The release of sodium during the combustion of black liquor is a significant source of fume formation in a kraft recovery boiler, affecting efficiency in a pulp and paper mill. The fume is deposited on the surface of heat exchanger tubes in the upper furnace, causing fouling and corrosion, especially to the superheaters. This thesis reports on work done to develop improved understanding of fume formation. The mechanisms of sodium release during each stage of black liquor combustion are influenced by the surface temperature. The addition of boron to the black liquor, which debottlenecks the recausticizing plant by a reduction in lime usage, also influences the characteristics of black liquor combustion, such as combustion time and swelling. Previously, no effective measurement technique has been available to quantify sodium concentration in the plume of a burning black liquor droplet with or without boron, or to record the distribution of surface temperature through the time history of a burning droplet. This thesis reports on the adaptation of two techniques for the measurement of the release of atomic sodium and the temperature history, and their application to investigate several aspects of the release of atomic sodium during combustion of black liquor in a flat flame environment. The simultaneous employment of a planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) technique with an absorption technique has been adapted to allow quantitative measurement of the release of atomic sodium. The absorption technique has been employed to correct for both fluorescence trapping due to absorption and attenuation by high concentration of the atomic sodium in the plume, and for collisional quenching by the other major gas components present in the flat flame. An independent assessment was performed using kinetic calculations, based on measured total sodium that is residual in a particle obtained at different stages in the combustion process. These independent assessments were used to provide greater insight in to the release process and to cross-check. The influence of both the initial diameter of the droplet and addition of boron to the black liquor on the temporal release and the release rate of atomic sodium during the combustion have been performed using the present PLIF technique. The second technique, two-dimensional two-colour optical pyrometry, has been adapted to measure the distribution of surface temperature and the swelling (change in surface area) of a burning black liquor droplet. The influence of surface temperature or the change in the external surface area of the droplet on the release of atomic sodium during the combustion of black liquor has been assessed through concurrent use of both adapted techniques. The highest concentration of atomic sodium was measured in the final stage of combustion that of smelt coalescence, where it is an order of magnitude greater than in the other stages combined. While the extensive release of atomic sodium at high temperature in this final combustion stage occurs in only a relatively small percentage of droplets in a kraft recovery boiler, the effect could still be significant in fume formation. This is because the extensive release is expected to occur in the very small droplets, predominantly generated by splitting or physical ejection. Small droplets will have a very short combustion time and so could remain in suspension within hot gases for sufficient time for extensive release of sodium. These measurements outcomes can be used to support the future development of sub-models for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models in order to better understand and optimise fume formation in a kraft recovery boiler. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1474431 / Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Adelaide, School of Mechanical Engineering, 2009

No description available.

This thesis describes a new algorithm based on the optimal estimation approach for the retrieval of atmospheric aerosol and surface properties from the Advanced Along- Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR). This algorithm is a further development on the Oxford-RAL Retrieval of Aerosol and Cloud (ORAC). The new algorithm is set up to use both visible and infrared channels of AATSR to retrieve aerosol optical depth (AOD), effective radius, white sky albedo at four wavelengths (550, 670, 870, and 1600 nm), surface temperature and aerosol layer height. This thesis can be divided into three main parts : 1) the development of the new ORAC algorithm, 2) comparisons of the retrieved AOD with the aerosol products from visible-channel ORAC retrieval: GlobAEROSOL, and with the measurements from AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET), and 3) validations of the retrieved sea surface temperature (SST) with the measurements from ship-based radiometers (Infrared Sea surface temperature Autonomous Radiometer, ISAR) and the measurements from drifting buoys. In this thesis aerosols are assigned to four classes, marine clean at two different relative humidities, spherical dust and non-spherical dust. The estimated retrieval error is 0.012 in AOD and 0.083 K in SST. Comparing with the GlobAEROSOL products, the new algorithm (denoted by ORAC) retrieves lower AOD (0.071 ± 0.012) (median ± RMS) and higher sea surface albedo globally (0.067 ± 0.006). The lower AOD, which also occurs in regional scales, is a promising result as previous studies showed GlobAEROSOL overestimated AOD especially over open ocean. The comparison with ground-based measurements (AERONET) shows a good agreement between ORAC AOD and AERONET AOD over ocean, the correlation is 0.820 at 550 nm and 0.807 at 870 nm, and the differences in AOD between the two datasets are 0.067 ± 0.214 for 550 nm and 0.064 ± 0.167 for 870 nm. In contrast weaker corrections, 0.312 at 550 nm and 0.275 at 870 nm, are found over land, and the median difference between the two datasets are nearly 0.2 for both 550 μm and 870 μm. For three collocation criteria, the ORAC retrieved SST shows very high correlations with ISAR measurements (better than 0.980). Comparing with ISAR, ORAC SST has positive biases (0.150 to 0.117 K) and relative significant root mean squares (RMS) (0.481 to 0.430 K). Comparing with the drifting buoy measurements, the bias in retrieved SST is −0.067 ± 0.366 K for all the matches and −0.003 ± 0.298 K for the matches under high wind speed conditions (≥ 6 ms−1). The error analysis indicates the uncertainties in temperature profile, water vapour profile, surface emissivity and forward model may affect the accuracy of retrieved SST. These validation results suggest that the new ORAC algorithm is a successful approach to aerosol and surface retrieval over ocean, which is able to add to the current knowledge by improving current estimates of aerosol and surface properties. Most validation results presented in this thesis are under conditions of low AOD, it can been seen that the retrieved SST is not severely biased. Further validation is required to estimate the performance of ORAC at different levels of aerosol loading.

