Refractive index measurements of ammonia and hydrocarbon ices at 632.8 nm

Optical constants in a broad temperature and wavelength range are important input parameters in radiative transfer models used in studies of planetary atmospheres. In the laboratory, the refractive index values of ices at the HeNe laser wavelength (632.8 nm) are often used to monitor the growth rate and thickness of ice films. In this report we present laboratory measurements determining the refractive index at 632.8 nm of ammonia and hydrocarbon ices in the temperature range 80-100 K. Thin ice films are vapor-deposited on a cryogenically cooled mirror located inside a high-vacuum apparatus. The real component of the refractive index of these ice films is determined by a two-angle interferometric technique. Optical modeling calculations of the transmittance and reflectance through the thin ice films assist in the interpretation of the experimental results. We discuss our results and compare them with other measurements available in the literature. The results reported here are relevant to the spectroscopy of icy objects in the solar system; they are needed to perform laboratory characterization of ices, derive optical constants, and model spectra.     

The formation and stability of carbonic acid on outer Solar System bodies

The radiation chemistry, thermal stability, and vapor pressure of solid-phase carbonic acid (H₂CO₃) have been studied with mid-infrared spectroscopy. A new procedure for measuring this molecule’s radiation stability has been used to obtain intrinsic IR band strengths and half-lives for radiolytic destruction. We report, for the first time, measurements of carbonic acid’s vapor pressure (0.290-2.33 × 10⁻¹¹ bar for 240-255 K) and its enthalpy of sublimation (71 ± 9 kJ mol⁻¹). We also report the first observation of a chemical reaction involving solid-phase carbonic acid. Possible applications of these findings are discussed, with an emphasis on the outer Solar System icy surfaces.     

Characterization of halophiles in natural MgSO4 salts and laboratory enrichment samples: Astrobiological implications for Mars

The presence of sulfate salts and limited subsurface water (ice) on Mars suggests that any liquid water on Mars today will occur as (magnesium) sulfate-rich brines in regions containing sources of magnesium and sulfur. The Basque Lakes of British Columbia, Canada, represent a hypersaline terrestrial analogue site, which possesses chemical and physical properties similar to those observed on Mars. The Basque Lakes also contain diverse halophilic organisms representing all three Kingdoms of life, growing in surface and near-subsurface environments. Of interest from an astrobiological perspective, crushed magnesium sulfate samples that were analyzed using a modified Lowry protein assay contained biomass in every crystal inspected, with biomass values from 0.078 to 4.21 mg_biomass/g_salt; average=0.74±0.7 mg_biomass/g_salt. Bacteria and Archaea cells were easily observed even in low-biomass samples using light microscopy, and bacteria trapped within magnesium sulfate crystals were observed using confocal microscopy. Regions within the salt also contained bacterial pigments, e.g., carotenoids, which were separate from the cells, indicating that cell lysis might have occurred during entrapment within the salt matrix. These biosignatures, cells, and any ‘soluble’ organic constituents were primarily found trapped within fluid inclusions or fluid-filled void spaces between intergrown crystals. Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (reflectance IR) analysis of enrichment cultures, containing cyanobacteria, Archaea, or dissimilatory sulfate-reducing bacteria, highlighted molecular biosignature features between 550-1650 and 2400-3000 cm⁻¹. Spectra from natural salts demonstrated that we can detect biomass within salt crystals using the most sensitive biosignatures, which are the 1530-1570 cm⁻¹, C-N, N-H, -COOH absorptions and the 1030-1050 cm⁻¹ C-OH, C-N, PO₄³⁻ bond features. The lowest detection limit for a biosignature absorption feature using reflectance IR was with a natural sample that possessed 0.78 mg_biomass/g_salt. In a model cell, i.e., a 0.5 by 1 μm bacillus, this biomass value corresponds to approximately 7.8×10⁸ cells/g_salt. Based on its ability to detect biomass entrapped within natural sulfate salts, reflectance IR may make an effective remote-sensing tool for finding enrichments of organic carbon within outcrops and surficial sedimentary deposits on Mars.     

