The PROCESS experiment: an astrochemistry laboratory for solid and gaseous organic samples in low-earth orbit

The PROCESS (PRebiotic Organic ChEmistry on the Space Station) experiment was part of the EXPOSE-E payload outside the European Columbus module of the International Space Station from February 2008 to August 2009. During this interval, organic samples were exposed to space conditions to simulate their evolution in various astrophysical environments. The samples used represent organic species related to the evolution of organic matter on the small bodies of the Solar System (carbonaceous asteroids and comets), the photolysis of methane in the atmosphere of Titan, and the search for organic matter at the surface of Mars. This paper describes the hardware developed for this experiment as well as the results for the glycine solid-phase samples and the gas-phase samples that were used with regard to the atmosphere of Titan. Lessons learned from this experiment are also presented for future low-Earth orbit astrochemistry investigations.     

Calcification and silicification: fossilization potential of cyanobacteria from stromatolites of Niuafo'ou's Caldera Lakes (Tonga) and implications for the early fossil record

Calcification and silicification processes of cyanobacterial mats that form stromatolites in two caldera lakes of Niuafo'ou Island (Vai Lahi and Vai Si'i) were evaluated, and their importance as analogues for interpreting the early fossil record are discussed. It has been shown that the potential for morphological preservation of Niuafo'ou cyanobacteria is highly dependent on the timing and type of mineral phase involved in the fossilization process. Four main modes of mineralization of cyanobacteria organic parts have been recognized: (i) primary early postmortem calcification by aragonite nanograins that transform quickly into larger needle-like crystals and almost totally destroy the cellular structures, (ii) primary early postmortem silicification of almost intact cyanobacterial cells that leave a record of spectacularly well-preserved cellular structures, (iii) replacement by silica of primary aragonite that has already recrystallized and obliterated the cellular structures, (iv) occasional replacement of primary aragonite precipitated in the mucopolysaccharide sheaths and extracellular polymeric substances by Al-Mg-Fe silicates. These observations suggest that the extremely scarce earliest fossil record may, in part, be the result of (a) secondary replacement by silica of primary carbonate minerals (aragonite, calcite, siderite), which, due to recrystallization, had already annihilated the cellular morphology of the mineralized microbiota or (b) relatively late primary silicification of already highly degraded and no longer morphologically identifiable microbial remains.     

Short-wave infrared reflectance investigation of sites of paleobiological interest: applications for Mars exploration

Rover missions to the rocky bodies of the Solar System and especially to Mars require lightweight, portable instruments that use minimal power, require no sample preparation, and provide suitably diagnostic mineralogical information to an Earth-based exploration team. Short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectroscopic instruments such as the Portable Infrared Mineral Analyser (PIMA, Integrated Spectronics Pty Ltd., Baulkham Hills, NSW, Australia) fulfill all these requirements. We describe an investigation of a possible Mars analogue site using a PIMA instrument. A survey was carried out on the Strelley Pool Chert, an outcrop of stromatolitic, silicified Archean carbonate and clastic succession in the Pilbara Craton, interpreted as being modified by hydrothermal processes. The results of this study demonstrate the capability of SWIR techniques to add significantly to the geological interpretation of such hydrothermally altered outcrops. Minerals identified include dolomite, white micas such as illite-muscovite, and chlorite. In addition, the detection of pyrophyllite in a bleached and altered unit directly beneath the succession suggests acidic, sulfur-rich hydrothermal activity may have interacted with the silicified sediments of the Strelley Pool Chert.     

The Suess-Urey mission (return of solar matter to Earth)

The Suess-Urey (S-U) mission has been proposed as a NASA Discovery mission to return samples of matter from the Sun to the Earth for isotopic and chemical analyses in terrestrial laboratories to provide a major improvement in our knowledge of the average chemical and isotopic composition of the solar system. The S-U spacecraft and sample return capsule will be placed in a halo orbit around the L1 Sun-Earth libration point for two years to collect solar wind ions which implant into large passive collectors made of ultra-pure materials. Constant Spacecraft-Sun-Earth geometries enable simple spin stabilized attitude control, simple passive thermal control, and a fixed medium gain antenna. Low data requirements and the safety of a Sun-pointed spinner, result in extremely low mission operations costs.     

