Gypsum Overlook: an Early Holocene Occupation in the Northern Tularosa Basin, New Mexico

A new species of Gyrodactylus (Monogenoidea, Gyrodactylidae) is described from the skin of the White Sands pupfish, Cyprinodon tularosa Miller and Echelle, 1975 (Cyprinodontiformes, Cyprinodontidae) from Salt Creek, White Sands Missile Range, Tularosa Basin, New Mexico. The new species is compared with the 6 species of Gyrodactylidae known to parasitize pupfish in the southern United States.

The White Sands pupfish, Cyprinodon tularosa, is described from the Tularosa basin, New Mexico, the site of Pleistocene Lake Otero. Although that lake did not overflow, it is inferred that there was a pre-Wisconsin connection with the Rio Grande basin in order to permit entry of the pupfish into the endorheic basin. The new species, a member of the Cyprinodon variegatus complex, is evidently closest to C. bovinus of western Texas, from which it differs in certain meristic and morphometric characters (smaller scales, fewer pelvic rays, more gill rakers), female color pattern, and in the breeding colors of the male. Both species may have arisen from a C. variegatus-like ancestor during Pleistocene time. The endorheic Tularosa basin of southern New Mexico has at- tracted the attention of physiographers and biologists since Herrick (1904) proposed the name Lake Otero for the body of water that oc- curred there during Pleistocene time. The basin was later described in detail by Meinzer and Hare (1915) who demonstrated that its lake did not overflow into the Rio Grande. Plant and animal ecologists in particular have studied the response of organisms to life on the exposed white gypsum sands and adjacent black lava flows of the region, and the area attained world prominence in 1941 as the site of the explosion of the first atomic bomb. According to Kottlowski (1958), Lake Otero was a series of salinas that probably attained maximum extent during glacio-pluvial (Wis- consin) time as a contemporary of other pluvial lakes in the now arid American West (Feth 1961). The presence of a fish in some of the remnant springs and creeks of the Tularosa basin supports the view (Hubbs and Miller 1948) that there was a pre-Wisconsin hydro- graphic connection to the south with what is now the Rio Grande basin. Although various aspects of the biology of terrestrial vertebrates in the Tularosa basin have been treated (e.g., by Blair 1943, and refer- ences cited therein; Lewis 1949, 1950; and Dixon 1967), one of the

We present an overview of the optics and optical data gathering programs conducted at White Sands Missile Range. Activities at White Sands Missile Range have always been diverse - the first test conducted there was the world's first nuclear explosion. In the forty years since that event the range has hosted a large assortment of vehicles including V2, Nike, Aerobee, Space Shuttle, Cruise, and the Copperhead. The last three of these devices illustrate the difficulty of the White Sands optical data gathering task. One is acquired in orbit, one as it crosses through a mountain pass, and one as it issues from the muzzle of a cannon. A combination of optical, radar, video, computer, and communications technology has produced a versatile system that can satisfy the data gathering requirements of most range users. Another example of the diverse optics programs at the range is the development of the High Energy Laser Systems Test Facility (HELSTF). Because of the nature of the systems being tested, the HELSTF is full of optics and optical systems including the TRW MIRACL laser and the Hughes SEA LITE Beam Director.

Geohydrology of the High Energy Laser System Test Facility site, White Sands Missile Range, Tularosa Basin, south-central New Mexico

Results of the refractive index structure parameter (C<SUB>T</SUB><SUP>2</SUP>), C<SUB>n</SUB><SUP>2</SUP>, and the eddy dissipation rate, (epsilon) , derived from the velocity structure parameter, C<SUB>v</SUB><SUP>2</SUP>, are presented from high speed fluctuation measurements taken using a kite/tethered-blimp platform in the Tularosa Basin at White Sands Missile Range, NM during the spring of 1998. Comparisons of different sensor measuring the same parameter are displayed and discussed. Salient features of the sensors and the kite and blimp platforms are outlined. Long term measurements of high speed fluctuations of temperature and velocity are shown and intermittency of turbulence is discussed. The nature and statistics of turbulence inside, outside, and at the boundary of a turbulent layer are also shown and interpreted. Observations in the entrainment zone at the top of the planetary boundary layer are shown and similarities of characteristics found in the tropopause region with these boundary layer features is discussed. The diurnal variation of turbulence is presented with particular emphasis on the transition period from the end of daytime convection to development of the stable nocturnal boundary layer. Results are displayed as profiles and histograms of C<SUB>n</SUB><SUP>2</SUP> and (epsilon) for daytime, near sunset, and nighttime conditions.

