Oxygen Extraction from Minerals

Science.gov (United States)

Muscatello, Tony

2017-01-01

Oxygen, whether used as part of rocket bipropellant or for astronaut life support, is a key consumable for space exploration and commercialization. In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) has been proposed many times as a method for making space exploration more cost effective and sustainable. On planetary and asteroid surfaces the presence of minerals in the regolith that contain oxygen is very common, making them a potential oxygen resource. The majority of research and development for oxygen extraction from minerals has been for lunar regolith although this work would generally be applicable to regolith at other locations in space. This presentation will briefly survey the major methods investigated for oxygen extraction from regolith with a focus on the current status of those methods and possible future development pathways. The major oxygen production methods are (1) extraction from lunar ilmenite (FeTiO3) with either hydrogen or carbon monoxide, (2) carbothermal reduction of iron oxides and silicates with methane, and (3) molten regolith electrolysis (MRE) of silicates. Methods (1) and (2) have also been investigated in a two-step process using CO reduction and carbon deposition followed by carbothermal reduction. All three processes have byproducts that could also be used as resources. Hydrogen or carbon monoxide reduction produce iron metal in small amounts that could potentially be used as construction material. Carbothermal reduction also makes iron metal along with silicon metal and a glass with possible applications. MRE produces iron, silicon, aluminum, titanium, and glass, with higher silicon yields than carbothermal reduction. On Mars and possibly on some moons and asteroids, water is present in the form of mineral hydrates, hydroxyl (-OH) groups on minerals, andor water adsorbed on mineral surfaces. Heating of the minerals can liberate the water which can be electrolyzed to provide a source of oxygen as well. The chemistry of these processes, some key

Bosch Reactor Development for High Percentage Oxygen Recovery from Carbon Dioxide

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, David; Abney, Morgan

2015-01-01

This next Generation Life Support Project entails the development and demonstration of Bosch reaction technologies to improve oxygen recovery from metabolically generated oxygen and/or space environments. A primary focus was placed on alternate carbon formation reactor concepts to improve useful catalyst life for space vehicle applications, and make use of in situ catalyst resources for non-terrestrial surface missions. Current state-of-the-art oxygen recovery systems onboard the International Space Station are able to effectively recover approximately 45 percent of the oxygen consumed by humans and exhausted in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2). Excess CO2 is vented overboard and the oxygen contained in the molecules is lost. For long-duration missions beyond the reaches of Earth for resupply, it will be necessary to recover greater amounts of constituents such as oxygen that are necessary for sustaining life. Bosch technologies theoretically recover 100 percent of the oxygen from CO2, producing pure carbon as the sole waste product. Challenges with this technology revolve around the carbon product fouling catalyst materials, drastically limiting catalyst life. This project successfully demonstrated techniques to extend catalyst surface area exposure times to improve catalyst life for vehicle applications, and demonstrated the use of Martian and lunar regolith as viable catalyst Bosch Reactor Development for High Percentage Oxygen Recovery From Carbon Dioxide materials for surface missions. The Bosch process generates carbon nanotube formation within the regolith, which has been shown to improve mechanical properties of building materials. Production of bricks from post reaction regolith for building and radiation shielding applications were also explored.

Heat Pipe Solar Receiver for Oxygen Production of Lunar Regolith, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Researchers have determined that lunar soil contains approximately 43% oxygen in the lunar soil oxides, which could be extracted to provide breathable oxygen for...

Low Temperature Regolith Bricks for In-Situ Structural Material

Science.gov (United States)

Grossman, Kevin; Sakthivel, Tamil S.; Mantovani, James; Seal, Sudipta

2016-01-01

Current technology for producing in-situ structural materials on future missions to Mars or the moon relies heavily on energy-intensive sintering processes to produce solid bricks from regolith. This process requires heating the material up to temperatures in excess of 1000 C and results in solid regolith pieces with compressive strengths in the range of 14000 to 28000 psi, but are heavily dependent on the porosity of the final material and are brittle. This method is currently preferred over a low temperature cementation process to prevent consumption of precious water and other non-renewable materials. A high strength structural material with low energy requirements is still needed for future colonization of other planets. To fulfill these requirements, a nano-functionalization process has been developed to produce structural bricks from regolith simulant and shows promising mechanical strength results. Functionalization of granular silicate particles into alkoxides using a simple low temperature chemical process produces a high surface area zeolite particles that are held together via inter-particle oxygen bonding. Addition of water in the resulting zeolite particles produces a sol-gel reaction called "inorganic polymerization" which gives a strong solid material after a curing process at 60 C. The aqueous solution by-product of the reaction is currently being investigated for its reusability; an essential component of any ISRU technology. For this study, two batches of regolith bricks are synthesized from JSC-1A; the first batch from fresh solvents and chemicals, the second batch made from the water solution by-product of the first batch. This is done to determine the feasibility of recycling necessary components of the synthesis process, mainly water. Characterization including BET surface area, SEM, and EDS has been done on the regolith bricks as well as the constituent particles,. The specific surface area of 17.53 sq m/g (average) of the granular regolith

Hydrogen-Enhanced Lunar Oxygen Extraction and Storage Using Only Solar Power

Science.gov (United States)

Burton, rodney; King, Darren

2013-01-01

The innovation consists of a thermodynamic system for extracting in situ oxygen vapor from lunar regolith using a solar photovoltaic power source in a reactor, a method for thermally insulating the reactor, a method for protecting the reactor internal components from oxidation by the extracted oxygen, a method for removing unwanted chemical species produced in the reactor from the oxygen vapor, a method for passively storing the oxygen, and a method for releasing high-purity oxygen from storage for lunar use. Lunar oxygen exists in various types of minerals, mostly silicates. The energy required to extract the oxygen from the minerals is 30 to 60 MJ/kg O. Using simple heating, the extraction rate depends on temperature. The minimum temperature is approximately 2,500 K, which is at the upper end of available oven temperatures. The oxygen is released from storage in a purified state, as needed, especially if for human consumption. This method extracts oxygen from regolith by treating the problem as a closed batch cycle system. The innovation works equally well in Earth or Lunar gravity fields, at low partial pressure of oxygen, and makes use of in situ regolith for system insulation. The innovation extracts oxygen from lunar regolith using a method similar to vacuum pyrolysis, but with hydrogen cover gas added stoichiometrically to react with the oxygen as it is produced by radiatively heating regolith to 2,500 K. The hydrogen flows over and through the heating element (HE), protecting it from released oxygen. The H2 O2 heat of reaction is regeneratively recovered to assist the heating process. Lunar regolith is loaded into a large-diameter, low-height pancake reactor powered by photovoltaic cells. The reactor lid contains a 2,500 K HE that radiates downward onto the regolith to heat it and extract oxygen, and is shielded above by a multi-layer tungsten radiation shield. Hydrogen cover gas percolates through the perforated tungsten shielding and HE, preventing

In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) on the Moon: Moessbauer Spectroscopy as a Process Monitor for Oxygen Production. Results from a Field Test on Mauna Kea Volcano, Hawaii

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, R.V.; Schroder, C.; Graff, T.G.; Sanders, G.B.; Lee, K.A.; Simon, T.M.; Larson, W.E.; Quinn, J.W.; Clark, L.D.; Caruso, J.J.

2009-01-01

Essential consumables like oxygen must to be produced from materials on the lunar surface to enable a sustained, long-term presence of humans on the Moon. The Outpost Precursor for ISRU and Modular Architecture (OPTIMA) field test on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, facilitated by the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES) of the University of Hawaii at Hilo, was designed to test the implementation of three hardware concepts to extract oxygen from the lunar regolith: Precursor ISRU Lunar Oxygen Testbed (PILOT) developed by Lockheed Martin in Littleton, CO; Regolith & Environmental Science and Oxygen & Lunar Volatiles Extraction (RESOLVE) developed at the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, FL; and ROxygen developed at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX. The three concepts differ in design, but all rely on the same general principle: hydrogen reduction of metal cations (primarily Fe2+) bonded to oxygen to metal (e.g., Fe0) with the production of water. The hydrogen source is residual hydrogen in the fuel tanks of lunar landers. Electrolysis of the water produces oxygen and hydrogen (which is recycled). We used the miniaturized M ssbauer spectrometer MIMOS II to quantify the yield of this process on the basis of the quantity of Fe0 produced. Iron M ssbauer spectroscopy identifies iron-bearing phases, determines iron oxidation states, and quantifies the distribution of iron between mineral phases and oxidation states. The oxygen yield can be calculated by quantitative measurements of the distribution of Fe among oxidation states in the regolith before and after hydrogen reduction. A M ssbauer spectrometer can also be used as a prospecting tool to select the optimum feedstock for the oxygen production plants (e.g., high total Fe content and easily reduced phases). As a demonstration, a MIMOS II backscatter spectrometer (SPESI, Germany) was mounted on the Cratos rover (NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, OH), which is one of

From Oxygen Generation to Metals Production: In Situ Resource Utilization by Molten Oxide Electrolysis

Science.gov (United States)

Khetpal, Deepak; Ducret, Andrew C.; Sadoway, Donald R.