The Hill stability of inclined small mass binary systems in three-body systems with special application to triple star systems, extrasolar planetary systems and Binary Kuiper Belt systems

The dynamical stability of a bound triple system composed of a small binary or minor planetary system moving on a orbit inclined to a central third body is discussed in terms of Hill stability for the full three-body problem. The situation arises in the determination of stability of triple star systems against disruption and component exchange and the determination of stability of extrasolar planetary systems and minor planetary systems against disruption, component exchange or capture. The Hill stability criterion is applied to triple star systems and extrasolar planetary systems, the Sun-Earth-Moon system and Kuiper Belt binary systems to determine the critical distances for stable orbits. It is found that increasing the inclination of the third body decreases the Hill regions of stability. Increasing the eccentricity of the binary also produces similar effects.These type of changes make exchange or disruption of the component masses more likely. Increasing the eccentricity of the binary orbit relative to the third body substantially decreases stability regions as the eccentricity reaches higher values. The Kuiper Belt binaries were found to be stable if they move on circular orbits. Taking into account the eccentricity, it is less clear that all the systems are stable.     

Abundances of Jupiter's trace hydrocarbons from Voyager and Cassini

The flybys of Jupiter by the Voyager spacecraft in 1979, and over two decades later by Cassini in 2000, have provided us with unique datasets from two different epochs, allowing the investigation of seasonal change in the atmosphere. In this paper we model zonal averages of thermal infrared spectra from the two instruments, Voyager 1 IRIS and Cassini CIRS, to retrieve the vertical and meridional profiles of temperature, and the abundances of the two minor hydrocarbons, acetylene (C₂H₂) and ethane (C₂H₆). The spatial variation of these gases is controlled by both chemistry and dynamics, and therefore their observed distribution gives us an insight into both processes. We find that the two gases paint quite different pictures of seasonal change. Whilst the 2-D cross-section of C₂H₆ abundance is slightly increased and more symmetric in 2000 (northern summer solstice) compared to 1979 (northern fall equinox), the major trend of equator to pole increase remains. For C₂H₂ on the other hand, the Voyager epoch exhibits almost no latitudinal variation, whilst the Cassini era shows a marked decrease polewards in both hemispheres. At the present time, these experimental findings are in advance of interpretation, as there are no published models of 2-D Jovian seasonal chemical variation available for comparison.     

Synchronous <Emphasis Type="Italic">UBVR</Emphasis> photometry and spectroscopy of DI Cephei

We present our synchronous spectroscopy and photometry of DI Cep, a classical T Tauri star. The equivalent widths and radial velocities of the individual components and Hα, Hβ, D1 and D2 Na I, and HeI λ5876 Å emission line profiles exhibit variability. We have found a clear positive correlation between the brightness and equivalent width for the Hα and Hβ emission lines. The photometric and spectroscopic data are satisfactorily described in phases of a 9-day period. The expected magnetic field of the star has been estimated using existing magnetospheric models to be 655–1000 G. The star is suspected to be a binary.     