This thesis describes the construction of a sea surface temperature (SST) dataset from Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR) observations suitable for climate applications. The algorithms presented here are now used at ESA for reprocessing of historical ATSR data and will be the basis of the retrieval used on the forthcoming SLSTR instrument on ESA’s Sentinel-3 satellite. In order to ensure independence of ATSR SSTs from in situ measurements, the retrieval uses physics-based methods through the use of radiative transfer (RT) simulations. The RT simulations are based on the Reference ForwardModel line-by-line model linked to a new sea surface emissivity model which accounts for surface temperature, wind speed, viewing angle and salinity, and to a discrete ordinates scattering (DISORT) model to account for aerosol. An atmospheric profile dataset, based on full resolution ERA-40 numerical weather prediction (NWP) data, is defined and used as input to the RTmodel. Five atmospheric trace gases (N2O, CH4, HNO3, and CFC-11 and CFC-12) are identified as having temporal and geographical variability which have a significant (∼0.1K) impact on RT simulations. Several additional trace gases neglected in previous studies are included using fixed profiles contributing ∼0.04K to RT simulations. Comparison against ATSR-2 and AATSR observations indicates that RT model biases are reduced from 0.2–0.5K for previous studies to ∼0.1K. A new coefficient-based SST retrieval scheme is developed from the RT simulations. Coefficients are banded by total column water vapour (TCWV) from NWP analyses reducing simulated regional biases to <0.1K compared to ∼0.2K for global coefficients. An improved treatment of the instrument viewing geometry decreases simulated view-angle related biases from ∼0.1K to <0.005K for the day-time dual-view retrieval. To eliminate inter-algorithmbiases due to remaining RT model biases and uncertainty in the characterisation of the ATSR instruments the offset coefficient for each TCWV band is adjusted to match the results from a reference channel combination. As infrared radiometers are sensitive to the skin SST while in situ buoys measure SST at some depth below the surface an adjustment for the skin effect and diurnal stratification is included. The samemodel allows adjustment for the differing time of observation between ATSR-2 and AATSR to prevent the diurnal cycle being aliased into the final record. The RT simulations are harmonised between sensors using a double-difference technique eliminating discontinuities in the final SST record. Comparison against in situ drifting and tropical moored buoys shows the new SST dataset is of high quality. Systematic differences between ATSR retrieved SST and in situ drifters show zonal, regional, TCWV, and wind speed biases are less than 0.1K except for themost extreme cases (TCWV <5 kgm−2). The precision of ATSR retrieved SSTs is ∼0.15 K, lower than the precision ofmeasurement of the global ensemble of in situ drifting buoys. From 1995 onwards the ARC SSTs are stable with instability of less than 5mK year−1 to 95% confidence (demonstrated for tropical regions).

