Hydrogeologic controls on episodic H2 release from precambrian fractured rocks--energy for deep subsurface life on earth and mars

Dissolved H(2) concentrations up to the mM range and H(2) levels up to 9-58% by volume in the free gas phase are reported for groundwaters at sites in the Precambrian shields of Canada and Finland. Along with previously reported dissolved H(2) concentrations up to 7.4 mM for groundwaters from the Witwatersrand Basin, South Africa, these findings indicate that deep Precambrian Shield fracture waters contain some of the highest levels of dissolved H(2) ever reported and represent a potentially important energy-rich environment for subsurface microbial life. The delta (2)H isotope signatures of H(2) gas from Canada, Finland, and South Africa are consistent with a range of H(2)-producing water-rock reactions, depending on the geologic setting, which include both serpentinization and radiolysis. In Canada and Finland, several of the sites are in Archean greenstone belts characterized by ultramafic rocks that have under-gone serpentinization and may be ancient analogues for serpentinite-hosted gases recently reported at the Lost City Hydrothermal Field and other hydrothermal seafloor deposits. The hydrogeologically isolated nature of these fracture-controlled groundwater systems provides a mechanism whereby the products of water-rock interaction accumulate over geologic timescales, which produces correlations between high H(2) levels, abiogenic hydrocarbon signatures, and the high salinities and highly altered delta (18)O and delta (2)H values of these groundwaters. A conceptual model is presented that demonstrates how periodic opening of fractures and resultant mixing control the distribution and supply of H(2) and support a microbial community of H(2)-utilizing sulfate reducers and methanogens.     

Finding extraterrestrial organisms living on thermosynthesis

During thermal cycling, organisms could live on thermosynthesis, a theoretical mechanism applicable to the origin of life and the early evolution of biological energy conversion. All extraterrestrial ice may be a repository for frozen dead or dormant organisms from earlier stages of evolution. In the presence of a thermal gradient within the ice, organisms might still be harvesting energy from thermosynthesis. Possible habitats for thermosynthesizers can be found throughout the Solar System, particularly in the cold traps on Mercury and the Moon, convecting waters on Mars, the oceans on moons in the outer Solar System, and smaller bodies rotating in the sunlight such as cosmic dust, meteorites, asteroids, and comets. A general strategy for detecting thermosynthetic organisms on Earth is offered, and highlights of current and upcoming robotic exploratory missions relevant to the detection of thermosynthesis are reviewed.     

NASA宣布在月球和火星上发现水

NASA于9月24日宣布其科学家已在月球极区发现了水分子,并宣布在火星中纬度地区新形成的陨石坑内发现了水冰。这两项发现发表在次日出版的《科学》杂志上。     

基于广义后缀树的最长重复子模式算法

最长重复子串问题是字符串处理中的一个经典问题,是许多应用的基础。但有些时候人们不只关心相等的子串对,还要查找具有某种其他关系的子串对。例如在DNA序列中通常关心字符串和它的补串。这种联系可以看成是一个字符串经过某种置换后与另一个字符串相等。因此本文定义了单一置换下的最长重复子模式和最长重复子模式两个问题,提出了基于广义后缀树的算法来解决这两个问题,并在理论上分析了它们的时间复杂性和空间复杂性。     

微分学基本定理在极限计算中的应用

本文讨论了微分学的基本定理在极限求解过程中的三种应用,总结了一些简化极限运算的方法。     

Role of sample return and sample science in low cost missions

Sample return is an essential component of solar system exploration. Samples provide a unique data set that is critical for understanding formation and evolution of our solar system. This uniqueness is based on the scale of observations, precision of measurements, the ability to modify experiments as logic and technology dictate, and the ability to use instruments free of the constraints on mass, power, reliability, and data rate of flight instruments. Advances in analytical capabilities in recent years enable fundamental measurements to be made on extremely small samples, greatly reducing mass constraints on robotic sample return spacecraft. Sample studies provide irreplaceable ground truth for remotely-sensed data on planetary surfaces and fit within a variety of architectures for human exploration of the solar system.     

