Chemotrophic filamentous microfossils from the Hollard Mound (Devonian, Morocco) as investigated by focused ion beam

The biologic origin of objects with microbe-like morphologies from the oldest preserved terrestrial sedimentary rocks remains a matter of controversy. Their biogenicity has been questioned, as well as the claim that they are convincing evidence of early life. Though minerals with microbe-like morphologies represent ambiguous evidence of life, they are, in a number of conditions, the only achievable information. In this study, the focused ion beam (FIB) electron microscopy technique was used for nano and micrometer-scale high-resolution imaging and in situ microsectioning of filamentous microfossils. The structural elements of these filaments, their spatial relationships with the host rock, and artifacts produced by alteration of the original morphology due to laboratory sample processing have been clearly defined. The in situ sectioning provided a means by which to investigate surface and subsurface microstructures and perform different analytical techniques on the same object, which minimizes sample destruction and avoids excessive manual handling and exposure of the specimen during analysis. Improvement in the morphological and compositional evaluation of the filaments has facilitated the development of a hypothesis regarding the metabolic pathway of the filamentous microfossils preserved in the Middle Devonian-aged Hollard Mound deposit, Anti-Atlas, Morocco. The results of this study demonstrate the potential of the FIB/SEM (scanning electron microscopy) system for detecting microbial-scale morphologies.     

Adenine synthesis in interstellar space: mechanisms of prebiotic pyrimidine-ring formation of monocyclic HCN-pentamers

The question whether the nucleobases can be synthesized in interstellar space is of fundamental significance in considerations of the origin of life. Adenine is formally the HCN pentamer, and experiments have demonstrated that adenine is formed under certain conditions by HCN pentamerization in gas, liquid, and condensed phases. Most mechanistic proposals invoke the intermediacy of the HCN tetramer AICN (4), and it is thought that adenine synthesis is completed by addition of the 5(th) HCN to 4 to form amidine 5 and subsequent pyrimidine cyclization. In this context, we have been studying the mechanism for prebiotic pyrimidine-ring formation of monocyclic HCN-pentamers with ab initio electronic structure theory. The calculations model gas phase chemistry, and the results primarily inform discussions of adenine synthesis in interstellar space. Purine formation requires tautomerization of 5 to the conjugated amidine 6 (via hydrogen-tunneling, thermally with H(+) -catalysis, or by photolysis) or to keteneimine 7 (by photolysis). It was found that 5-(N'-formamidinyl)-1H-imidazole-4-carbonitrile (6) can serve as a substrate for proton-catalyzed purine formation under photolytic conditions and N-(4-(iminomethylene)-1H-imidazol-5(4H)-ylidene)formamidine (7) can serve as a substrate for uncatalyzed purine formation under photolytic conditions. The absence of any sizeable activation barrier for the cyclization of 7 to the (Z)-imino form of 9H-adenine (Z)-2 is quite remarkable, and it is this feature that allows for the formation of the purine skeleton from 7 without any further activation.     

驱动商业航天创新引擎 共赴太空经济美好未来

<正>近十年来,全球航天产业持续稳定发展,正在进入一个崭新的大航天时代。在国家“十四五”规划中,空天科技首次出现在“强化国家战略科技力量”内容中,航天产业作为国家战略科技力量的重要组成部分,代表科技和工业发展的最前沿,具有显著的技术牵引和产业带动作用。     

基于图像的测量方法在工业风洞跨声速流测量中的最新进展

风洞中非定常复杂流场的实验研究要求先进的测量技术.基于图像的测量技术中最重要的是测量平面流速度场、平面压强分布、模型位置和变形、模型温度以及定量的高速流可视化等技术.DLR(德国宇航研究院)对这些技术的应用包括从低速流到跨声速流、从增升装置到螺旋桨和旋翼、从弹射装置和水塔储水罐尾迹流旋涡到三角翼上涡破裂现象等的研究.由于跨声速风洞的特殊环境,将基于图像的测量技术用于跨声速流要求专门的技术开发和有经验的科学家.给出了DLR空气动力学和流动技术研究所将基于图像的测量技术应用于跨声速流研究的最新进展.     