Remote sensing of land surface temperature (LST) is a complex task. From a satellite-based perspective the radiative properties of the land surface and the atmosphere are inextricably linked. Knowledge of both is required if one is to accurately measure the temperature of the land surface from a space-borne platform. In practice, most satellite-based sensors designed to measure LST over the surface of the Earth are polar orbiting. They scan swaths of the order of 2000 km, utilizing zenith angles of observation of up to 60°. As such, satellite viewing geometry is important when comparing estimates of LST between different overpasses of the same point on the Earth's surface. In the case of the atmosphere, the optical path length through which the surfaceleaving radiance propagates increases with increasing zenith angle of observation. A longer optical path may in turn alter the relative contributions which molecular absorption and emission processes make to the radiance measured at the satellite sensor. A means of estimating the magnitudes of these radiative components in relation to the viewing geometry of the satellite needs to be developed if their impacts on the at-sensor radiance are to be accurately accounted for. The problem of accurately describing radiative transfer between the surface and the satellite sensor is further complicated by the fact that the surface-leaving radiance itself may also vary with sensor viewing geometry. Physical properties of the surface such as emissivity are known to vary as the zenith angle of observation changes. The proportions of sunlit and shaded areas with the field-of-view of the sensor may also change with viewing geometry depending on the type of cover (eg vegetation), further impacting the surface emissivity. / Investigation of the change in surface-leaving radiance as the zenith angle of observation varies is then also important in developing a better understanding of the radiative interaction between the land surface and the atmosphere. The work in this study investigates the atmospheric impacts using surface brightness temperature measurements from the ATSR-2 satellite sensor in combination with atmospheric profile data from radiosondes and estimates of the downwelling sky radiance made by a ground-based radiometer. A line-by-line radiative transfer model is used to model the angular impacts of the atmosphere upon the surfaceleaving radiance. Results from the modelling work show that if the magnitude of the upwelling and downwelling sky radiance and atmospheric transmittance are accurately known then the surface-emitted radiance and hence the LST may be retrieved with negligible error. Guided by the outcomes of the modelling work an atmospheric correction term is derived which accounts for absorption and emission by the atmosphere, and is based on the viewing geometry of the satellite sensor and atmospheric properties characteristic of a semi-arid field site near Alice Springs in the Northern Territory (Central Australia). Ground-based angular measurements of surface brightness temperature made by a scanning, self calibrating radiometer situated at this field site are then used to investigate how the surface-leaving radiance varies over a range of zenith angles comparable to that of the ATSR-2 satellite sensor. / Well defined cycles in the angular dependence of surface brightness temperature were observed on both diumal and seasonal timescales in these data. The observed cycles in surface brightness temperature are explained in terms of the interaction between the downwelling sky radiance and the angular dependence of the surface emissivity. The angular surface brightness temperature and surface emissivity information is then applied to derive an LST estimate of high accuracy (approx. 1 K at night and 1-2 K during the day), suitable for the validation of satellite-derived LST measurements. Finally, the atmospheric and land surface components of this work are combined to describe surface-atmosphere interaction at the field site. Algorithms are derived for the satellite retrieval of LST for the nadir and forward viewing geometries of the ATSR-2 sensor, based upon the cycles in the angular dependence of surface brightness temperature observed in situ and the atmospheric correction term developed from the modelling of radiative transfer in the atmosphere. A qualitative assessment of the performance of these algorithms indicates they may obtain comparable accuracy to existing dual angle algorithms (approx. 1.5 K) in the ideal case and an accuracy of 3-4 K in practice, which is limited by knowledge of atmospheric properties (eg downwelling sky radiance and atmospheric transmittance), and the surface emissivity. There are, however, strong prospects of enhanced performance given better estimates of these physical quantities, and if coefficients within the retrieval algorithms are determined over a wider range of observation zenith angles in the future.

This study implemented a GIS-based analysis of local climate zones (LCZ) in Denton, TX with data sets from 2009, 2011, 2015, and 2016. The LCZ scheme enables evaluation of distinct regions' thermal characteristics with greater granularity than conventional urban-rural dichotomies. Further, the GIS-based approach to LCZ mapping allows use of high-resolution lidar data, the availability of which for the study area enabled estimation of geometric and surface cover parameters: height of roughness elements, sky-view factor, and building surface fraction. Pervious surface fraction was estimated from National Landcover Database impervious imagery. A regular grid was used to estimate per-cell mean values for each parameter, and with a decision-making algorithm (if/then statements) two maps were produced (2011 and 2015) and six LCZ identified in each: LCZ 6 (open low-rise), LCZ 8 (large low-rise), LCZ 9 (sparsely built), LCZ A (dense trees), LCZ B (scattered trees), and LCZ C (bush/scrub). Post-processing was carried out to ensure identified zones met the spatial minimum for qualification as LCZ. Landsat Collection 2 Level 2 surface temperature products from various seasons of 2011 and 2015 were acquired to examine LCZ thermal differentiability, and preliminary surface urban heat island intensity values were estimated. Particular attention was afforded to issues regarding data quality and classifier threshold adjustment.

