Tolerance of chufa (Cyperus esculentus L.) plants,representing the higher plant compartment in bioregenerative life support systems,to super-optimal air temperatures

Plants intended to be included in the photosynthesizing compartment of the bioregenerative life support system (BLSS) need to be studied in terms of both their production parameters under optimal conditions and their tolerance to stress factors that might be caused by emergency situations. The purpose of this study was to investigate tolerance of chufa (Cyperus esculentus L.) plants to the super-optimal air temperature of 45 ± 1 °C as dependent upon PAR (photosynthetically active radiation) intensity and the duration of the exposure to the stress factor. Chufa plants were grown hydroponically, on expanded clay, under artificial light. The nutrient solution was Knop’s mineral medium. Until the plants were 30 days old, they had been grown at 690 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ PAR and air temperature 25 °C. Thirty-day-old plants were exposed to the temperature 45 °C for 6 h, 20 h, and 44 h at PAR intensities 690 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ and 1150 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹. The exposure to the damaging air temperature for 44 h at 690 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ PAR caused irreversible damage to PSA, resulting in leaf mortality. In chufa plants exposed to heat shock treatment at 690 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ PAR for 6 h and 20 h, respiration exceeded photosynthesis, and CO₂ release in the light was recorded. Functional activity of photosynthetic apparatus, estimated from parameters of pulse-modulated chlorophyll fluorescence in Photosystem 2 (PS 2), decreased 40% to 50%. After the exposure to the stress factor was finished, functional activity of PSA recovered its initial values, and apparent photosynthesis (P_apparent) rate after a 20-h exposure to the stress factor was 2.6 times lower than before the elevation of the temperature. During the first hours of plant exposure to the temperature 45 °C at 1150 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ PAR, respiration rate was higher than photosynthesis rate, but after 3–4 h of the exposure, photosynthetic processes exceeded oxidative ones and CO₂ absorption in the light was recorded. At the end of the 6-h exposure, P_apparent rate was close to that recorded prior to the exposure, and no significant changes were observed in the functional activity of PSA. At the end of the 20-h exposure, P_apparent rate was close to its initial value, but certain parameters of the functional activity of PSA decreased 25% vs. their initial values. During the repair period, the parameters of external gas exchange recovered their initial values, and parameters of pulse-modulated chlorophyll fluorescence were 20–30% higher than their initial values. Thus, exposure of chufa plants to the damaging temperature of the air for 20 h did not cause any irreversible damage to the photosynthetic apparatus of plants at either 690 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ or 1150 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ PAR, and higher PAR intensity during the heat shock treatment enhanced heat tolerance of the plants.     

Collisional excitation of vinylidene (H2CC)

Though H₂CO, H₂CS, H₂CCC, H₂CCCC, H₂CCO have been identified in cool interstellar molecular clouds, identification of H₂CC is still awaited. To analyze its spectrum, collisional rate coefficients are required. We have calculated collisional rate coefficients for rotational transitions between 23 levels of ortho and para H₂CC for kinetic temperatures 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 K. The scattering problem is analyzed using the computer code MOLSCAT where the colliding partner is He atom. The interaction between H₂CC and He has been calculated with GAUSSIAN 2003. For the interaction potential obtained with GAUSSIAN 2003, MOLSCAT is used to derive the parameters q(L,M,M^′|E)$q(L\text{,}M\text{,}{M}^{\prime }|E)$ as a function of energy E   of the colliding partner. After averaging the parameters q(L,M,M^′|E)$q(L\text{,}M\text{,}{M}^{\prime }|E)$ over a Maxwellian distribution, the parameters Q(L,M,M^′|T)$Q(L\text{,}M\text{,}{M}^{\prime }|T)$ as a function of the kinetic temperature T in the cloud are obtained. Finally, the collisional rate coefficients have been calculated.     

Meteoroid bombardment as a source of the lunar exosphere

The column densities of impact-produced metal atoms in the exosphere during the peaks of activity of the main meteor showers – Geminids, Quadrantids and Perseids – and during quiet periods are estimated. The Na supply rate is estimated to be 2 × 10⁴, 3 × 10³, 10⁴, and 2 × 10⁴ atoms cm⁻² s⁻¹ for sporadic meteoroids, Perseid, Geminid, and Quadrantid meteor showers, respectively. A low upper limit on Ca in the lunar exosphere is explained by the condensation of Ca into dust grains during expansion of the cooling impact-produced vapor cloud. The chemical composition of gas-phase species released to the lunar exosphere during meteoroid impacts has been estimated. Most impact-produced molecules that contain metals are destroyed by solar photons while on ballistic trajectories. Energies of Na, K, Ca, and Mg atoms produced via photolysis of the respective monoxides are estimated to be 0.4, 0.35, 0.6, and 0.45 eV, respectively. The relative content of impact-produced Na and K atoms is maximal at altitudes of about 1000–2000 km and during the main meteor showers, lunar eclipses, and passages of the Moon through the Earth’s magnetosphere.     