三种扇贝挥发性风味物质指纹图谱分析

为探究海湾扇贝(Argopecten irradians)、栉孔扇贝(Chlamys farreri)、虾夷扇贝(Patinopecten yessoensis)三种扇贝闭壳肌的挥发性风味物质差异,采用气相色谱-离子迁移谱(gas chromatography-ion mobility spectroscopy,GC-IMS)技术,对三种扇贝闭壳肌在新鲜(40℃)和加热(100℃)情况下进行挥发性成分分析。结果表明:在新鲜状态下,海湾扇贝(HWSB-F)、栉孔扇贝(ZKSB-F)、虾夷扇贝(XYSB-F)闭壳肌中,共定性出27种挥发性风味物质,其中醛类8种,醇类5种,酮类5种,酯类3种,以及醚类、苯类、酸类、烯类和噻唑等。在加热情况下,海湾扇贝(HWSB-C)、栉孔扇贝(ZKSB-C)、虾夷扇贝(XYSB-C)闭壳肌中共定性出52种挥发性风味物质,其中醛类20种,酯类5种,酮类7种,醇类8种,烯类4种,酸类2种,醚类2种,还包括吡嗪、胺类、苯类、含氧杂环等物质。对三种扇贝闭壳肌新鲜组和加热组指纹图谱进行分析,发现新鲜扇贝原有的挥发性风味物质加热后减少,且产生了新的其他种类的挥发性风味物质。扇贝闭壳肌加热组的挥发性风味物质种类较多,组成比较复杂,新鲜组的扇贝闭壳肌挥发性风味物质种类较少,组成简单。通过主成分分析,可在新鲜状态和加热状态下,有效区分三种扇贝闭壳肌组织。三种扇贝闭壳肌挥发性风味物质指纹图谱的建立,丰富了不同扇贝呈味物质的组成成分研究内容,证明GC-IMS技术可快速鉴别三种去壳扇贝闭壳肌的种类,为不同种扇贝闭壳肌以次充好提供检测依据。     

新疆阿尔泰伟晶岩中绿柱石拉曼光谱特征研究——以可可托海3号脉与阿祖拜328、528号脉为例

本文对新疆可可托海3号伟晶岩脉中的绿柱石与阿祖拜328、528号伟晶岩脉中的宝石级绿柱石开展拉曼光谱对比研究,获得以下主要结论: ① 阿祖拜328、528号伟晶岩脉中宝石级绿柱石以富含Ⅰ型H₂O为特征,可可托海3号脉早期形成的结构带(Ⅰ-Ⅱ带)中绿柱石以及相对富H₂O岩浆体系中形成的绿柱石(Ⅳ带)以存在Ⅰ型H₂O为主,演化程度相对较高,岩浆体系中结晶的结构带(Ⅲ带)以及岩浆-热液过渡阶段体系形成的结构带(Ⅴ带)中绿柱石以含有Ⅱ型H₂O为特征; ② 在可可托海3号脉以及阿祖拜328号、528号脉绿柱石矿物中均发现冰晶石矿物包体,指示伟晶岩岩浆含有较高的F含量;③ 绿柱石通道水类型(Ⅰ型H₂O、Ⅱ型H₂O)及相对比例,是伟晶岩岩浆-热液演化过程及其形成条件的响应,在相对氧化的岩浆体系中主要形成绿柱石矿物,而相对还原的富H₂O岩浆体系更有利于海蓝宝石形成.     

微波消解—冷原子荧光光谱法测定植物样品中的汞

为了简化测量植物中汞含量的方法,提高灵敏度及结果的可信度,实验采用微波消解植物样品的办法,使样品经氯化亚锡还原,再用冷原子荧光测定出植物样品中汞的含量。确定了消解样品的方法和微波消解样品的条件,优化了仪器的最佳工作参数。方法检出限0.30×10-9(稀释因子100倍),精密度(n=12)在2.09%~6.05%,加标回收率94.1%~105.5%,方法经生物国家一级标准物质验证方法准确可靠。     

Stellar Population Analysis of Galaxies based on Genetic Algorithms

We present a new method for determining the age and relative contribution of different stellar populations in galaxies based on the genetic algorithm. We apply this method to the barred spiral galaxy NGC 3384, using CCD images in U, B, V, R and I bands. This analysis indicates that the galaxy NGC 3384 is mainly inhabited by old stellar population (age >109yr). Some problems were encountered when numerical simulations are used for determining the contribution of different stellar populations in the integrated color of a galaxy. The results show that the proposed genetic algorithm can search efficiently through the very large space of the possible ages.