Pulsar studies with GRO-COMPTEL

Pulsar measurements performed by the experiment COMPTEL, aboard the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, are described. The main results refer to the Crab and Vela pulsars whose pulse shape characteristics are given in some detail and light curves are compared with those above 50 MeV, as observed by the COS-B satellite. No other gamma-ray pulsars have been detected to date by COMPTEL, the upper limit on the pulsed signal from Geminga being compatible with indications by other experiments.     

Observations of stars with the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope

The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) was flown aboard the space shuttle Columbia as part of the Astro-1 mission during December 1990. During the nine-day flight, HUT carried out 3 Å resolution spectrophotometry of a wide variety of astronomical objects, including a number of stellar targets, in the 912–1860 Å range of the far ultraviolet. A few nearby stars were observed in the 415–912 Å range of the extreme ultraviolet as well. For nearly all of these targets, the spectra obtained by HUT are the first ever obtained in the spectroscopically rich region between Lyman (1216 Å) and the Lyman limit (912 Å). Here, we present highlights of the results obtained by HUT in a variety of areas of stellar astronomy.     

Periodic components in Cyg X-3

Hard X-ray observations of Cyg X-3 in the energy range 20–100 keV were made with a Balloon-borne telescope using two large area proportional counters. The source was seen with a total significance of 20.

A 121 s periodicity was seen during Fourier analysis of the data. The phenomenon can be interpreted as due to transient pulsation since no other peak was seen in our data. Quasi-periodic oscillation in the range 0.06–20 mHz have been observed from Cyg X-3 at lower energies. Interestingly, most of the reported periods are multiple of the present measurements. The observed pulsation at high energies indicate the occasional unstable behaviour of the inner parts of the accretion disk connected with the basic rotation period of the compact object.

The 4.8^h modulation, characteristic of the orbital period of the binary system was seen in the data, with a broad maximum between the phase 0.3 to 0.7.     

SPOT-2 and TOPEX/Poseidon precise orbit determination from DORIS doppler tracking

The French earth observation satellite SPOT-2 has served as a testbed for precise orbit determination from DORIS doppler tracking in anticipation of the TOPEX/Poseidon mission. Using the most up-to-data gravity field model, JGM-2, a radial orbit accuracy of about 2–9 cm was achieved, with an rms of fit of the tracking data of about 0.64 mm/s. Furthermore, it was found that the coordinates of the ground stations can be determined with an accuracy of the order of 2–5 cm after removal of common rotations, and translations.

Using a slightly different model for atmospheric drag, but the same gravity model, precise orbits of TOPEX/Poseidon from DORIS tracking data were determined with a radial orbit accuracy of the order of 4–5 cm, which is far within the 13 cm mission requirement. This conclusion is based on the analysis of 1-day overlap of successive 11-day orbits, and the comparisons with orbits computed from satellite laser tracking (SLR) and from the combination of SLR and DORIS tracking. Results indicate a consistency between the different orbits of 1–4 cm, 4–20 cm, and 6–13 cm in the radial, cross-track, and along-track directions, respectively. The residual rms is about 4–5 cm for SLR data and 0.56 mm/s for DORIS tracking. These numbers are roughly twice as large as the system noise levels, reflecting the fact that there are still some modeling errors left.     

Autonomous navigation using the TDRSS Onboard Navigation System (TONS)

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is currently developing a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) System (TDRSS) Onboard Navigation System (TONS) to provide onboard knowledge of highly accurate navigation products autonomously to users of TDRSS. The TONS I operational system processes Doppler data derived from scheduled forward-link S-band services to provide onboard orbit and frequency determination and time maintenance. TONS I is implemented using a stable onboard frequency reference, a Doppler measurement capability in the user transponder, and onboard navigation/signal acquisition software. The success of the TONS experiment (1992/1993), which was implemented on the Explorer Platform/Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EP/EUVE) spacecraft, demonstrated the flight readiness of TONS I. TONS II-A provides the user with additional Doppler data derived from an S-band beacon signal, available approximately 80 percent of the time. This paper describes the TONS operational capabilities, configurations, and expected performance.     

