An energy balance concept for habitability

Habitability can be formulated as a balance between the biological demand for energy and the corresponding potential for meeting that demand by transduction of energy from the environment into biological process. The biological demand for energy is manifest in two requirements, analogous to the voltage and power requirements of an electrical device, which must both be met if life is to be supported. These requirements exhibit discrete (non-zero) minima whose magnitude is set by the biochemistry in question, and they are increased in quantifiable fashion by (i) deviations from biochemically optimal physical and chemical conditions and (ii) energy-expending solutions to problems of resource limitation. The possible rate of energy transduction is constrained by (i) the availability of usable free energy sources in the environment, (ii) limitations on transport of those sources into the cell, (iii) upper limits on the rate at which energy can be stored, transported, and subsequently liberated by biochemical mechanisms (e.g., enzyme saturation effects), and (iv) upper limits imposed by an inability to use "power" and "voltage" at levels that cause material breakdown. A system is habitable when the realized rate of energy transduction equals or exceeds the biological demand for energy. For systems in which water availability is considered a key aspect of habitability (e.g., Mars), the energy balance construct imposes additional, quantitative constraints that may help to prioritize targets in search-for-life missions. Because the biological need for energy is universal, the energy balance construct also helps to constrain habitability in systems (e.g., those envisioned to use solvents other than water) for which little constraint currently exists.     

The Mawrth Vallis region of Mars: A potential landing site for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission

The primary objective of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission, which will launch in 2011, is to characterize the habitability of a site on Mars through detailed analyses of the composition and geological context of surface materials. Within the framework of established mission goals, we have evaluated the value of a possible landing site in the Mawrth Vallis region of Mars that is targeted directly on some of the most geologically and astrobiologically enticing materials in the Solar System. The area around Mawrth Vallis contains a vast (>1?×?10? km2) deposit of phyllosilicate-rich, ancient, layered rocks. A thick (>150?m) stratigraphic section that exhibits spectral evidence for nontronite, montmorillonite, amorphous silica, kaolinite, saponite, other smectite clay minerals, ferrous mica, and sulfate minerals indicates a rich geological history that may have included multiple aqueous environments. Because phyllosilicates are strong indicators of ancient aqueous activity, and the preservation potential of biosignatures within sedimentary clay deposits is high, martian phyllosilicate deposits are desirable astrobiological targets. The proposed MSL landing site at Mawrth Vallis is located directly on the largest and most phyllosilicate-rich deposit on Mars and is therefore an excellent place to explore for evidence of life or habitability.     

空间核反应堆电源研究进展

随着航空航天领域对能源需求的不断扩大,核能的空间应用迎来了新的发展高潮。本文针对空间核反应堆技术的发展现状进行综述,重点关注了空间核反应堆与静态能量转换、动态能量转换技术结合供电的研究进展,总结分析了空间核反应堆电源技术的发展特点,并指出未来发展中需要重点关注的内容,为未来空间核反应堆电源的发展提供指导。     

Astrobiology through the ages of Mars: the study of terrestrial analogues to understand the habitability of Mars

Mars has undergone three main climatic stages throughout its geological history, beginning with a water-rich epoch, followed by a cold and semi-arid era, and transitioning into present-day arid and very cold desert conditions. These global climatic eras also represent three different stages of planetary habitability: an early, potentially habitable stage when the basic requisites for life as we know it were present (liquid water and energy); an intermediate extreme stage, when liquid solutions became scarce or very challenging for life; and the most recent stage during which conditions on the surface have been largely uninhabitable, except perhaps in some isolated niches. Our understanding of the evolution of Mars is now sufficient to assign specific terrestrial environments to each of these periods. Through the study of Mars terrestrial analogues, we have assessed and constrained the habitability conditions for each of these stages, the geochemistry of the surface, and the likelihood for the preservation of organic and inorganic biosignatures. The study of these analog environments provides important information to better understand past and current mission results as well as to support the design and selection of instruments and the planning for future exploratory missions to Mars.     