旋转助推钻地弹侵彻混凝土靶试验研究

通过改变头部形状,利用旋转火箭发动机末端加速旋转来探索新型的旋转助推钻地弹.建立了旋转助推钻地弹作用混凝土试验平台,进行了试验研究,得到了作用过程中侵彻速度与弹丸转速和火箭发动机推力之间的经验关系式.结果表明,旋转火箭发动机在助推钻地弹上应用原理上可行;在喷喉倾角不变的前提下,侵彻速度随着火箭发动机推力和旋转速度增加而...     

Bistatic radar as a tool for earth investigation using small satellites

Bistatic radar is a facility for the Earth remote sensing, which uses large spatial diversity between its transmitter and receiver. Nomogram method is proposed to determine the radar's parameters. Analysis of the nomograms has shown that modern onboard radio facilities allow to obtain spatial resolution of about 100 m at the wavelength λ = 3 cm for LEO satellite (H = 350 km). Experiments of bistatic radiolocation of the Earth near the radioshadow zone were provided using telecommunication link “MIR” orbital station — GEO satellite at wavelength λ = 32 cm. For the first time in practice of bistatic radiolocation of the Earth from space reflected signal in radioshadow zone was observed.The analysis of experimental results verified the developed radiophysical model with the value of sea water conductivity σ = 7.0 mo/m and absorption coefficient due to atmospheric oxygen χ = 0.0096±0.0024 dB/km.     

Multiple-task performance on a computer-simulated life support system during a space mission simulation

This paper presents an experiment which examined the effects of isolation and confinement during a simulation of a short-term space mission. During the 7-day spaceflight simulation, four Canadian astronauts were tested daily on a 30-min performance task. The task, CAMS (Cabin Air Management System), represents a computer-based simulation of a generic life support system. As a multiple-task environment, it allows the measurement of a wide range of task management variables such as primary and secondary task performance, and system control activities. Measures of subjective state variables were also taken. The results did not show any evidence of serious performance decrements for any crew member. The analysis revealed different adjustment patterns with which crew members responded as a function of mission duration and variations in workload. Among the secondary tasks employed, prospective memory was found to be more sensitive than reaction time to increases in workload. The paper concludes with a discussion of the utility of spaceflight simulations and computer-based simulations of space work.     

Pyrite-induced hydrogen peroxide formation as a driving force in the evolution of photosynthetic organisms on an early earth

The remarkable discovery of pyrite-induced hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) provides a key step in the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis. Here we show that H2O2 can be generated rapidly via a reaction between pyrite and H2O in the absence of dissolved oxygen. The reaction proceeds in the dark, and H2O2 levels increase upon illumination with visible light. Since pyrite was stable in most photic environments prior to the rise of O2 levels, this finding represents an important mechanism for the formation of H2O2 on early Earth.     

激光测距技术在空间的应用

随着空间技术和航天工业的发展,空间距离测量已成为空间领域的重要研究内容。传统雷达测距在太空中极易受到高能粒子和电磁波的干扰,测量精度低,无法满足高精度测量的要求。宇宙空间空气稀薄、温度变化剧烈,无法进行超声波测距。因此,测量空间距离需要一种适合空间环境、抗干扰能力强和测量精度高的测距方法。     

论雷达管制条件下冲突的发现

回顾以往的不安全事件，很多都与冲突不被及时发现有关。如何保证每一个冲突都能被及时发现，这已经成为摆在管制员面前的至关重要的问题。     

高分辨率对地观测卫星光学遥感器标准研究

我国对地观测系统已逐步形成立体、多维、高中低分辨率相结合的全球综合观测能力,但尚未建立相关的完善和配套的标准体系,由于高分辨率卫星光学遥感器标准化在与新技术发展对接、系统性以及关键技术标准等方面存在着需求,需要借鉴国外光学遥感器相关标准,在标准体系构建原则与框架以及相关的急需标准制定等方面开展进一步的工作。文章从高分系统卫星光学遥感器标准化需求、标准体系构建、国内外相关标准现状等展开分析与研究,提出急需制定标准的建议。     

Mechanisms of spinal motoneurons survival in rats under simulated hypogravity on earth

