Michelson Interferometer for Global High-Resolution Thermospheric Imaging (MIGHTI): Instrument Design and Calibration

The Michelson Interferometer for Global High-resolution Thermospheric Imaging (MIGHTI) instrument was built for launch and operation on the NASA Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) mission. The instrument was designed to measure thermospheric horizontal wind velocity profiles and thermospheric temperature in altitude regions between 90 km and 300 km, during day and night. For the wind measurements it uses two perpendicular fields of view pointed at the Earth’s limb, observing the Doppler shift of the atomic oxygen red and green lines at 630.0 nm and 557.7 nm wavelength. The wavelength shift is measured using field-widened, temperature compensated Doppler Asymmetric Spatial Heterodyne (DASH) spectrometers, employing low order échelle gratings operating at two different orders for the different atmospheric lines. The temperature measurement is accomplished by a multichannel photometric measurement of the spectral shape of the molecular oxygen A-band around 762 nm wavelength. For each field of view, the signals of the two oxygen lines and the A-band are detected on different regions of a single, cooled, frame transfer charge coupled device (CCD) detector. On-board calibration sources are used to periodically quantify thermal drifts, simultaneously with observing the atmosphere. The MIGHTI requirements, the resulting instrument design and the calibration are described.     

Secular variations of OH nightglow emission and of the OH intensity-weighted temperature induced by gravity–wave forcing in the MLT region

Secular variations of OH airglow (8,3) band and of the intensity-weighted temperature induced by a gravity wave packet at three latitudes in the northern hemisphere in the Mesosphere/Lower Thermosphere region are investigated using a 2-D, time-dependent, fully nonlinear OH chemistry–dynamics model. A net-cycled average survives due to wave transience and dissipation. The integrated OH (8,3) volume emission rates show a 20 percent increase induced by the wave packet. The corresponding intensity-weighted temperature shows an initial increase up to 2 percent then a gradual decrease for the remainder of the simulation time by the same wave packet. These secular variations could be mistaken as long-period or short-period waves in the airglow observations. Therefore, care must be taken when analyzing the data from observations.     

High resolution X-ray spectroscopy and chemical evolution in elliptical galaxies

We discuss the elemental composition in the hot ISM of elliptical galaxies derived from new and recent X-ray spectral analysis in the context of new phenomenological models of their chemical evolution. Star formation histories, the IMF, the astrophysics of supernovae, and the nature of galactic winds impact the metal content and relative abundances in the hot ISM. We evaluate how X-ray spectroscopy may be utilized to deconstruct how elliptical galaxies, and the stellar populations that compose them, form and evolve, with an emphasis on present and future high resolution spectroscopic analysis.     

液氧/甲烷同轴喷雾及火焰稳定的试验

介绍了液氧和气态甲烷的低温同轴喷雾燃烧试验,试验使用了光学诊断方法如阴影法和火焰分光光谱法记录了试验中的喷雾和火焰信息,讨论了不同燃烧室压力和喷注无量纲数如韦伯数(We)和气液动量流率比下的雾化和火焰稳定情况。试验结果表明,燃烧室压力对射流雾化和火焰稳定有显著影响,增加燃烧室压力有利于火焰稳定于靠近喷注器面的地方,研究中没有发现火焰吹离距离和韦伯数之间有明显的关系式。液氧射流核心长度随气液动量流率比的增大而下降。雾化质量对液氧/甲烷同轴喷雾的火焰稳定性有明显的影响。     

Distribution and stable isotopic composition of amino acids from fungal peptaibiotics: assessing the potential for meteoritic contamination

The presence of nonprotein α-dialkyl-amino acids such as α-aminoisobutyric acid (α-AIB) and isovaline (Iva), which are considered to be relatively rare in the terrestrial biosphere, has long been used as an indication of the indigeneity of meteoritic amino acids. However, recent work showing the presence of α-AIB and Iva in peptides produced by a widespread group of filamentous fungi indicates the possibility of a terrestrial biotic source for the α-AIB observed in some meteorites. We measured the amino acid distribution and stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition of four α-AIB-containing fungal peptides and compared this data to similar meteoritic measurements. We show that the relatively simple distribution of the C(4) and C(5) amino acids in fungal peptides is distinct from the complex distribution observed in many carbonaceous chondrites. We also identify potentially diagnostic relationships between the stable isotopic compositions of pairs of amino acids from the fungal peptides that may aid in ruling out fungal contamination as a source of meteoritic amino acids.     

