Homochirality as the signature of life: the SETH Cigar

A characteristic hallmark of life is its homochirality: all biomolecules are usually of one hand, e.g. on Earth life uses only L-amino acids for protein synthesis and not their D mirror images. It is therefore suggested that a search for extra-terrestrial life can be approached as a Search for Extra-Terrestrial Homochirality (SETH). A novel miniaturized space polarimeter, called the SETH Cigar, is described which could he used to detect optical rotation as the homochiral signature of life on other planets. Moving parts are avoided by replacing the normal rotating polarizer by multiple fixed polarizers at different angles as in the eye of the bee. It is believed that homochirality will be found in the subsurface layers on Mars as a relic of extinct life.     

Astronomical identification of the C3H radical

The C3H radical, a linear carbon chain with a 2 pi electronic ground state, has been identified in the millimeter-wave spectra of two astronomical sources, IRC +10216 and TMC-1, and conclusively confirmed (accompanying Letter) in a laboratory glow discharge. In IRC +10216 four rotational transitions have been observed, three in the lower fine-structure ladder (2 pi 1/2) and one in the upper (2 pi 3/2), each a resolved or partially resolved lambda-doublet. In TMC-1, both lambda components of the lowest lying 3/2 --> 1/2 transition of the 2 pi 1/2 ladder have been observed, each with well-resolved hfs. In IRC +10216 the excitation of C3H is similar to that of SiCC: the rotational temperature Trot within the 2 pi 1/2 ladder is low (8.5 K), owing to rapid radiative decay, while Trot across the ladders is high (approximately 52 K) because interconnecting far-IR radiative transitions are only weakly permitted. The column density of C3H in IRC +10216 averaged over the estimated source diameter of 84" is 2.8 x 10(13) cm-2, an order of magnitude less than that of C2H and C4H. A determination of the spectroscopic constraints of C3H that permitted the entire radio spectrum of this molecule to be calculated to high accuracy has been derived from analysis of the combined astronomical and laboratory data presented in the accompanying Letter.     

沿海海—气界面的化学物质交换

沿海海－气界面化学物质的交换对生物地球化学循环起着十分重要的作用。大气沉降过程是化学物质进入沿海区域的重要途径之一。物质平衡估算的结果指出，在某些沿海区域，经由大气输入的若干痕量物质的总量几乎相当于河流的输入量，有的甚至更多。大气沉降作用是一些沿海区域氮化物的重要来源，并与富营养化有紧密关系。     

我国公路低能见度灾害风险评估与区划研究

基于1980—2014年国家地面气象站的能见度观测资料以及社会经济、交通灾情数据信息,采用层次分析法、专家打分法和熵权法,建立了我国主要公路低能见度灾害风险的评估指标体系和权重,开展了我国主要公路低能见度灾害风险区划研究。研究结果表明:我国主要公路低能见度灾害风险分布总体呈东部及新疆北部和南疆盆地部分地区高、中西部大部地区低的趋势;采用层次分析法开展公路低能见度灾害风险评估,能有效减少主观因素的影响,增加评估结果的科学性和合理性。     

GRAPES业务全球集合控制预报初值的动力升尺度方法

以生成GRAPES全球集合预报业务系统的控制预报初值为目的,基于GRAPES全球模式,开展了控制预报初值生成方法研究,发展了高分辨率初值动力升尺度方法,并检验了不同方法的可行性。通过对比不同方法产生的初始场形态,证实了仅仅对高分辨率初始场进行二维水平插值存在不足,基于静力学方程对Exner气压变量进行三维插值至关重要。结果表明,动力升尺度方法利用静力平衡关系,对全场的温压场进行调整,使之协调平衡,可以改善二维水平插值方法导致的初始位势高度场和温度场的噪音问题,产生适用于GRAPES全球集合预报业务系统的控制预报初值。     

Monitoring the development of intertidal habitats on former agricultural land after the managed realignment of coastal defences at Tollesbury, Essex, UK

The managed realignment of coastal defences and subsequent creation of intertidal habitats is one of several 'soft' engineering options that could reduce the costs of maintaining embankments and at the same time deliver environmental benefits. The managed realignment at Tollesbury was one of the first in the UK, undertaken as an experimental test case to improve understanding of the practical techniques and processes involved. Independent studies were undertaken on the development of soils, benthic invertebrates and vegetation within the site in addition to methods of enhancing the process of natural colonisation of saltmarsh plants. Bathymetric and vegetation monitoring were undertaken on the adjacent estuary to determine any breach effect that may be attributed to the realignment. This paper summarises the results from the vegetation, sedimentation and invertebrate monitoring and discusses the implications for other managed realignment schemes in the UK.     

Extremely alkaline (pH > 12) ground water hosts diverse microbial community

Chemically unusual ground water can provide an environment for novel communities of bacteria to develop. Here, we describe a diverse microbial community that inhabits extremely alkaline (pH > 12) ground water from the Lake Calumet area of Chicago, Illinois, where historic dumping of steel slag has filled in a wetland. Using microbial 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene sequencing and microcosm experiments, we confirmed the presence and growth of a variety of alkaliphilic beta-Proteobacteria, Bacillus, and Clostridium species at pH up to 13.2. Many of the bacterial sequences most closely matched those of other alkaliphiles found in more moderately alkaline water around the world. Oxidation of dihydrogen produced by reaction of water with steel slag is likely a primary energy source to the community. The widespread occurrence of iron-oxidizing bacteria suggests that reduced iron serves as an additional energy source. These results extend upward the known range of pH tolerance for a microbial community by as much as 2 pH units. The community may provide a source of novel microbes and enzymes that can be exploited under alkaline conditions.