It was previously shown that different cell types in vivo and in vitro may die via apoptosis under weightlessness conditions in space as well as in simulated hypogravity on the Earth. We assessed survivability of spinal motoneurons of rats after 35-day antiorthostatic hind limb suspension. Following weight bearing, unloading the total protein content in lumbar spinal cord is dropped by 21%. The electrophysiological studies of m. gastrocnemius revealed an elevated motoneurons’ reflex excitability and conduction disturbances in the sciatic nerve axons. The number of myelinated fibers in the ventral root of experimental animals was insignificantly increased by 35-day of antiorthostatic hind limb suspension, although the retrograde axonal transport was significantly decreased during the first week of simulated hypogravity. The results of the immunohistochemical assay with antibodies against proapoptotic protein caspase 9 and cytotoxicity marker neuron specific nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and the TUNEL staining did not reveal any signs of apoptosis in motoneurons of suspended and control animals. To examine the possible adaptation mechanisms activated in motoneurons in response to simulated hypogravity we investigated immunoexpression of Hsp25 and Hsp70 in lumbar spinal cord of the rats after 35-day antiorthostatic hind limb suspension. Comparative analysis of the immunohistochemical reaction with anti-Hsp25 antibodies revealed differential staining of motoneurons in intact and experimental animals. The density of immunoprecipitate with anti-Hsp25 antibodies was substantially higher in motoneurons of the 35-day suspended than control rats and the more intensive precipitate in this reaction was observed in motoneuron neuritis. Quantitative analysis of Hsp25 expression demonstrated an increase in the Hsp25 level by 95% in experimental rats compared to the control. The immunoexpression of Hsp70 found no qualitative and quantitative differences in control and experimental lumbar spinal cords. Taken together our results show that (1) rat motoneurons survived after 35-day antiorthostatic hind limb suspension and the changes in neurons had a mostly functional character, and (2) the increased immunoexpression of Hsp25 can be considered as the anti-apoptotic factor.     

Desperately seeking life on Mars

Humans appear to be obsessed with the idea of finding life on Mars and have latched on to any evidence—however improbable—that might support its existence. Charting the history of the often deceptive scientific (not to mention literary) findings made about Mars, this viewpoint suggests that our desire to find extraterrestrial life says more about the human need for companionship and communication than about the true past of the planet. Nevertheless, ESA's Mars Express should give us a better understanding of the true likelihood of life ever having existed there after its launch in 2003.     

某型固体火箭冲压发动机补燃室内流场仿真

基于简单反应的漩涡分裂模型,建立了固体火箭冲压发动机补燃室内的湍流燃烧模型,并在该模型下对某实验发动机进行了三维数值模拟,获得了补燃室内的流场结构。分析了补燃室燃烧效率的变化和发动机的性能,并研究了补燃室设计参数包括进气道出口设计参数对燃烧效率的影响。通过计算与分析,为固体火箭冲压发动机补燃室设计提供了一些建议。     

星载非均匀稀布阵高精度测向性能分析

基于微小卫星的侦察与无源定位技术是目前各国广泛研究的问题之一。为了克服有效载荷的限制，寻求适于星载的接收阵列形式，文中针对两种非均匀间距L型稀布阵，采用二维MUSIC算法分析了阵列对地面辐射源的测向性能，并与等间距及同孔径的均匀L阵进行了比较，利用Matlab编程，给出了仿真结果。理论分析和仿真结果表明，本文考虑的非均匀间距阵稀布L阵能够实现对地面辐射源的高精度测向，测向性能明显优于同孔径（等间距）阵。     

From space medicine to preventive and personalized health care on earth

The experience of human spaceflight has taught us that aging can be modulated, accelerated and decelerated. This is also confirmed by a number of experiments on animal models. However in order to be effective in managing aging and maintaining quality of life, a new approach needs to be adopted, one that many today call functional medicine or anti-aging medicine that in its essence is very similar to the medical approach provided to the astronauts by space agencies. Space medicine therefore can become a vehicle for the promotion of a new way of doing medicine on Earth.     

某固体推进剂湿热老化模型

通过对常用失效物理模型的分析和总结,结合量子力学理论关于电子产品老化反应速率与环境温、湿度的关系,以推进剂力学性能参数为研究对象,建立了固体推进剂贮存使用寿命的湿热老化模型,并通过试验数据拟合得到具体的经验公式。该模型可作为湿热环境下固体火箭推进剂贮存使用寿命预估的理论依据,也可作为固体火箭发动机剩余寿命计算的参考模型。