Planetary atmosphere evolution:Do other habitable planets exist and can we detect them?

The goal of this conference is to consider whether it is possible within the next few decades to detect Earth-like planets around other stars using telescopes or interferometers on the ground or in space. Implicit in the term “Earth-like” is the idea that such planets might be habitable by Earth-like organisms, or that they might actually be inhabited. Here, I shall address two questions from the standpoint of planetary atmosphere evolution. First, what are the chances that habitable planets exist around other stars? And, second, if inhabited planets exist, what would be the best way to detect them?     

Damage due to ultraviolet and ionizing radiation during the ejection of shielded micro-organisms from the vicinity of 1M ⊙ main sequence and red giant stars

We present the astrophysical conditions necessary for the ejection of shielded microorganisms from a solar system and the biological conditions involving ultraviolet and ionizing radiations to which they are subjected in space. The radiation dose for both UV and ionizing radiation from the host star, the destination star and interstellar space is calculated for three different micro-organisms. The time of transport and the survival of the micro-organisms are strongly dependent on the composition and thickness of any mantle encasing the micro-organism and on the mass/luminosity ratio of the two stars. The maximum size of grains that can be ejected from the vicinity of one solar mass main sequence and red giant stars ranges from 0.65-0.35µm and 2.1-1.2µm respectively, for a reasonable range of densities. We conclude that unshielded known micro-organisms are immediately killed by ultraviolet radiation, and that an ice mantle does not provide sufficient shielding for either type of star. However, micro-organisms shielded by a carbonaceous thin-film mantle can be ejected from the vicinity of a one solar-mass red-giant star, and such micro-organisms have a high probability of surviving damage from the ultraviolet and ionizing radiations to which they are exposed.     

Analysis of mapping coverage obtained from spacecraft

An exact analysis of the coverage obtained by spacecraft using cross-track scanning and nadir-centered conical imaging, under imposed viewing obliqueness and resolution requirements, is presented. In addition to exact expressions for the area acquired and the area acquisition rate, envelope theory is introduced to obtain the boundary of the imaged area. These expressions are relatively compact, allowing rapid machine computation. The effects of the sun phase angle, and of imaging system limitations are also examined. The Galileo mission encounter with Callisto is used as a numerical example, from which certain general conclusions are drawn regarding optimal imaging trajectories.     

Roughness of the lunar soil

In situ measurements at the lunar surface at millimeter resolution by the Apollo astronauts have been analyzed. Several statistical parameters have been determined for the landing site. The surface roughness has been found to be very nearly gaussian. The root-mean-square slopes have been obtained over scales between 0.5 mm and 5 cm. They steadily decrease with increasing scale length from 58° to 2° and are in reasonable agreement with radar-measured values. The autocorrelation coefficient of the height distribution has also been obtained. It has a scale-length of 0.7 mm.Adjunct Professor at the University of Massachusetts.Visiting Scholar at the University of Massachusetts.     

Observations on the ecological importance of salt marshes in the Cumberland Basin,a macrotidal estuary in the Bay of Fundy

The Cumberland Basin, a 118 km² estuary at the head of the Bay of Fundy which has an average tidal range of about 11m, contains large tracts of salt marsh (15% of the area below highest high water). Low marsh (below about 0·9 m above mean high water) is composed almost exclusively of Spartina alterniflora while the vegetation on high marsh is more diverse but dominated by Spartina patens. Because of its higher elevation, high marsh is flooded infrequently for short periods by only extreme high tides. Low marsh is inundated much more frequently by water as much as 4m deep for periods as long as 4 h per tide. Temporal variability in the occurrence of extreme tides influences the flooding frequency of high marsh for any given month and year. Using a modification of Smalley's method, the mean annual net aerial primary production (NAPP) of low and high marsh is estimated to be 272 and 172 g C m^?2, respectively. Vegetation turnover times average 1·0 and 2·0 y for low and high marsh, respectively. Because of abundant tidal energy, much of the low marsh production appears to be exported and distributed widely about the estuary. Since high levels of turbidity suppress phytoplankton production, salt marshes produce approximately half of the carbon fixed photosynthetically in the Cumberland Basin. It is concluded that salt marshes play a major ecological role in the Cumberland Basin.     

On the structure of oscillatory boundary layers

An empirical analysis is performed on the most detailed, recent measurements of turbulent oscillatory boundary layer flow. The measurements show that throughout elevations where the flow can be considered horizontally uniform, one deficit model is sufficient for describing the fundamental mode. Some general properties of the non dimensional velocity deficit D₁(z) appear with striking consistency. First of all the identity $\text{ln}\text{¦D}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext>}}\text{¦ ≡}\text{Arg}\text{D}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext>}}$, which is a theoretical result for smooth laminar flow, seems to hold with great accuracy for a large range of turbulent flow conditions as well. This is of principal theoretical interest because all previous analytical eddy viscosity models as well as numerical mixing length models predict a consistent and fairly large difference between Arg D₁ and $\text{ln}\text{¦D}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext>}}\text{¦}$. If the identity between $\text{ln}\text{¦D}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext>}}\text{¦}$ and Arg D₁ extends all the way to the bed, it means that the bed shear stress leads the free stream velocity by 45 degrees. It is also found that the structure of smooth turbulent oscillatory flows as measured by Kalkanis (1964) corresponds to a sharp maximum in the normalized energy dissipation rate.     

Arsenic incorporation in a salt marsh ecosystem

Replicate portions of a Delaware salt marsh were enclosed in cylindrical microcosms and exposed to elevated levels of inorganic arsenic (arsenate). All biotic and abiotic components in dosed cylinders rapidly incorporated arsenic. Spartina blades showed the greatest arsenic enrichment, with dosed plants incorporating arsenic concentrations an order of magnitude higher than controls. Spartina detritus and sediments also exhibited greatly elevated arsenic concentrations. Virtually all of the arsenic was incorporated into plant tissue or strongly sorbed to cell surfaces. Thus, elevated arsenic concentrations in estuarine waters will be reflected in living and non-living components of a salt marsh ecosystem, implying that increased arsenic will be available to organisms within the marsh ecosystem.     

Kinetic studies of lead(II) uptake by the seagrass Zostera muelleri in water by radiotracing,atomic absorption spectrometry and electrochemical techniques

Evidence was found that uptake of lead from seawater in both model and natural systems by the leaves of the seagrass Zostera muelleri does occur for live, dead and scraped leaves at all the lead concentrations tested. Positive uptake of lead was measured using the three analytical techniques of radio-tracer, differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry and atomic absorption spectrometry; similar uptake profiles were obtained for each technique. Profiles always showed an initial rapid uptake phase followed by a gradual transition to a plateau phase at which an approximate equilibrium between lead attached to seagrass and free ionic lead in seawater was reached. The presence of active lead uptake processes was indicated in experiments which attempted to remove lead from leaves by a chelating agent.