Cosmic radiation exposure of biological test systems during the EXPOSE-E mission

In the frame of the EXPOSE-E mission on the Columbus external payload facility EuTEF on board the International Space Station, passive thermoluminescence dosimeters were applied to measure the radiation exposure of biological samples. The detectors were located either as stacks next to biological specimens to determine the depth dose distribution or beneath the sample carriers to determine the dose levels for maximum shielding. The maximum mission dose measured in the upper layer of the depth dose part of the experiment amounted to 238±10 mGy, which relates to an average dose rate of 408±16 μGy/d. In these stacks of about 8?mm height, the dose decreased by 5-12% with depth. The maximum dose measured beneath the sample carriers was 215±16 mGy, which amounts to an average dose rate of 368±27 μGy/d. These values are close to those assessed for the interior of the Columbus module and demonstrate the high shielding of the biological experiments within the EXPOSE-E facility. Besides the shielding by the EXPOSE-E hardware itself, additional shielding was experienced by the external structures adjacent to EXPOSE-E, such as EuTEF and Columbus. This led to a dose gradient over the entire exposure area, from 215±16 mGy for the lowest to 121±6 mGy for maximum shielding. Hence, the doses perceived by the biological samples inside EXPOSE-E varied by 70% (from lowest to highest dose). As a consequence of the high shielding, the biological samples were predominantly exposed to galactic cosmic heavy ions, while electrons and a significant fraction of protons of the radiation belts and solar wind did not reach the samples.     

Dust Environment Modelling of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

Dust is an important constituent of cometary emission; its analysis is one of the major objectives of ESA’s Rosetta mission to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (C–G). Several instruments aboard Rosetta are dedicated to studying various aspects of dust in the cometary coma, all of which require a certain level of exposure to dust to achieve their goals. At the same time, impacts of dust particles can constitute a hazard to the spacecraft. To conciliate the demands of dust collection instruments and spacecraft safety, it is desirable to assess the dust environment in the coma even before the arrival of Rosetta. We describe the present status of modelling the dust coma of 67P/C–G and predict the speed and flux of dust in the coma, the dust fluence on a spacecraft along sample trajectories, and the radiation environment in the coma. The model will need to be refined when more details of the coma are revealed by observations. An overview of astronomical observations of 67P/C–G is given, because model parameters are derived from this data if possible. For quantities not yet measured for 67P/C–G, we use values obtained for other comets, e.g. concerning the optical and compositional properties of the dust grains. One of the most important and most controversial parameters is the dust mass distribution. We summarise the mass distribution functions derived from the in-situ measurements at comet 1P/Halley in 1986. For 67P/C–G, constraining the mass distribution is currently only possible by the analysis of astronomical images. We find that both the dust mass distribution and the time dependence of the dust production rate of 67P/C–G are those of a fairly typical comet.     

Geomorphologic Evidence for Liquid Water

Besides Earth, Mars is the only planet with a record of resurfacing processes and environmental circumstances that indicate the past operation of a hydrologic cycle. However the present-day conditions on Mars are far apart of supporting liquid water on the surface. Although the large-scale morphology of the Martian channels and valleys show remarkable similarities with fluid-eroded features on Earth, there are major differences in their size, small-scale morphology, inner channel structure and source regions indicating that the erosion on Mars has its own characteristic genesis and evolution. The different landforms related to fluvial, glacial and periglacial activities, their relations with volcanism, and the chronology of water-related processes, are presented.     

Benefits from incorporation of combined cycle propulsion

The X-33 program was initiated to develop a testbed for integrated RLV technologies that pave the way for a full scale development of a launch vehicle (Venture Star). Within the Nasa Future X Trailblazer program there is an Upgrade X-33 that focuses on materials and upgrades. The authors propose that the most significant gains can be realized by changing the propulsion cycle, not materials. The cycles examined are rocket cycles, with the combustion in the rocket motor. Specifically, these rocket cycles are: turbopump, topping, expander, air augmented, air augmented ram, LACE and deeply cooled. The vehicle size, volume, structural weight remain constant. The system and propellant tank weights vary with the propulsion system cycle. A reduction in dry weight, made possible by a reduced propellant tank volume, was converted into payload weight provided sufficient volume was made available by the propellant reduction. This analysis was extended to Venture Star for selected engine cycles. The results show that the X-33 test bed could carry a significant payload to LEO (10,000 Ib) and be a valuable test bed in developing a frequent flight to LEO capability. From X-33 published information the maximum speed is about 15,000 ft/sec. With a LACE rocket propulsion system Venture Star vehicle could be sized to a smaller vehicle with greater payload than the Venture Star baseline. Vehicle layout and characteristics were obtained from: http:// www.venturestar.com.