Nitrogen sulfide in quiescent dark clouds

We report the first detection of interstellar nitrogen sulfide (NS) in cold dark clouds. Several components of the 2 pi 1/2, J = 3/2 --> 1/2 and J = 5/2 --> 3/2 transitions were observed in TMC-1 and L134N. The inferred column density for TMC-1 is NNS approximately 8 x 10(12)cm-2 toward the NH3 peak in that cloud, and in L134N is NNS approximately 3 x 10(12)cm-2 toward the position of peak NH3 emission. These values correspond to fractional abundances relative to molecular hydrogen of fNS approximately 8 x 10(-10) for TMC-1, and fNS approximately 6 x 10(-10) for L134N. The NS emission is extended along the TMC-1 ridge and is also extended in L134N. The measured abundances are significantly higher than those predicted by some recent gas phase ion-molecule models.     

Evidence of ancient life at 207 m depth in a granitic aquifer

The results of electron-microscopy investigations of calcite precipitated in a water-conducting fracture in a ca. 1800 Ma granitic rock from 207 m below sea level at the island of Aspo on the southeastern (Baltic) coast of Sweden are compared with measurements of carbon, oxygen, and sulfur isotope composition of the calcite and embedded pyrite. Parts of the calcite had extremely low delta 13C values, indicative of biological activity, and contained bacteria-like microfossils occurring in colonies and as typical biofllms. X-ray microanalysis demonstrated these fossils to be enriched in carbon. Our results provide evidence for ancient life in deep granitic rock aquifers and suggest that the modern microbial life found there is intrinsic. Modeling historical and present geochemical processes in deep granitic aquifers should, therefore, preferably include biologically catalyzed reactions. The results also suggest that the search for life on other planets, e.g., Mars, should include subsurface material.     

Carbon isotope systematics of individual hydrocarbons in hydrothermal petroleum from Escanaba Trough, northeastern Pacific Ocean

We submitted individual aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in samples of hydrothermal petroleum from Escanaba Trough to compound specific isotope analysis to trace their origins. The carbon isotope compositions of the alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (means -27.5 and -24.7%, respectively) reflect a primarily terrestrial organic matter source.     

Sedimentary Features of Shallow Ancient River Channels on the Northern Shelf of the South China Sea

Quaternary buried ancient river channels are widespread in the shallow-level sediments of the northern shelf of the South China Sea. The sedimentary sequence mainly of fluvial deposits comprise an important component part of the low-stand system tract and transgressive system tract in the study region. The plannar variation and spatial association of the sedimentary features such as incised valley fillings, deltaic foreset wedges and block slides of shelf-marginal fans reflect the palaeogeographic environment during the fall of the regional sea level in the northern part of the South China Sea. Based on the high-resolution seismic reflection data and gelogical data from boreholes, the present paper makes an integrated interpretation of the Quaternary ancient river channels in the shallow sediments of the study area, studies the sedimentary features of the ancient channels such as their spatial distribution, seismic facies reflection indicators, sedimentary facies and sand -body types, and discusses thei     

Numerical simulation of the general circulation of the atmosphere of Titan

The atmospheric circulation of Titan is investigated with a general circulation model. The representation of the large-scale dynamics is based on a grid point model developed and used at Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique for climate studies. The code also includes an accurate representation of radiative heating and cooling by molecular gases and haze as well as a parametrization of the vertical turbulent mixing of momentum and potential temperature. Long-term simulations of the atmospheric circulation are presented. Starting from a state of rest, the model spontaneously produces a strong superrotation with prograde equatorial winds (i.e., in the same sense as the assumed rotation of the solid body) increasing from the surface to reach 100 m sec-1 near the 1-mbar pressure level. Those equatorial winds are in very good agreement with some indirect observations, especially those of the 1989 occultation of Star 28-Sgr by Titan. On the other hand, the model simulates latitudinal temperature contrasts in the stratosphere that are significantly weaker than those observed by Voyager 1 which, we suggest, may be partly due to the nonrepresentation of the spatial and temporal variations of the abundances of molecular species and haze. We present diagnostics of the simulated atmospheric circulation underlying the importance of the seasonal cycle and a tentative explanation for the creation and maintenance of the atmospheric superrotation based on a careful angular momentum budget.     

