Analyses of exobiological and potential resource materials in the Martian soil.

Potential Martian soil components relevant to exobiology include water, organic matter, evaporites, clays, and oxides. These materials are also resources for human expeditions to Mars. When found in particular combinations, some of these materials constitute diagnostic paleobiomarker suites, allowing insight to be gained into the probability of life originating on Mars. Critically important to exobiology is the method of data analysis and data interpretation. To that end we are investigating methods of analysis of potential biomarker and paleobiomarker compounds and resource materials in soils and rocks pertinent to Martian geology. Differential thermal analysis coupled with gas chromatography is shown to be a highly useful analytical technique for detecting this wide and complex variety of materials.     

Circumstellar chemistry from microwave and mm-wave spectroscopy.

Stars in their late stages of evolution often shed matter in the form of a cool wind which is molecular in composition. These winds are a major source of replenishment of the interstellar gas and dust, so they furnish a large part of the raw materials for new generations of stars and planets. The chemistry of the circumstellar envelope depends strongly on the photospheric abundances of the elements, especially C and O. If C/O > 1, a rich organic chemistry is observable in the microwave and mm-wavelength emission lines of the reactions products. This paper reviews the observational evidence for the presence of organic molecules and their formation pathways in circumstellar envelopes, with special emphasis on rotational spectra at microwave and millimeter wavelengths.     

Lower and upper limits to comet p/halley solid material loss rate

A radiative hydrodynamic model of comet P/Halley is used to investigate quantitatively the constraints imposed onto the Comet loss rate in solids by both the in-situ data and the remote sensing data. In particular, for the first time, the in-situ data are used to fit composite spectra extending from near-IR wavelengths to the microwave region. Also, for the first time the uncertainty affecting the ejection velocity of large grains is taken into account. The results suggest that only future rendez-vous studies of the grain density in the vicinity of a comet would be able to provide definitely reliable values of the comet loss rate.     

EUV emission from normal galaxies

Using data from the Wide Field Camera EUV all-sky survey, we have established upper limits to the EUV flux from a sample of 30 bright, nearby, non-active spiral galaxies. These galaxies were chosen to be those most likely to be detected in the EUV on the basis of (i) low interstellar absorption within our own galaxy, (ii) brightness in other wavebands, (iii) high star formation activity, and (iv) proximity. The derived EUV upper limits are restrictive, and establish for the first time that the EUV flux escaping from galaxies does not constitute a major component of their bolometric luminosity, and in particular that it cannot be the sink for the energy injected into the interstellar medium by supernova explosions, as had been suggested following the failure to detect this power in the X-ray band.     

Electric currents induced inside biological cells by geomagnetic and atmospheric phenomena.

An increasing number of studies have appeared in the last ten years indicating that some pathologies may correlate with geomagnetic activity and cosmic rays. However a physical mechanism binding both phenomena has not been proposed. In the present work we obtain the amplitude of the magnetic fields at different frequencies, that may induce inside biological cells currents of the same magnitude of the currents generated by the cells themselves. We compare these values with the wave amplitudes produced in geomagnetic and atmospheric phenomena, and found that micropulsations, whistlers and lightning are capable of produce the same or larger values.     

Rationale for the development of the UK defence standards forsafety-critical computer software

Changes in the procurement environment and developments in technology that will require the adoption of new development certification procedures within the next few years are examined. Characteristics of safety-critical computer systems and the safety problems posed by digital computers are described. The way in which the changes have influenced the preparation of the new draft defence standards offered for public debate in the UK prior to their formal adoption by the Ministry of Defence is discussed. Principle features of the future safety-critical systems policy are outlined. The use of Ada for safety-critical software is considered     

Dose equivalent, absorbed dose and charge spectrum investigation in low Earth orbit.

Particle intensity, dose equivalent and absorbed dose have been measured on board the space shuttle Endeavour during STS-108 in December 2001 by Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS). The dose estimates are based on very accurate measurements of recoils produced in CR-39 by cosmic ray primary and secondary protons and heavier nuclei and by secondary neutrons. The corresponding LET spectra were used to determine dose equivalent and absorbed dose values. Estimates of the total flux of Z > or = 2 nuclei have been undertaken and a preliminary charge spectrum was measured. Some comparisons are made with preliminary data obtained on STS-105 (ISS Expedition) and other missions using CR-39 detectors.     

Protection by WR-2721 and WR-151327 against late effects of gamma rays and neutrons.

Two thiophosphoroate compounds WR-2721 and WR-151327 were assessed for their ability to modify the deleterious effects (life shortening and carcinogenesis) of fission-spectrum neutrons (kerma-weighted mean energy of 0.85 MeV) or gamma rays on B6CF1 hybrid mice. Male and female mice, 200 of each sex per experimental group, were irradiated individually at 110 days of age. Radioprotectors (400 mg/kg of WR-2721 or 580 mg/kg of WR-151327) were administered intraperitoneally 30 min prior to irradiation. Neutron doses were 10 cGy or 40 cGy and gamma ray doses were 206 cGy or 417 cGy. Animals were housed five to a cage; cage locations in the holding rooms were randomized by computer. Animals were checked daily and all deceased animals were necropsied. WR-2721 afforded protection against both neutron- and gamma-ray-induced carcinogenesis and subsequent life shortening. Cumulative survival curves for unirradiated mice of either sex were unaffectecd by protectors. WR-2721 protected irradiated groups against life shortening by approximately 10 cGy of neutrons or 100 cGy of gamma rays. WR-151327 was as effective as WR-2721 against neutron irradiation.     

A large flat panel multifunction display for military and spaceapplications

A flat panel multifunction display (MFD) that offers the size and reliability benefits of liquid crystal display technology while achieving near-CRT display quality is presented. Display generation algorithms that provide exceptional display quality are being implemented in custom VLSI components to minimize MFD size. A high-performance processor converts user-specified display lists to graphics commands used by these components, resulting in high-speed updates of two-dimensional and three-dimensional images. The MFD uses the MIL-STD-1553B data bus for compatibility with virtually all avionics systems. The MFD can generate displays directly from display lists received from the MIL-STD-1553B bus. Complex formats can be stored in the MFD and displayed using parameters from the data bus. The MFD also accepts direct video input and performs special processing on this input to enhance image quality