Martian CH(4): sources, flux, and detection

Recent observations have detected trace amounts of CH(4) heterogeneously distributed in the martian atmosphere, which indicated a subsurface CH(4) flux of ~2 x 10(5) to 2 x 10(9) cm(2) s(1). Four different origins for this CH(4) were considered: (1) volcanogenic; (2) sublimation of hydrate- rich ice; (3) diffusive transport through hydrate-saturated cryosphere; and (4) microbial CH(4) generation above the cryosphere. A diffusive flux model of the martian crust for He, H(2), and CH(4) was developed based upon measurements of deep fracture water samples from South Africa. This model distinguishes between abiogenic and microbial CH(4) sources based upon their isotopic composition, and couples microbial CH(4) production to H(2) generation by H(2)O radiolysis. For a He flux of approximately 10(5) cm(2) s(1) this model yields an abiogenic CH(4) flux and a microbial CH(4) flux of approximately 10(6) and approximately 10(9) cm(2) s(1), respectively. This flux will only reach the martian surface if CH(4) hydrate is saturated in the cryosphere; otherwise it will be captured within the cryosphere. The sublimation of a hydrate-rich cryosphere could generate the observed CH(4) flux, whereas microbial CH(4) production in a hypersaline environment above the hydrate stability zone only seems capable of supplying approximately 10(5) cm(2) s(1) of CH(4). The model predicts that He/H(2)/CH(4)/C(2)H(6) abundances and the C and H isotopic values of CH(4) and the C isotopic composition of C(2)H(6) could reveal the different sources. Cavity ring-down spectrometers represent the instrument type that would be most capable of performing the C and H measurements of CH(4) on near future rover missions and pinpointing the cause and source of the CH(4) emissions.     

综览ABM、TMD、NMD与MTCR(下)

修改ABM条约的谈判是艰巨而曲折的。在第二阶段谈判中,双方都有一些单方面的建议未被对方采纳而没有写进第二阶段的协议,为修改ABM条约达成一致并获美国会和俄杜马通过潜留下了危机。例如美国会要求取消限制部署天基拦截弹条款,认为如不取消,将会置千百万美国公民于危难之...     

综览ABM、TMD、NMD与MTCR(上)

近年来,《限制反弹道导弹系统条约》(简称《反弹道导弹条约》,ABM)、战区导弹防御(TMD)系统、国家导弹防御(NMD)系统与导弹技术控制制度(MTCR)等,已成为美国、俄罗斯等国家制定导弹与军事航天政策、发展战略与规划的核心和重要方面。在此将其主要内容、历史背景、演革历程...     

制造单元的定位以及范围和规模问题(制造单元系列之四)

通过首都航天机械公司(以下简称首航公司)在建设制造单元过程中逐渐加深的理解,首先从设备布局和产品物流角度对几种生产组织方式进行了比较,然后在制造单元的定位、范围和规模等方面介绍了一些粗浅认识,希望对新建制造单元的单位有所帮助。     

环三磷腈基多官能液体环氧树脂(HGCP)的合成与热性能

以六氯环三磷腈、2,3-环氧基-1-丙醇为原料,得到六缩水甘油基环三磷腈(HGCP)。通过红外、核磁、质谱及元素分析对产物结构进行了表征,并研究了溶剂、原料配比、反应温度和时间对反应的影响。结果表明,合成的最佳条件是:四氢呋喃为溶剂,反应物料配比为n(2,3-环氧基-1-丙醇):n(六氯环三磷腈)=7.62,反应温度为30℃,反应时间4.0 h,产品收率达到78%。选取顺丁烯二酸酐(MA)和4,4-二氨基-二苯-甲烷(MDA)为固化剂,通过热失重分析和线烧蚀率研究了不同固化体系的耐热性和耐烧蚀性。研究表明,六缩水甘油基环三磷腈表现出优良的热稳定性,其交联产物EPG-1和EPG-2在高温条件下残炭量较高,线烧蚀率分别为0.344 mm/s和0.364 mm/s,可作为固体火箭推进剂绝热包覆材料使用。     

The neutron,gamma-ray,X-ray spectrometer (NGXS): A compact instrument for making combined measurements of neutrons,gamma-rays,and X-rays

The Neutron, Gamma ray, and X-ray Spectrometer (NGXS) is a compact instrument designed to detect neutrons, gamma-rays, and hard X-rays. The original goal of NGXS was to detect and characterize neutrons, gamma-rays, and X-rays from the Sun as part of the Solar Probe Plus mission in order to provide direct insight into particle acceleration, magnetic reconnection, and cross-field transport processes that take place near the Sun. Based on high-energy neutron detections from prompt solar flares, it is estimated that the NGXS would detect neutrons from 15 to 24 impulsive flares. The NGXS sensitivity to 2.2 MeV gamma rays would enable a detection of ∼50–60 impulsive flares. The NGXS is estimated to measure ∼120 counts/s for a GOES C1-type flare at 0.1 AU, which allows for a large dynamic range to detect both small and large flares.     

