Prebiotic oligodeoxynucleotide synthesis in a cyclic evaporating system at low temperatures.

Deoxynucleoside 5'-monophosphates were condensed by cyanamide or by l-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide in the presence of ammonium chloride at 0 degree, 37 degrees or 60 degrees C through several cycles of evaporation to dryness with replenishment of all reactants at each cycle. We found that at 37 degrees or 60 degrees cyanamide gives distinctly more high molecular weight material than does carbodiimide. Indeed, the yield of condensed products for the cyanamide reaction (dimers and higher oligomers) was found to be between 60 percent and 80 percent. The molecular weight distribution of the product shifts to higher molecular weights as cycling continues at 37 degrees or 60 degrees for both condensing agents. The water soluble carbodiimide gives higher yields of low molecular weight product but much lower yields of the higher molecular weight products. At 0 degree yields of high molecular weight product were low for both condensing agents. Results of characterization of the products demonstrate the synthesis of oligodeoxynucleotides including tetramers, with 3'-5' phosphodiester linkages.     

UV photobiochemistry of anhydrobiotic organisms at extremely low temperatures

Spores of Bacillus subtilis (TKJ 3412), cells of Deinococcus radiodurans R₁ (wild type) and conidia of Aspergillus ochraceus (strain 3174) have been UV irradiated (254 nm) in the dry state (3% relative humidity, argon) or in aqueous suspension at room temperature, at −55°C to −70°C and at −165°C to −170°C. The following effects have been analyzed: decrease in viability, occurrence of DNA strand breaks (pulsed-field gel electrophoresis) and production of DNA-protein cross-links (membrane filter method). The loss in viability is usually more pronounced at around −70°C than at room temperature, but it is lowest around −170°C. The kind of prevailing DNA damage varies from organism to organism. The amount of UV induced DNA-protein cross-link products steadily decreases with the temperature and is lowest at −170°C. The decrease in highly polymeric DNA by double strand breaks follows no universal pattern. The observed hypersensitivity of the three very different species at −70°C can therefore not be simply explained on the basis of the number of DNA lesions analyzed in the course of this work. We suggest that also the changing state of cellular water below and above about −130°C significantly contributes to the change in photosensitivity.     

Complex organics in meteorites.

Complex macromolecular organic matter is present in carbonaceous chondrites as the most abundant organic matter and may be present in interstellar dusts and comets. With this view, our studies of the complex organic matter isolated from six CM2 chondrites, namely Yamato-74662, Yamato-791198, Yamato-793321, Yamato-86720, Belgica-7904, and Murchison are introduced and discussed in the text. The complex organic matter is acid-insoluble and organic solvent-insoluble, and therefore, it was examined by heating experiments to obtain information on its chemical constituents and characteristics. Three chondrites, Yamato-74662, Yamato-791198, and Murchison which have solvent-extractable organic compounds, such as amino acids, carboxylic acid, hydrocarbons, etc. possess thermally labile organic fraction in the complex organic matter. Organic compounds detected in the pyrolyzate of the complex organic matter number over 130 of which aromatic hydrocarbons are dominant. They appeared around 300 degrees C, and disappeared at about 600 degrees C with a maximum at 400-500 degrees C during the heating. On the other hand, the other three chondrites do not have the extractable organic compounds nor a thermally labile organic fraction. The presence or absence of the fraction in the complex organic matter likely indicates the presence or absence of the solvent-extractable organic compounds and relates to thermal history of the chondrite.     

The effective temperatures of O-type stars from UV spectroscopy

We present an analysis of high resolution spectra in the far-UV – UV range (∼905–2000 Å) with non-LTE, spherical, hydrodynamical, line-blanketed models, of three O-type Galactic stars, and derive their photospheric and wind parameters. These data extend previously analyzed samples and fill a gap in spectral type coverage. The combined sample confirms a revised (downward) T_eff scale with respect to canonical calibrations, as found in our previous works from UV and optical spectra, and in recent works by other authors.     

Remote sensing for organics on Mars.

The detection of organics on Mars remains an important scientific objective. Advances in instrumentation and laboratory techniques provide new insight into the lower level detection limit of complex organics in closely packed media. Preliminary results demonstrate that algae present in a palagonite medium do exhibit a spectral reflectance feature in the visible range for dry mass weight ratios of algae to palagonite greater than 6%--which corresponds to 30 mg algae in a 470 mg (just optically thick (< 3 mm) layer) palagonite matrix. This signature most probably represents chlorophyll a, a light harvesting pigment with an emission peak at 678 nm.     

