Radial velocity search for low mass companions of nearby stars

The detection of substellar companions of nearby stars is very difficult, because these objects are very faint and are located close to their bright parent stars. One way to attack this problem is to look for small periodic motion of the bright star, induced by the gravitational attraction exerted by the unseen small companion. Over the past decade stellar spectroscopy has been used by a few teams to monitor the radial velocities of several samples of stars, with a threshold for detection of companions well below the substellar limit of about 0.08 M. So far, only a few possible spectroscopic binaries have been identified where the unseen companions might be substellar.Recently, radio observers discovered that the millisecond pulsar PSR B1257+12 displays periodic variations in the pulse arrival times, indicating the existence of at least three unseen companions in circular orbits around the pulsar. This is the first convincing case for an extra-solar planetary system. This discovery suggests that planetary systems can form in very different situations, and therefore may prove to be common.     

Monitoring the changing aereal extent of irrigated lands of the gefara plain,libya

The inventory of large often non-homogeneous tracts of land by resource agencies has led to the development of estimation methods and sampling strategies that produce estimates of the aereal extent of various features from ‘limited’ observations of the universe of interest. Landsat data has furnished a tool that allows for potential improvement in estimates of resource parameters over extensive areas. This paper examines the methodology and results of a procedure which uses an economical sampling procedure allied with the large area covering qualities of the satellite imaging system to make improved estimates of irrigated land in a more timely, efficient and ‘accurate’ manner.     

SETI target selection

The NASA High Resolution Microwave Survey consists of two complementary elements: a Sky Survey of the entire sky to a moderate level of sensitivity; and a Targeted Search of nearby stars, one at a time, to a much deeper level of sensitivity. In this paper we propose strategies for target selection. We have two goals: to improve the chances of successful detection of signals from technical civilizations that inhabit planets around solar-type stars, and to minimize the chances of missing signals from unexpected sites. For the main Targeted Search survey of approximately 1000 nearby solar-type stars, we argue that the selection criteria should be heavily biased by what we know about the origin and evolution of life here on Earth. We propose that observations of stars with stellar companions orbiting near the habitable zone should be de-emphasized, because such companions would prevent the formation of habitable planets. We also propose that observations of stars younger than about three billion years should be de-emphasized in favor of older stars, because our own technical civilization took longer than three billion years to evolve here on Earth. To provide the information needed for the preparation of specific target lists, we have undertaken an inventory of a large sample of solar-type stars out to a distance of 60 pc, with the goal of characterizing the relevant astrophysical properties of these stars, especially their ages and companionship. To complement the main survey, we propose that a modest sample of the nearest stars should be observed without any selection biases whatsoever. Finally, we argue that efforts to identify stars with planetary systems should be expanded. If found, such systems should receive intensive scrutiny.     

Central hemodynamics in a baboon model during microgravity induced by parabolic flight.

We developed a chronically instrumented nonhuman primate model (baboon) to evaluate the central cardiovascular responses to transient microgravity induced by parabolic flight. Instrumentation provided simultaneous recording of high fidelity (Ao) and pulmonary artery (PA) pressures, right and left ventricular and atrial pressures, Ao and PA blood flow velocities and vessel dimensions, ECG and pleural pressures. Four daily flights in 1991 and five in 1992 were flown with forty parabola per flight. Animals flown in 1991 were not controlled for volume status. Animals flown in 1992 were studied in one of three conditions: 1) volume depleted by furosemide (DH), 2) volume expanded by saline infusion (VE), and 3) euvolemic (EU, no intervention, used for echo only). Mean right atrial pressures (RAP) during 1991 flights had a variable early microgravity response: increases in n=3 and decrease in n=3 (supine) and increases in n=5, decreases in n=2 (upright). In 1992 flights, DH, upright and supine, changed -10 +/- 4.1 mmHg, -3.2 +/- 2.2 mmHg, respectively (p < .05) compared to the pull-up phase. In contrast, VE changed (from pull-up to microgravity) +13 +/- 1.5 mmHg and +4.25 +/- 2.9 mmHg (upright and supine, respectively, p < .05). EU increased with microgravity +6.9 +/- .9 mmHg (upright only). LAP responses were similar, but more variable. Finally, heart chamber areas paralleled pressure changes. Thus, right and left heart filling pressure changes with sudden entry into microgravity conditions were dependent on initial circulatory volume status and somewhat modified by position (supine vs upright).     

Effects of 12 days exposure to simulated microgravity on central circulatory hemodynamics in the rhesus monkey

Central circulatory hemodynamic responses were measured before and during the initial 9 days of a 12-day 10 degrees head-down tilt (HDT) in 4 flight-sized juvenile rhesus monkeys who were surgically instrumented with a variety of intrathoracic catheters and blood flow sensors to assess the effects of simulated microgravity on central circulatory hemodynamics. Each subject underwent measurements of aortic and left ventricular pressures, and aortic flow before and during HDT as well as during a passive head-up postural test before and after HDT. Heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure were measured, and dP/dt and left ventricular elastance was calculated from hemodynamic measurements. The postural test consisted of 5 min of supine baseline control followed by 5 minutes of 90 degrees upright tilt (HUT). Heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure showed no consistent alterations during HDT. Left ventricular elastance was reduced in all animals throughout HDT, indicating that cardiac compliance was increased. HDT did not consistently alter left ventricular +dP/dt, indicating no change in cardiac contractility. Heart rate during the post-HDT HUT postural test was elevated compared to pre-HDT while post-HDT cardiac output was decreased by 52% as a result of a 54% reduction in stroke volume throughout HUT. Results from this study using an instrumented rhesus monkey suggest that exposure to microgravity may increase ventricular compliance without alternating cardiac contractility. Our project supported the notion that an invasively-instrumented animal model should be viable for use in spaceflight cardiovascular experiments to assess potential changes in myocardial function and cardiac compliance.