Chemical fingerprints of life in terrestrial soils and their possible use for the detection of life on Mars and other planets

Organic carbon in oxidizable forms and nitrogen are the only elements among some 40 elements studied that are significantly enriched in terrestrial soils as compared to the crust. This enrichment is due to and reflecting life activity in soils, and is characterized by a unique profile distribution. It is suggested that these facts can constitute the basis for the future chemical-biological search for life in planetary soils.     

The east-Siberian complex of SibIZMIR Solar Observatories

The Sayan Solar Observatory, the Tunkinskaya Radiophysical Observatory, and the Baikal Astrophysical Observatory of SibIZMIR have been described. Some results of the investigations carried out over the past years have been expounded. Clarifying solar activity mechanisms and the nature of solar magnetic fields, active regions and flares as well as solar wind are their main problems. In the interest of these investigations the Institute has initiated and developed laboratory-scale simulation of plasma processes.Paper presented at the IAU Third Asian-Pacific Regional Meeting, held in Kyoto, Japan, between 30 September–6 October, 1984.     

Effect of adsorbed iron on thermoluminescence and electron spin resonance spectra of Ca-Fe-exchanged montmorillonite

The electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra and the natural and gamma-induced thermoluminescence (TL) glow curves of a series of variably cation-exchanged Fe-Ca-clays prepared from SWy-1 montmorillonite were examined. The ESR signal (g = 2) intensity associated with the surface Fe was found to increase linearly with surface Fe content up to a nominal concentration of 50% exchangeable Fe. At > 50% exchangeable Fe, no appreciable increase in the signal was noted. The TL intensity decreased linearly with increasing surface Fe up to 50% nominal exchangeable Fe. At > 50%, the signal was not appreciably further diminished. The natural TL showed only a high-temperature peak, but irradiation produced an additional low-temperature peak. One month after gamma-irradiation, the integrated TL signal was still 10-100 times higher than that from the non-irradiated material. Thus, (1) surface iron clusters may form above a certain critical Fe concentration; (2) the Fe clusters are probably less effective in quenching TL than are single Fe atoms, implying interaction between surface Fe and the stored energy content of the material; and (3) the electronic energy stored in the material as the result of gamma-irradiation is only slowly dissipated.     

Experimental Global Forecasts of Atmospheric Parameters Based on Experimental Technology that Takes into Account Ozone Photochemistry (FOROZ Model)

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy - The results of numerical seasonal forecasts of temperature calculated with two interactive global numerical models, the CHARM photochemical model (0–90 km) of the...     

Thermal generation of ferromagnetic minerals from iron-enriched smectites

In recent years remagnetization of orogenic belts has been explained by fluid migration through rocks undergoing deformation. A laboratory study of remagnetization is presented in which varying amounts of iron (0-13.5 weight per cent Fe₂O₃) are adsorbed onto smectite surfaces. All smectite samples contain structural Fe (III) which is located in octahedral sites and is thermally stable up to 700 C. An increase in the amount of iron adsorbed onto the clay surface leads to the formation of ferric nanophases in which parts are magnetic. Mineralogical changes that occur during thermal treatment between room temperature and 700 C were monitored using electron spin resonance (ESR), bulk susceptibility, acquisition of isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) and Curie temperature analysis. After heating the samples to 250 C, a new ferrimagnetic phase is created as indicated by ESR and IRM acquisition. ESR spectra, IRM acquisition and Curie analyses suggest that magnetite is the predominant phase that is being created. These grains continue to be created and grow with heating up to 500 C. Above this temperature a decrease in the intensity of the IRM at 1T suggests that the phase is being transformed into haematite. The thermal experiments on iron-loaded smectites show that surface-induced processes can lead to the formation of new magnetic minerals under conditions characteristic of low-grade metamorphism.