Complex organics in laboratory simulations of interstellar/cometary ices.

We present the photochemical and thermal evolution of both non-polar and polar ices representative of interstellar and pre-cometary grains. Ultraviolet photolysis of the non-polar ices comprised of O2, N2, and CO produces CO2, N2O, O3, CO3, HCO, H2CO, and possibly NO and NO2. When polar ice analogs (comprised of H2O, CH3OH, CO, and NH3) are exposed to UV radiation, simple molecules are formed including: H2, H2CO, CO2, CO, CH4, and HCO (the formyl radical). Warming produces moderately complex species such as CH3CH2OH (ethanol), HC(=O)NH2 (formamide), CH3C(=O)NH2 (acetamide), R-CN and/or R-NC (nitriles and/or isonitriles). Several of these are already known to be in the interstellar medium, and their presence indicates the importance of grain processing. Infrared spectroscopy, 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry demonstrate that after warming to room temperature what remains is an organic residue composed primarily of hexamethylenetetramine (HMT, C6H12N4) and other complex organics including the amides above and polyoxymethylene (POM) and its derivatives. The formation of these organic species from simple starting mixtures under conditions germane to astrochemistry may have important implications for the organic chemistry of interstellar ice grains, comets and the origins of life.     

Characterization of the semi-annual-oscillation in mesospheric temperatures at low-latitudes

Novel measurements of the seasonal variability in mesospheric temperature at low-latitudes have been obtained from Maui, Hawaii (20.8°N, 156.2°W) during a 25-month period from October 2001 to January 2004. Independent observations of the OH (6, 2) Meinel band (peak height ∼87 km) and the O₂ (0–1) atmospheric band emission (∼94 km) were made using the CEDAR Mesospheric Temperature Mapper. The data revealed a coherent oscillation in emission intensity and rotational temperature with a well-defined periodicity of 181 ± 7 days. The amplitude of this oscillation was determined to be ∼5–6 K in temperature and ∼8–9% in intensity for both the OH and O₂ data sets. In addition, a strong asymmetry in the shape of the oscillation was also observed with the spring maximum significantly larger than the fall peak. These data provide new evidence in support of a semi-annual-oscillation in mesospheric temperature (and airglow emission intensities) and help quantify its seasonal characteristics.     

Photochemical growing of complex organics in planetary atmospheres

UV induced syntheses of organic compounds from the main atmospheric constituents can be a very important source of organics in a given planetary environment provided the atmosphere is in a reduced state. The evolution of a CO₂ rich medium only produces very low yields of formaldehyde and related oxygenated compounds. Considering a CO rich atmosphere, the photochemical yield of O-organics formation is much higher, when the synthesis of N-organics remains difficult. The most favourable atmosphere as far as photochemical organic synthesis is concerned is a CH₄ rich milieu.. The photochemical evolution of such a CH₄ atmosphere under UV irradiation leads to a chain of various organics, the complexity of which increases together with the number of pathways involved in their formation. Their complexity also closely correlates with their UV photoabsorption spectrum: the more complex they are, the more shifted is their UV spectrum toward the visible range. Direct photodissociation of methane requires UV photon of wavelengths shorter than about 145 nm. It mainly produces ethane which absorbs UV at wavelengths shorter than about 160 nm, and acetylene, that presents an absorption spectrum extending up to 200 nm. This shift still continuously increases with further increase in number of C atoms. Unsaturated hydrocarbons with 4 and more C atoms have UV absorption characteristics including noticeable band structures in the 250–300 nm range. This trend has very important implication in the photochemical behaviour of a CH₄-rich planetary atmosphere, as it induces many catalytic processes. The occurrence of such processes is closely related to vertical atmospheric and energy deposition profiles. Titan provides a very good example of such a UV-directed organic atmospheric chemistry.     

Possible contribution of different energy sources to the production of organics in Titan's atmosphere.

A quantitative comparison of the products arising from the irradiation of a Titan's simulated atmosphere is presented. The energy sources used represent some of the main events that occur in the satellite's atmosphere. All of the compounds identified are classified in the hydrocarbon and nitrile chemical families. Almost all of the detected compounds in Titan's atmosphere are produced by one or more energy sources. The compounds with the highest energy yields include the C2 hydrocarbons, methanonitrile and ethanonitrile. The possibility of using some of the produced organics as tracer compounds during the Huygens descend to identify the leading energy form in the different atmospheric levels remains open.     