2003-01-01

For the exploration of other bodies in the solar system, electrochemical processing is arguably the most versatile technology for conversion of local resources into usable commodities: by electrolysis one can, in principle, produce (1) breathable oxygen, (2) silicon for the fabrication of solar cells, (3) various reactive metals for use as electrodes in advanced storage batteries, and (4) structural metals such as steel and aluminum. Even so, to date there has been no sustained effort to develop such processes, in part due to the inadequacy of the database. The objective here is to identify chemistries capable of sustaining molten oxide electrolysis in the cited applications and to examine the behavior of laboratory-scale cells designed to generate oxygen and to produce metal. The basic research includes the study of the underlying high-temperature physical chemistry of oxide melts representative of lunar regolith and of Martian soil. To move beyond empirical approaches to process development, the thermodynamic and transport properties of oxide melts are being studied to help set the limits of composition and temperature for the processing trials conducted in laboratory-scale electrolysis cells. The goal of this investigation is to deliver a working prototype cell that can use lunar regolith and Martian soil to produce breathable oxygen along with metal by-product. Additionally, the process can be generalized to permit adaptation to accommodate different feedstock chemistries, such as those that will be encountered on other bodies in the solar system. The expected results of this research include: (1) the identification of appropriate electrolyte chemistries; (2) the selection of candidate anode and cathode materials compatible with electrolytes named above; and (3) performance data from a laboratory-scale cell producing oxygen and metal. On the strength of these results it should be possible to assess the technical viability of molten oxide electrolysis for in

Additive Construction using Basalt Regolith Fines

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, Robert P.; Sibille, Laurent; Hintze, Paul E.; Lippitt, Thomas C.; Mantovani, James G.; Nugent, Matthew W.; Townsend, Ivan I.

2014-01-01

Planetary surfaces are often covered in regolith (crushed rock), whose geologic origin is largely basalt. The lunar surface is made of small-particulate regolith and areas of boulders located in the vicinity of craters. Regolith composition also varies with location, reflecting the local bedrock geology and the nature and efficiency of the micrometeorite-impact processes. In the lowland mare areas (suitable for habitation), the regolith is composed of small granules (20 - 100 microns average size) of mare basalt and volcanic glass. Impacting micrometeorites may cause local melting, and the formation of larger glassy particles, and this regolith may contain 10-80% glass. Studies of lunar regolith are traditionally conducted with lunar regolith simulant (reconstructed soil with compositions patterned after the lunar samples returned by Apollo). The NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Granular Mechanics & Regolith Operations (GMRO) lab has identified a low fidelity but economical geo-technical simulant designated as Black Point-1 (BP-1). It was found at the site of the Arizona Desert Research and Technology Studies (RATS) analog field test site at the Black Point lava flow in adjacent basalt quarry spoil mounds. This paper summarizes activities at KSC regarding the utilization of BP-1 basalt regolith and comparative work with lunar basalt simulant JSC-1A as a building material for robotic additive construction of large structures. In an effort to reduce the import or in-situ fabrication of binder additives, we focused this work on in-situ processing of regolith for construction in a single-step process after its excavation. High-temperature melting of regolith involves techniques used in glassmaking and casting (with melts of lower density and higher viscosity than those of metals), producing basaltic glass with high durability and low abrasive wear. Most Lunar simulants melt at temperatures above 1100 C, although melt processing of terrestrial regolith at 1500 C is not

Luna 24 regolith breccias: A possible source of the fine size material of the Luna 24 regolith

Science.gov (United States)

Rode, O. D.; Lindstrom, M. M.

1994-01-01

The regolith breccias from the Luna 24 core were analyzed. The Luna 24 regolith is a mixture of fine and coarse grain materials. The comparable analysis of the grain size distributions, the modal and chemical compositions of the breccias, and the regolith from the same levels show that the friable slightly litificated breccia with a friable fine grain matrix may be a source of fine grain material of the Luna 24 present day regolith.

Lunar Metal Oxide Electrolysis with Oxygen and Photovoltaic Array Production Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Curreri, P. A.; Ethridge, E.; Hudson, S.; Sen, S.

2006-01-01

This paper presents the results of a Marshall Space Flight Center funded effort to conduct an experimental demonstration of the processing of simulated lunar resources by the molten oxide electrolysis (MOE) process to produce oxygen and metal from lunar resources to support human exploration of space. Oxygen extracted from lunar materials can be used for life support and propellant, and silicon and metallic elements produced can be used for in situ fabrication of thin-film solar cells for power production. The Moon is rich in mineral resources, but it is almost devoid of chemical reducing agents, therefore, molten oxide electrolysis, MOE, is chosen for extraction, since the electron is the most practical reducing agent. MOE was also chosen for following reasons. First, electrolytic processing offers uncommon versatility in its insensitivity to feedstock composition. Secondly, oxide melts boast the twin key attributes of highest solubilizing capacity for regolith and lowest volatility of any candidate electrolytes. The former is critical in ensuring high productivity since cell current is limited by reactant solubility, while the latter simplifies cell design by obviating the need for a gas-tight reactor to contain evaporation losses as would be the case with a gas or liquid phase fluoride reagent operating at such high temperatures. In the experiments reported here, melts containing iron oxide were electrolyzed in a low temperature supporting oxide electrolyte (developed by D. Sadoway, MIT). The production of oxygen and reduced iron were observed. Electrolysis was also performed on the supporting electrolyte with JSC-1 Lunar Simulant. The cell current for the supporting electrolyte alone is negligible while the current for the electrolyte with JSC-1 shows significant current and a peak at about -0.6 V indicating reductive reaction in the simulant.

[Possibility of exacerbation of allergy by lunar regolith].

Science.gov (United States)

Horie, Masanori; Kambara, Tatsunori; Kuroda, Etsushi; Miki, Takeo; Honma, Yoshiyuki; Aoki, Shigeru; Morimoto, Yasuo

2012-09-01

Japan, U.S.A. and other foreign space agencies have plans for the construction of a lunar base and long-term stay of astronauts on the moon. The surface of the moon is covered by a thick layer of soil that includes fine particles called "lunar regolith", which is formed by meteorite impact and space weathering. Risk assessment of particulate matter on the moon is important for astronauts working in microgravity on the moon. However, there are few investigations about the biological influences of lunar regolith. Especially, there is no investigation about allergic activity to lunar regolith. The main chemical components of lunar regolith are SiO2, Al2O3, CaO, FeO, etc. Of particular interest, approximately 50% of lunar regolith consists of SiO2. There is a report that the astronauts felt hay fever-like symptoms from the inhalation of the lunar regolith. Yellow sand, whose chemical components are similar to lunar regolith, enhances allergenic reactions, suggesting the possibility that lunar regolith has an adjuvant-like activity. Although intraperitoneal administration of lunar regolith with ovalbumin to mouse did not show enhancement of allergenic reactions, further evaluation of lunar regolith's potential to exacerbate the effects of allergies is essential for development of the moon.

Borehole depth and regolith aquifer hydraulic characteristics of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

EJIRO

composition tend to exhibit similar hydraulic characteristics. But the poor performance of ... mum borehole depth in the regolith aquifer for the area and also reveals that ..... most important end products of chemical weathering of rocks of granitic ...

SSERVI Analog Regolith Simulant Testbed Facility

Science.gov (United States)

Minafra, J.; Schmidt, G. K.

2016-12-01

SSERVI's goals include supporting planetary researchers within NASA, other government agencies; private sector and hardware developers; competitors in focused prize design competitions; and academic sector researchers. The SSERVI Analog Regolith Simulant Testbed provides opportunities for research scientists and engineers to study the effects of regolith analog testbed research in the planetary exploration field. This capability is essential to help to understand the basic effects of continued long-term exposure to a simulated analog test environment. The current facility houses approximately eight tons of JSC-1A lunar regolith simulant in a test bin consisting of a 4 meter by 4 meter area. SSERVI provides a bridge between several groups, joining together researchers from: 1) scientific and exploration communities, 2) multiple disciplines across a wide range of planetary sciences, and 3) domestic and international communities and partnerships. This testbed provides a means of consolidating the tasks of acquisition, storage and safety mitigation in handling large quantities of regolith simulant Facility hardware and environment testing scenarios include, but are not limited to the following; Lunar surface mobility, Dust exposure and mitigation, Regolith handling and excavation, Solar-like illumination, Lunar surface compaction profile, Lofted dust, Mechanical properties of lunar regolith, and Surface features (i.e. grades and rocks) Numerous benefits vary from easy access to a controlled analog regolith simulant testbed, and planetary exploration activities at NASA Research Park, to academia and expanded commercial opportunities in California's Silicon Valley, as well as public outreach and education opportunities.

Low Force Penetration of Icy Regolith

Science.gov (United States)

Mantovani, J. G.; Galloway, G. M.; Zacny, K.

2016-01-01

A percussive cone penetrometer measures the strength of granular material by using percussion to deliver mechanical energy into the material. A percussive cone penetrometer was used in this study to penetrate a regolith ice mixture by breaking up ice and decompacting the regolith. As compared to a static cone penetrometer, percussion allows low reaction forces to push a penetrometer probe tip more easily into dry regolith in a low gravity environment from a planetary surface rover or a landed spacecraft. A percussive cone penetrates icy regolith at ice concentrations that a static cone cannot penetrate. In this study, the percussive penetrator was able to penetrate material under 65 N of down-force which could not be penetrated using a static cone under full body weight. This paper discusses using a percussive cone penetrometer to discern changes in the concentration of water-ice in a mixture of lunar regolith simulant and ice to a depth of one meter. The rate of penetration was found to be a function of the ice content and was not significantly affected by the down-force. The test results demonstrate that this method may be ideal for a small platform in a reduced gravity environment. However, there are some cases where the system may not be able to penetrate the icy regolith, and there is some risk of the probe tip becoming stuck so that it cannot be retracted. It is also shown that a percussive cone penetrometer could be used to prospect for water ice in regolith at concentrations as high as 8 by weight.