低噪声500MHz频率源

本文介绍一种高可靠、长寿命频率源的设计。为了可靠的工作,该装置采用了备用结构型式,并用体波和声表面波谐振器来保证极低的相位噪声和寄生输出。500MHz 和400MHz 多路输出是由25MHz 参考输入或由一个内部100MHz 温度补偿晶体振荡器直接合成而产生的。当使用外部参考时,25MHz 输入滤波器和两个50MHz、100MHz 附加晶体滤波器保证在最后倍频之前将相位噪声本底减小到理论最小值。500MHz 倍频输出信号用两端口SAW 谐振器进行滤波。这些谐振器在50欧匹配系统中,工作的输入功率电平为+15dBm。滤波电路还保证将内外产生的调制边带减小到可以忽略的程度。在离载波大于2MHz 间隔频率上,其单边带相位噪声低于-174dBc/Hz。同样,在所有频率上,寄生信号均低于-110dBc。频率源工作在有电噪声的环境中。良好的有源、无源滤波和封装屏蔽可保证最小的导电和辐射敏感性。对系统的苛刻要求决定采用无单点故障的备用重复结构。提出的封装设想是使组件的内部连接最短,并使两个备用发生器在物理和电气上互不相关。     

先进的声表面波-大规模集成频率合成器

快速跳频频率合成器是跳频式频谱展宽系统的关键部件。最近,TRW 已研制出最适合于上述用途的直接混频-分频频率合成器样机。该合成器产生的频率为1296兆赫到1536兆赫,步进间隔为3兆赫,能够以低于50毫微秒的速度进行频率转换。在整个设计中均采用声表面波和射频大规模集成器件来生产这种速度极快的小型合成器。     

晶体振荡器的数字温度补偿

本文着眼于生产数字温度补偿晶体振荡器的可行性。试验台是一个可以同时测试20-35块晶体的自动测量系统。对查表补偿法和7次方程补偿法的结果进行了比较。两种方法得到的结果均在所要求频率窗 a±0.05ppm 以内。     

用互相关法和用三个或多个振荡器法表征频率起伏

一个振荡器自身的稳定度可以用两个辅助振荡器并在这三个振荡器中两两进行比较的方法来加以测定。如果不是同时进行三次比较,直接应用这种原理就会得出错误的结果。然而,这些结果是受了测试系统噪声的影响。为了对三个振荡器进行比较,提出了一些新的方法。这些方法应用方差和互相关的概念,能够单独地表征振荡器的特性,而在不相关时,则可减少杂散噪声源的影响。所以在频率和相位起伏测量中能够得到较好的分辨度。     

导航星全球定位系统(GPS)时钟计划:现在和将来

全球卫星定位系统(GPS)计划的成功首先取决于铯和铷原子频率标准和晶体振荡器的可靠性和工作特性。GPS 可以自豪地提供铷钟在轨道上运行两年的成功经验和铯钟在轨道上运行一年的成功经验。本文总结了最近六个月来计划局所开展的活动和铯钟、铷钟在轨道上的性能。在介绍 GPS 时钟计划时,我们着重介绍 GPS 用户部分情况和开展工作的打算。     

On the stabilization of ribose by silicate minerals

The RNA-world theory hypothesizes that early Earth life was based on the RNA molecule. However, the notion that ribose, the sugar in RNA, is unstable still casts a serious doubt over this theory. Recently, it has been found that the silicate-mediated formose reaction facilitates the stabilization of ribose. Using accurate quantum chemical calculations, we determined the relative stability of the silicate complexes of arabinose, lyxose, ribose, and xylose with the intent to determine which would form predominantly from a formose-like reaction. Five stereoisomers were investigated for each complex. The stereoisomers of 2:1 ribose-silicate are the more stable ones, to the extent that the least stable of these is even more stable than the most stable stereoisomer of the other 2:1 sugar-silicate complexes. Thus, thermodynamically, a formose-like reaction in the presence of silicate minerals should preferentially form the silicate complex of ribose over the silicate complex of arabinose, lyxose, and xylose.