平面磨削时表层质量过程监测参数的实验研究(2)——磨削表层应力状态的过程监测和预报

磨削表面残余应力状态是影响许多机器零件使用性能的重要表面特性之一。但它极难在磨削过程中进行监测和判断。 在平面磨床上进行大量16MoCr5表面硬化钢的磨削试验证明,磨削表面残余应力σ_Ⅱ与单位面积磨削功率P″_c及磨削力比F_n/F_t间存在很好的函数对应关系,在实验数据的基础上应用回归分析的方法建立了用过程特征参量计算表面残余测定仪应力的实验公式。当P″_c:未超过第二临界值P″_(cⅡ)时,用残余应力模型所计算的数值与由X射线应力测定仪测定的数值相符合。而在超过该临界值P″_(cⅡ)的情况下,由于磨削烧伤引起表面产生二次淬硬层其至裂纹,这时计算所得的高的拉应力值不就能在工件表面测得。 综合本研究课题的第一部分及本文的结果表明,单位面积磨削功率P″_c和磨削力比F_n/F可以作为磨削过程监测和预报表层质量的可靠的过程特征参量应用于生产实践。     

稳定的文氏电桥振荡器设计

幅度稳定度和频率稳定度是设计振荡器的主要问题。后者一般是涉及选择适当的元件,而前者是这里设计的放大器要解决的。若振幅稳定度和失真要求不高,简单的限幅型振荡器一般就足够了。获得幅度稳定的一种方法是加入诸如自     

Pascal与Ada的比较

本文将比较 Pascal 和 Ada 这两种程序设计语言。Ada 以:Pascal 为基础,而它们的设计目标却截然不同。Pascal 是为教学设计的,而 Ada 是为较大的军用软件系统设计的。仅当 Pascal的局限性不致影响应用程序设计时,Pascal 的简明性才是方便的。     

进气畸变模拟装置的试验研究

 同一试验器上,在相同状态下,对挡板型、非完整进口型及紊流发生器型三类进气畸变模拟装置进行了对比试验。测量其总压场及速度场。获得某些规律性认识。     

An Event Horizon Imager(EHI) Mission Concept Utilizing Medium Earth Orbit Sub-mm Interferometry

Submillimeter interferometry has the potential to image supermassive black holes on event horizon scales, providing tests of the theory of general relativity and increasing our understanding of black hole accretion processes. The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) performs these observations from the ground, and its main imaging targets are Sagittarius A* in the Galactic Center and the black hole at the center of the M87 galaxy. However, the EHT is fundamentally limited in its performance by atmospheric effects and sparse terrestrial (u,v)-coverage (Fourier sampling of the image). The scientific interest in quantitative studies of the horizon size and shape of these black holes has motivated studies into using space interferometry which is free of these limitations. Angular resolution considerations and interstellar scattering effects push the desired observing frequency to bands above 500 GHz.
This paper presents the requirements for meeting these science goals, describes the concept of interferometry from Polar or Equatorial Medium Earth Orbits (PECMEO) which we dub the Event Horizon Imager (EHI), and utilizes suitable space technology heritage. In this concept, two or three satellites orbit at slightly different orbital radii, resulting in a dense and uniform spiral-shaped (u,v)-coverage over time. The local oscillator signals are shared via an inter-satellite link, and the data streams are correlated on-board before final processing on the ground. Inter-satellite metrology and satellite positioning are extensively employed to facilitate the knowledge of the instrument position vector, and its time derivative. The European space heritage usable for both the front ends and the antenna technology of such an instrument is investigated. Current and future sensors for the required inter-satellite metrology are listed. Intended performance estimates and simulation results are given.