Beyond the principle of plentitude: a review of terrestrial planet habitability

We review recent work that directly or indirectly addresses the habitability of terrestrial (rocky) planets like the Earth. Habitability has been traditionally defined in terms of an orbital semimajor axis within a range known as the habitable zone, but it is also well known that the habitability of Earth is due to many other astrophysical, geological, and geochemical factors. We focus this review on (1) recent refinements to habitable zone calculations; (2) the formation and orbital stability of terrestrial planets; (3) the tempo and mode of geologic activity (e.g., plate tectonics) on terrestrial planets; (4) the delivery of water to terrestrial planets in the habitable zone; and (5) the acquisition and loss of terrestrial planet carbon and nitrogen, elements that constitute important atmospheric gases responsible for habitable conditions on Earth's surface as well as being the building blocks of the biosphere itself. Finally, we consider recent work on evidence for the earliest habitable environments and the appearance of life itself on our planet. Such evidence provides us with an important, if nominal, calibration point for our search for other habitable worlds.     

A thermodynamic analysis of microbial growth experiments

The common thread of energy release suggests that diverse microbial metabolic processes can be compared through thermodynamic analyses. The resulting energy and power requirements can provide quantitative constraints on habitability. Because previous thermodynamic analyses have focused on the minimum amount of energy needed for the growth of a microorganism or community, the focus of this study is to gain a fuller understanding of the microbial response to highly habitable conditions. This communication summarizes the results of a thermodynamic analysis of the energy and power consumed by microorganisms in experiments that were designed to optimize growth. Reports of microbial growth experiments taken from the literature were combined with speciation and standard state calculations to assess the overall Gibbs energy change during the experiments. Results show that similar numbers of cells (10(9) to 10(10) ) were produced in these experiments regardless of the duration of log phase growth (from <2 to >200 hours) or the total Gibbs energy change [from 1.3-29.6 kJ (mol electrons transferred)(1)]. As a result, optimal growth conditions appear to produce between 10(10) and 10(14) cells per watt of power consumed.     

A perspective on the importance of reproductive mode in astrobiology

Reproduction is a vital characteristic of life, and sex is the most common reproductive mode in the eukaryotic world. Sex and reproduction are not necessarily linked mechanisms: Sexuality without reproduction exists, while several forms of asexual reproduction are known. The occurrence of sexuality itself is paradoxical, as it is very costly in evolutionary terms. Most of the hypotheses (more than 20) attempting to explain the prevalence of sex fall into two categories: Sex either creates good gene combinations for adaptation to environments or eliminates bad gene combinations counteracting the accumulation of mutations. In spite of this apparent wealth of beneficial effects of sex, asexuality is not rare. Most eukaryotic, asexual lineages are short-lived and can only persist through the presence of sexual roots, but at least two animal groups, bdelloid rotifers and darwinulid ostracods, seem to claim the status of ancient asexuals. Research on (a)sexuality is relevant to astrobiology in a number of ways. First, strong relationships between the origin and persistence of life in extreme environments and reproductive mode are known. Second, the "habitability" of nonterrestrial environments to life greatly depends on reproductive mode. Whereas asexuals can do equally well or better in harsh environments, they fail to adapt fast enough to changing abiotic and biotic environments. Third, it has been shown that plants reproduce mainly asexually in space, and sperm production and motility in some vertebrates are hampered. Both findings indicate that extraterrestrial life under conditions different from Earth might be dominated by asexual reproduction. Finally, for exchange of biological material between planets, the choice of reproductive mode will be important.     

High-resolution simulations of the final assembly of Earth-like planets. 2. Water delivery and planetary habitability

The water content and habitability of terrestrial planets are determined during their final assembly, from perhaps 100 1,000-km "planetary embryos " and a swarm of billions of 1-10-km "planetesimals. " During this process, we assume that water-rich material is accreted by terrestrial planets via impacts of water-rich bodies that originate in the outer asteroid region. We present analysis of water delivery and planetary habitability in five high-resolution simulations containing about 10 times more particles than in previous simulations. These simulations formed 15 terrestrial planets from 0.4 to 2.6 Earth masses, including five planets in the habitable zone. Every planet from each simulation accreted at least the Earth's current water budget; most accreted several times that amount (assuming no impact depletion). Each planet accreted at least five water-rich embryos and planetesimals from the past 2.5 astronomical units; most accreted 10-20 water-rich bodies. We present a new model for water delivery to terrestrial planets in dynamically calm systems, with low-eccentricity or low-mass giant planets-such systems may be very common in the Galaxy. We suggest that water is accreted in comparable amounts from a few planetary embryos in a " hit or miss " way and from millions of planetesimals in a statistically robust process. Variations in water content are likely to be caused by fluctuations in the number of water-rich embryos accreted, as well as from systematic effects, such as planetary mass and location, and giant planet properties.     