Characteristics and performance of thin LaBr3(Ce) crystal for hard X-ray astronomy

We have developed a new detector using thin lanthanum bromide crystal (32 × 3 mm) for use in X-ray astronomy. The instrument was launched in high altitude balloon flight on two different occasions, December 21, 2007, which reached a ceiling altitude of 4.3 mbs and April 25, 2008 reaching a ceiling altitude 2.8 mbs. The observed background counting rate at the ceiling altitude of 4 mbs was ∼4 × 10⁻³ ct cm⁻² s⁻¹ keV⁻¹ sr⁻¹. This paper describes the details of the experiment, the detector characteristics, and the background behaviour at the ceiling altitude.     

On the effects of each term of the geopotential perturbation along the time I: Quasi-circular orbits

This paper provides a useful new method to determine minimum and maximum range of values for the degree and order of the geopotential coefficients required for simulations of orbits of satellites around the Earth. The method consists in a time integration of the perturbing acceleration coming from each harmonic of the geopotential during a time interval T. More precisely, this integral represents the total velocity contribution of a specific harmonic during the period T  . Therefore, for a pre-fixed minimum contribution, for instance 1×10^-8$1\times {10}^{-8}$ m/s during the period of time T, any harmonic whose contribution is below this value can, safely, be neglected. This fact includes some constraints in the degree and order of the terms which are present in the geopotential formula, saving computational efforts compared to the integration of the full model. The advantage of this method is the consideration of other perturbations in the dynamics (we consider the perturbations of the Sun, the Moon, and the direct solar radiation pressure with eclipses), since these forces affect the value of the perturbation of the geopotential, because these perturbations depend on the trajectory of the spacecraft, that is dependent on the dynamical model used. In this paper, we work with quasi-circular orbits and we present several simulations showing the bounds for the maximum degree and order (M) that should be used in the geopotential for different situations, e. g., for a satellite near 500 km of altitude (like the GRACE satellites at the beginning of their mission) we found 35?M?198$35?M?198$ for T=1$T=1$ day. We analyzed the individual contribution of the second order harmonic (_J2$J_2$) and we use its behavior as a parameter to determine the lower limit of the number of terms of the geopotential model. In order to test the accuracy of our truncated model, we calculate the mean squared error between this truncated model and the “full” model, using the CBERS (China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite) satellite in this test.     

Short-term forecasting regional model to predict M(3000)F2 over the European sector: Comparisons with the IRI model during moderate,disturbed, and very disturbed geomagnetic conditions

The hourly measurements of M(3000)F2 (M(3000)F2_meas) and the hourly quiet-time values of M(3000)F2 (M(3000)F2_QT) relative to the ionospheric observatories of Poitiers, Lannion, Dourbes, Slough, Rome, Juliusruh, Kaliningrad, Uppsala, Lyckesele, Sodankyla, and Kiruna as well as the hourly time-weighted accumulation series derived from the geomagnetic planetary index ap (ap(τ)), were considered during the period January 1957–December 2003 and used for the development of 11 short-term forecasting local models (STFLM) of M(3000)F2.     

Properties of traveling atmospheric disturbances (TADs) inferred from CHAMP accelerometer observations

Densities derived from accelerometer measurements on the CHAMP satellite near 400 km are used to statistically establish characteristics of large-scale (>1000 km) traveling atmospheric disturbances (TADs). Only TADs that at least propagate from the auroral zone to the equator are analyzed here, and a total of 21 identifiable events are found over the years 2001–2007. The average speed of all TADs, regardless of local time, is 646 ± 122 ms⁻¹. The average speeds on the dayside and nightside are 595 ± 127 ms⁻¹ and 685 ± 106 ms⁻¹, respectively, i.e., the speed appears to be 10% higher on average on the nightside. On six occasions TADs were only detected on the night side; however, TADs on the dayside often appear more distinctly in the data. Moreover, contrary to some theoretical expectations, dayside TADs do not dissipate more readily than night side TADs, although much less are detected between 8–20 solar local time. No clear dependence of TAD amplitude or phase speed with respect to Kp, or rate of increase of Kp, is found.     