The late Neogene represents an exceptionally dynamic period in Earth history during which the Northern Hemisphere has transitioned from a warmer, more equable climate to a cooler, more transient state characterized by waxing and waning continental ice sheets. While geographical distal, the tropical ocean has played a significant role in shaping the evolution of the climate system, as the opening and closing of low latitude (LL) ocean gateways and reorganization of oceanic and atmospheric circulation structure have helped shape the climate system into its present form. This study provides a reconstruction of sea surface temperature (SST), ocean circulation, and thermal structure of the LL eastern Pacific and North Atlantic based upon the compilation of proxy data derived from planktic foraminifer assemblages and geochemical techniques. This research begins with a paleoceanographic reconstruction of the eastern tropical Pacific (ETP) and subtropical Northwest Atlantic (NWA) during the early stages of uplift of the Central American Isthmus and associated shoaling of the Central American Seaway (CAS). In the subtropical NWA (DSDP 103 and ODP 1006), the 5.2 to 5.1 Ma interval is characterized by an increase in SST and sea surface salinity, indicating a strengthening of the Florida Current (FC) and Gulf Stream (GS). Sea surface temperature in the ETP Warm Pool (DSDP Site 84) remained relatively stable between 6.9 and 5.1 Ma, during which El Niño-like conditions persisted. A slight cooling is observed after this interval (with synchronous warming in the NWA), followed by the onset of major cooling at ~3.2 Ma, both of which are preceded by a shallowing of the thermocline. Stepwise cooling is attributed to enhanced Atlantic meridional overturn circulation (AMOC), which caused a shoaling of the main tropical thermocline, thereby strengthening the Walker Circulation and weakening the Pacific North Equatorial Counter Current. During the mid-Piacenzian warm period (MPWP; ~3.3-3.0 Ma), SST in the Panama Basin was ~0.8°C cooler than today, while the subtropical NWA was only ~1.1°C warmer. This corroborates evidence for reduced meridional SST gradients during the mid-Pliocene as well as the hypothesis that more vigorous ocean circulation--particularly in the NWA--was critical during this period. The timing of SST changes in the ETP and NWA (~5.1 Ma) suggest that the termination of permanent El Niño and enhanced AMOC did not contribute significantly to the onset of major Northern Hemisphere glaciation (NHG), as both of these events occur well before the beginning of the glacial cycles. However, these processes may have contributed to the development of the small ice sheets of the late Miocene and early Pliocene, but were most likely only preconditioning factors for the onset of major NHG. In contrast, changes in SST and relative thermocline position suggest that high latitude (HL) processes and global cooling may have influenced thermal structure in the ETP. The SST estimates provided indicate that even in its early stages, the shoaling of the CAS had significant implications for low-latitude ocean circulation and thermal structure, as well as for some of the most significant global climate events of the late Neogene, including the MPWP. During the MPWP, mean global surface temperatures were similar to those predicted for the next century (2-3˚ C warmer) while atmospheric CO2 concentrations, paleogeography, and paleobiology were similar to today. As such, the MPWP has been studied in detail as a potential (albeit imperfect) analog for future climate change and has provided a natural and unique test-bed for the integration of proxy data and general circulation models. Central to this research effort is the Pliocene Research, Interpretation, and Synoptic Mapping (PRISM) project, an iterative paleoenvironmental reconstruction of the MP focused on increasing our understanding of warm-period climate forcings, dynamics, and feedbacks by providing three-dimensional data sets for general circulation models. A mainstay of the PRISM project has been the development of a global sea surface temperature (SST) data set based primarily upon quantitative analyses of planktic foraminifer assemblages, supplemented with geochemical SST estimates wherever possible. In order to improve spatial coverage of the PRISM faunal and SST data sets in the LL North Atlantic, this study provides a description of the MP planktic foraminifer assemblage and multiproxy SST estimates from five Ocean Drilling Program sites (951, 958, 1006, 1062, and 1063) in the North Atlantic subtropical gyre (NASG), a region critical to Atlantic Ocean circulation and tropical heat advection. Assemblages from each core provide evidence for a temperature- and circulation-driven 5-10° northward displacement of MP faunal provinces, as well as regional shifts in planktic foraminifer populations linked to species ecology and interactions. General biogeographic trends also indicate that, relative to modern conditions, gyre circulation was stronger (particularly the Gulf Stream, North Atlantic Current, and North Equatorial Current) and meridionally broader. Overall, SST estimates suggest that surface waters in this region were not significantly warmer (1-2˚ C) than today and that mean annual SSTs along LL western boundary currents were indistinguishable from modern. Multiproxy SST data also provide evidence for enhanced northward transport of warm, salty, oligotrophic surface waters via a vigorous western boundary current system with warmer (cooler) cold-season (warm-season) temperatures. Collectively, this reconstruction of SST and ocean circulation provides support for a model of an enhanced Atlantic meridional overturn circulation (AMOC) system, with particularly vigorous LL western boundary currents and thus, more efficient northward heat transport. These trends therefore suggest that more vigorous thermohaline circulation, in conjunction with elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations, played a significant role in shaping the global surface temperature distribution during the MPWP. A strengthening of the AMOC under warmer-than-modern conditions has significant implications for future climate change. The current generation of climate models suggests that HL warming and associated ice-sheet melting will induce a freshening of the North Atlantic and thus, to a reduction in the strength of the AMOC, thereby buffering surface temperature increases in the Northern Hemisphere. However, if after this transient period of climate system adjustment, Earth returns to a more Pliocene-like climate state the AMOC system may strengthen, thereby exacerbating the HL warmth caused by elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Thus, through the reconstruction of warm-period SST and ocean circulation, this research provides insight into the potential operation of the LL North Atlantic and its associated impact on broad-scale Northern Hemisphere climate.