Space Station habitability research.

The purpose and scope of the Habitability Research Group within the Space Human Factors Office at the NASA/Ames Research Center is described. Both near-term and long-term research objectives in the space human factors program pertaining to the U.S. manned Space Station are introduced. The concept of habitability and its relevancy to the U.S. space program is defined within a historical context. The relationship of habitability research to the optimization of environmental and operational determinants of productivity is discussed. Ongoing habitability research efforts pertaining to living and working on the Space Station are described.     

星载复杂组件随机振动试验载荷设计方法改进

针对现有的复杂组件随机振动试验载荷设计方法在某些加载方向常给出远大于实际数值的载荷预示,而难以满足组件研制单位的载荷裁剪需求的问题,文章提出了一种改进的载荷设计方法,将随机激励功率谱密度描述为关于组件质量的系数含待定参数的分式函数,并利用总均方根加速度实测值确定待定参数。对比了改进方法与两种现有方法对典型组件随机振动载荷的预示精度。结果表明,改进方法可以显著降低预示误差,从而为星载复杂组件结构与机构优化设计提供合理的约束条件。     

M stars as targets for terrestrial exoplanet searches and biosignature detection

The changing view of planets orbiting low mass stars, M stars, as potentially hospitable worlds for life and its remote detection was motivated by several factors, including the demonstration of viable atmospheres and oceans on tidally locked planets, normal incidence of dust disks, including debris disks, detection of planets with masses in the 5-20 M() range, and predictions of unusually strong spectral biosignatures. We present a critical discussion of M star properties that are relevant for the long- and short-term thermal, dynamical, geological, and environmental stability of conventional liquid water habitable zone (HZ) M star planets, and the advantages and disadvantages of M stars as targets in searches for terrestrial HZ planets using various detection techniques. Biological viability seems supported by unmatched very long-term stability conferred by tidal locking, small HZ size, an apparent short-fall of gas giant planet perturbers, immunity to large astrosphere compressions, and several other factors, assuming incidence and evolutionary rate of life benefit from lack of variability. Tectonic regulation of climate and dynamo generation of a protective magnetic field, especially for a planet in synchronous rotation, are important unresolved questions that must await improved geodynamic models, though they both probably impose constraints on the planet mass. M star HZ terrestrial planets must survive a number of early trials in order to enjoy their many Gyr of stability. Their formation may be jeopardized by an insufficient initial disk supply of solids, resulting in the formation of objects too small and/or dry for habitability. The small empirical gas giant fraction for M stars reduces the risk of formation suppression or orbit disruption from either migrating or nonmigrating giant planets, but effects of perturbations from lower mass planets in these systems are uncertain. During the first approximately 1 Gyr, atmospheric retention is at peril because of intense and frequent stellar flares and sporadic energetic particle events, and impact erosion, both enhanced, the former dramatically, for M star HZ semimajor axes. Loss of atmosphere by interactions with energetic particles is likely unless the planetary magnetic moment is sufficiently large. For the smallest stellar masses a period of high planetary surface temperature, while the parent star approaches the main sequence, must be endured. The formation and retention of a thick atmosphere and a strong magnetic field as buffers for a sufficiently massive planet emerge as prerequisites for an M star planet to enter a long period of stability with its habitability intact. However, the star will then be subjected to short-term fluctuations with consequences including frequent unpredictable variation in atmospheric chemistry and surficial radiation field. After a review of evidence concerning disks and planets associated with M stars, we evaluate M stars as targets for future HZ planet search programs. Strong advantages of M stars for most approaches to HZ detection are offset by their faintness, leading to severe constraints due to accessible sample size, stellar crowding (transits), or angular size of the HZ (direct imaging). Gravitational lensing is unlikely to detect HZ M star planets because the HZ size decreases with mass faster than the Einstein ring size to which the method is sensitive. M star Earth-twin planets are predicted to exhibit surprisingly strong bands of nitrous oxide, methyl chloride, and methane, and work on signatures for other climate categories is summarized. The rest of the paper is devoted to an examination of evidence and implications of the unusual radiation and particle environments for atmospheric chemistry and surface radiation doses, and is summarized in the Synopsis. We conclude that attempts at remote sensing of biosignatures and nonbiological markers from M star planets are important, not as tests of any quantitative theories or rational arguments, but instead because they offer an inspection of the residues from a Gyr-long biochemistry experiment in the presence of extreme environmental fluctuations. A detection or repeated nondetections could provide a unique opportunity to partially answer a fundamental and recurrent question about the relation between stability and complexity, one that is not addressed by remote detection from a planet orbiting a solar-like star, and can only be studied on Earth using restricted microbial systems in serial evolution experiments or in artificial life simulations. This proposal requires a planet that has retained its atmosphere and a water supply. The discussion given here suggests that observations of M star exoplanets can decide this latter question with only slight modifications to plans already in place for direct imaging terrestrial exoplanet missions.     

