Formation of oligopeptides on the surface of small bodies in solar system by cosmic radiation.

The present experiment indicates that oligopeptides are easily produced in solid state from mixtures of simple amino acids by irradiating with high energy charged particles. We investigated such amino acids and their mixtures as tryptophan, tyrosine and glycine. The thin films was irradiated with protons (6.6 MeV). Such dipeptides as Trp-Trp, Gly-Tyr, Tyr-Gly, and Tyr-Tyr have been detected as products of irradiation. Cosmic rays might be an effective energy source for abiotic formation of bioorganic compounds on the surface of small bodies in the solar system on early stage of formation of planets as well as at present day.     

Phase Control in Multibeam Arrays

The phases of the radiation fields in a multibeam antenna are analyzed and their relations to the feed network are established. A method of phase control is proposed and applied to the case of cophasal beams radiated from an array for which the feed network is a lossless Butler matrix.     

Gravity as an obligatory factor in normal higher plant growth and development

Gravity may influence different aspects of plant activity. The present report deals with two questions: gravity as an ecological factor determining spatial orientation of plant growth; and second, a possible requirement for gravity in the process of normal growth, morphogenesis and generative development of plants.     

Correction to: Mission to Planet Earth: The First Two Billion Years

Space Science Reviews - The Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) mission makes measurements in near-Earth space that provide knowledge of the state of the ionosphere. From the vantage of...     

Main problems of the Russian Orlan-M space suit utilization for EVAs on the ISS

In the recent years the Russian Orlan-M space suits have been improved as applied to their operational requirements for the ISS. A special attention is paid to enhancement of EVA crew efficiency and safety. The paper considers the main problems regarding specific features of the Russian space suit operation in the ISS, and analyses measures on their solution. In particular, the problems associated with the following are considered: enhancement of the anthropometric range for the EVA crewmembers; use of some US EMU elements and unified NASA equipment elements; Orlan-M operation support in the wide range of the ISS thermal conditions; use of Simplified Aid For Extravehicular activity Rescue (SAFER) designed as a self-rescue device, which will be used for an EVA crewmember return in the event that he (she) breaks away inadvertently from the ISS surface. The paper states the main space suit differences with reference to solution of the above problems. The paper presents briefly the design of space suit arms developed for crewmembers with small anthropometric parameters, as well as peculiarities and test results for the gloves with enhanced thermal protection. Measures on further space suit development with the purpose to improve its performances are considered.     

Index: piggy-back satellite for aurora observation and technology demonstration

This paper describes outline of the piggy-back satellite “INDEX” for demonstration of advanced satellite technologies as well as for observation of fine structure of aurora. Aurora observation will be carried out by three cameras(MAC) with a monochromatic UV filter. Electron and ion spectrum analyzer (ESA/ISA) will measure the particle phenomena together with the aurora imaging. INDEX satellite will be launched in 2002 by Japanese H2-A. The satellite is mainly controlled by the high-speed, fault-tolerant on-board RICS processor (three-voting system of SH-3). The attitude control is a compact system of three-axis stabilization. Although the size of INDEX is small (50Kg class), several newly-developed technologies are applied to the satellite system, including silicon-on-insulator devices, variable emittance radiator, solar-concentrated paddles, lithium-ion battery, and GPS receiver with all-sky antenna-coverage.     

一种遥感卫星偏流角修正的仿真分析方法

为了弥补遥感卫星偏流角传统计算中假设过多的缺陷,基于卫星工具包(STK)与MATLAB软件,从卫星偏流角修正的物理原理出发,提出了一种仿真与数值计算交互的卫星偏流角修正分析方法。以一颗运行在高650km太阳同步轨道、具有侧摆能力的遥感卫星为例,对其成像点的偏流角和卫星偏流角修正进行了仿真分析。仿真结果表明,文章提出的方法可以精确地分析卫星成像过程中的偏流角,从而可用于对卫星在轨成像性能影响的预估,还能在卫星入轨后用于验证图像质量影响因素的来源,为保障成像质量提供支持。     

Ionospheric anomalies of local earthquakes detected by GPS TEC measurements using data from Tashkent and Kitab stations

This paper reports the ionospheric anomalies observed during strong local earthquakes (M?5.0) which occurred mostly in and around Uzbekistan in seismically active zones, during years 2006 to 2009 within approximately 1000 km distance from the observing GPS stations located in Tashkent and Kitab, Uzbekistan. The solar and geomagnetic conditions were quiet during occurrence of the selected strong earthquakes. We produce Total Electron Content (TEC) time series over both sites and apply them to detect anomalous TEC signals preceding or accompanying the local earthquakes. The results show anomalous increase or decrease of TEC before or during the earthquakes. In general the anomalies occurred 1–7 days before the earthquakes as ionospheric electromagnetic precursors. To identify the anomalous values of TEC we calculated differential TEC (dTEC). dTEC is obtained by subtracting monthly averaged diurnal vTEC from the values of observed vTEC at each epoch. This procedure removes normal diurnal variations of vTEC. The present results are in good agreement with the previous observations on ionospheric earthquake precursors reported by various researchers.     

Using a mini-Raman spectrometer to monitor the adaptive strategies of extremophile colonizers in arid deserts: relationships between signal strength, adaptive strategies, solar radiation, and humidity

Abstract The survival strategies of one cyanobacteria colony and three terricolous lichen species from the hot subdesert of Tabernas, Spain, were studied along with topographical attributes of the area to investigate whether the protective strategies adopted by these pioneer soil colonizers are related to the environmental stressors under which they survive. A handheld Raman spectrometer was used for biomolecular characterization, while the microclimatic and topographic parameters were estimated with a Geographic Information System (GIS). We found that the survival strategies adopted by those organisms are based on different combinations of protective biomolecules, each with diverse ecophysiological functions, such as UV-radiation screening, free-energy quenching, antioxidants, and the production of different types and amounts of calcium oxalates. Our results show that the cyanobacteria community and each lichen species preferentially colonized a particular microhabitat with specific moisture and incident solar radiation levels and exhibited different adaptive mechanisms. In recent years, a number of studies have provided consistent results that suggest a link between the strategies adopted by those extremophile organisms and the microclimatic environmental parameters. To date, however, far too little attention has been paid to results from Raman analyses on dry specimens. Therefore, the results of the present study, produced with the use of our miniaturized instrument, will be of interest to future studies in astrobiology, especially due to the likely use of Raman spectroscopy at the surface of Mars. Key Words: Hot desert-Raman spectroscopy-Topography-Terricolous lichens-Cyanobacteria-Planetary exploration. Astrobiology 12, 743-753.     

Strategy to search fragments from breakups in GEO

This paper proposes a strategy to search fragments from breakups in the Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) region based upon population prediction and motion prediction by means of ground-based optical observations. Breakup fragments have uncertainties in the states such as their position and motion, or even in their existence. Population prediction and motion prediction resolve those uncertainties. Population prediction evaluates the time-averaged distribution of fragments, whose position at a given time is unknown, in the celestial sphere. Motion prediction evaluates the expected motion of fragments appeared in image series acquired by a telescope’s CCD camera. This paper logically describes procedures of the search strategy, and provides mathematical expressions of population prediction and motion prediction. This paper also validates the search strategy via actual observations, in which a confirmed breakup in the GEO region is selected as a target. It is concluded that the proposed strategy is valid even for searching uncataloged fragments from breakups in the GEO region.