Determination of orbits with Torun Orbit Processor system

The Torun Orbit Processor system (TOP) is a multipurpose system designed to provide the research requirements of the various orbital problems for artificial satellites. The analysis of mathematical model for the TOP system began in 1991 and coding for the IBM PC and Sun SparcStation 10 computers was completed in 1993. TOP was first used for laser data processing of Lageos satellite and for simulations of satellite-to-satellite tracking technique (SST). This paper gives an overview of TOP system and highlights some problems connected with orbit recovery.     

ERA-experiment "Space Biochemistry".

The general goal of the experiment was to study the response of anhydrobiotic (metabolically dormant) microorganisms (spores of Bacillus subtilis, cells of Deinococcus radiodurans, conidia of Aspergillus species) and cellular constituents (plasmid DNA, proteins, purple membranes, amino acids, urea) to the extremely dehydrating conditions of open space, in some cases in combination with irradiation by solar UV-light. Methods of investigation included viability tests, analysis of DNA damages (strand breaks, DNA-protein cross-links) and analysis of chemical effects by spectroscopic, electrophoretic and chromatographic methods. The decrease in viability of the microorganisms was as expected from simulation experiments in the laboratory. Accordingly, it could be correlated with the increase in DNA damages. The purple membranes, amino acids and urea were not measurably effected by the dehydrating condition of open space (in the dark). Plasmid DNA, however, suffered a significant amount of strand breaks under these conditions. The response of these biomolecules to high fluences of short wavelength solar UV-light is very complex. Only a brief survey can be given in this paper. The data on the relatively good survival of some of the microorganisms call for strict observance of COSPAR Planetary Protection Regulations during interplanetary space missions.     

Protection by WR-2721 and WR-151327 against late effects of gamma rays and neutrons.

Two thiophosphoroate compounds WR-2721 and WR-151327 were assessed for their ability to modify the deleterious effects (life shortening and carcinogenesis) of fission-spectrum neutrons (kerma-weighted mean energy of 0.85 MeV) or gamma rays on B6CF1 hybrid mice. Male and female mice, 200 of each sex per experimental group, were irradiated individually at 110 days of age. Radioprotectors (400 mg/kg of WR-2721 or 580 mg/kg of WR-151327) were administered intraperitoneally 30 min prior to irradiation. Neutron doses were 10 cGy or 40 cGy and gamma ray doses were 206 cGy or 417 cGy. Animals were housed five to a cage; cage locations in the holding rooms were randomized by computer. Animals were checked daily and all deceased animals were necropsied. WR-2721 afforded protection against both neutron- and gamma-ray-induced carcinogenesis and subsequent life shortening. Cumulative survival curves for unirradiated mice of either sex were unaffectecd by protectors. WR-2721 protected irradiated groups against life shortening by approximately 10 cGy of neutrons or 100 cGy of gamma rays. WR-151327 was as effective as WR-2721 against neutron irradiation.     

Some aspects of the early evolution of photosynthesis.

The early evolution of a photocatalytic system of the porphyrin type, able to efficiently collect and utilize solar energy for primary electron transfer is discussed. Experimental results concerning some spectral and photochemical properties of the porphyrins, biosynthetic precursors of chlorophyll and their complexes with polymeric templates are reviewed. Protoporphyrin IX associated with pigmented proteinoid is demonstrated to be a favourable candidate for a role of a photosensitizer of the first photosynthetic reaction centers. The origin and early evolution of the photosynthetic electron transfer chain and of the phosphorylating mechanism are discussed with emphasis on the energetic mechanisms of archaebacteria.     

Extreme dryness and DNA-protein cross-links.

Exposure of fungal conidia (Aspergillus ochraceus) or spores of Bacillus subtilis to extreme dryness or vacuum induces DNA lesions, including strand breaks and the formation of DNA-protein cross-links. In wet cells only a small amount of protein is bound to DNA, but exposure to conditions of lowered water activity results in an increasing number of cross-links between DNA and proteins. In fungal conidia these cross-links are detected after selective iodination (125 J) of the DNA-bound proteins followed by gel electrophoresis and subsequent autoradiography. Another approach is the labelling of DNA with 32P by means of nick translation and the detection of differences in the electrophoretic mobility of DNA before and after digestion with proteinase K of proteins bound to DNA.