Locating potential biosignatures on Europa from surface geology observations

We evaluated the astrobiological potential of the major classes of geologic units on Europa with respect to possible biosignatures preservation on the basis of surface geology observations. These observations are independent of any formational model and therefore provide an objective, though preliminary, evaluation. The assessment criteria include high mobility of material, surface concentration of non-ice components, relative youth, textural roughness, and environmental stability. Our review determined that, as feature classes, low-albedo smooth plains, smooth bands, and chaos hold the highest potential, primarily because of their relative young age, the emplacement of low-viscosity material, and indications of material exchange with the subsurface. Some lineaments and impact craters may be promising sites for closer study despite the comparatively lower astrobiological potential of their classes. This assessment will be expanded by multidisciplinary examination of the potential for habitability of specific features.     

卫星星座地面供配电测试系统研制

卫星地面供配电测试系统是卫星综合测试系统中的重要分系统之一。文章介绍了一套自行开发研制的卫星星座模式下的地面供配电测试系统,该系统主要由地面电源、PLC通用供配电测试设备、工业控制计算机、卫星等效器、DC/DC主备份切换测试设备等构成;其中通用供配电测试设备采用了组态技术,基于PROFIBUS、PLC、STEP 7和WinCC等进行开发,实现了实时显示、控制输出、报警记录、数据归档、冗余备份等功能,可靠性和可扩展性程度高,为设备的模块化、通用化和系列化提供了一个有效的途径,满足了卫星星座综合测试的需要。     

箭载电子设备供电接口统一化研究

针对我国现役运载火箭供配电系统的设计体制,对箭载电子设备供电接口的设计分别从工作电流、接插件种类、线路接点等方面进行统计,从统计特征上分析电子设备供电接口的现状,进一步通过对典型接口设计电路的理论分析,归纳影响因素,定义了影响因子,提出供电接口统一化设计的思路和方法,并给出统一化设计要求和建议。     

起动/发电机的电压跌落补偿技术

随着飞行器和航天器上电能需求的增大,在航空航天电源系统中,一体化起动/发电机(ISG)得到了广泛应用。出于可靠性要求,通常采用不控整流来支撑直流母线。而由于电机电枢阻抗的存在,在负载变动时其供电电压会发生跌落。针对该跌落现象,提出了两种电压补偿方案,分别利用电压源型逆变器和移相全桥DC/DC变换器,分别从交流侧和直流侧对供电电压进行补偿。分析了补偿机理并设计了控制系统,分别对其搭建了实验平台。实验结果验证了两种补偿方法的有效性和供电的可靠性,并对两种方法的特点进行了比较。     

空间太阳能电站高低压混合供电系统设计

在调研美国NASA空间太阳能电站(SPS)供配电相关方案的基础上,针对空间太阳能电站平台设备和有效载荷设备两种不同的供电特性要求,提出将高低压混合供电技术应用于空间太阳能电站的供电系统设计。该设计在满足高效对地供电传输要求的同时,能够确保航天器平台自身的稳定、可靠运行。文章介绍了高低压混合供电技术的原理和系统构成;针对系统高于目前在轨卫星6个数量级的超高压需求,分析了高压电缆和高压继电器研制的可行性,得出高压电缆的重点研究方向,即通过材料及结构优化来减小质量、增加散热、减小弯曲半径等,高压继电器的研究方向为研制高压混合继电器(EMPC)中适用于航天任务的高压固态功率管;调研分析了目前常用的空间等离子体被动防护技术和主动防护技术,通过比较,说明主动防护技术更适用于空间太阳能电站的超高压系统,可为我国建设超大功率空间太阳能电站提供技术参考。     