Intermediate-term periodicities in relativistic solar electron fluences during solar cycles 22 and 23

In this paper, we have investigated the intermediate-term periodicities of the relativistic (E > 10 MeV) solar electron flares measured by IMP-8 satellite of NASA for the time period of 1986–2001. This period of investigation includes the entire solar cycle 22; ascending, maximum and a part of descending phase of the current solar cycle 23. To determine accurately the occurrence rate of electron flux, we have employed three different spectral decomposition techniques, viz. fast Fourier transformation (FFT); maximum entropy method (MEM) and Lomb–Scargle periodogram analysis method. For solar cycle 22, in the low frequency range, power spectrum analysis exhibits statistically significant periodicities at ∼706, ∼504 and ∼392 days. In the intermediate frequency range, we have found a series of significant periodicities ∼294, ∼221, ∼153, ∼86, ∼73 and ∼66 days. For short term, periodicities of ∼21–23, ∼31 and ∼37 days were found in power spectrum. When solar cycle 23 is considered the significant periodicities are ∼20, ∼23, ∼29, ∼39, ∼54, ∼63, ∼118, ∼133 and ∼154 days. These results provide evidence that the best known Rieger period (∼153 days), appeared in the high energetic electron flux data for cycle 22 and also likely during maxima of cycle 23. The existence of these periodicities has been discussed in the light of earlier results.     

Nighttime thermospheric meridional neutral winds inferred from ionospheric h′F and hpF2 data

Nighttime thermospheric meridional winds aligned to the magnetic meridian have been inferred using h′F and hpF2 ionosonde data taken from two equatorial stations, Manaus (2.9°S, 60.0°W, dip latitude 6.0°N) and Palmas (10.17°S, 48.2°W, dip latitude 6.2°S), and one low-latitude station, Sao Jose dos Campos (23.21°S, 45.86°W, dip latitude 17.26°S), during geomagnetic quiet days of August and September, 2002. Using an extension of the ionospheric servo model and a simple formulation of the diffusive vertical drift velocity, the magnetic meridional component of the thermospheric neutral winds is inferred, respectively, at the peak (hpF2) and at the base (h′F) heights of the F region over Sao Jose dos Campos. An approach has been included in the models to derive the effects of the electrodynamic drift over Sao Jose dos Campos from the time derivative of hpF2 and h′F observed at the equatorial stations. The magnetic meridional winds inferred from the two methods, for the months of August and September, are compared with winds calculated using the HWM-90 model and with measurements from Fabry–Perot technique. The results show varying agreements and disagreements. Meridional winds calculated from hpF2 ionospheric data (servo model) may produce errors of about 59 m/s, whereas the method calculated from the F-region base height (h′F) ionospheric data gives errors of about 69 m/s during the occurrence of equatorial spread-F.     

A different method to update monthly median hmF2 values

The height, h_mF2, and the electron density, N_mF2, of the F2 peak are key model parameters to characterize the actual state of the ionosphere. These parameters, or alternatively the propagation factor, M3000F2, and the critical frequency, f_oF2, of the F2 peak, which are related to h_mF2 and N_mF2, are used to anchor the electron density vertical profile computed with different models such as the International Reference Ionosphere ( Bilitza, 2002), as well as for radio propagation forecast purposes. Long time series of these parameters only exist in an inhomogeneous distribution of points over the surface of Earth, where dedicated instruments (typically ionosondes) have been working for many years. A commonly used procedure for representing median values of the aforementioned parameters all over the globe is the one recommended by the ITU-R ( ITU-R, 1997). This procedure, known as the Jones and Gallet mapping technique, was based on ionosondes measurements gathered from 1954 to 1958 by a global network of around 150 ionospheric stations (  and ). Even though several decades have passed since the development of that innovative work, only few efforts have been dedicated to establish a new mapping technique for computing h_mF2 and N_mF2 median values at global scale or to improve the old method using the increased observational database. Therefore, in this work three different procedures to describe the daily and global behavior of the height of the F2 peak are presented. All of them represent a different and simplified method to estimate h_mF2 and are based on different mathematical expressions. The advantages and disadvantages of these three techniques are analyzed, leading to the conclusion that the recommended procedure to represent h_mF2 is best characterized by a Spherical Harmonics expansion of degree and order equal to 15, since the differences between the h_mF2 values obtained with the Jones and Gallet technique and those obtained using the abovementioned procedure are of only 1%.     

