Palomar prime-focus infrared camera (PFIRCAM)

In a joint effort between engineers and scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology, a near-infrared (0.8–2.6 m) direct imaging system has been developed and integrated into the Caltech Palomar Observatory detector series. The camera system has been tested and operated in a science mode at the prime-focus (f/3.3) of the Hale 5-m Telescope. This paper outlines the system components and performance, including discussion of the detector linearity.     

Palaeolimnological studies of the eutrophication of volcanic Lake Albano (Central Italy)

We use palaeolimnological techniques to reconstruct the eutrophication history of a volcanic lake (Lake Albano, central Italy) over the past three centuries. The presence of annual varves down to the bottom of the core (c. 1700 A.D.) indicated the lack of bioturbation and likely long-term meromixis. Sedimentation rates were estimated by varve counts (calcite/diatom couplets), indicating a mean rate of 0.15 cm yr^–1. The reconstruction of eutrophication was traced using past populations of algal and photosynthetic bacteria (through their fossil pigment), and geochemistry, as well as fossil remains of chironomids. Phaeophorbidea and the red carotenoid astaxanthin were used to detect past zooplankton development.The first sign of trophic change related to human activities is datedc. 1870 A.D. From that period onward a sharp increase of authigenic CaCO₃, nitrogen, N:P ratio, and dinoxanthin, a characteristic carotenoid of Chrysophyceae and Dinophyceae, is observed.Chironomid analyses showed the near absence of a deep water fauna throughout the core length. The populations of chironomid larvae are restricted to oxygenated littoral zones. In fact, the few fossil remains found are primarily of littoral origin, representing shallow water midges that were transported to profundal waters. The reduction of total chironomid in the uppermost layers of the core is to be related to human land uses.     

Particle acceleration and the decay of soft X-ray non-thermal line broadening in solar flares

The relationship between the production of -ray emitting particles and non-thermal soft X-ray line broadening is investigated. A model of particle acceleration via the stochastic interaction with MHD turbulence is assumed and the time development of the wave energy density derived under the condition of energy conservation between waves and particles. The inferred numbers and energy distribution of accelerated protons for four -ray flares are used to define the wave energy density and its temporal development. The presence of Alfvén wave turbulence is considered as the source of the non-thermal motions in the ambient plasma. These motions are observed as excess widths in the soft X-ray line emission from these events. The decay of the waves via the particle acceleration process is compared with the observed decays of this non-thermal line broadening. Our results show that both the -ray emission and excess soft X-ray line widths in these flares can be explained by the single physical phenomenon of Alfvén wave turbulence.     

A 256×256 pixel InSb FPA for SIRTF and other astronomical applications

As part of the NASA Space Infrared telescope Facility (SIRTF), a low noise multiplexer has been developed. The hybridization of this multiplexer to a high indium antimonide (InSb) photodiode array has resulted in a MWIR detector of outstanding performance. The multiplexer is made of a 256×256 array of source follower amplifiers on a 30 m square pitch. Random access binary decoders are used to access each pixel of the array, allowing any read-out scheme to be implemented. Dark current has been measured at temperatures ranging from 4K to 77K. Generation recombination currents dominate above 45K. With 100mV of reverse bias applied, less than 3×10^-17 A is typical below 50K with 8×10^-19 A (5 e^-/s) at 4K. Under the same conditions 0.25 pA was measured at 77K. Read noise has been measured as low as 186 e^- using non-correlated techniques. Detector QE is 50 to 80 % through the entire 1 to 5 m band.     

High resolution near-IR imaging with arrays

The availability of large format, low noise detector arrays has opened the 1 to 20 m region for sub-arcsecond imaging. Using recent results in the investigation of Galactic star forming regions, the Galactic center and external galaxies as examples, we discuss the various techniques that have been employed. These range from image selection and image sharpening, over speckle techniques and adaptive optics to lunar occultation. These examples demonstrate that sub-arcsecond imaging and spatial interferometry in the near- and mid-infrared has a great future potential.     

An integrable case of a rotational motion analogous to that of Lagrange and Poisson for a gyrostat in a Newtonian force field

The scope of the present paper is to provide analytic solutions to the problem of the attitude evolution of a symmetric gyrostat about a fixed point in a central Newtonian force field when the potential function isV ⁽²⁾.We assume that the center of mass and the gyrostatic moment are on the axis of symmetry and that the initial conditions are the following: (t ₀)=₀, (t ₀)=₀, (t ₀)=(t ₀)=₀, ₁(t ₀)=0, ₂(t ₀)=0 and ₃(t ₀)= ₃ ⁰ .The problem is integrated when the third component of the total angular momentum is different from zero (B ₁ 0). There now appear equilibrium solutions that did not exist in the caseB ₁=0, which can be determined in function of the value ofl ₃ ^r (the third component of the gyrostatic momentum).The possible types of solutions (elliptic, trigonometric, stationary) depend upon the nature of the roots of the functiong(u). The solutions for Euler angles are given in terms of functions of the timet. If we cancel the third component of the gyrostatic momentum (l ₃ ^r =0), the obtained solutions are valid for rigid bodies.     

