Comparative metagenomics of two microbial mats at cuatro ciénegas basin I: ancient lessons on how to cope with an environment under severe nutrient stress

Abstract The Cuatro Ciénegas Basin (CCB) is an oasis in the desert of Mexico characterized by low phosphorus availability and by its great diversity of microbial mats. We compared the metagenomes of two aquatic microbial mats from the CCB with different nutrient limitations. We observed that the red mat was P-limited and dominated by Pseudomonas, while the green mat was N-limited and had higher species richness, with Proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria as the most abundant phyla. From their gene content, we deduced that both mats were very metabolically diverse despite their use of different strategies to cope with their respective environments. The red mat was found to be mostly heterotrophic, while the green mat was more autotrophic. The red mat had a higher number of transporters in general, including transporters of cellobiose and osmoprotectants. We suggest that generalists with plastic genomes dominate the red mat, while specialists with minimal genomes dominate the green mat. Nutrient limitation was a common scenario on the early planet; despite this, biogeochemical cycles were performed, and as a result the planet changed. The metagenomes of microbial mats from the CCB show the different strategies a community can use to cope with oligotrophy and persist. Key Words: Microbial mats-Metagenomics-Metabolism. Astrobiology 12, 648-658.     

剪切同轴式喷嘴中心管壁厚对火焰的影响

为了研究剪切同轴式喷嘴中心管壁厚度对火焰的影响,针对LOX/CH4火焰,采用数值方法计算了三种不同喷嘴中心管壁厚的长方体形燃烧室内的燃烧过程,计算表明,对于较大的管壁厚度,在紧贴管壁下游的区域将形成较大的回流区,有利于火焰稳定在喷嘴出口处,还给出了采用相同几何结构燃烧室的LOX/CH4燃烧试验结果,试验也得出了同样的趋势,随着中心管壁厚度的增加,火焰中心明显前移。     

W波段机载断续频率调制连续波成像雷达

按照断续调频连续波（FMICW）原理,已经研制出一台具有用于稳定和扫描的转向支架的94GHz成像雷达,它作为机载测试台用以评估雷达辅助导航和引导算法。直升机机载飞行试验的初步结果给出了所选择的特征（包括跑道）和其周围环境之间用计算机和飞行员人工引导两种情况下的充分比较。特征提取和匹配算法已经证实了该系统比GPS更准确。     

Space-to-space Radio Interferometry System from Medium Earth Orbits

This paper presents a new concept to perform space-to-space Very Long Baseline Interferometry which enables the imaging of cosmic sources at high-resolution and high-sensitivity with small antennas. Several individual apertures are embarked on separate identical satellites staggered in height into Polar or Equatorial Circular Medium Earth Orbits (PECMEO orbits). These orbits are stable and allow GNSS-based on-the-fly centimeter-level relative positioning. Coherent operation is possible by exchanging local oscillator components and measured signals through Inter-Satellite Links (ISL). On-board cross correlation is performed at each satellite over a delay window compatible with the accuracy of the on-the-fly relative positioning and the result sent to the ground. Image reconstruction is completed on the ground thanks to sub-millimeter baseline retrieval from accurate GNSS orbits, ISL ranging and spacecraft attitude information. The application of this concept to image the Super Massive Black Hole Sgr A* is hinted.      

苏联早期的“警棍”和“凉鞋”“短剑”导弹

赫鲁晓夫唬住了美国人 1960年1月14日,赫鲁晓夫在苏联最高苏维埃会议上以<为了永久和平与友谊而裁军>为题发表演说,首次形成了国家核军事理论.该理论认定弹道导弹应在军事战略中占据中心位置,并应成为欧洲战争及有超级大国参加的战斗中的决定因素.赫鲁晓夫认为,新的战争将从使用核武器的大规模突袭开始.     