Propagation and origin of ultra high-energy cosmic rays

Propagation of UHE protons through CMB radiation leaves the imprint on energy spectrum in the form of Greisen–Zatsepin–Kuzmin (GZK) cutoff, bump (pile-up protons) and dip. The dip is a feature in energy range 1 × 10¹⁸–4 × 10¹⁹ eV, caused by electron–positron pair production on CMB photons. Calculated for power-law generation spectrum with index γ_g = 2.7, the shape of the dip is confirmed with high accuracy by data of Akeno-AGASA, HiRes, Yakutsk and Fly’s Eye detectors. The predicted shape of the dip is robust: it is valid for the rectilinear and diffusive propagation, for different discreteness in the source distribution, for local source overdensity, deficit, etc. This property of the dip allows us to use it for energy calibration of the detectors. The energy shift λ for each detector is determined by minimum χ² in comparison of observed and calculated dip. After this energy calibration the absolute fluxes, measured by AGASA, HiRes and Yakutsk detectors remarkably coincide in energy region 1 × 10¹⁸–1 × 10²⁰ eV. Below the characteristic energy E_c ≈ 1 × 10¹⁸ eV the spectrum of the dip flattens for both diffusive and rectilinear propagation, and more steep galactic spectrum becomes dominant at E < E_c. The energy of transition E_tr < E_c approximately coincides with the position of the second knee E_2kn, observed in the cosmic ray spectrum. The dip-induced transition from galactic to extragalactic cosmic rays at the second knee is compared with traditional model of transition at ankle, the feature observed at energy 1 × 10¹⁹ eV.     

Probing the method of correcting Faraday rotation in vector magnetograms

By analyzing the vector magnetograms of Huairou Solar Observing Station (HSOS) taken at the line center (0.0 Å) and the line wing (−0.12 Å) of FeI λ5324.19 Å, we make an estimate of the measured errors in transversal azimuths (δ?) caused by Faraday rotation. Since many factors, such as the magnetic saturation and scattered light, can affect the measurement accuracy of the longitudinal magnetic field in the umbrae of sunspots, we limit our study in the region ∣B_z∣ < 800 G. The main mean azimuth rotations are about 4°, 6°, 7° and 9°, while ∣B_z∣ are in the ranges of 400–500 G, 500–600 G, 600–700 G and 700–800 G, respectively. Moreover, we find there is also an azimuth rotation of about 8° at the wavelength offset −0.12 Å of the line compared against a previous numerical simulation.     

Kalman filtering for GPS/magnetometer integrated navigation system

This paper investigated the data processing method for a GPS/IMU/magnetometer integrated system with Kalman filtering (KF). As a result of GPS/IMU/magnetometer land vehicle system, dead-reckoning of magnetometer and accelerometer integrated subsystem bridged very well the GPS signal outage due to the trees on the two sides of the road. Both differential GPS data processing method and the carrier-phase method with magnetometers’ outputs for predicting the car position, velocity, and acceleration (PVA) are presented. The results from DGPS with Kinematical Positioning (KINPOS) software shown that the averages of the north, east, and down direction standard deviation (short for “std”) are 0.014, 0.010, and 0.018 m, respectively. The std of velocities and accelerations derived by the position and velocity differentiation are 10, 7, 13 mm/s, 7, 5, 9 mm/s², respectively. This method for getting velocities and accelerations requires higher accurate position coordinates. But the position accuracy has frequently been degraded in this case when the car drove under the trees or other similar kinematical environments. That caused the larger velocity and acceleration errors. While the results from the carrier-phase method are std of the velocities = 2.1 mm/s, 1.3 mm/s, 3.7 mm/s in north, east, down, and std of the accelerations = 1.5 mm/s², 0.9 mm/s², 2.3 mm/s² for the static test period; as compared with KINPOS software results, std of the velocity difference between the carrier-phase method and the DGPS method = 7 mm/s, 6.9 mm/s, 9.7 mm/s in north, east, down direction, and std of acceleration difference = 5.0 mm/s², 4.5 mm/s², 7.5 mm/s² in north, east, down direction for the kinematical test period. Obviously, errors come from both the carrier-phase method and DGPS velocity and acceleration results derived directly by the position differentiation. In addition, better accuracy of positions than that before KF has been got by means of velocities and accelerations derived by the carrier-phase method after KF.     

