Chemical mapping of proterozoic organic matter at submicron spatial resolution

A NanoSIMS ion microprobe was used to map the submicron-scale distributions of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, silicon, and oxygen in organic microfossils and laminae in a thin section of the approximately 0.85 billion year old Bitter Springs Formation of Australia. The data provide clues about the original chemistry of the microfossils, the silicification process, and the biosignatures of specific microorganisms and microbial communities. Chemical maps of fossil unicells and filaments revealed distinct wall- and sheath-like structures enriched in C, N, and S, consistent with their accepted biological origin. Surprisingly, organic laminae, previously considered to be amorphous, also exhibited filamentous and apparently compressed spheroidal structures defined by strong enrichments in C, N, and S. By analogy to NanoSIMS data from the well-preserved microfossils, these structures were interpreted as being of biological origin, most likely representing densely packed remnants of microbial mats. Given that the preponderance of organic matter in Precambrian sediments is similarly "amorphous," our findings indicate that a re-evaluation of ancient specimens via in situ structural, chemical, and isotopic study is warranted. Our analyses have led us to propose new criteria for assessing the biogenicity of problematic kerogenous materials, and, thus, these criteria can be applied to assessments of poorly preserved or fragmentary organic residues in early Archean sediments and any that might occur in meteorites or other extraterrestrial samples.     

吉林陨石稀有气体的分布特征及其热历史的初步探讨

吉林陨石的宇成和放射成因稀有气体存在大幅度的变化.宇成3He、20, 21, 22Ne和38Ar_c之间彼此近似线性相关, 放射成因4He和40Ar之间近似线性相关.放射成因4He、40Ar与作为陨星深度标尺的宇成60Co间近似线性相关, 但与作为吉林陨石母体深度标尺的21Ne之间不存在线性相关.上述事实表明:4He和40Ar在吉林陨石中的分布是不均匀的, 在吉林母体中的分布是不规则的, 而在吉林流星中, 由表面至中心呈现递增的倾向.我们试图用吉林陨石母体与小行星间的碰撞效应解释用4He和40Ar的上述独特分布特征.      

The Aouda.X space suit simulator and its applications to astrobiology

We have developed the space suit simulator Aouda.X, which is capable of reproducing the physical and sensory limitations a flight-worthy suit would have on Mars. Based upon a Hard-Upper-Torso design, it has an advanced human-machine interface and a sensory network connected to an On-Board Data Handling system to increase the situational awareness in the field. Although the suit simulator is not pressurized, the physical forces that lead to a reduced working envelope and physical performance are reproduced with a calibrated exoskeleton. This allows us to simulate various pressure regimes from 0.3-1 bar. Aouda.X has been tested in several laboratory and field settings, including sterile sampling at 2800 m altitude inside a glacial ice cave and a cryochamber at -110°C, and subsurface tests in connection with geophysical instrumentation relevant to astrobiology, including ground-penetrating radar, geoacoustics, and drilling. The communication subsystem allows for a direct interaction with remote science teams via telemetry from a mission control center. Aouda.X as such is a versatile experimental platform for studying Mars exploration activities in a high-fidelity Mars analog environment with a focus on astrobiology and operations research that has been optimized to reduce the amount of biological cross contamination. We report on the performance envelope of the Aouda.X system and its operational limitations.     

Tolerance of anhydrobiotic eggs of the Tardigrade Ramazzottius varieornatus to extreme environments

Tardigrades are tiny (less than 1?mm in length) invertebrate animals that have the potential to survive travel to other planets because of their tolerance to extreme environmental conditions by means of a dry ametabolic state called anhydrobiosis. While the tolerance of adult tardigrades to extreme environments has been reported, there are few reports on the tolerance of their eggs. We examined the ability of hydrated and anhydrobiotic eggs of the tardigrade Ramazzottius varieornatus to hatch after exposure to ionizing irradiation (helium ions), extremely low and high temperatures, and high vacuum. We previously reported that there was a similar pattern of tolerance against ionizing radiation between hydrated and anhydrobiotic adults. In contrast, anhydrobiotic eggs (50% lethal dose; 1690 Gy) were substantially more radioresistant than hydrated ones (50% lethal dose; 509 Gy). Anhydrobiotic eggs also have a broader temperature resistance compared with hydrated ones. Over 70% of the anhydrobiotic eggs treated at either -196°C or +50°C hatched successfully, but all the hydrated eggs failed to hatch. After exposure to high-vacuum conditions (5.3×10(-4) Pa to 6.2×10(-5) Pa), the hatchability of the anhydrobiotic eggs was comparable to that of untreated control eggs.     