Sodium lidar measurements of mesopause region temperatures at 23° S

A sodium lidar, capable of measuring temperature in the 80–100 km region, has been in operation at São José dos Campos (23° S, 46 W) since March 2007. Good quality data have been obtained for late autumn, winter and spring, but weather conditions make it extremely difficult to make measurements from mid-November to mid- February. We find the temperature structure to be strongly modulated by tides and gravity waves, but average profiles typically show a primary mesopause height close to 100 km with temperatures around 180 K, and a tendency for a secondary minimum of about 185 K to occur close to 90 km. Vertical temperature gradients greater than 50 K/km are sometimes seen even on profiles averaged over several hours. The strongest gradients are always positive and are frequently associated with strong gradients in sodium concentration. On the other hand, we frequently see rapid changes in the temperature profile, suggesting that models and non-local temperature measurements, as made by satellite radiometers, for example, are of little use in applications such as the analysis of gravity wave propagation seen in airglow images.     

HRTS observations of spicular emission at transition region temperatures above the solar limb

Slit spectra and spectroheliograph observations were obtained during the fourth rocket flight of the High Resolution Telescope and Spectrograph (HRTS) on 7 March 1983. A curved slit 900 arc sec in length was placed at the solar limb on the western edge of the south polar coronal hole, giving both coronal hole and quiet region coverage. In addition, spectroheliograph images tuned to cover a passband around 1550 Å (primarily C IV at 10⁵ K) were taken over an 8 × 15 arc min field. Simultaneous Hα images were obtained at Sac Peak Observatory. The C IV spectroheliograms show general spiked emission above the limb, and also several small loo- or prominence-like events. Slit spectra along the tops of several of these structures show tilted features which could be interpreted as rotational velocities of approximately 50 km s^?1.     

Mass-spectrometric in situ studies of cometary organics for p/Halley and options for the future.

When the VEGA and GIOTTO spacecrafts flew by comet p/Halley in 1986 the mass-spectrometers Puma and PIA measured the composition of cometary dust particles impacting at speeds of well above 65 km/s. Ion formation upon impact lead to mostly atomic ions. However, a small fraction of the ions measured could be related to molecules. A sophisticated analysis allowed for the first time to point to the chemical nature of cometary organics based on actual mass spectra. With the instrument CoMA for the NASA-BMFT mission CRAF much higher mass-resolution and molecule masses become accessible for in situ measurement, and will yield complementary information to the gas chromatograph CIDEX also onboard CRAF.     

Ion irradiation: its relevance to the evolution of complex organics in the outer solar system.

Ion irradiation of carbon containing ices produces several effects among which the formation of complex molecules and even refractory organic materials whose spectral color and molecular complexity both depend on the amount of deposited energy. Here results from laboratory experiments are summarized. Their relevance for the formation and evolution of simple molecules and complex organic materials on planetary bodies in the external Solar System is outlined.     

Organic chemistry in Titan's atmosphere: new data from laboratory simulations at low temperature.

Many experiments have already been carried out to simulate organic chemistry on Titan, the largest satellite of Saturn. They can provide fruitful information on the nature of minor organic constituents likely to be present in Titan's atmosphere, both in gas and aerosol phases. Indeed, all the organic compounds but one already detected in Titan's atmosphere have been identified in simulation experiments. The exception, C4N2, as well as other compounds expected in Titan from theoretical modeling, such as other N-organics, and polyynes, first of all C6H2, have never been detected in experimental simulation thus far. All these compounds are thermally unstable, and the temperature conditions used during the simulation experiments were not appropriate. We have recently started a new program of simulation experiments with temperature conditions close to that of Titan's environment. It also uses dedicated analytical techniques and procedures compatible with the analysis of organics only stable at low temperatures, as well solid products of low stability in the presence of O2 and H2O. Spark discharge of N2-CH4 gas mixtures was carried out at low temperature in the range 100-150 K. Products were analysed by FTIR, GC and GC-MS techniques. GC-peaks were identified by their mass spectrum, and, in most cases, by comparison of the retention time and mass spectrum with standard ones. We report here the first detection in Titan simulation experiments of C6H2 and HC5N. Their abundance is a few percent relative to C4H2 and HC3N, respectively. Preliminary data on the solid products indicate an elemental composition corresponding to (H11C11N)n. These results open new prospects in the modeling of Titan's haze making.     