Abiotic nitrogen fixation on terrestrial planets: reduction of NO to ammonia by FeS

Understanding the abiotic fixation of nitrogen and how such fixation can be a supply of prebiotic nitrogen is critical for understanding both the planetary evolution of, and the potential origin of life on, terrestrial planets. As nitrogen is a biochemically essential element, sources of biochemically accessible nitrogen, especially reduced nitrogen, are critical to prebiotic chemistry and the origin of life. Loss of atmospheric nitrogen can result in loss of the ability to sustain liquid water on a planetary surface, which would impact planetary habitability and hydrological processes that shape the surface. It is known that NO can be photochemically converted through a chain of reactions to form nitrate and nitrite, which can be subsequently reduced to ammonia. Here, we show that NO can also be directly reduced, by FeS, to ammonia. In addition to removing nitrogen from the atmosphere, this reaction is particularly important as a source of reduced nitrogen on an early terrestrial planet. By converting NO directly to ammonia in a single step, ammonia is formed with a higher product yield (~50%) than would be possible through the formation of nitrate/nitrite and subsequent conversion to ammonia. In conjunction with the reduction of NO, there is also a catalytic disproportionation at the mineral surface that converts NO to NO? and N?O. The NO? is then converted to ammonia, while the N?O is released back in the gas phase, which provides an abiotic source of nitrous oxide.     

一种直接入轨卫星变轨阶段的供电方案

相比传统的卫星自身变轨方式,直接入轨方式下卫星的主动段时间将延长到4～5h。为解决卫星直接入轨过程中由于主动段时间大大加长,导致卫星电能需求的增加,以及电源系统配置不必要的质量增加的问题,文章提出了一种在发射和变轨阶段通过运载火箭上面级向卫星供电的方案,即在上面级上增加了一套独立的一次性电源系统。该系统与卫星自身电源系统相结合,在发射和变轨期间优先使用,卫星自身电源根据负载用电情况自主介入,能很好地解决卫星直接入轨方式下主动段的电能需求问题。     

A model of habitability within the Milky Way galaxy

We present a model of the galactic habitable zone (GHZ), described in terms of the spatial and temporal dimensions of the Galaxy that may favor the development of complex life. The Milky Way galaxy was modeled using a computational approach by populating stars and their planetary systems on an individual basis by employing Monte Carlo methods. We began with well-established properties of the disk of the Milky Way, such as the stellar number density distribution, the initial mass function, the star formation history, and the metallicity gradient as a function of radial position and time. We varied some of these properties and created four models to test the sensitivity of our assumptions. To assess habitability on the galactic scale, we modeled supernova rates, planet formation, and the time required for complex life to evolve. Our study has improved on other literature on the GHZ by populating stars on an individual basis and modeling Type II supernova (SNII) and Type Ia supernova (SNIa) sterilizations by selecting their progenitors from within this preexisting stellar population. Furthermore, we considered habitability on tidally locked and non-tidally locked planets separately and studied habitability as a function of height above and below the galactic midplane. In the model that most accurately reproduces the properties of the Galaxy, the results indicate that an individual SNIa is ～5.6× more lethal than an individual SNII on average. In addition, we predict that ～1.2% of all stars host a planet that may have been capable of supporting complex life at some point in the history of the Galaxy. Of those stars with a habitable planet, ～75% of planets are predicted to be in a tidally locked configuration with their host star. The majority of these planets that may support complex life are found toward the inner Galaxy, distributed within, and significantly above and below, the galactic midplane.     

空间站能源系统并网供电技术研究

空间站结构复杂,通常由多个舱段组成,与飞船等飞行器进行交会对接后,各舱段和对接飞行器自有的能源系统可能会由于空间位置及相互遮挡等原因而无法满足自身供电需求,这就需要对舱体电源系统进行并网供电。文章论述了“天宫一号”目标飞行器与“神舟”飞船采用的并网供电方案,通过并联冗余及自动均流控制实现不同舱体间的功率传输;在此基础上,通过调研国外空间站并网供电技术,比较了空间飞行器组合体并网供电中的技术方案及特点,总结了目前空间站并网供电模式可采用的类型,最后提出了我国未来空间站并网供电可采取的方案。