Radiation Shielding of Lunar Regolith/Polyethylene Composites and Lunar Regolith/Water Mixtures

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Quincy F.; Gersey, Brad; Wilkins, Richard; Zhou, Jianren

2011-01-01

Space radiation is a complex mixed field of ionizing radiation that can pose hazardous risks to sophisticated electronics and humans. Mission planning for lunar exploration and long duration habitat construction will face tremendous challenges of shielding against various types of space radiation in an attempt to minimize the detrimental effects it may have on materials, electronics, and humans. In late 2009, the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) discovered that water content in lunar regolith found in certain areas on the moon can be up to 5.6 +/-2.8 weight percent (wt%) [A. Colaprete, et. al., Science, Vol. 330, 463 (2010). ]. In this work, shielding studies were performed utilizing ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and aluminum, both being standard space shielding materials, simulated lunar regolith/ polyethylene composites, and simulated lunar regolith mixed with UHMWPE particles and water. Based on the LCROSS findings, radiation shielding experiments were conducted to test for shielding efficiency of regolith/UHMWPE/water mixtures with various percentages of water to compare relative shielding characteristics of these materials. One set of radiation studies were performed using the proton synchrotron at the Loma Linda Medical University where high energy protons similar to those found on the surface of the moon can be generated. A similar experimental protocol was also used at a high energy spalation neutron source at Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE). These experiments studied the shielding efficiency against secondary neutrons, another major component of space radiation field. In both the proton and neutron studies, shielding efficiency was determined by utilizing a tissue equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) behind various thicknesses of shielding composite panels or mixture materials. Preliminary results from these studies indicated that adding 2 wt% water to regolith particles could increase shielding of

Application of manufactured products

Science.gov (United States)

Sastri, Sankar; Duke, Michael B.

1992-01-01

A wide range of products can be manufactured from the following materials: (1) lunar regolith or basalt; (2) regolith or rock beneficiated to concentrate plagioclase or other minerals; (3) iron, extracted from lunar soil or rocks by various means; (4) naturally occurring or easily obtained materials that have cementitious properties; and (5) byproducts of the above materials. Among the products that can be produced from these materials are the following: beams; plates and sheets; transparent plates (windows); bricks and blocks; pipes and tubes; low-density materials (foams); fiber, wire, and cables; foils and reflective coatings; hermetic seals (coatings); and formed objects. In addition to oxygen, which can be obtained by several processes, either from unbeneficiated regolith or by reduction of concentrated ilmenite, these materials make the simplest requirements of the lunar resource extraction system. A thorough analysis of the impact of these simplest products on the economics of space operations is not possible at this point. Research is necessary both to define optimum techniques and adapt them to space and to determine the probable market for the products so that the priority of various processes can be assessed. Discussions of the following products are presented: aerobraking heat shields; pressurized habitats; lunar photovoltaic farms; and agricultural systems.

SSERVI Analog Regolith Simulant Testbed Facility

Science.gov (United States)

Minafra, Joseph; Schmidt, Gregory; Bailey, Brad; Gibbs, Kristina

2016-10-01

The Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) at NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley was founded in 2013 to act as a virtual institute that provides interdisciplinary research centered on the goals of its supporting directorates: NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and the Human Exploration & Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD).Primary research goals of the Institute revolve around the integration of science and exploration to gain knowledge required for the future of human space exploration beyond low Earth orbit. SSERVI intends to leverage existing JSC1A regolith simulant resources into the creation of a regolith simulant testbed facility. The purpose of this testbed concept is to provide the planetary exploration community with a readily available capability to test hardware and conduct research in a large simulant environment.SSERVI's goals include supporting planetary researchers within NASA, other government agencies; private sector and hardware developers; competitors in focused prize design competitions; and academic sector researchers.SSERVI provides opportunities for research scientists and engineers to study the effects of regolith analog testbed research in the planetary exploration field. This capability is essential to help to understand the basic effects of continued long-term exposure to a simulated analog test environment.The current facility houses approximately eight tons of JSC-1A lunar regolith simulant in a test bin consisting of a 4 meter by 4 meter area, including dust mitigation and safety oversight.Facility hardware and environment testing scenarios could include, Lunar surface mobility, Dust exposure and mitigation, Regolith handling and excavation, Solar-like illumination, Lunar surface compaction profile, Lofted dust, Mechanical properties of lunar regolith, Surface features (i.e. grades and rocks)Numerous benefits vary from easy access to a controlled analog regolith simulant testbed, and

Exploring Regolith Depth and Cycling on Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Fassett, C.; Needham, D. H.; Watters, W. A.; Hundal, C.

2017-12-01

Regolith or loose sediment is ubiquitous on the surface of Mars, but our understanding of how this fragmental layer forms and evolves with time is limited. In particular, how regolith thickness varies spatially on Mars is not well known. A common perspective is to start from the canonical model for lunar regolith, which is not unreasonable, given that both Mars and the Moon are heavily cratered surfaces. However, this lunar-like paradigm is not supported by observations of Mars from recent missions. On Mars, bedrock exposures are more common and bedrock is generally closer to the surface than on the Moon, and the processes modifying the regolith differ substantially on the two bodies. Moreover, boulders on the Moon have much shorter lifetimes than on Mars, so boulders are much less common on the lunar surface. The sediment transport processes infilling craters differs dramatically on these two bodies as well. On Mars, fine-grained sediment is efficiently transported (advectively) by wind and trapped in craters rapidly after they form. Lateral transport of lunar regolith is comparatively inefficient and dominated by slow impact-driven (diffusive) transport of regolith. The goal of this contribution is to discuss observational constraints on Mars' regolith depth, and to place observations into a model for Mars landform evolution and regolith cycle. Our operating hypothesis is that the inter-crater surface on Mars is comparatively starved of fine-grained sediment (compared to the Moon), because transport and trapping of fines in craters out-competes physical weathering. Moreover, thick sedimentary bodies on Mars often get (weakly) cemented and lithified due to interactions with fluids, even in the most recent, Amazonian epoch. This is consistent with what is observed at the MER and MSL landing sites and what is known from the SNC meteorites.

The rate of dielectric breakdown weathering of lunar regolith in permanently shadowed regions

Science.gov (United States)

Jordan, A. P.; Stubbs, T. J.; Wilson, J. K.; Schwadron, N. A.; Spence, H. E.

2017-02-01

Large solar energetic particle events may cause dielectric breakdown in the upper 1 mm of regolith in permanently shadowed regions (PSRs). We estimate how the resulting breakdown weathering compares to meteoroid impact weathering. Although the SEP event rates measured by the Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) are too low for breakdown to have significantly affected the regolith over the duration of the LRO mission, regolith gardened by meteoroid impacts has been exposed to SEPs for ∼106 yr. Therefore, we estimate that breakdown weathering's production rate of vapor and melt in the coldest PSRs is up to 1.8 - 3.5 ×10-7 kg m-2 yr-1 , which is comparable to that produced by meteoroid impacts. Thus, in PSRs, up to 10-25% of the regolith may have been melted or vaporized by dielectric breakdown. Breakdown weathering could also be consistent with observations of the increased porosity ("fairy castles") of PSR regolith. We also show that it is conceivable that breakdown-weathered material is present in Apollo soil samples. Consequently, breakdown weathering could be an important process within PSRs, and it warrants further investigation.

Extraction and Capture of Water from Martian Regolith Experimental Proof-of-Concept

Science.gov (United States)

Linne, Diane; Kleinhenz, Julie; Bauman, Steve; Johnson, Kyle

2016-01-01

Mars Design Reference Architecture 5.0:Lists in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) as enabling for robust human Mars missionsLO2LCH4 ascent propulsion 25,000 kg oxygen from atmosphere for ascent and life support Atmospheric based ISRU processes less operationally complex than surface based limited concept evaluation to date and Mars surface water property and distribution uncertainty would not allow [Mars soil water processing] to be base lined at this time Limited Concept Evaluation to Date Lunar regolith O2 extraction processing experience Lunar regolith is fluidized and heated to high temperatures with H2 to produce H2O from iron-bearing minerals Mars similarity concept: Soil placed in fluidized bed reactor Heated to moderate temperatures Inert gas flow used to fluidize the bed and help with water desorption Challenges: High-temperature dusty seals Working gas requires downstream separation and recycling to reduce consumables loss Batch process heating thermally inefficient.

Electrostatic Beneficiation of Lunar Regolith: Applications in In-Situ Resource Utilization

Science.gov (United States)

Trigwell, Steve; Captain, James; Weis, Kyle; Quinn, Jacqueline

2011-01-01

Upon returning to the moon, or further a field such as Mars, presents enormous challenges in sustaining life for extended periods of time far beyond the few days the astronauts experienced on the moon during the Apollo missions. A stay on Mars is envisioned to last several months, and it would be cost prohibitive to take all the requirements for such a stay from earth. Therefore, future exploration missions will be required to be self-sufficient and utilize the resources available at the mission site to sustain human occupation. Such an exercise is currently the focus of intense research at NASA under the In-situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) program. As well as oxygen and water necessary for human life, resources for providing building materials for habitats, radiation protection, and landing/launch pads are required. All these materials can be provided by the regolith present on the surface as it contains sufficient minerals and metals oxides to meet the requirements. However, before processing, it would be cost effective if the regolith could be enriched in the mineral(s) of interest. This can be achieved by electrostatic beneficiation in which tribocharged mineral particles are separated out and the feedstock enriched or depleted as required. The results of electrostatic beneficiation of lunar simulants and actual Apollo regolith, in lunar high vacuum are reported in which various degrees of efficient particle separation and mineral enrichment up to a few hundred percent were achieved.

Construction with Regolith

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, Robert P.

2017-01-01

CLASS node of SSERVI at FSI, The Technology and Future of In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU): ACapstone Graduate Seminar Orlando, FL. This seminar will discuss the use of regolith and robotics in extra terrestrialconstruction.