An explanation of the observation of pulsing hiss at low latitude

In this paper we report pulsing hiss emissions observed at the low latitude station, Jammu (geomag. lat. 22°26′N, L = 1.17) in which intensity decreases with the increase in frequency. The entire dynamic spectra contain somewhat irregular structure. To explain these we propose that the hiss emissions are generated through Doppler-shifted cyclotron interactions near the equator and propagate to the earth in the whistler-mode. Further, ULF waves present in the generation region modulate the intensity of the emission resulting in the pulsing nature. The growth rates are computed and discussed in the light of recent works.     

Vertical TEC variations and model during low solar activity at a low latitude station,Xiamen

GPS-derived vertical TEC recorded at Xiamen (24.5°N, 118.1°E, geomagnetic latitude 13.2°N), China, during year 2006 is analyzed for the first time and compared to that predicted by ionosphere model SPIM recommend by ISO. A manifest seasonal anomaly is found with the high value during equinoctial season and low value during summer and winter season. Relative standard deviation for VTEC shows high value at around midnight and before sunrise. The correlation analysis exhibits that the variation of VTEC has a very weak relation with geomagnetic and solar activities (Dst, AP, SSN and F10.7). Comparative results reveal that the SPIM overestimates the observed VTEC at most of the time.     

Solar,geomagnetic and long term effects on thermospheric neutral kinetic temperatures at midlatitude

Measurements of midlatitude thermospheric neutral kinetic temperatures obtained from 1972 to 1979 have been used to investigate the effects of solar and geomagnetic activity, as well as long term effects, on the thermosphere. With these data a simple power law relationship between the temperature and solar activity (expressed as the 2.8 GHz solar radio flux) has been found to give a high correlation. In addition, a linear relationship between temperature changes and geomagnetic activity (expressed as Ap), as well as annual and semiannual effects have been found. The annual variation is found to be indistinguishable in phase from the annual variation of the solar declination angle. The present four parameter formulation gives a better fit to the data than is obtained with available empirical models of the thermosphere, and this has allowed us to investigate the properties and postulates of some of these models.     

Energy spectrum of proton flux near geomagnetic equator at low altitudes

The results of proton energy (tens keV – several MeV) spectrum measurements near geomagnetic equator (L < 1.15) at low altitudes (<1000 km) are presented. We used data of experiments onboard ACTIVE, SAMPEX, NOAA TIROS-N satellites and SPRUT-VI (MIR station) and cover a time range of about 30 years (including previous measurements). It was found that the kappa-distribution function fits the experimental spectrum with the best correlation coefficient. A comparison of energy spectra of near-equatorial protons and ring-current protons was made. Using the estimation of the life time of near-equatorial protons we explain the difference in spectral indices of radiation belt and near-equatorial proton formation. We conclude that the ring current is the main source of the near-equatorial protons.     

Solar heavy ion Heinrich fluence spectrum at low earth orbit

Solar heavy ions from the JPL Solar Heavy Ion Model have been transported into low earth orbit using the Schulz cutoff criterion for L-shell access by ions of a specific charge to mass ratio. The NASA Brouwer orbit generator was used to get L values along the orbit at 60 second time intervals. Heavy ion fluences of ions 2≤Z≤92 have been determined for the LET range 1 to 130 MeV-cm²/mg by 60, 120 or 250 mils of aluminum over a period of 24 hours in a 425 km circular orbit inclined 51°. The ion fluence is time dependent in the sense that the position of the spacecraft in the orbit at the flare onset time fixes the relationship between particle flux and spacecraft passage through high L-values where particles have access to the spacecraft.     

VLF Emissions observed at the low latitude Indian station Varanasi

VLF emissions such as hiss, chorus, pulsing hiss, triggered emissions observed at Varanasi (geom. lat. = 14° 55′ N, long. = 153° 55′ E) are reported. An attempt has been made to explain the dynamic spectra in terms of the generation mechanism and propagation through the inhomogeneous magnetoplasma. It is noted that the reported events have propagated along different L-values in the magnetosphere, although they have been recorded at the same station. The ULF waves propagating along geomagnetic field lines modulate the growth rate of VLF waves, which results in the pulsation of VLF hiss intensity. The pulsating growth rate has been computed.