Increasing populations, shifting demographics and changes in diet are driving increases in crop production. However, any increases in food demand are ultimately limited by water availability, which is under pressure globally, but especially so in arid and semi-arid regions. To address this challenge, spatially distributed information on crop water use, vegetation health, soil moisture status and a range of other water, energy and carbon variables are all required. However, critical to the determination of many of these processes is an accurate characterization of the land surface temperature (LST). The only feasible manner by which to estimate this variable across a range of spatial and temporal scales is using thermal infrared (TIR) satellite data. Here we investigate the estimation of LST, focusing on its accurate retrieval across a range of different spatial scales. First, we examine the influence of atmospheric correction on retrieval accuracy by employing a radiative transfer model and Landsat data using a variety of available atmospheric profile data, with the aim of identifying an optimal product combination for retrieval. Using these results, we then investigate the potential to downscale coarse resolution (O~103 m) MODIS satellite data to scales appropriate for agricultural application (less than O~102 m), using a machine-learning approach. To further advance the downscaling technique, we explore the utility of novel Cubesat data to produce within-field scale (O~101 m) distributions of land surface temperature. Finally, to expand upon the multi-resolution/multi-satellite LST strategy explored here, we examine the capacity of ultra-high resolution (O~10-1 m) thermal imagery from an unmanned aerial vehicle to characterize surface temperature response and behavior, focusing on the retrieval accuracy and diurnal variability of these spatially and temporally varying land surface temperature estimates. The ultimate goal of this research is to advance the utility of LST for agricultural application by providing description and insights into product development, accuracy issues, and identifying some limitations and opportunities of both current and future remote observation platforms.

A method of performing local transient heat flux measurements in an uncooled axisymmetric hybrid rocket nozzle is presented. Surface temperatures are collected at various axial locations during short duration tests and post processed using finite difference techniques to determine local transient heat fluxes and film coefficients. Comparisons are made between the collected data and the complete Bartz model. Although strong agreement is observed in certain sections of the nozzle, ideal steady state conditions are not observed to entirely validate the Bartz model for hybrid rocket nozzles. An experimental error analysis indicates the experimental heat fluxes are accurate within ±5.2% and supports the accuracy of the results.

No description available.