RESOLVE (Regolith & Environmental Science Oxygen & Lunar Volatile Extraction) Project

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Ray; Coan, Mary; Captain, Janine; Cryderman, Kate; Quinn, Jacqueline

2015-01-01

The RESOLVE Project is a lunar prospecting mission whose primary goal is to characterize water and other volatiles in lunar regolith. The Lunar Advanced Volatiles Analysis (LAVA) subsystem is comprised of a fluid subsystem that transports flow to the gas chromatograph - mass spectrometer (GC-MS) instruments that characterize volatiles and the Water Droplet Demonstration (WDD) that will capture and display water condensation in the gas stream. The LAVA Engineering Test Unit (ETU) is undergoing risk reduction testing this summer and fall within a vacuum chamber to understand and characterize component and integrated system performance. Testing of line heaters, printed circuit heaters, pressure transducers, temperature sensors, regulators, and valves in atmospheric and vacuum environments was done. Test procedures were developed to guide experimental tests and test reports to analyze and draw conclusions from the data. In addition, knowledge and experience was gained with preparing a vacuum chamber with fluid and electrical connections. Further testing will include integrated testing of the fluid subsystem with the gas supply system, near-infrared spectrometer for the Surge Tank (NIRST), WDD, Sample Delivery System, and GC-MS in the vacuum chamber. Since LAVA is a scientific subsystem, the near infrared spectrometer and GC-MS instruments will be tested during the ETU testing phase.

Advanced Additive Manufacturing Feedstock from Molten Regolith Electrolysis

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Demonstrate the feasibility of Molten Regolith Electrolysis (MRE) Reactor start by initiating resistive-heating of the regolith past its melting point using...

Unravelling regolith material types using Mg/Al and K/Al plot to support field regolith identification in the savannah regions of NW Ghana, West Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Arhin, Emmanuel; Zango, Saeed M.

2015-12-01

The XRF analytical method was used to measure the weight % of the major oxides in regolith samples. The metal weight % of Mg, K and Al were calculated from their oxides and were normalised relative to immobile Al calculated from its oxide. The plot of Mg/Al and K/Al identified the regolith of the study area to consist of 137 transported clays, 4 ferruginous sediments or ferricrete, 2 lateritic duricrust and 4 saprolites. Surface regolith that had undergone secondary transformation and shows compositional overlaps were 4 transported clays with Fe-oxide impregnation may be referred to as nodular laterite and 5 ferruginous saprolites. The variable regolith materials features identified from the 154 samples enabled the characterisation and identification of the different sample materials because an overprint of bedrock geochemistry is reflected in the regolith. Plot of Mg/Al and K/Al highlighted the compositional variability of the regolith samples and refute the notion of the homogeneity of all the sampled materials in the area. The study thus recognized Mg/Al versus K/Al plots to be used in supporting field identification of regolith mapping units particularly in complex regolith terrains of savannah regions of Ghana and in similar areas where geochemical exploration surveys are being carried out under cover.

Volatiles in the Martian regolith

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, B.C.; Baird, A.K.

1979-01-01

An inventory of released volatiles on Mars has been derived based upon Viking measurements of atmospheric and surface chemical composition, and upon the inferred mineralogy of a ubiquitous regolith, assumed to average 200m in depth. This model is consistent with the relative abundances of volatiles (except for S) on the Earth's surface, but implies one-fifteenth of the volatile release of Earth if starting materials were comparable. All constituents are accommodated as chemical components of, or absorbed phases on, regolith materials--without the necessity of invoking unobservable deposits of carbonates, nitrates, or permafrost ice

Martian regolith geochemistry and sampling techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, B. C.

Laboratory study of samples of the intermediate and fine-grained regolith, including duricrust peds, is a fundamental prerequisite for understanding the types of physical and chemical weathering processes on Mars. The extraordinary importance of such samples is their relevance to understanding past changes in climate, availability (and possible physical state) of water, eolian forces, the thermal and chemical influences of volcanic and impact processes, and the inventory and fates of Martian volatiles. Fortunately, this regolith material appears to be ubiquitous over the Martian surface, and should be available at many different landing sites. Viking data has been interpreted to indicate a smectite-rich regolith material, implying extensive weathering involving aqueous activity and geochemical alteration. An all-igneous source of the Martian fines has also been proposed. The X-ray fluorescence measurement data set can now be fully explained in terms of a simple two-component model. The first component is silicate, having strong geochemical similarities with Shergottites, but not other SNC meteorites. The second component is salt. Variations in these components could produce silicate and salt-rich beds, the latter being of high potential importance for microenvironments in which liquid water (brines) could exist. It therefore would be desirable to scan the surface of the regolith for such prospects.

Martian regolith geochemistry and sampling techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, B. C.

1988-01-01

Laboratory study of samples of the intermediate and fine-grained regolith, including duricrust peds, is a fundamental prerequisite for understanding the types of physical and chemical weathering processes on Mars. The extraordinary importance of such samples is their relevance to understanding past changes in climate, availability (and possible physical state) of water, eolian forces, the thermal and chemical influences of volcanic and impact processes, and the inventory and fates of Martian volatiles. Fortunately, this regolith material appears to be ubiquitous over the Martian surface, and should be available at many different landing sites. Viking data has been interpreted to indicate a smectite-rich regolith material, implying extensive weathering involving aqueous activity and geochemical alteration. An all-igneous source of the Martian fines has also been proposed. The X-ray fluorescence measurement data set can now be fully explained in terms of a simple two-component model. The first component is silicate, having strong geochemical similarities with Shergottites, but not other SNC meteorites. The second component is salt. Variations in these components could produce silicate and salt-rich beds, the latter being of high potential importance for microenvironments in which liquid water (brines) could exist. It therefore would be desirable to scan the surface of the regolith for such prospects.

[Evaluation of Cellular Effects Caused by Lunar Regolith Simulant Including Fine Particles].

Science.gov (United States)

Horie, Masanori; Miki, Takeo; Honma, Yoshiyuki; Aoki, Shigeru; Morimoto, Yasuo

2015-06-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has announced a plan to establish a manned colony on the surface of the moon, and our country, Japan, has declared its participation. The surface of the moon is covered with soil called lunar regolith, which includes fine particles. It is possible that humans will inhale lunar regolith if it is brought into the spaceship. Therefore, an evaluation of the pulmonary effects caused by lunar regolith is important for exploration of the moon. In the present study, we examine the cellular effects of lunar regolith simulant, whose components are similar to those of lunar regolith. We focused on the chemical component and particle size in particular. The regolith simulant was fractionated to lunar regolith simulant such as cell membrane damage, induction of oxidative stress and proinflammatory effect.

3D Additive Construction with Regolith for Surface Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, Robert P.

2014-01-01

Planetary surface exploration on Asteroids, the Moon, Mars and Martian Moons will require the stabilization of loose, fine, dusty regolith to avoid the effects of vertical lander rocket plume impingement, to keep abrasive and harmful dust from getting lofted and for dust free operations. In addition, the same regolith stabilization process can be used for 3 Dimensional ( 3D) printing, additive construction techniques by repeating the 2D stabilization in many vertical layers. This will allow in-situ construction with regolith so that materials will not have to be transported from Earth. Recent work in the NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Surface Systems Office (NE-S) Swamp Works and at the University of Southern California (USC) under two NASA Innovative Advanced Concept (NIAC) awards have shown promising results with regolith (crushed basalt rock) materials for in-situ heat shields, bricks, landing/launch pads, berms, roads, and other structures that could be fabricated using regolith that is sintered or mixed with a polymer binder. The technical goals and objectives of this project are to prove the feasibility of 3D printing additive construction using planetary regolith simulants and to show that they have structural integrity and practical applications in space exploration.

Depth and stratigraphy of regolith. Site descriptive modelling SDM-Site Laxemar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nyman, Helena; Sohlenius, Gustav; Stroemgren, Maarten; Brydsten, Lars

2008-06-01

At the Laxemar-Simpevarp site, numerical and descriptive modelling are performed both for the deep bedrock and for the surface systems. The surface geology and regolith depth are important parameters for e.g. hydrogeological and geochemical modelling and for the over all understanding of the area. Regolith refers to all the unconsolidated deposits overlying the bedrock. The regolith depth model (RDM) presented here visualizes the stratigraphical distribution of the regolith as well as the elevation of the bedrock surface. The model covers 280 km 2 including both terrestrial and marine areas. In the model the stratigraphy is represented by six layers (Z1-Z6) that corresponds to different types of regolith. The model is geometric and the properties of the layers are assigned by the user according to the purpose. The GeoModel program, which is an ArcGIS extension, was used for modelling the regolith depths. A detailed topographical Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and a map of Quaternary deposits were used as input to the model. Altogether 319 boreholes and 440 other stratigraphical observations were also used. Furthermore a large number of depth data interpreted from geophysical investigations were used; refraction seismic measurements from 51 profiles, 11,000 observation points from resistivity measurements and almost 140,000 points from seismic and sediment echo sounding data. The results from the refraction seismic and resistivity measurements give information about the total regolith depths, whereas most other data also give information about the stratigraphy of the regolith. Some of the used observations did not reach the bedrock surface. They do, however, describe the minimum regolith depth at each location and were therefore used where the regolith depth would have been thinner without using the observation point. A large proportion of the modelled area has a low data density and the area was therefore divided into nine domains. These domains were defined based

Depth and stratigraphy of regolith. Site descriptive modelling SDM-Site Laxemar

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nyman, Helena (SWECO Position, Stockholm (Sweden)); Sohlenius, Gustav (Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU), Uppsala (Sweden)); Stroemgren, Maarten; Brydsten, Lars (Umeaa Univ., Umeaa (Sweden))

