Gravity and perceptual stability during translational head movement on earth and in microgravity

We measured the amount of visual movement judged consistent with translational head movement under normal and microgravity conditions. Subjects wore a virtual reality helmet in which the ratio of the movement of the world to the movement of the head (visual gain) was variable. Using the method of adjustment under normal gravity 10 subjects adjusted the visual gain until the visual world appeared stable during head movements that were either parallel or orthogonal to gravity. Using the method of constant stimuli under normal gravity, seven subjects moved their heads and judged whether the virtual world appeared to move “with” or “against” their movement for several visual gains. One subject repeated the constant stimuli judgements in microgravity during parabolic flight. The accuracy of judgements appeared unaffected by the direction or absence of gravity. Only the variability appeared affected by the absence of gravity. These results are discussed in relation to discomfort during head movements in microgravity.     

Searching for life on Mars: selection of molecular targets for ESA's aurora ExoMars mission

The European Space Agency's ExoMars mission will seek evidence of organic compounds of biological and non-biological origin at the martian surface. One of the instruments in the Pasteur payload may be a Life Marker Chip that utilizes an immunoassay approach to detect specific organic molecules or classes of molecules. Therefore, it is necessary to define and prioritize specific molecular targets for antibody development. Target compounds have been selected to represent meteoritic input, fossil organic matter, extant (living, recently dead) organic matter, and contamination. Once organic molecules are detected on Mars, further information is likely to derive from the detailed distribution of compounds rather than from single molecular identification. This will include concentration gradients beneath the surface and gradients from generic to specific compounds. The choice of biomarkers is informed by terrestrial biology but is wide ranging, and nonterrestrial biology may be evident from unexpected molecular distributions. One of the most important requirements is to sample where irradiation and oxidation are minimized, either by drilling or by using naturally excavated exposures. Analyzing regolith samples will allow for the search of both extant and fossil biomarkers, but sequential extraction would be required to optimize the analysis of each of these in turn.     

斯波特4的植被成像仪

斯波特4是斯皮特地球观测系列第二代的第一颗卫星,计划在1993年下半年发射。斯波特4的有效载荷(图1)包括一套新的被称为“植被仪”的中等分辨率的成像系统。该系统收集的图像数据极好地补充了一颗星上的两台HRVIR仪获得的高分辨率(10m或20m)数据,HRVIR仪是从斯波特1到3使用过的HRV仪中衍生出来的。 本文首先概述了斯波特4的任务目的以及植被仪概况,然后对植被仪(IPV)的各部分组成的理论设计、性能数据等作了介绍。     

雅典娜成像系统

雅典娜(ATHENA)卫星成像系统能提供0.5～0.75μm间单波段高分辨率对地成像图。雅典娜成像系统包括两台典型的CCD高速相机,在700km极地轨道上,刈幅为700km,分辨率可达5m。由全球卫星公司研制的码本处理芯片(CPC)使在卫星上实现矢量量化(VQ)图像压缩技术成为可能,其压缩比达12:1,因而可明显地减少卫星至地面的数据传输带宽、星上存储量和星上功率的要求,并将“从统计观点上无损失”的图像传回地面。卫星和有效载荷设计中几乎不包含动部件,因而可靠性高、成本低、运行操作简单。地面站分固定式和移动式两种,只需一名技术操作人员就可操作。     

Application of hyperspectral infrared analysis of hydrothermal alteration on Earth and Mars

An integrated analysis of both airborne and field short-wave infrared hyperspectral measurements was used in conjunction with conventional field mapping techniques to map hydrothermal alteration in the central portion of the Mount Painter Inlier in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia. The airborne hyperspectral data show the spatial distribution of spectrally distinct minerals occurring as primary minerals and as weathering and alteration products. Field spectral measurements, taken with a portable infrared mineral analyzer spectrometer and supported by thin-section analyses, were used to verify the mineral maps and enhance the level of information obtainable from the airborne data. Hydrothermal alteration zones were identified and mapped separately from the background weathering signals. A main zone of alteration, coinciding with the Paralana Fault zone, was recognized, and found to contain kaolinite, muscovite, biotite, and K-feldspar. A small spectral variation associated with a ring-like feature around Mount Painter was tentatively determined to be halloysite and interpreted to represent a separate hydrothermal fluid and fluid source, and probably a separate system. The older parts of the alteration system are tentatively dated as Permo-Carboniferous. The remote sensing of alteration at Mount Painter confirms that hyperspectral imaging techniques can produce accurate mineralogical maps with significant details that can be used to identify and map hydrothermal activity. Application of hyperspectral surveys such as that conducted at Mount Painter would be likely to provide similar detail about putative hydrothermal deposits on Mars.     