当前航天器制导、导航和控制的几个问题

提出了当前型号和预研中有关航天器制导、导航和控制技术六个方面有待解决的问题：２０００．０星上计算机实时计算轨道的时间系统和坐标系统标准化；星载高精度、高可靠ＧＰＳ实时定轨、定姿组合系统；制导、导航和控制系统的小型化；２１世纪的交会对接技术；第四代航天员舱外活动控制技术；微小智能月球车／火星车控制技术。仅提出了一些非常粗浅的想法，作为抛砖引玉，以期引起决策管理部门的重视。     

Adsorption of amino acids (ALA, CYS, HIS, MET) on zeolites: fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy investigations

Minerals adsorb more amino acids with charged R-groups than amino acids with uncharged R-groups. Thus, the peptides that form from the condensation of amino acids on the surface of minerals should be composed of amino acid residues that are more charged than uncharged. However, most of the amino acids (74%) in today's proteins have an uncharged R-group. One mechanism with which to solve this paradox is the use of organophilic minerals such as zeolites. Over the range of pH (pH 2.66-4.50) used in these experiments, the R-group of histidine (His) is positively charged and neutral for alanine (Ala), cysteine (Cys), and methionine (Met). In acidic hydrothermal environments, the pH could be even lower than those used in this study. For the pH range studied, the zeolites were negatively charged, and the overall charge of all amino acids was positive. The conditions used here approximate those of prebiotic Earth. The most important finding of this work is that the relative concentrations of each amino acid (X=His, Met, Cys) to alanine (X/Ala) are close to 1.00. This is an important result with regard to prebiotic chemistry because it could be a solution for the paradox stated above. Pore size did not affect the adsorption of Cys and Met on zeolites, and the Si/Al ratio did not affect the adsorption of Cys, His, and Met. ZSM-5 could be used for the purification of Cys from other amino acids (Student-Newman-Keuls test, p<0.05), and mordenite could be used for separation of amino acids from each other (Student-Newman-Keuls test, p<0.05). As shown by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, Ala interacts with zeolites through the [Formula: see text] group, and methionine-zeolite interactions involve the COO, [Formula: see text], and CH(3) groups. FT-IR spectra show that the interaction between the zeolites and His is weak. Cys showed higher adsorption on all zeolites; however, the hydrophobic Van der Waals interaction between zeolites and Cys is too weak to produce any structural changes in the Cys groups (amine, carboxylic, sulfhydryl, etc.); thus, the FT-IR and Raman spectra are the same as those of solid Cys.     

Influence on photosynthesis of starlight, moonlight, planetlight, and light pollution (reflections on photosynthetically active radiation in the universe)

Photosynthesis on Earth can occur in a diversity of organisms in the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) range of 10 nmol of photons m(-2) s(-1) to 8 mmol of photons m(-2) s(-1). Similar considerations would probably apply to photosynthetic organisms on Earth-like planets (ELPs) in the continuously habitable zone of other stars. On Earth, starlight PAR is inadequate for photosynthetically supported growth. An increase in starlight even to reach the minimum theoretical levels to allow for photosynthesis would require a universe that was approximately ten million times older, or with a ten million times greater density of stars, than is the case for the present universe. Photosynthesis on an ELP using PAR reflected from a natural satellite with the same size as our Moon, but at the Roche limit, could support a low rate of photosynthesis at full Moon. Photosynthesis on an ELP-like satellite of a Jupiter-sized planet using light reflected from the planet could be almost 1% of the rate in full sunlight on Earth when the planet was full. These potential contributions to photosynthesis require that the contribution is compared with the rate of photosynthesis driven by direct radiation from the star. Light pollution on Earth only energizes photosynthesis by organisms that are very close to the light source. However, effects of light pollution on photosynthesis can be more widespread if the photosynthetic canopy is retained for more of the year, caused by effects on photoperiodism, with implications for the influence of civilizations on photosynthesis.