2008-06-15

At the Laxemar-Simpevarp site, numerical and descriptive modelling are performed both for the deep bedrock and for the surface systems. The surface geology and regolith depth are important parameters for e.g. hydrogeological and geochemical modelling and for the over all understanding of the area. Regolith refers to all the unconsolidated deposits overlying the bedrock. The regolith depth model (RDM) presented here visualizes the stratigraphical distribution of the regolith as well as the elevation of the bedrock surface. The model covers 280 km2 including both terrestrial and marine areas. In the model the stratigraphy is represented by six layers (Z1-Z6) that corresponds to different types of regolith. The model is geometric and the properties of the layers are assigned by the user according to the purpose. The GeoModel program, which is an ArcGIS extension, was used for modelling the regolith depths. A detailed topographical Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and a map of Quaternary deposits were used as input to the model. Altogether 319 boreholes and 440 other stratigraphical observations were also used. Furthermore a large number of depth data interpreted from geophysical investigations were used; refraction seismic measurements from 51 profiles, 11,000 observation points from resistivity measurements and almost 140,000 points from seismic and sediment echo sounding data. The results from the refraction seismic and resistivity measurements give information about the total regolith depths, whereas most other data also give information about the stratigraphy of the regolith. Some of the used observations did not reach the bedrock surface. They do, however, describe the minimum regolith depth at each location and were therefore used where the regolith depth would have been thinner without using the observation point. A large proportion of the modelled area has a low data density and the area was therefore divided into nine domains. These domains were defined based on

Characterising and modelling regolith stratigraphy using multiple geophysical techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, M.; Cremasco, D.; Fotheringham, T.; Hatch, M. A.; Triantifillis, J.; Wilford, J.

2013-12-01

Regolith is the weathered, typically mineral-rich layer from fresh bedrock to land surface. It encompasses soil (A, E and B horizons) that has undergone pedogenesis. Below is the weathered C horizon that retains at least some of the original rocky fabric and structure. At the base of this is the lower regolith boundary of continuous hard bedrock (the R horizon). Regolith may be absent, e.g. at rocky outcrops, or may be many 10's of metres deep. Comparatively little is known about regolith, and critical questions remain regarding composition and characteristics - especially deeper where the challenge of collecting reliable data increases with depth. In Australia research is underway to characterise and map regolith using consistent methods at scales ranging from local (e.g. hillslope) to continental scales. These efforts are driven by many research needs, including Critical Zone modelling and simulation. Pilot research in South Australia using digitally-based environmental correlation techniques modelled the depth to bedrock to 9 m for an upland area of 128 000 ha. One finding was the inability to reliably model local scale depth variations over horizontal distances of 2 - 3 m and vertical distances of 1 - 2 m. The need to better characterise variations in regolith to strengthen models at these fine scales was discussed. Addressing this need, we describe high intensity, ground-based multi-sensor geophysical profiling of three hillslope transects in different regolith-landscape settings to characterise fine resolution (i.e. a number of frequencies; multiple frequency, multiple coil electromagnetic induction; and high resolution resistivity. These were accompanied by georeferenced, closely spaced deep cores to 9 m - or to core refusal. The intact cores were sub-sampled to standard depths and analysed for regolith properties to compile core datasets consisting of: water content; texture; electrical conductivity; and weathered state. After preprocessing (filtering, geo

Analysis of Water Extraction From Lunar Regolith

Science.gov (United States)

Hegde, U.; Balasubramaniam, R.; Gokoglu, S.

2012-01-01

Distribution of water concentration on the Moon is currently an area of active research. Recent studies suggest the presence of ice particles, and perhaps even ice blocks and ice-cemented regolith on the Moon. Thermal extraction of the in-situ water is an attractive means of sa tisfying water requirements for a lunar mission. In this paper, a model is presented to analyze the processes occurring during the heat-up of icy regolith and extraction of the evolved water vapor. The wet regolith is assumed to be present in an initially evacuated and sealed cell which is subsequently heated. The first step of the analysis invol ves calculating the gradual increase of vapor pressure in the closed cell as the temperature is raised. Then, in the second step, the cell is evacuated to low pressure (e.g., vacuum), allowing the water vapor to leave the cell and be captured. The parameters affecting water vap or pressure build-up and evacuation for the purpose of extracting water from lunar regolith are discussed in the paper. Some comparisons wi th available experimental measurements are also made.

Detecting Volatiles Deep in the Lunar Regolith

Science.gov (United States)

Crotts, A.; Heggy, E.; Ciarletti, V.; Colaprete, A.; Moghaddam, M.; Siegler, M. A.

2015-12-01

There is increasing theoretical and empirical evidence, from the Apollo era and after, of volatiles deep in the lunar interior, in the crust and deeper, both hydrogen-rich and otherwise. This comes in the form of fire fountain samples from Apollo 15 and Apollo 17, of hydrated minerals excavated by impacts which reach the base of the lunar crust e.g., crater Bullialdus, of hydration of apatite and other minerals, as well as predictions of a water-concentrated layer along with the KREEP material at the base of the lunar crust. We discuss how the presence of these volatiles might be directly explored. In particular water vapor molecules percolating to the surface through lunar regolith might be expected to stick and freeze into the regolith, at depths of several meters depending on the regolith temperature profile, porosity and particle size distribution, quantities that are not well known beyond two meters depth. To explore these depths in the regolith we use and propose several modes of penetrating radar. We will present results using the SELENE/Kaguya's Lunar Sounding RADAR (LSR) to probe the bulk volatile dielectric and loss structure properties of the regolith in various locations, both within permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) and without, and within neutron suppression regions (NSRs) as traced by epithermal neutrons and without. We also propose installation of ground penetrating RADAR (GPR) on a roving lunar platform that should be able to probe between 0.2 and 1.6 GHz, which will provide a probe of the entire depth of the lunar regolith as well as a high-resolution (about 4 cm FWHM) probe of the upper meter or two of the lunar soil, where other probes of volatiles such as epithermal neutron absorption or drilling might be employed. We discuss predictions for what kinds of volatile density profiles might be distinguished in this way, and whether these will be detected from orbit as NSRs, whether these must be restricted to PSRs, and how these might appear in

A simulated regolith medium for multi-wavelength studies

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkman, O.; Muinonen, K.; Parviainen, H.; Näränen, J.

2012-04-01

Effects arising from the small-scale surface structure are significant in remote studies of regolith surfaces on atmosphereless solar system bodies, such as the Moon, Mercury and the asteroids. The important properties determining these effects are the porosity of the regolith and the roughness of the interface between the bulk material and empty space. We concentrate on the regolith effects in visible light photometry and X-ray spectrometry. The fluorescent X-ray spectrum induced by solar X-rays contains information about the elemental abundances of the surface material, while the photometry can be used to constrain surface properties such as porosity. We have developed a computer model simulating a regolith medium consisting of spherical particles with variable size distribution and properties. The bulk properties of the medium, such as porosity and surface roughness, can be varied. The model can then be used in ray-tracing simulations of the regolith effects in both visible light scattering and X-ray fluorescence. In photometric studies the scattering law of the constituent particles can be chosen to take into account scattering phenomena such as coherent backscattering. In the X-ray simulations, we can choose the elemental abundances of the material and the spectrum of the incident X-ray radiation. The ray-tracing simulations then allow us to determine the characteristics of the emitted radiation in different observational geometries. We present results from various studies which have been based on our regolith model. The model has been used to simulate the regolith effects on X-ray fluorescence spectra under specific situations. These can be compared to laboratory measurements. The visible light simulations have been applied in a study of the shadowing effects in photometry. The model was also used in a study of lunar photometry from SMART-1/AMIE data. Applications in the analysis of X-ray spectrometry from the BepiColombo MIXS/SIXS instruments are planned. An

The Nature of C Asteroid Regolith from Meteorite Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Zolensky, M.; Mikouchi, T.; Hagiya, K.; Ohsumi, K.; Komatsu, M.; Jenniskens, P.; Le, L.; Yin, Q.-Z; Kebukawa, Y.; Fries, M.

2013-01-01

Regolith from C (and related) asteroid bodies are a focus of the current missions Dawn at Ceres, Hayabusa 2 and OSIRIS REx. An asteroid as large as Ceres is expected to be covered by a mature regolith, and as Hayabusa demonstrated, flat and therefore engineeringly-safe ponded deposits will probably be the sampling sites for both Hayabusa 2 and OSIRIS REx. Here we examine what we have learned about the mineralogy of fine-grained asteroid regolith from recent meteorite studies and the examination of the samples harvested from asteroid Itokawa by Hayabusa.

Experimental Measurements of Heat Transfer through a Lunar Regolith Simulant in a Vibro-Fluidized Reactor Oven

Science.gov (United States)

Nayagam, Vedha; Berger, Gordon M.; Sacksteder, Kurt R.; Paz, Aaron

2012-01-01

Extraction of mission consumable resources such as water and oxygen from the planetary environment provides valuable reduction in launch-mass and potentially extends the mission duration. Processing of lunar regolith for resource extraction necessarily involves heating and chemical reaction of solid material with processing gases. Vibrofluidization is known to produce effective mixing and control of flow within granular media. In this study we present experimental results for vibrofluidized heat transfer in lunar regolith simulants (JSC-1 and JSC-1A) heated up to 900 C. The results show that the simulant bed height has a significant influence on the vibration induced flow field and heat transfer rates. A taller bed height leads to a two-cell circulation pattern whereas a single-cell circulation was observed for a shorter height. Lessons learned from these test results should provide insight into efficient design of future robotic missions involving In-Situ Resource Utilization.