液体火箭贮箱增压计算公式的分析

<正>一、问题的提出火箭推进剂贮箱增压系统是液体火箭上不可缺少的一个系统,增压系统保证的推进剂贮箱压力值直接关系到液体发动机工作的成败,攸关重要。然而要在地面靠模拟试验确定贮箱压力值,不仅耗资太大,并且边界条件复杂,模拟困难。因此,增压压力的理论计算就显得十分重要了。增压系统理论计算的要点是根据能量守恒原理及气体状态方程式,对进入贮箱的能量与输出的能量进行平衡,从而计算出推进剂贮箱内的增压气体压力Px。以往的增压计算,其基本公式均采用传统的方程式:     

空间宽视场海洋观测系统

对地观测卫星公司(EOSAT)是陆地卫星系统的商业经营者,它致力于从空间对地遥感。这种商业经营管理的最终目标不仅在于为现有卫星数据进行市场开发,而且还要具有向遥感用户引入先进技术和新的数据的能力。 根据市场分析和早期技术设计比较评定的结果,EOSAT公司已将重点放在海洋宽视场遥感器(SeaWiFS)上了。目前的计划是准备将它放在陆地卫星6上使用,于1990年发射。用这台仪器收集的数据,对于从事研完的科学家或国家的及民间的商业和使用用户都是适用的。更明确地说,就是该仪器可以提供海色和海面温度的数据。因此EOSAT公司相信,这些数据对于陆地上的应用也会有用的。该遥感器的基本点是提供每天的覆盖(在赤道上),有1km的分辨率,在近红外(VNIR)区域提供6个谱段,在长皮红外(LNIR)区域提供2个谱段。 鉴于这些早期努力的结果,EOSAT和美国航宇局于1987年2日组建了一个工作组,以确定海洋遥感器用户的要求,该工作组包括科学家、研究人员、商业和使用人员以及系统执行人员。工作组的职责就是要为SeaWiFS任务拟订下列系统全面的要求: 1)科学或研究用户的要求; 2)商业和使用用户的要求; 3)遥感器规格; 4)数据下行线路和数据格式; 5)输出的产品; 6)任务使用说明书; 7)数据传输和数据存取程序。 本文介绍该工作组的工     

Infrared spectroscopic characterization of organic matter associated with microbial bioalteration textures in basaltic glass

Microorganisms have been found to etch volcanic glass within volcaniclastic deposits from the Ontong Java Plateau, creating micron-sized tunnels and pits. The fossil record of such bioalteration textures is interpreted to extend back ～3.5 billion years to include meta-volcanic glass from ophiolites and Precambrian greenstone belts. Bioalteration features within glass clasts from Leg 192 of the Ocean Drilling Program were investigated through optical microscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy of petrographic thin sections. Extended depth of focus optical microscopic imaging was used to identify bioalteration tubules within the samples and later combined with FTIR spectroscopy to study the organic molecules present within tubule clusters. The tubule-rich areas are characterized by absorption bands indicative of aliphatic hydrocarbons, amides, esters, and carboxylic groups. FTIR analysis of the tubule-free areas in the cores of glass clasts indicated that they were free of organics. This study further constrains the nature of the carbon compounds preserved within the tubules and supports previous studies that suggest the tubules formed through microbial activity.     

A two-tiered approach to assessing the habitability of exoplanets

In the next few years, the number of catalogued exoplanets will be counted in the thousands. This will vastly expand the number of potentially habitable worlds and lead to a systematic assessment of their astrobiological potential. Here, we suggest a two-tiered classification scheme of exoplanet habitability. The first tier consists of an Earth Similarity Index (ESI), which allows worlds to be screened with regard to their similarity to Earth, the only known inhabited planet at this time. The ESI is based on data available or potentially available for most exoplanets such as mass, radius, and temperature. For the second tier of the classification scheme we propose a Planetary Habitability Index (PHI) based on the presence of a stable substrate, available energy, appropriate chemistry, and the potential for holding a liquid solvent. The PHI has been designed to minimize the biased search for life as we know it and to take into account life that might exist under more exotic conditions. As such, the PHI requires more detailed knowledge than is available for any exoplanet at this time. However, future missions such as the Terrestrial Planet Finder will collect this information and advance the PHI. Both indices are formulated in a way that enables their values to be updated as technology and our knowledge about habitable planets, moons, and life advances. Applying the proposed metrics to bodies within our Solar System for comparison reveals two planets in the Gliese 581 system, GJ 581 c and d, with an ESI comparable to that of Mars and a PHI between that of Europa and Enceladus.