Viability of barley seeds after long-term exposure to outer side of international space station

Barley seeds were exposed to outer space for 13 months in a vented metal container without a climate control system to assess the risk of physiological and genetic mutation during long-term storage in space. The space-stored seeds (S0 generation), with an 82% germination rate in 50 seeds, lost about 20% of their weight after the exposure. The germinated seeds showed normal growth, heading, and ripening. The harvested seeds (S1 generation) also germinated and reproduced (S2 generation) as did the ground-stored seeds. The culm length, ear length, number of seed, grain weight, and fertility of the plants from the space-stored seeds were not significantly different from those of the ground-stored seeds in each of the S0 and S1 generation. Furthermore, the S1 and S2 space-stored seeds respectively showed similar β-glucan content to those of the ground-stored seeds. Amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis with 16 primer combinations showed no specific fragment that appears or disappears significantly in the DNA isolated from the barley grown from the space-stored seeds. Though these data are derived from nine S0 space-stored seeds in a single exposure experiment, the results demonstrate the preservation of barley seeds in outer space for 13 months without phenotypic or genotypic changes and with healthy and vigorous growth in space.     

The critical frequency in the Stellar pulsation theory

The standing oscillation in an isothermal semi-infinite plane-parallel atmosphere has a critical frequency. The significance of critical frequency in the stellar pulsation is discussed briefly. The critical period is calculated for the cepheid instability strip. A star having relatively large radius compared with the mass should be examined by the criterion. The pulsational instability is reduced by the linear running wave.     

On Embedding a Qualitative Representation in a Two-Dimensional Plane

Abstract

This paper discusses embedding in a two-dimensional plane a symbolic representation for spatial data using the simple objects, points (P), lines (L), circuits (C), and areas (A). We have proposed PLCA as a new framework for a qualitative spatial reasoning. In a PLCA expression, the entire figure is represented in a form in which all the objects are related. We investigate the conditions for two-dimensional realizability of a PLCA expression, and derive the relation that the numbers of objects in a PLCA expression should have. In this process, we use the well-known Euler's formula. We also give an algorithm for drawing the figure of the PLCA expression that satisfies this condition in a two-dimensional plane and prove its correctness. The algorithm generates a quantitative expression from qualitative expression.     

High precision composite pipes for SOLAR-B optical structures

The authors have been developing new high thermal conductivity and low moisture absorption composite pipes for high precision space optics applications on the Japanese Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) SOLAR-B satellite.Pitch based K13C (Mitsubishi Chemical) high modulus and high conductivity graphite fiber, and EX1515 (Bryte Technology) low moisture absorption cyanate resin, were applied to the pipes.Thermal expansion of the composite pipes was designed to be zero and more uniform in the longitudinal direction in order to obtain long term dimensional stability in the space environment.Model pipes whose length was 500 mm were fabricated and evaluated for thermal and hygroscopic deformation in a new testing apparatus. Equivalent coefficient of thermal expansion of the model pipes was essentially zero (less than 0.1 ppm/°C) and standard deviation of these coefficients was 0.05 ppm/°C. Hygroscopic deformation of the model pipes was under representative conditions 7 ppm over 3 month. The excellent thermal and hygroscopic stability were verified. In addition, thermal conductivity of the model pipes was more than 200 W/(m · K).