, if any, that it faces in doing so. To conduct this work, GAO reviewed EPA data, reports, and activities and interviewed agency officials and other experts.

关键词：水质；损害；空气污染；大气沉降

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The overall objective of this research has been to develop the capacity to predict how future climatic variation may affect carbon cycle processes and net CO2 exchange with the atmosphere at the Howland Forest, a temperate-boreal ecotonal forest that uniquely represents this ecosystem type in the AmeriFlux network. Major goals of the project have been to (1) provide a detailed characterization of C-cycle processes at Howland; (2) develop and test prognostic models to forecast future C-cycle processes; and (3) obtain defensible estimates of the uncertainties in measured and modeled C fluxes and pools.

关键词：森林；陆地生态系统；碳循环；大气环流

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关键词：大气俘获；航空航天器；火星探测；任务规划；航天器部件

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