The water cycle in closed ecological systems: Perspectives from the Biosphere 2 and Laboratory Biosphere systems

To achieve sustainable, healthy closed ecological systems requires solutions to challenges of closing the water cycle – recycling wastewater/irrigation water/soil medium leachate and evaporated water and supplying water of required quality as needed for different needs within the facility. Engineering Biosphere 2, the first multi-biome closed ecological system within a total airtight footprint of 12,700 m² with a combined volume of 200,000 m³ with a total water capacity of some 6 × 10⁶ L of water was especially challenging because it included human inhabitants, their agricultural and technical systems, as well as five analogue ecosystems ranging from rainforest to desert, freshwater ecologies to saltwater systems like mangrove and mini-ocean coral reef ecosystems. By contrast, the Laboratory Biosphere – a small (40 m³ volume) soil-based plant growth facility with a footprint of 15 m² – is a very simplified system, but with similar challenges re salinity management and provision of water quality suitable for plant growth. In Biosphere 2, water needs included supplying potable water for people and domestic animals, irrigation water for a wide variety of food crops, and recycling and recovering soil nutrients from wastewater. In the wilderness biomes, providing adequately low salinity freshwater terrestrial ecosystems and maintaining appropriate salinity and pH in aquatic/marine ecosystems were challenges. The largest reservoirs in Biosphere 2 were the ocean/marsh with some 4 × 10⁶ L, soil with 1 to 2 × 10⁶ l, primary storage tank with 0 to 8 × 10⁵ L and storage tanks for condensate and soil leachate collection and mixing tanks with a capacity of 1.6 × 10⁵ L to supply irrigation for farm and wilderness ecosystems. Other reservoirs were far smaller – humidity in the atmosphere (2 × 10³ L), streams in the rainforest and savannah, and seasonal pools in the desert were orders of magnitude smaller (8 × 10⁴ L). Key technologies included condensation from humidity in the air handlers and from the glass space frame to produce high quality freshwater, wastewater treatment with constructed wetlands and desalination through reverse osmosis and flash evaporation were key to recycling water with appropriate quality throughout the Biosphere 2 facility. Wastewater from all human uses and the domestic animals in Biosphere 2 was treated and recycled through a series of constructed wetlands, which had hydraulic loading of 0.9–1.1 m³ day⁻¹ (240–290 gal d⁻¹). Plant production in the wetland treatment system produced 1210 kg dry weight of emergent and floating aquatic plant wetland which was used as fodder for the domestic animals while remaining nutrients/water was reused as part of the agricultural irrigation supply. There were pools of water with recycling times of days to weeks and others with far longer cycling times within Biosphere 2. By contrast, the Laboratory Biosphere with a total water reservoir of less than 500 L has far quicker cycling rapidity: for example, atmospheric residence time for water vapor was 5–20 min in the Laboratory Biosphere vs. 1–4 h in Biosphere 2, as compared with 9 days in the Earth’s biosphere. Just as in Biosphere 2, humidity in the Laboratory Biosphere amounts to a very small reservoir of water. The amount of water passing through the air in the course of a 12-h operational day is two orders of magnitude greater than the amount stored in the air. Thus, evaporation and condensation collection are vital parts of the recycle system just as in Biosphere 2. The water cycle and sustainable water recycling in closed ecological systems presents problems requiring further research – such as how to control buildup of salinity in materially closed ecosystems and effective ways to retain nutrients in optimal quantity and useable form for plant growth. These issues are common to all closed ecological systems of whatever size, including planet Earth’s biosphere and are relevant to a global environment facing increasing water shortages while maintaining water quality for human and ecosystem health. Modular biospheres offer a test bed where technical methods of resolving these problems can be tested for feasibility.     

Spectral characteristics of electron fluxes at L < 2 under the Radiation Belts

The paper presents the analysis of experimental data on electron fluxes with energies 10 keV–10 MeV. Data were obtained during 1978–2005 years in different space experiments (COSMOS-900, MIR Space Station, ACTIVE, SAMPEX, CORONAS-I, CORONAS-F, NOAA POES-17, TATYANA and others). Two areas of electron flux enhancements are studied in the paper: the near-equatorial (L < 1.2) zone and the middle-latitude (1.2 < L < 1.9) zone. It is shown that electron flux enhancements are regularly registered at L < 2 and the observed formations have some typical features. Electron peaks at L < 1.2 appear sporadically while peaks at 1.2 < L < 1.9 are observed regularly. The approximations of spectra by several functions including kappa-function are presented.     

