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.     

Production of neutrons from interactions of GCR-like particles

In order to help assess the risk to astronauts due to the long-term exposure to the natural radiation environment in space, an understanding of how the primary radiation field is changed when passing through shielding and tissue materials must be obtained. One important aspect of the change in the primary radiation field after passing through shielding materials is the production of secondary particles from the breakup of the primary. Neutrons are an important component of the secondary particle field due to their relatively high biological weighting factors, and due to their relative abundance, especially behind thick shielding scenarios. Because of the complexity of the problem, the estimation of the risk from exposure to the secondary neutron field must be handled using calculational techniques. However, those calculations will need an extensive set of neutron cross section and thicktarget neutron yield data in order to make an accurate assessment of the risk. In this paper we briefly survey the existing neutron-production data sets that are applicable to the space radiation transport problem, and we point out how neutron production from protons is different than neutron production from heavy ions. We also make comparisons of one the heavy-ion data sets with Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck (BUU) calculations.     

COSAC onboard Rosetta: a bioastronomy experiment for the short-period comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

The COSAC (Cometary Sampling and Composition Experiment) onboard the Rosetta mission is a combined gas chromatograph (GC)-mass spectrometer (MS). It is situated on Philae, the lander of the mission, which is intended to land on the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov- Gerasimenko. The purpose of the experiment is to analyze the volatile fraction of soil samples retrieved by a drill. For investigation, the samples will be pyrolysed, and the emanating gases fed into a GC, into an MS, or the combination of both. In the first part of this paper, the bioastronomical relevance of such measurements is outlined. In the second part the details of the hardware and its performance are described.     

关于B.V.A.石英谐振器的进一步发展

在1976年和1977年两届频率控制年会的论文集中,曾介绍过一种新型压电谐振器的设计。本文介绍有关5兆赫谐振器的幅频效应和老化与激励电平和石英材料相比较的最新结果。尤其要指出的是,可以使用极高的激励电平(一直到30毫瓦),而且激励电平的增加并不影响老化性能。此外,在给定的激励电平上能够得到“零老化率”。所渭“零老化激励电平”,就是老化率是在给定的功率损散时过零的。最后,将讨论BVA器件在工业生产方面的问题     

TD-1HNMR measurements show enantioselective dissociation of ribose and glucose in the presence of H2(17)O

We used Time Domain (1)H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) to characterize changes in proton exchange between water and sugar enantiomers at different concentrations of H(2)(17)O (approximately 15-450 mM) and found that dissociation of the (-)-enantiomers of glucose and ribose occurs at significantly higher rates at higher concentrations of H(2)(17)O. The mechanism behind this enantioselective effect is unclear. The hypothesis we propose is that the large magnetic field (B(o) approximately 0.6T) applied during NMR measurements induces electric moments opposite in sign for the D and L-isomers. Because (17)O has a nuclear electric quadrupole moment not = 0, asymmetrically hydrated complexes may form between the B(o)-polarized enantiomers and H(2)(17)O. Either H(2)(17)O is more often hydrating the (+) than the (-)-enantiomers--and consequently pK differences between H(2)(16)O and H(2)(17)O lead to differences in proton exchange between enantiomers and water--or the orientation of H(2)(17)O relative to the B(o)-polarized enantiomers is different, in total or in part, which leads to hydrated complexes with different spatial geometries and different proton exchange properties. This effect is significant for Magneto-Chiral Stereo-Chemistry (MCSC) and astrobiology, and it may help us better understand specific instances of mass independent isotopic fractionation and aid in the development of new technologies for chiral and isotopic separation.     

铂电阻温度计在13.81—273.15K之间的内插方法

前言根据1968年国际实用温标(1975年修订版),在13.18—273.15K之间检定铂电阻温度计,是在若干个定义固定点上对铂电     

收敛形进气道数值研究的验证

介绍一种新型的、具有最小喉道面积的三维高超声速进气道(称之为收敛形进气道)的数值和实验研究结果.表明使用这种形式的进气道,在整个飞行速度范围内可以降低阻力和高超声速发动机表面的热防护要求,通过降低外压缩表面的倾斜度和减少进气道及燃烧室壁的面积就可以做到这一点.在采用低维次流动的气体动力设计方法的基础上设计成这种形式的进气道.计算是在无粘气体模型构架内用有限体积法进行的.同时用边界层方程计算出计及粘性的气流特性和进气道特性.数值算法是通过收敛形进气道的有限宽楔形外压缩表面的计算和实验数据来验证的.进行实验研究的马赫数M=2~10.7,基于模型进气道高度的雷诺数Re=(1~5)×106. 数值计算与实验结果一致性很好.这些结果也和通常的二维进气道的数据作了比较.     

NUMERICAL STUDY OF TWO INTERFACE METHODS FOR COMPRESSIBLE MULTI-FLUID FLOWS

INTRODUCTIONThe direct numerical simulation of com-pressible multi- fluid flows is an important re-search topic with various key applications.Therelatively dominant difficulty of simulation lies intreatment of the moving material interface. Ingeneral,there are two basic approaches to treatcontact discontinuities.The first,front trackingmethod[1,2 ] ,explicitly characterize the interfacemotion by the motion of individual points on theinterface. The other approach is front capturingmethod[3…     

LIFE: Life Investigation For Enceladus A Sample Return Mission Concept in Search for Evidence of Life

Abstract Life Investigation For Enceladus (LIFE) presents a low-cost sample return mission to Enceladus, a body with high astrobiological potential. There is ample evidence that liquid water exists under ice coverage in the form of active geysers in the "tiger stripes" area of the southern Enceladus hemisphere. This active plume consists of gas and ice particles and enables the sampling of fresh materials from the interior that may originate from a liquid water source. The particles consist mostly of water ice and are 1-10?μ in diameter. The plume composition shows H(2)O, CO(2), CH(4), NH(3), Ar, and evidence that more complex organic species might be present. Since life on Earth exists whenever liquid water, organics, and energy coexist, understanding the chemical components of the emanating ice particles could indicate whether life is potentially present on Enceladus. The icy worlds of the outer planets are testing grounds for some of the theories for the origin of life on Earth. The LIFE mission concept is envisioned in two parts: first, to orbit Saturn (in order to achieve lower sampling speeds, approaching 2 km/s, and thus enable a softer sample collection impact than Stardust, and to make possible multiple flybys of Enceladus); second, to sample Enceladus' plume, the E ring of Saturn, and the Titan upper atmosphere. With new findings from these samples, NASA could provide detailed chemical and isotopic and, potentially, biological compositional context of the plume. Since the duration of the Enceladus plume is unpredictable, it is imperative that these samples are captured at the earliest flight opportunity. If LIFE is launched before 2019, it could take advantage of a Jupiter gravity assist, which would thus reduce mission lifetimes and launch vehicle costs. The LIFE concept offers science returns comparable to those of a Flagship mission but at the measurably lower sample return costs of a Discovery-class mission. Key Words: Astrobiology-Habitability-Enceladus-Biosignatures. Astrobiology 12, 730-742.