Pervasive orbital eccentricities dictate the habitability of extrasolar earths

The long-term habitability of Earth-like planets requires low orbital eccentricities. A secular perturbation from a distant stellar companion is a very important mechanism in exciting planetary eccentricities, as many of the extrasolar planetary systems are associated with stellar companions. Although the orbital evolution of an Earth-like planet in a stellar binary system is well understood, the effect of a binary perturbation on a more realistic system containing additional gas-giant planets has been very little studied. Here, we provide analytic criteria confirmed by a large ensemble of numerical integrations that identify the initial orbital parameters leading to eccentric orbits. We show that an extrasolar earth is likely to experience a broad range of orbital evolution dictated by the location of a gas-giant planet, which necessitates more focused studies on the effect of eccentricity on the potential for life.     

抑制机载雷达平台散射杂波的自适应天线空—时处理技术

先进的机载雷达可能要求自适应空－时处理技术以便能检测远距离的小目标。自适应空－时处理是一种多维度自适应滤波技术，它将雷达接收到的数据分解成角度和多普勒频率座标的平面波谱。机载雷达平台可能将入射信号散射到天线内，导致杂波信号频谱展宽复盖住目标信号，因而提高了虚警率。     

An Event Horizon Imager(EHI) Mission Concept Utilizing Medium Earth Orbit Sub-mm Interferometry

Submillimeter interferometry has the potential to image supermassive black holes on event horizon scales, providing tests of the theory of general relativity and increasing our understanding of black hole accretion processes. The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) performs these observations from the ground, and its main imaging targets are Sagittarius A* in the Galactic Center and the black hole at the center of the M87 galaxy. However, the EHT is fundamentally limited in its performance by atmospheric effects and sparse terrestrial (u,v)-coverage (Fourier sampling of the image). The scientific interest in quantitative studies of the horizon size and shape of these black holes has motivated studies into using space interferometry which is free of these limitations. Angular resolution considerations and interstellar scattering effects push the desired observing frequency to bands above 500 GHz.
This paper presents the requirements for meeting these science goals, describes the concept of interferometry from Polar or Equatorial Medium Earth Orbits (PECMEO) which we dub the Event Horizon Imager (EHI), and utilizes suitable space technology heritage. In this concept, two or three satellites orbit at slightly different orbital radii, resulting in a dense and uniform spiral-shaped (u,v)-coverage over time. The local oscillator signals are shared via an inter-satellite link, and the data streams are correlated on-board before final processing on the ground. Inter-satellite metrology and satellite positioning are extensively employed to facilitate the knowledge of the instrument position vector, and its time derivative. The European space heritage usable for both the front ends and the antenna technology of such an instrument is investigated. Current and future sensors for the required inter-satellite metrology are listed. Intended performance estimates and simulation results are given.      

基于图像的测量方法在工业风洞跨声速流测量中的最新进展

风洞中非定常复杂流场的实验研究要求先进的测量技术.基于图像的测量技术中最重要的是测量平面流速度场、平面压强分布、模型位置和变形、模型温度以及定量的高速流可视化等技术.DLR(德国宇航研究院)对这些技术的应用包括从低速流到跨声速流、从增升装置到螺旋桨和旋翼、从弹射装置和水塔储水罐尾迹流旋涡到三角翼上涡破裂现象等的研究.由于跨声速风洞的特殊环境,将基于图像的测量技术用于跨声速流要求专门的技术开发和有经验的科学家.给出了DLR空气动力学和流动技术研究所将基于图像的测量技术应用于跨声速流研究的最新进展.     

第二次世界大战期间美军空中攻击台湾地区状况一览表

一03！3-0315第3％联队B24约100明多罗马公港0316第3ie联队824X86明多罗各空军辜地03！7第3踞联队B24/70824/16明多罗新竹、台中、丰原、台南机场、新竹市03I8第3踞联队824/46明乡罗台鼠东港、恒春o％o＄30Agu824。”35阴多罗台南市——％3bekgiB24X77明多罗台南市％Zs第22、4s烽大飒B24..“37明多罗宫顶及高雄火力发电厂6328-0325。％3be＃yt.8入约灼明多罗基隆港WS辔u:悻大纸AZd。’Ik明多罗糖厂o925％3poy4lj.田钧约”B7P。”ig明多罗基隆港高雄港0R28％;3tisperAI匠ZQ。”二9咀多罗台南市i3221篱二2馅大环％312＄2E＄＃deE2f…     

迈进新世纪的“休伊”Ⅱ

60年代初期，美国陆军为求突破地形地貌对作战的限制，开始对全新的空中机动作战概念进行实验编装，并且在当时战火正炽热的越南战场上用鲜血证明了空中机动概念的可行性。