A drilling tool design and in situ identification of planetary regolith mechanical parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Weiwei; Jiang, Shengyuan; Ji, Jie; Tang, Dewei

2018-05-01

The physical and mechanical properties as well as the heat flux of regolith are critical evidence in the study of planetary origin and evolution. Moreover, the mechanical properties of planetary regolith have great value for guiding future human planetary activities. For planetary subsurface exploration, an inchworm boring robot (IBR) has been proposed to penetrate the regolith, and the mechanical properties of the regolith are expected to be simultaneously investigated during the penetration process using the drilling tool on the IBR. This paper provides a preliminary study of an in situ method for measuring planetary regolith mechanical parameters using a drilling tool on a test bed. A conical-screw drilling tool was designed, and its drilling load characteristics were experimentally analyzed. Based on the drilling tool-regolith interaction model, two identification methods for determining the planetary regolith bearing and shearing parameters are proposed. The bearing and shearing parameters of lunar regolith simulant were successfully determined according to the pressure-sinkage tests and shear tests conducted on the test bed. The effects of the operating parameters on the identification results were also analyzed. The results indicate a feasible scheme for future planetary subsurface exploration.

Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction (RESOLVE): Lunar Advanced Volatile Analysis (LAVA) Capillary Fluid Dynamic Restriction Effects on Gas Chromatography

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez, Marianne; Quinn, Jacqueline; Captain, Janine; Santiago-Bond, Josephine; Starr, Stanley

2015-01-01

The Resource Prospector (RP) mission with the Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen Lunar Volatile Extraction (RESOLVE) payload aims to show the presence of water in lunar regolith, and establish a proving ground for NASAs mission to Mars. One of the analysis is performed by the Lunar Advanced Volatiles Analysis (LAVA) subsystem, which consists of a fluid network that facilitates the transport of volatile samples to a gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer (GC-MS) instrument. The understanding of fluid dynamics directed from the GC to the MS is important due to the influence of flow rates and pressures that affect the accuracy of and prevent the damage to the overall GC-MS instrument. The micro-scale capillary fluid network within the GC alone has various lengths and inner-diameters; therefore, determination of pressure differentials and flow rates are difficult to model computationally, with additional complexity from the vacuum conditions in space and lack of a lunar atmosphere. A series of tests were performed on an experimental set-up of the system where the inner diameters of the GC transfer line connecting to the MS were varied. The effect on chromatography readings were also studied by applying these lines onto a GC instrument. It was found that a smaller inner diameter transfer line resulted in a lower flow rate, as well as a lower pressure differential across the thermal conductivity detector (TCD) unit of the GC and a negligible pressure drop across the mock-up capillary column. The chromatography was affected with longer retention times and broader peak integrations. It was concluded that a 0.050 mm inner diameter line still proved most suitable for the systems flow rate preferences. In addition, it was evident that this small transfer line portrayed some expense to GC signal characteristics and the wait time for steady-state operation.

Lunar Regolith Particle Shape Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Kiekhaefer, Rebecca; Hardy, Sandra; Rickman, Douglas; Edmunson, Jennifer

2013-01-01

Future engineering of structures and equipment on the lunar surface requires significant understanding of particle characteristics of the lunar regolith. Nearly all sediment characteristics are influenced by particle shape; therefore a method of quantifying particle shape is useful both in lunar and terrestrial applications. We have created a method to quantify particle shape, specifically for lunar regolith, using image processing. Photomicrographs of thin sections of lunar core material were obtained under reflected light. Three photomicrographs were analyzed using ImageJ and MATLAB. From the image analysis measurements for area, perimeter, Feret diameter, orthogonal Feret diameter, Heywood factor, aspect ratio, sieve diameter, and sieve number were recorded. Probability distribution functions were created from the measurements of Heywood factor and aspect ratio.

Optical Extinction Measurements of Dust Density in the GMRO Regolith Test Bin

Science.gov (United States)

Lane, J.; Mantovani, J.; Mueller, R.; Nugent, M.; Nick, A.; Schuler, J.; Townsend, I.

2016-01-01

A regolith simulant test bin was constructed and completed in the Granular Mechanics and Regolith Operations (GMRO) Lab in 2013. This Planetary Regolith Test Bed (PRTB) is a 64 sq m x 1 m deep test bin, is housed in a climate-controlled facility, and contains 120 MT of lunar-regolith simulant, called Black Point-1 or BP-1, from Black Point, AZ. One of the current uses of the test bin is to study the effects of difficult lighting and dust conditions on Telerobotic Perception Systems to better assess and refine regolith operations for asteroid, Mars and polar lunar missions. Low illumination and low angle of incidence lighting pose significant problems to computer vision and human perception. Levitated dust on Asteroids interferes with imaging and degrades depth perception. Dust Storms on Mars pose a significant problem. Due to these factors, the likely performance of telerobotics is poorly understood for future missions. Current space telerobotic systems are only operated in bright lighting and dust-free conditions. This technology development testing will identify: (1) the impact of degraded lighting and environmental dust on computer vision and operator perception, (2) potential methods and procedures for mitigating these impacts, (3) requirements for telerobotic perception systems for asteroid capture, Mars dust storms and lunar regolith ISRU missions. In order to solve some of the Telerobotic Perception system problems, a plume erosion sensor (PES) was developed in the Lunar Regolith Simulant Bin (LRSB), containing 2 MT of JSC-1a lunar simulant. PES is simply a laser and digital camera with a white target. Two modes of operation have been investigated: (1) single laser spot - the brightness of the spot is dependent on the optical extinction due to dust and is thus an indirect measure of particle number density, and (2) side-scatter - the camera images the laser from the side, showing beam entrance into the dust cloud and the boundary between dust and void. Both

Geographic information system datasets of regolith-thickness data, regolith-thickness contours, raster-based regolith thickness, and aquifer-test and specific-capacity data for the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin, Weld, Adams, and Arapahoe Counties, Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, L. Rick

2010-01-01

These datasets were compiled in support of U.S. Geological Survey Scientific-Investigations Report 2010-5082-Hydrogeology and Steady-State Numerical Simulation of Groundwater Flow in the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin, Weld, Adams, and Arapahoe Counties, Colorado. The datasets were developed by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Lost Creek Ground Water Management District and the Colorado Geological Survey. The four datasets are described as follows and methods used to develop the datasets are further described in Scientific-Investigations Report 2010-5082: (1) ds507_regolith_data: This point dataset contains geologic information concerning regolith (unconsolidated sediment) thickness and top-of-bedrock altitude at selected well and test-hole locations in and near the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin, Weld, Adams, and Arapahoe Counties, Colorado. Data were compiled from published reports, consultant reports, and from lithologic logs of wells and test holes on file with the U.S. Geological Survey Colorado Water Science Center and the Colorado Division of Water Resources. (2) ds507_regthick_contours: This dataset consists of contours showing generalized lines of equal regolith thickness overlying bedrock in the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin, Weld, Adams, and Arapahoe Counties, Colorado. Regolith thickness was contoured manually on the basis of information provided in the dataset ds507_regolith_data. (3) ds507_regthick_grid: This dataset consists of raster-based generalized thickness of regolith overlying bedrock in the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin, Weld, Adams, and Arapahoe Counties, Colorado. Regolith thickness in this dataset was derived from contours presented in the dataset ds507_regthick_contours. (4) ds507_welltest_data: This point dataset contains estimates of aquifer transmissivity and hydraulic conductivity at selected well locations in the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin, Weld, Adams, and

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Oxygen Compatibility of Skin and Wound Care Products.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernatchez, Stéphanie F; Tucker, Joseph; Chiffoleau, Gwenael

2017-11-01

Objective: Use test methods to assess the oxygen compatibility of various wound care products. Approach: There are currently no standard test methods specifically for evaluating the oxygen compatibility and safety of materials under hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) conditions. However, tests such as the oxygen index (OI), oxygen exposure (OE), and autogenous ignition temperature (AIT) can provide useful information. Results: The OI test measures the minimum oxygen concentration that will support candle-like burning, and it was used to test 44 materials. All but two exhibited an OI equal to or greater (safer) than a control material commonly used in HBO. The OE test exposes each material to an oxygen-enriched atmosphere (>99.5% oxygen) to monitor temperature and pressure for an extended duration. The results of the OE testing indicated that none of the 44 articles tested with this method self-ignited within the 60°C, 3 atm pressurized oxygen atmosphere. The AIT test exposes materials to a rapid ramp up in temperature in HBO conditions at 3 atm until ignition occurs. Ten wound care materials and seven materials usually avoided in HBO chambers were tested. The AIT ranged from 138°C to 384°C for wound care products and from 146°C to 420°C for the other materials. Innovation: This work provides useful data and recommendations to help develop a new standard approach for evaluating the HBO compatibility of wound care products to ensure safety for patients and clinicians. Conclusion: The development of an additional test to measure the risk of electrostatic discharge of materials in HBO conditions is needed.

Workshop on past and present solar radiation: the record in meteoritic and lunar regolith material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pepin, R.O.; Mckay, D.S.

1986-01-01

The principal question addressed in the workshop was the extent to which asteroidal and lunar regoliths have collected and preserved, in meteoritic regolith breccias and in lunar soils and regolith breccias, a record of the flux, energy, and compositional history of the solar wind and solar flares. Six central discussion topics were identified. They are: (1)Trapped solar wind and flare gases, tracks, and micrometeorite pits in regolith components; (2)Comparison between lunar regolith breccias, meteoritic regolith breccias, and the lunar soil; (3)The special role of regolith breccias and the challenge of dating their times of compaction; (4)Implications of the data for the flux and compositional history of solar particle emission, composition, and physical mechanisms in the solar source regions, and the composition of the early nebula; (5)How and to what extent have records of incident radiation been altered in various types of grains; (6) Future research directions

BRDF of Salt Pan Regolith Samples

Science.gov (United States)

Georgiev, Georgi T.; Gatebe, Charles K.; Butler, James J.; King, Michael D.