Measurements in N2-CH4(C2H2) discharges of reaction rates and thermochemical constants for Titan atmosphere study

The kinetic reactions in N2-xCH4(C2H2) gas discharges with x less than 1% have been studied by emission spectroscopy in the afterglow of D.C. discharges and by mass spectroscopy from radiolysis ionization using alpha particles. The pressure range is from several Torr to 100 Torr. At the end of N2 D.C. discharges at room temperature, for a residence time of about 10(-2) s, the dominant active species are the N atoms with density of 10(14)-10(15) cm-3 for N2 density of about 10(17) cm-3 (3 Torr), the N2(X,V) vibrational molecules with for example [N2(X,V = 10)] approximately 10(14) cm-3 and the electronic metastable molecules N2(A 3 sigma u +) with a density of 10(12) cm-3. In such conditions, the following kinetic reactions have been studied: N2(A) + N2(A) --> N2(C,B,V') + N2(X), N2(A) + N2(X,V>5) --> N2(X) + N2(B,V') in pure N2 post-discharges and N2(A) + CH4 --> products, C + N + M2 --> CN(B,V') + M2, N2(X,V>4) + CN --> N2(X) + CN(B,A,V'), in N2-1% CH4 post-discharges. The clustering reactions of N2-(1-5%)CH4(C2H2) gas mixtures after radiolysis ionization have been studied for the H2CN+ nN2 ions and the equilibrium constants have been determined in the temperature range T = 140-300 K.     

哀牢山-红河剪切带的热年代学研究——多重扩散域模式的应用实例

洛弗拉等人(1989)把Dodson(1973)建立的单一扩散域模式扩展成矿物扩散域不连续分布的模式,即多重扩散域模式,与之对应具有某一封闭温度范围,因此利用单个K-长石矿物样品可以揭示更长时间段上的冷却过程。对云南哀牢山-红河剪切带的K-长石样品(FA-2-1)进行40Ar/39Ar同位素分析,利用多重扩散域模式,揭示在距今约20～19Ma问该带存在一快速冷却过程,这与西藏南部曲水地区快速抬升的时间是一致的     

Chemical abundances in cold, dark interstellar clouds

The Sun may well have formed in the type of interstellar cloud currently referred to as a cold, dark cloud. We present current tabulations of the totality of known interstellar molecules and of the subset which have been identified in cold clouds. Molecular abundances are given for two such clouds which show interesting chemical differences in spite of strong physical similarities, Taurus Molecular Cloud 1 (TMC-1) and Lynd's 134N (L134N, also referred to as L183). These regions may be at different evolutionary stages.     

Results of TV imaging of Phobos (Experiment VSK-Fregat)

From February to March 1989 the Phobos 2 spacecraft took 37 TV images of Phobos at a distance of 190-1100 km. These images complement Mariner-9 and Viking data by providing higher-resolution coverage of a large region West of the crater Stickney (40-160 degrees W) and by providing disk-resolved measurements of surface brightness at a greater range of wavelengths and additional phase angles. These images have supported updated mapping and characterization of large craters and grooves, and have provided additional observations of craters' and grooves' bright rims. Variations in surface visible/near-infrared color ratio of almost a factor of 2 have been recognized; these variations appear to be associated with the ejecta of specific large impact craters. Updated determinations of satellite mass and volume allow calculation of a more accurate value of bulk density, 1.90 +/- 0.1 g cm-3. This is significantly lower than the density of meteoritic analogs to Phobos' surface, suggesting a porous interior perhaps containing interstitial ice.