A verification of some methods to determine the fluxes of momentum,sensible heat,and water vapour using standard deviation and structure parameter of scalar meteorological quantities

A set of micro-meteorological data collected over a horizontal, uniform terrain (the plain of La Crau, France) in June 1987 is analysed. Conditions were predominantly sunny and arid, while due to the Mistral the wind speed could exceed 10 m/s. Verification of several methods to evaluate surface fluxes of heat, momentum and water vapour from the standard deviation of temperature, wind and specific humidity is presented. Also, a similar approach using the structure parameter of temperature is considered. These methods are all based on Monin-Obukhov (M-O) similarity theory. It is found that the standard deviation of temperature, vertical and horizontal wind speed as well as the structure parameter for temperature behave according to M-O similarity. It is shown that the sensible heat flux and friction velocity can be determined from a fast response thermometer and a cup anemometer. Also, it appears that the analytic solution of the set of governing equations as derived by the first author yields good results. M-O theory does not appear to work for the standard deviation of specific humidity. This may be due to the relative importance of large eddies.     

On the pH-dependent formation constants of iron(III)-sulfur(IV) transient complexes

An experimental study is described of Fe(III)-S(IV) formation constants measured as a function of pH (1–3), ionic strength (0.2–0.5 M) and [Fe(III)] _T (2.5–5.0×10^–4 M) using a continuous-flow spectrophotometric technique to make observations 160 ms after mixing. Preliminary experiments using pulse-accelerated-flow (PAF) spectrophotometry to measure rate constants on a microsecond timescale are also described. The conditional formation constant at 25 °C can be modeled with the following equation: {ie307-1} where {ie307-2}K ₇ andK ₈ can be interpreted as intrinsic constants for the coordination of HSO ₃ ^– by FeOH²⁺ and Fe³⁺, respectively, but until further evidence is obtained they should be regarded as fitting constants. PAF spectrophotometry showed that the initial reaction of Fe(III) with S(IV) (pH 2.0) is characterized by a second-order rate constant of 4×10⁶ M^–1 s^–1 which is comparable to rate of reaction of FeOH²⁺ with SO ₄ ^2– . However, the PAF results should be regarded as preliminary since unexpected features in the initial data indicate that the reaction may be more complex than expected.     

Deep-sea smokers: windows to a subsurface biosphere?

Since the discovery of hyperthermophilic microbial activity in hydrothermal fluids recovered from "smoker" vents on the East Pacific Rise, the widely accepted upper temperature limit for life (based on pure culture data) has risen from below the boiling point of water at atmospheric pressure to approximately 115 degrees C. Many microbiologists seem willing to speculate that the maximum may be closer to 150 degrees C. We have postulated not only higher temperatures than these (under deep-sea hydrostatic pressures), but also the existence of a biosphere subsurface to accessible seafloor vents. New geochemical information from the Endeavour Segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge indicative of subsurface organic material caused us to re-examine both the literature on hyperthermophilic microorganisms cultured from deep-sea smoker environments and recent results of microbial sampling efforts at actively discharging smokers on the Endeavour Segment. Here we offer the case for a subsurface biosphere based on an interdisciplinary view of microbial and geochemical analyses of Endeavour smoker fluids, a case in keeping with rapidly evolving geophysical understanding of organic stability under deep-sea hydrothermal conditions.     

Kinetics of peptide hydrolysis and amino acid decomposition at high temperature

Dipeptide hydrolysis and amino acid decomposition appear to follow a first-order rate law. The hydrolysis rate increases exponentially with increasing temperature in aqueous solution at both 265 atm and water steam pressures over the temperature range of 100 to 220 degrees C. Dipeptide hydrolysis has a lower apparent activation energy at 265 atm (44.1 KJ/mol) than at water steam pressure (98.9 KJ/mol). At lower temperatures (<200-220 degrees C), the rate of peptide bond hydrolysis is faster at 265 atm than at water steam pressure. At higher temperatures (>200-220 degrees C), however, peptide bond hydrolysis is slower at 265 atm than at water steam pressure. In aqueous solution, amino acid decomposition rates also increase exponentially with increasing temperature. Amino acid decomposition rates are much higher at 265 atm than at water steam pressure over the entire temperature range investigated.