苏联导弹的原点

1944年,苏联成功地得到了德国的超级秘密武器——V-2导弹的个别组件。根据曾遭受到V-2密集射击的英国人所提供的资料,以及苏联专家得出的初步结论说明,德国人已成功研制出了举世无双的武器。如果说苏联为齐射火力系统（“卡秋莎”）而研制的优秀固体火箭弹M-13ДД的射程为11．8千米,则德国V-2导弹的飞行距离已超过其25倍,约300千米。     

Biogenicity of morphologically diverse carbonaceous microstructures from the ca. 3400 Ma Strelley pool formation, in the Pilbara Craton, Western Australia

Morphologically diverse structures that may constitute organic microfossils are reported from three remote and widely separated localities assigned to the ca. 3400?Ma Strelley Pool Formation in the Pilbara Craton, Western Australia. These localities include the Panorama, Warralong, and Goldsworthy greenstone belts. From the Panorama greenstone belt, large (> 40?μm) lenticular to spindle-like structures, spheroidal structures, and mat-forming thread-like structures are found. Similar assemblages of carbonaceous structures have been identified from the Warralong and Goldsworthy greenstone belts, though these assemblages lack the thread-like structures but contain film-like structures. All structures are syngenetic with their host sedimentary black chert, which is associated with stromatolites and evaporites. The host chert is considered to have been deposited in a shallow water environment. Rigorous assessment of biogenicity (considering composition, size range, abundance, taphonomic features, and spatial distributions) suggests that cluster-forming small (<15 μm) spheroids, lenticular to spindle-like structures, and film-like structures with small spheroids are probable microfossils. Thread-like structures are more likely fossilized fibrils of biofilm, rather than microfossils. The biogenicity of solitary large (>15?μm) spheroids and simple film-like structures is less certain. Although further investigations are required to confirm the biogenicity of carbonaceous structures from the Strelley Pool Formation, this study presents evidence for the existence of morphologically complex and large microfossils at 3400?Ma in the Pilbara Craton, which can be correlated to the contemporaneous, possible microfossils reported from South Africa. Although there is still much to be learned, they should provide us with new insights into the early evolution of life and shallow water ecosystems.     

Astrobiological considerations for the selection of the geological filters on the ExoMars PanCam instrument

The Panoramic Camera (PanCam) instrument will provide visible-near IR multispectral imaging of the ExoMars rover's surroundings to identify regions of interest within the nearby terrain. This multispectral capability is dependant upon the 12 preselected "geological" filters that are integrated into two wide-angle cameras. First devised by the Imager for Mars Pathfinder team to detect iron oxides, this baseline filter set has remained largely unchanged for subsequent missions (Mars Exploration Rovers, Beagle 2, Phoenix) despite the advancing knowledge of the mineralogical diversity on Mars. Therefore, the geological filters for the ExoMars PanCam will be redesigned to accommodate the astrobiology focus of ExoMars, where hydrated mineral terrains (evidence of past liquid water) will be priority targets. Here, we conduct an initial investigation into new filter wavelengths for the ExoMars PanCam and present results from tests performed on Mars analog rocks. Two new filter sets were devised: one with filters spaced every 50?nm ("F1-12") and another that utilizes a novel filter selection method based upon hydrated mineral reflectance spectra ("F2-12"). These new filter sets, along with the Beagle 2 filter set (currently the baseline for the ExoMars PanCam), were tested on their ability to identify hydrated minerals and biosignatures present in Mars analog rocks. The filter sets, with varying degrees of ability, detected the spectral features of minerals jarosite, opaline silica, alunite, nontronite, and siderite present in these rock samples. None of the filter sets, however, were able to detect fossilized biomat structures and small (<2?mm) mineralogical heterogeneities present in silica sinters. Both new filter sets outperformed the Beagle 2 filters, with F2-12 detecting the most spectral features produced by hydrated minerals and providing the best discrimination between samples. Future work involving more extensive testing on Mars analog samples that exhibit a wider range of mineralogies would be the next step in carefully evaluating the new filter sets.     

Magnetism, iron minerals, and life on Mars

A short critical review is provided on two questions linking magnetism and possible early life on Mars: (1) Did Mars have an Earth-like internal magnetic field, and, if so, during which period and was it a requisite for life? (2) Is there a connection between iron minerals in the martian regolith and life? We also discuss the possible astrobiological implications of magnetic measurements at the surface of Mars using two proposed instruments. A magnetic remanence device based on magnetic field measurements can be used to identify Noachian age rocks and lightning impacts. A contact magnetic susceptibility probe can be used to investigate weathering rinds on martian rocks and identify meteorites among the small regolith rocks. Both materials are considered possible specific niches for microorganisms and, thus, potential astrobiological targets. Experimental results on analogues are presented to support the suitability of such in situ measurements.