2008-01-01

Laboratory Bi-directional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) measurements of salt pan regolith samples are presented in this study in an effort to understand the role of spatial and spectral variability of the natural biome. The samples were obtained from Etosha Pan, Namibia (19.20 deg S, 15.93 deg E, alt. 1100 m). It is shown how the BRDF depends on the measurement geometry - incident and scatter angles and on the sample particle sizes. As a demonstration of the application of the results, airborne BRDF measurements acquires with NASA's Cloud Absorption Radiometer (CAR) over the same general site where the regolith samples were collected are compared with the laboratory results. Good agreement between laboratory measured and field measured BRDF is reported.

Calibrating the Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS)

OpenAIRE

McIntosh, Missy; Hong, Jaesub; Allen, Branden; Grindlay, Jonathan

2014-01-01

This paper describes the onboard calibration process of REXIS (the Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer), an instrument on OSIRIS-REx. OSIRIS-REx, scheduled to be launched in 2016, is a planetary mission intending to return a regolith sample from a near Earth asteroid called Bennu. REXIS, a student-led collaboration between Harvard and MIT, is a soft X-ray (0.5-7.5 keV) coded-aperture telescope with four X-ray CCDs and a gold coated stainless steel mask. REXIS will measure the surface elementa...

The Strata-1 Regolith Dynamics Experiment: Class 1E Science on ISS

Science.gov (United States)

Fries, Marc; Graham, Lee; John, Kristen

2016-01-01

The Strata-1 experiment studies the evolution of small body regolith through long-duration exposure of simulant materials to the microgravity environment on the International Space Station (ISS). This study will record segregation and mechanical dynamics of regolith simulants in a microgravity and vibration environment similar to that experienced by regolith on small Solar System bodies. Strata-1 will help us understand regolith dynamics and will inform design and procedures for landing and setting anchors, safely sampling and moving material on asteroidal surfaces, processing large volumes of material for in situ resource utilization (ISRU) purposes, and, in general, predicting the behavior of large and small particles on disturbed asteroid surfaces. This experiment is providing new insights into small body surface evolution.

Oxygen transfer rate during the production of alginate by Azotobacter vinelandii under oxygen-limited and non oxygen-limited conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peña Carlos F

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The oxygen transfer rate (OTR and dissolved oxygen tension (DOT play an important role in determining alginate production and its composition; however, no systematic study has been reported about the independent influence of the OTR and DOT. In this paper, we report a study about alginate production and the evolution of the molecular mass of the polymer produced by a wild-type A. vinelandii strain ATCC 9046, in terms of the maximum oxygen transfer rate (OTRmax in cultures where the dissolved oxygen tension (DOT was kept constant. Results The results revealed that in the two dissolved oxygen conditions evaluated, strictly controlled by gas blending at 0.5 and 5% DOT, an increase in the agitation rate (from 300 to 700 rpm caused a significant increase in the OTRmax (from 17 to 100 mmol L-1 h-1 for DOT of 5% and from 6 to 70 mmol L-1 h-1 for DOT of 0.5%. This increase in the OTRmax improved alginate production, as well as the specific alginate production rate (SAPR, reaching a maximal alginate concentration of 3.1 g L-1 and a SAPR of 0.031 g alg g biom-1 h-1 in the cultures at OTRmax of 100 mmol L-1 h-1. In contrast, the mean molecular mass (MMM of the alginate isolated from cultures developed under non-oxygen limited conditions increased by decreasing the OTRmax, reaching a maximal of 550 kDa at an OTRmax of 17 mmol L-1 h-1 . However, in the cultures developed under oxygen limitation (0.5% DOT, the MMM of the polymer was practically the same (around 200 kDa at 300 and 700 rpm, and this remained constant throughout the cultivation. Conclusions Overall, our results showed that under oxygen-limited and non oxygen-limited conditions, alginate production and its molecular mass are linked to the OTRmax, independently of the DOT of the culture.

Moessbauer mineralogy on the Moon: The lunar regolith

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morris, Richard V.; Klingelhoefer, Goestar; Korotev, Randy L.; Shelfer, Tad D.

1998-01-01

A first-order requirement for spacecraft missions that land on solid planetary objects is instrumentation for mineralogical analyses. For purposes of providing diagnostic information about naturally-occurring materials, the element iron is particularly important because it is abundant and multivalent. Knowledge of the oxidation state of iron and its distribution among iron-bearing mineralogies tightly constrains the types of materials present and provides information about formation and modification (weathering) processes. Because Moessbauer spectroscopy is sensitive to both the valence of iron and its local chemical environment, the technique is unique in providing information about both the relative abundance of iron-bearing phases and oxidation state of the iron. The Moessbauer mineralogy of lunar regolith samples (primarily soils from the Apollo 16 and 17 missions to the Moon) were measured in the laboratory to demonstrate the strength of the technique for in-situ mineralogical exploration of the Moon. The regolith samples were modeled as mixtures of five iron-bearing phases: olivine, pyroxene, glass, ilmenite, and metal. Based on differences in relative proportions of iron associated with these phases, volcanic-ash regolith can be distinguished from impact-derived regolith, impact-derived soils of different geologic affinity (e.g., highlands and maria) can be distinguished on the basis of their constituent minerals, and soil maturity can be estimated. The total resonant absorption area of the Moessbauer spectrum can be used to estimate total FeO concentrations

Decameter-Scale Regolith Textures on Mercury

Science.gov (United States)

Kreslavsky, M. A.; Zharkova, A. Yu.; Head, J. W.

2018-05-01

Like on the Moon, regolith gardening smooths the surface. Small craters are in equilibrium. “Elephant hide“ typical on the lunar slopes is infrequent on Mercury. Finely Textured Slope Patches have no analog on the Moon.

Three-Dimensional (3D) Additive Construction: Printing with Regolith

Science.gov (United States)

Tsoras, Alexandra

2013-01-01

Three dimensional (3D) printing is a new and booming topic in many realms of research and engineering technology. When it comes to space science and aerospace engineering, it can be useful in numerous ways. As humans travel deeper into space and farther from Earth, sending large quantities of needed supplies from Earth for a mission becomes astronomically expensive and less plausible. In order to reach further to new places, In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), a project that pushes for technologies to use materials already present in the destination's environment, is necessary. By using materials already available in space such as regolith from the Moon, Mars, or an asteroid's surface, fewer materials need to be brought into space on a launched vehicle. This allows a vehicle to be filled with more necessary supplies for a deep space mission that may not be found in space, like food and fuel. This project's main objective was to develop a 3D printer that uses regolith to "print" large structures, such as a dome, to be used as a heat shield upon a vehicle's reentry into the atmosphere or even a habitat. 3D printing is a growing technology that uses many different methods to mix, heat, and mold a material into a specific shape. In order to heat the regolith enough to stick together into a solid shape, it must be sintered at each layer of material that is laid. Sintering is a process that heats and compresses a powdered material until it fuses into a solid, which requires a lot of energy input. As an alternative, a polymer can be mixed with the regolith before or as it is sent to the 3D printer head to be placed in the specific shape. The addition of the polymer, which melts and binds at much lower temperatures than sintering temperatures, greatly decreases the required heating temperature and energy input. The main task of the project was to identify a functional material for the printer. The first step was to find a miscible. polymer/solvent solution. This solution

Evolution and Transport of Water in the Upper Regolith of Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Hudson, T. L.; Aharonson, O.; Schorghofer, N.; Hecht, M. H.; Bridges, N. T.; Green, J. R.

2003-01-01

Long standing theoretical predictions [1-3], as well as recent spacecraft observations [4] indicate that large quantities of ice is present in the high latitudes upper decimeters to meters of the Martian regolith. At shallower depths and warmer locations small amounts of H2O, either adsorbed or free, may be present transiently. An understanding of the evolution of water based on theoretical and experimental considerations of the processes operating at the Martian environment is required. In particular, the porosity, diffusivity, and permeability of soils and their effect on water vapor transport under Mars-like conditions have been estimated, but experimental validation of such models is lacking. Goal: Three related mechanisms may affect water transport in the upper Martian regolith. 1) diffusion along a concentration gradient under isobaric conditions, 2) diffusion along a thermal gradient, which may give rise to a concentration gradient as ice sublimes or molecules desorb from the regolith, and 3) hydraulic flow, or mass motion in response to a pressure gradient. Our combined theoretical and experimental investigation seeks to disentangle these mechanisms and determine which process(es) are dominant in the upper regolith over various timescales. A detailed one-dimensional model of the upper regolith is being created which incorporates water adsorption/ desorption, condensation, porosity, diffusivity, and permeability effects. Certain factors such as diffusivity are difficult to determine theoretically due to the wide range of intrinsic grain properties such as particle sizes, shapes, packing densities, and emergent properties such as tortuosity. An experiment is being designed which will allow us to more accurately determine diffusivity, permeability, and water desorption isotherms for regolith simulants.

The Lunar Regolith as a Recorder of Cosmic History

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Bonnie; McKay, D.; Riofrio, L.