Results of the (temperature) refractive index structure param- eter (CT ), Cn , and the eddy dissipation rate e derived from the velocity structure parameter Cv are presented from fast response sensor obser- vations using a kite/tethered-blimp platform in the Tularosa Basin at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, during the spring of 1998. Comparisons of different sensors (fine-wire probes and pitot tubes) mea- suring the same parameter are displayed and discussed while salient features of all sensors (standard and fast response) and the kite and tethered-blimp platforms are outlined. The nature and statistics of turbu- lence, including intermittency, under different stability conditions is dis- cussed, including those found in the residual layer above the nocturnal boundary layer and the entrainment zone at the top of the daytime plan- etary boundary layer. In addition to displaying time series of temperature C n and e results obtained at specific altitudes and times, histograms of all daytime and nighttime Cn and e values are compared to log-normal distributions. Examples of profiles ofC n and e for daytime, near sunset, and nighttime conditions are shown and discussed. The relationship of Cn with e is displayed for all data as well as sorted by daytime and nighttime. These results are explained in terms of potential and kinetic energy considerations under different atmospheric stability conditions. © 2000 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. (S0091-3286(00)03209-8) Subject terms: turbulence; refractive index structure parameter; atmospheric propagation; meteorology; velocity; temperature; sensors.

High-data-rate turbulent measurements were taken using a kiteketheredballoon platform in the Tularosa Basin at White Sands Missile Range, NM during the spring of 1998. The (temperature) refractive index structure parameter (ci ), cz, and the eddy dissipation rate, E, derived from the velocity structure parameter, C,‘, are presented from these measurements. Comparisons of different sensors (fine wire probes and pitot tubes) measuring the same parameter are displayed and discussed. Salient features of the sensors and the kite and tethered balloon platforms are outlined. C,Z values obtained by different methods (spectml and structure function) are shown and interpreted. Long term measurements of high speed fluctuation.s of temperature and velocity are shown and intermittency of turbulence is discussed. The nature and statistics of turbulence under different stability conditions is also shown and interpreted in terms of Kolmogorov or non-Kolmogorov turbulence. Observations in the entrainment zone at the top of the planetary boundary layer are presented and similarities of characteristics found in the tropopause region with these boundary layer features are discussed. Results are displayed as histograms of ci and E for daytime, near sunset, and nighttime conditions. The relationship of C,Z to E is shown for all data as well as sorted hy daytime and nighttime.

During the summer months at the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command’s (ATEC) White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), forecasting thunderstorm activity is one of the primary duties of the range forecasters. The safety of personnel working on the range and the protection of expensive test equipment depend critically on the quality of forecasts of thunderstorms and associated hazards, including cloud-to-ground lightning, hail, strong winds, heavy rainfall, flash flooding, and tornadoes. The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Auto-Nowcast (ANC) system is one of the key forecast tools in the ATEC Four-Dimensional Weather System (4DWX) at WSMR, where its purpose is to aid WSMR meteorologists in their mission of very short term thunderstorm forecasting. Besides monitoring the weather activity throughout the region and warning personnel of potentially hazardous thunderstorms, forecasters play a key role in assisting with the day-to-day planning of test operations on the range by providing guidance with regard to weather conditions favorable to testing. Moreover, based on climatological information about the local weather conditions, forecasters advise their range customers about scheduling tests at WSMR months in advance. This paper reviews the NCAR ANC system, provides examples of the ANC system’s use in thunderstorm forecasting, and describes climatological analyses of WSMR summertime thunderstorm activity relevant for long-range planning of tests. The climatological analysis illustrates that radar-detected convective cells with reflectivity of ≥35 dBZ at WSMR are 1) short lived, with 76% having lifetimes of less than 30 min; 2) small, with 67% occupying areas of less than 25 km2; 3) slow moving, with 79% exhibiting speeds of less than 4 m s−1; 4) moderately intense, with 80% showing reflectivities in excess of 40 dBZ; and 5) deep, with 80% of the storms reaching far enough above the freezing level to be capable of generating lightning.

The Athena is a four-stage missile launched from Green River, Utah toward White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, covering a ground range of 450 miles. It is designed to deliver a payload into White Sands with prescribed atmospheric reentry velocities and angles, so that re-entry phenomena may be studied, and radar performance against re-entry bodies may be evaluated.

: Three sites were considered as alternative locations for the Ground Based Free Electron Laser Technology Integration Experiment. All three sites are located completely within the existing boundaries of White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. The EIS contains a generic description of the facilities required for both a low and high power phase of testing and discusses those impacts associated with the experiment which would occur at each site. The EIS also identifies impacts to cultural resources, vegetation, wildlife and groundwater resources associated with the selection of any site. In comparing all these differing impacts between sites, it has been determined that selection of the Orogrande site would have the least environmental impact and is not anticipated to have any adverse impacts on the White Sands National Monument, any Federal or State environmentally sensitive areas or any Federally listed threatened or endangered species. In consideration of site specific environmental impacts, estimated construction schedules and costs, experimental and operating factors, and White Sands Missile Range program and schedule conflicts, the U.S. Army Strategic Defense Command has identified the Orogrande site as its preferred alternative.