Titanium estimates of the central peaks of lunar craters: Implications for sub-surface lithology of moon

Central peaks of 24 lunar craters, having mafic rocks, were studied to estimate their average titanium content and infer the nature of the subsurface lithologies. Titanium contents were derived from Clementine UV–Vis data (415, 750 nm) following the approach of Lucey et al. [Lucey, P.G., Blewett, D.T. and Jolliff, B.L., Lunar iron and titanium abundance algorithms based on final processing of Clementine ultraviolet–visible images, J. Geophys. Res.106 (E8), 20297–20,305, 2000]. _TiO2${\mathrm{TiO}}_2$ content exceeding 1 wt% suggests presence of mantle derived mafic sub-surface rock types (plutonic/volcanic) within the central peaks. Even though, the algorithm used for deriving titanium content is susceptible to variation in topography and sun angle, especially at higher latitudes, careful selection and analyses of data for regions within the central peaks revealed compositional heterogeneities. The results indicate a preponderance of mafic lithologies with low _TiO2${\mathrm{TiO}}_2$ content (<1 wt%) in the central peaks of lunar craters populating the equatorial region. Average titanium content of central peaks can serve as a useful tracer for distinguishing mantle derived mafic subsurface lithologies from those formed during global magma ocean episode.     

Nonlinear electromagnetic perturbations in a degenerate electron–positron plasma

Nonlinear propagation of fast and slow magnetosonic perturbation modes in an ultra-cold, degenerate (extremely dense) electron–positron (EP) plasma (containing non-relativistic, ultra-cold, degenerate electron and positron fluids) has been investigated by the reductive perturbation method. It is shown that due to the property of being equal mass of the plasma species (_me=_mp$m_e=m_p$, where _me$m_e$ and _mp$m_p$ are electron and positron mass, respectively), the degenerate EP plasma system supports the K-dV solitons which are associated with either fast or slow magnetosonic perturbation modes. It is also found that the basic features of the electromagnetic solitary structures, which are found to exist in such a degenerate EP plasma, are significantly modified by the effects of degenerate electron and positron pressures. The applications of the results in an EP plasma medium, which occurs in compact astrophysical objects, particularly in white dwarfs, have been briefly discussed.     

Pressure,O2, and CO2, in aquatic Closed Ecological Systems

Pressure increased during net photosynthetic O₂ production in the light and decreased during respiratory O₂ uptake during the dark in aquatic Closed Ecological Systems (CESs) with small head gas volumes. Because most CO₂ will be in the liquid phase as bicarbonate and carbonate anions, and CO₂ is more soluble than O₂, volumes of gaseous CO₂ and gaseous O₂ will not change in a compensatory manner, leading to the development of pressure. Pressure increases were greatest with nutrient rich medium with NaHCO₃ as the carbon source. With more dilute media, pressure was greatest with NaHCO₃, and less with cellulose or no-added carbon. Without adequate turbulence, pressure measurements lagged dissolved O₂ concentrations by several hours and dark respiration would have been especially underestimated in our systems (250–1000 ml). With adequate turbulence (rotary shaker), pressure measurements and dissolved O₂ concentrations generally agreed during lights on/off cycles, but O₂ measurements provided more detail. At 20 °C, 29.9 times as much O₂ will distribute into the gas phase as in the liquid, per unit volume, as a result of the limited solubility of O₂ in water and according to Henry’s Law. Thus even a small head gas volume can contain more O₂ than a larger volume of water. When both dissolved and gaseous O₂ and CO₂ are summed, the changes in Total O₂ and CO₂ are in relatively close agreement when NaHCO₃ is the carbon source. These findings disprove an assumption made in some of Taub’s earlier research that aquatic CESs would remain at approximately atmospheric pressure because approximately equal molar quantities of O₂ and CO₂ would exchange during photosynthesis and respiration; this assumption neglected the distribution of O₂ between water and gas phases. High pressures can occur when NaHCO₃ is the carbon source in nutrient rich media and if head-gas volumes are small relative to the liquid volume; e.g., one “worse case” condition developed 800 mm Hg above atmospheric pressure and broke the glass container. Plastic screw cap closures are likely to leak at high pressures and should not be assumed to seal unless tested at appropriate pressures. Pressure can be reduced by having larger head-gas volumes and using less concentrated nutrient solutions. It is important that pressure changes be considered for both safety and closure, and if total O₂ is used as the measure of net photosynthesis and respiration, the O₂ in the gas phase must be added to the dissolved O₂.