Some ecological mechanisms to generate habitability in planetary subsurface areas by chemolithotrophic communities: the Río Tinto subsurface ecosystem as a model system

Chemolithotrophic communities that colonize subsurface habitats have great relevance for the astrobiological exploration of our Solar System. We hypothesize that the chemical and thermal stabilization of an environment through microbial activity could make a given planetary region habitable. The MARTE project ground-truth drilling campaigns that sampled cryptic subsurface microbial communities in the basement of the Río Tinto headwaters have shown that acidic surficial habitats are the result of the microbial oxidation of pyritic ores. The oxidation process is exothermic and releases heat under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. These microbial communities can maintain the subsurface habitat temperature through storage heat if the subsurface temperature does not exceed their maximum growth temperature. In the acidic solutions of the Río Tinto, ferric iron acts as an effective buffer for controlling water pH. Under anaerobic conditions, ferric iron is the oxidant used by microbes to decompose pyrite through the production of sulfate, ferrous iron, and protons. The integration between the physical and chemical processes mediated by microorganisms with those driven by the local geology and hydrology have led us to hypothesize that thermal and chemical regulation mechanisms exist in this environment and that these homeostatic mechanisms could play an essential role in creating habitable areas for other types of microorganisms. Therefore, searching for the physicochemical expression of extinct and extant homeostatic mechanisms through physical and chemical anomalies in the Mars crust (i.e., local thermal gradient or high concentration of unusual products such as ferric sulfates precipitated out from acidic solutions produced by hypothetical microbial communities) could be a first step in the search for biological traces of a putative extant or extinct Mars biosphere.     

合成孔径快速数字算法

本文描述了合成孔长雷达数字信号处理的准最佳算法，对该算法的计算复杂性及其与最佳处理相比之下的不足进行了评估，分析了合成孔径方向图的形式，提出了选择算法参数的建议。     

Analytical definition and proposed concept for the manned infrastructure of a lunar outpost

A recent study made by ESA has reviewed the scientific investigations to be only, or best, performed on the Moon (Return to the Moon, ESA SP-1150, June 1992), and has identified the need for a manned lunar outpost to provide support to field geologists in sampling and in-situ observations of the lunar surface, and to allow the refurbishments of surface stations and rovers. Planning and development for a manned outpost on the Moon requires an in-depth understanding and analysis of the functions this outpost is expected to perform. We therefore analyzed the impact of the proposed scientific investigations on the design of a manned lunar outpost. The specific questions raised in our study were: What are the medical, physiological and psychological risks for a crew to stay and to work on the Moon? What transit and lunar surface infrastructures (habitats and vehicles) are needed to minimize those risks?     

美国固体推进剂的检验与鉴定规程

美国建立了测定固体推进剂的化学、物理和界面等各项性能的标准检验规程。对推进剂来说,所产生的整套数据,必须是充分的,而且足以确保其安全、工艺参数,并满足质量鉴定指标。固体推进剂的安全、化学、物理、力学等各项性能的检验,是与特定的发动机指标相联系的。测试项目的选择取决于推进剂的类型(如单基或双基,复合或复合改性双基),发动机使用条件(如密闭或不密闭的发动机壳体、相对应的溫度及高度的点火条件),以及要求的贮存寿命。目前,美国对推进剂的检验和鉴定大约进行六十种测试。本文提出了检验与鉴定准则的概要,讨论了各项或各类测试的细节与目的。     

The dynamics of blood biochemical parameters in cosmonauts during long-term space flights

Most of the previously obtained data on cosmonauts' metabolic state concerned certain stages of the postflight period. In this connection, all conclusions, as to metabolism peculiarities during the space flight, were to a large extent probabilistic. The purpose of this work was study of metabolism characteristics in cosmonauts directly during long-term space flights. In the capillary blood samples taken from a finger, by "Reflotron IV" biochemical analyzer, "Boehringer Mannheim" GmbH, Germany, adapted to weightlessness environments, the activity of GOT, GPT, CK, gamma-GT, total and pancreatic amylase, as well as concentration of hemoglobin, glucose, total bilirubin, uric acid, urea, creatinine, total, HDL- and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides had been determined. HDL/LDL-cholesterol ratio also was computed. The crewmembers of 6 main missions to the "Mir" orbital station, a total of 17 cosmonauts, were examined. Biochemical tests were carried out 30-60 days before launch, and in the flights different stages between the 25-th and the 423-rd days of flights. In cosmonauts during space flight had been found tendency to increase, in compare with basal level, GOT, GPT, total amylase activity, glucose and total cholesterol concentration, and tendency to decrease of CK activity, hemoglobin, HDL-cholesterol concentration, and HDL/LDL - cholesterol ratio. Some definite trends in variations of other determined biochemical parameters had not been found. The same trends of mentioned biochemical parameters alterations observed in majority of tested cosmonauts, allows to suppose existence of connection between noted metabolic alterations with influence of space flight conditions upon cosmonaut's body. Variations of other studied blood biochemical parameters depends on, probably, pure individual causes.     

Results of space experiment program "Interferon"

The results of the biological space experiment "Interferon" performed by two international cosmonaut teams (26 May 1980, and 16 May 1981) aboard space laboratory Solyut-6 are reported: (1) Human lymphocytes separated from blood of healthy donors and placed into "Interferon I" equipment could be kept for 7 days in suspension culture under spaceflight conditions. Interferon production could be induced in human lymphocytes by preparations of different origin: virus, synthetic polyribonucleotides, bacterial protein and plant pigment. An increased lymphocyte interferon production in space laboratory compared to ground control was observed. (2) Human interferon preparations and interferon inducers placed in space laboratory at room temperature for 7 days maintained their biological activity. (3) A decrease of induced interferon production and natural killer activity of lymphocytes isolated from peripheral blood of cosmonauts was observed on the 1st day on Earth after 7-days spaceflight.     

Human exploration of Mars

The human exploration of Mars has the potential to return a rich harvest of scientific information about that planet, its possible past biological history and the prospects for future habitation by Earthly life. The realization of that potential will require new approaches and new technologies--a whole new paradigm in space exploration. Picture yourself exploring the surface of Mars, where your task involves conducting a detailed investigation of features larger than the United States in order to uncover a record of planetary history spanning over four billion years.     

振动轮式硅微陀螺自动增益控制电路研究

为了提高硅微陀螺仪的检测精度,稳定硅微陀螺仪的标度因数,驱动信号的振幅和频率都需要稳定。采用自激驱动方式能使驱动频率自动稳定在陀螺仪驱动模态的谐振频率上;同时,采取自动增益控制电路（AGC）可以保持驱动振幅的恒定。本文根据场效应管的可变电阻特性,提出一种硅微陀螺仪自动增益控制方法。经试验证明此方法可以有效的稳定驱动电压幅值,达到恒幅的目的。