Urban summer daytime temperatures often exceed those of the surrounding rural areas. Summer ``urban heat islands`` are caused by dark roofs and paved surfaces as well as the lack of vegetation. Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory are interested in studying the effects of increasing the albedo of roof tops and paved surfaces in order to reduce the impacts of summer urban heat islands. Increasing the albedo of urban surfaces may reduce this heat island effect in two ways, directly and indirectly. The direct effect involves reducing surface temperature and, therefore, heat conduction through the building envelope. This effect of surface albedo on surface temperatures is better understood and has been quantified in several studies. The indirect effect is the impact of high albedo surfaces on the near surface air temperatures. Although the indirect effect has been modeled for the Los Angeles basin by Sailor, direct field observations are required. The objective of this report is to investigate the meso-scale climate of a large high albedo area and identify the effects of albedo on the near surface air temperature. To accomplish this task, data from several surface weather stations at White Sands, New Mexico were analyzed. This report is organized into six sections in addition to this introduction. The first gives the general geological, topographic, and meteorological background of White Sands. The second is a discussion of the basic surface meteorology of the White Sands region. This section is followed by a general discussion of the instrumentation and available data. The fourth section is a description of the method used for data analyis. The fifth section which presents the results of this analysis. Finally, the last section is the summary and conclusion, where a discussion of the results is presented.

Two test wells, T27 and T28, were drilled at White Sands Missile Range in south-central New Mexico as part of a joint military training program sponsored by the U.S. Army in February and March 1983. Test wells 121 and T28 were drilled as observation wells in the vicinity of the Liquid Propellant Storage Area. Information obtained from these wells includes lithologic logs, driller's logs, and borehole-geophysical logs from the cased wells. INTRODUCTION Two test wells, T27 and T28 (fig. 1; table 1), were drilled at White Sands Missile Range in south-central New Mexico as part of a joint military training program sponsored by the U.S. Army in February and March 1983. The participants of the program were members of the U.S. Army (active) from White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, and Fort Knox, Kentucky, and U.S. Army (reserve) from Missoula, Montana, and Bismarck, North Dakota. The U.S. Geological Survey assisted White Sands Missile Range in site selection, borehole-geophysical logging, analysis of well cuttings, and compilation of the lithologic logs. The hydraulic-rotary drilling method was used to drill the test wells. This study was done in cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Army, White Sands Missile Range, Engineering and Housing Directorate. To date (December 1983), none of these wells have been developed. Therefore, there are no chemical analyses of water samples available. Depth to water below land surface in test well T27 was estimated from U.S. Geological Survey borehole-geophysical logs.

Projectile point technology: Understanding the relationship between tool design and hunting tactics

The objective of this project was to use expert system technology to aid in the scheduling activities performed at the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR). The WSMR range scheduling problem presents a complex interactive environment. A human factors approach was undertaken, in that, the goal was to implement a system which mimics current WSMR scheduling procedures. The results of this project have produced a prototypic scheduling tool, called Scheduler's Assistant (SA), to aid WSMR range schedulers to generate a daily schedule. The system provides resource conflict detection and resolution advice through a series of cooperating expert systems. Immediate advantages of the system are increased safety, insurance of proper schedule execution and improved speed for turnaround time of sudden schedule changes. Additional benefits of SA include: expandability as future operations grow, allows for rapid redeployment for changing resources, promotes efficient management of WSMR resources, provides a formal representation of knowledge such that years of range personnel experience is preserved and enables the flexibility of a scheduling aid as opposed to a rigid methodology. Prior development efforts by Perceptics have produced a sophisticated expert system development tool, called Knowledge Shaper, which was used to implement all of the expert systems. The development of SA included a library of routines (the SA toolbox) to permit the manipulation of internal data tables and define a data transfer protocol to and from the SA environment. The combination of Knowledge Shaper and the SA toolbox provide a powerful set of design tools for the development of future scheduling applications.

The White Sands National Monument is situated in Tularosa Basin (Fig. 1), an area of internal drainage bounded on the east and west by a series of fault ranges and by relatively high ground on the north and south. The chief deposit of the basin is valley fill. In addition to the White Sands, there are several other large areas of ecological importance. West of the White Sands and adjacent to that area is a large salt flat. At the south end of this flat is an intermittent salt lake, Lake Lucero. North of the White Sands and not quite contiguous with that area is the malpais, a recent lava deposition. South of the White Sands and separated from it by a distance of about 20 miles is a large area of reddish silica dunes. This dunes area surrounds the low Jarilla mountains and extends into the Hueco Basin to the south.