Cave biosignature suites: microbes,minerals, and Mars

Earth's subsurface offers one of the best possible sites to search for microbial life and the characteristic lithologies that life leaves behind. The subterrain may be equally valuable for astrobiology. Where surface conditions are particularly hostile, like on Mars, the subsurface may offer the only habitat for extant lifeforms and access to recognizable biosignatures. We have identified numerous unequivocally biogenic macroscopic, microscopic, and chemical/geochemical cave biosignatures. However, to be especially useful for astrobiology, we are looking for suites of characteristics. Ideally, "biosignature suites" should be both macroscopically and microscopically detectable, independently verifiable by nonmorphological means, and as independent as possible of specific details of life chemistries--demanding (and sometimes conflicting) criteria. Working in fragile, legally protected environments, we developed noninvasive and minimal impact techniques for life and biosignature detection/characterization analogous to Planetary Protection Protocols. Our difficult field conditions have shared limitations common to extraterrestrial robotic and human missions. Thus, the cave/subsurface astrobiology model addresses the most important goals from both scientific and operational points of view. We present details of cave biosignature suites involving manganese and iron oxides, calcite, and sulfur minerals. Suites include morphological fossils, mineral-coated filaments, living microbial mats and preserved biofabrics, 13C and 34S values consistent with microbial metabolism, genetic data, unusual elemental abundances and ratios, and crystallographic mineral forms.     

Lava cave microbial communities within mats and secondary mineral deposits: implications for life detection on other planets

Lava caves contain a wealth of yellow, white, pink, tan, and gold-colored microbial mats; but in addition to these clearly biological mats, there are many secondary mineral deposits that are nonbiological in appearance. Secondary mineral deposits examined include an amorphous copper-silicate deposit (Hawai'i) that is blue-green in color and contains reticulated and fuzzy filament morphologies. In the Azores, lava tubes contain iron-oxide formations, a soft ooze-like coating, and pink hexagons on basaltic glass, while gold-colored deposits are found in lava caves in New Mexico and Hawai'i. A combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and molecular techniques was used to analyze these communities. Molecular analyses of the microbial mats and secondary mineral deposits revealed a community that contains 14 phyla of bacteria across three locations: the Azores, New Mexico, and Hawai'i. Similarities exist between bacterial phyla found in microbial mats and secondary minerals, but marked differences also occur, such as the lack of Actinobacteria in two-thirds of the secondary mineral deposits. The discovery that such deposits contain abundant life can help guide our detection of life on extraterrestrial bodies.     

高温胁迫对岷江百合幼苗耐热指数和理化特性的影响

为了探明岷江百合幼苗在高温胁迫下的生理反应,以离体扩繁的岷江百合幼苗为研究材料,对其进行了不同高温(37 ℃/30 ℃、42 ℃/37 ℃)和不同时间(0、4、8、16、32、48 h)处理,研究了高温胁迫对其耐热指数和有关生理生化指标(叶绿素、丙二醛、游离脯氨酸、可溶性蛋白含量和SOD活性)的影响.结果表明:随着温度的升高和处理时间的延长,植株的耐热指数不断下降,叶绿素含量减少,丙二醛(MDA)含量增加;42 ℃胁迫32 h后,游离脯氨酸、可溶性蛋白含量、SOD活性均达到最大值,分别比对照增加了0.66倍、1.77倍和9.78倍.但胁迫48 h后,指标显著下降,这说明,42 ℃间断胁迫48 h对植株产生了不可逆的的热伤害作用.     

星载缝隙波导微波天线热控方案研究与验证

微波天线阵面的热变形是影响在轨指向精度的关键因素,如何解决大功率器件的散热问题至关重要。某微波天线热耗峰值近万瓦,在近20 m²的全阵面内,需要保证收发(TR)组件的温升和补偿加热器的功耗不能过高。针对某微波天线特有的工作模式和外热流情况,提出了机械泵驱动流体回路(MPFL)、双面散热和相变热管 3种热控方案,并分析了各自的特点和适用性。为解决天线内部狭小空间的辐射传导耦合问题,开展了单模块热阻实验分析与优化,并得到了在轨测试的验证。     

Cu对铝热法制备的Fe3Al-10％Ni块体纳米晶材料组织和性能影响

通过铝热法制备了Cu含量为2％,4％,6％(质量分数,下同)的Fe3Al-10％ Ni块体纳米晶材料,用光学显微镜(OM),电子探针(EPMA),X-射线衍射仪(XRD)和透射电镜(TEM)表征了材料的微观结构,并测定了材料的维氏硬度和室温压缩性能.结果表明:Cu含量低(2％)时,合金保持无序bcc结构,晶粒尺寸显著下...