2012-01-01

The Moon can be considered a giant tape recorder containing the history of the solar system and Universe. The lunar regolith (soil) has recorded the early history of the Moon, Earth, the solar system and Universe. A major goal of future lunar exploration should be to find and play back existing fragments of that tape . By reading the lunar tape, we can uncover a record of planetary bombardment, as well as solar and stellar variability. The Moon can tell us much about our place in the Universe. The lunar regolith has likely recorded the original meteoritic bombardment of Earth and Moon, a violent cataclysm that may have peaked around 4 Gyr, and the less intense bombardment occurring since that time. This impact history is preserved on the Moon as regolith layers, ejecta layers, impact melt rocks, and ancient impact breccias. The impact history of the Earth and Moon possibly had profound effects on the origin and development of life. Decrease in meteor bombardment allowed life to develop on Earth. Life may have developed first on another body, such as Mars, then arrived via meteorite on Earth. The solar system may have experienced bursts of severe radiation from the Sun, other stars, or from unknown sources. The lunar regolith has recorded this radiation history in the form of implanted solar wind, solar flare materials and radiation damage. Lunar soil can be found sandwiched between layers of basalt or pyroclastic deposits. This filling constitutes a buried time capsule that is likely to contain well-preserved ancient regolith. Study of such samples will show us how the solar system has evolved and changed over time. The lunar tape recorder can provide detailed information on specific portions of solar and stellar variability. Data from the Moon also offers clues as to whether so-called fundamental constants have changed over time.

Mars Regolith Water Extractor, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Mars Regolith Water Extractor (MRWE) is a system for acquiring water from the Martian soil. In the MRWE, a stream of CO2 is heated by solar energy or waste heat...

Comparison of Direct Solar Energy to Resistance Heating for Carbothermal Reduction of Regolith

Science.gov (United States)

Muscatello, Anthony C.; Gustafson, Robert J.

2011-01-01

A comparison of two methods of delivering thermal energy to regolith for the carbo thermal reduction process has been performed. The comparison concludes that electrical resistance heating is superior to direct solar energy via solar concentrators for the following reasons: (1) the resistance heating method can process approximately 12 times as much regolith using the same amount of thermal energy as the direct solar energy method because of superior thermal insulation; (2) the resistance heating method is more adaptable to nearer-term robotic exploration precursor missions because it does not require a solar concentrator system; (3) crucible-based methods are more easily adapted to separation of iron metal and glass by-products than direct solar energy because the melt can be poured directly after processing instead of being remelted; and (4) even with projected improvements in the mass of solar concentrators, projected photovoltaic system masses are expected to be even lower.

Sorbent-based Oxygen Production for Energy Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sethi, Vijay [Western Research Inst. (WRI), Laramie, WY (United States)

2017-01-31

Project DE-FE0024075 deals with the development of a moderate-temperature sorbent-based oxygen production technology. Sorbent-based oxygen production process utilizes oxygen-storage properties of Perovskites to (1) adsorb oxygen from air in a solid sorbent, and (2) release the adsorbed oxygen into a sweep gas such as CO₂ and/or steam for gasification systems or recycled flue gas for oxy-combustion systems. Pure oxygen can be produced by the use of vacuum instead of a sweep gas to affect the pressure swing. By developing more efficient and stable, higher sorption capacity, newer class of materials operating at moderate temperatures this process represents a major advancement in air separation technology. Newly developed perovskite ceramic sorbent materials with order-disorder transition have a higher O₂ adsorption capacity, potentially 200 °C lower operating temperatures, and up to two orders of magnitude faster desorption rates than those used in earlier development efforts. The performance advancements afforded by the new materials lead to substantial savings in capital investment and operational costs. Cost of producing oxygen using sorbents could be as much as 26% lower than VPSA and about 13% lower than a large cryogenic air separation unit. Cost advantage against large cryogenic separation is limited because sorbent-based separation numbers up sorbent modules for achieving the larger capacity.

Experimental Determination of in Situ Utilization of Lunar Regolith for Thermal Energy Storage

Science.gov (United States)

Richter, Scott W.

1993-01-01

A Lunar Thermal Energy from Regolith (LUTHER) experiment has been designed and fabricated at the NASA Lewis Research Center to determine the feasibility of using lunar soil as thermal energy storage media. The experimental apparatus includes an alumina ceramic canister (25.4 cm diameter by 45.7 cm length) which contains simulated lunar regolith, a heater (either radiative or conductive), 9 heat shields, a heat transfer cold jacket, and 19 type B platinum rhodium thermocouples. The simulated lunar regolith is a basalt, mined and processed by the University of Minnesota, that closely resembles the lunar basalt returned to earth by the Apollo missions. The experiment will test the effects of vacuum, particle size, and density on the thermophysical properties of the regolith. The properties include melt temperature (range), specific heat, thermal conductivity, and latent heat of storage. Two separate tests, using two different heaters, will be performed to study the effect of heating the system using radiative and conductive heat transfer. The physical characteristics of the melt pattern, material compatibility of the molten regolith, and the volatile gas emission will be investigated by heating a portion of the lunar regolith to its melting temperature (1435 K) in a 10(exp -4) pascal vacuum chamber, equipped with a gas spectrum analyzer. A finite differencing SINDA model was developed at NASA Lewis Research Center to predict the performance of the LUTHER experiment. The analytical results of the code will be compared with the experimental data generated by the LUTHER experiment. The code will predict the effects of vacuum, particle size, and density has on the heat transfer to the simulated regolith.

Differential rates of feldspar weathering in granitic regoliths

Science.gov (United States)

White, A.F.; Bullen, T.D.; Schulz, M.S.; Blum, A.E.; Huntington, T.G.; Peters, N.E.

2001-01-01

Differential rates of plagioclase and K-feldspar weathering commonly observed in bedrock and soil environments are examined in terms of chemical kinetic and solubility controls and hydrologic permeability. For the Panola regolith, in the Georgia Piedmont Province of southeastern United States, petrographic observations, coupled with elemental balances and 87Sr/86Sr ratios, indicate that plagioclase is being converted to kaolinite at depths > 6 m in the granitic bedrock. K-feldspar remains pristine in the bedrock but subsequently weathers to kaolinite at the overlying saprolite. In contrast, both plagioclase and K-feldspar remain stable in granitic bedrocks elsewhere in Piedmont Province, such as Davis Run, Virginia, where feldspars weather concurrently in an overlying thick saprolite sequence. Kinetic rate constants, mineral surface areas, and secondary hydraulic conductivities are fitted to feldspar losses with depth in the Panola and Davis Run regoliths using a time-depth computer spreadsheet model. The primary hydraulic conductivities, describing the rates of meteoric water penetration into the pristine granites, are assumed to be equal to the propagation rates of weathering fronts, which, based on cosmogenic isotope dating, are 7 m/106 yr for the Panola regolith and 4 m/106 yr for the Davis Run regolith. Best fits in the calculations indicate that the kinetic rate constants for plagioclase in both regoliths are factors of two to three times faster than K-feldspar, which is in agreement with experimental findings. However, the range for plagioclase and K-feldspar rates (kr = 1.5 x 10-17 to 2.8 x 10-16 mol m-2 s-1) is three to four orders of magnitude lower than for that for experimental feldspar dissolution rates and are among the slowest yet recorded for natural feldspar weathering. Such slow rates are attributed to the relatively old geomorphic ages of the Panola and Davis Run regoliths, implying that mineral surface reactivity decreases significantly with

Regolith thickness over Sinus Iridum: Results from morphology and size-frequency distribution of small impact craters

Science.gov (United States)

Fa, Wenzhe; Liu, Tiantian; Zhu, Meng-Hua; Haruyama, Junichi

2014-08-01

High-resolution optical images returned from recent lunar missions provide a new chance for estimation of lunar regolith thickness using morphology and the size-frequency distribution of small impact craters. In this study, regolith thickness over the Sinus Iridum region is estimated using Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Cameras (NACs) images. A revised relationship between crater geometry and regolith thickness is proposed based on old experimental data that takes into considering the effect of the illumination angle of the images. In total, 227 high-resolution LROC NAC images are used, and 378,556 impact craters with diameters from 4.2 to 249.8 m are counted, and their morphologies are identified. Our results show that 50% of the Sinus Iridum region has a regolith thickness between 5.1 and 10.7 m, and the mean and median regolith thicknesses are 8.5 and 8.0 m, respectively. There are substantial regional variations in the regolith thickness, with its median value varying from 2.6 to 12.0 m for most regions. Local variations of regolith thickness are found to be correlated with the lunar surface age: the older the surface, the greater the thickness. In addition, sporadically distributed impact ejecta and crater rays are associated with relatively larger regolith thickness, which might result from excavation and transport of materials during the formation of the secondaries of Copernican-aged craters. Our estimated regolith thickness can help with future analysis of Chang'E-3 lunar penetrating radar echoes and studies of the subsurface stratigraphic structure of the Moon.

Instrumented Moles for Planetary Subsurface Regolith Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Richter, L. O.; Coste, P. A.; Grzesik, A.; Knollenberg, J.; Magnani, P.; Nadalini, R.; Re, E.; Romstedt, J.; Sohl, F.; Spohn, T.

2006-12-01

Soil-like materials, or regolith, on solar system objects provide a record of physical and/or chemical weathering processes on the object in question and as such possess significant scientific relevance for study by landed planetary missions. In the case of Mars, a complex interplay has been at work between impact gardening, aeolian as well as possibly fluvial processes. This resulted in regolith that is texturally as well as compositionally layered as hinted at by results from the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) missions which are capable of accessing shallow subsurface soils by wheel trenching. Significant subsurface soil access on Mars, i.e. to depths of a meter or more, remains to be accomplished on future missions. This has been one of the objectives of the unsuccessful Beagle 2 landed element of the ESA Mars Express mission having been equipped with the Planetary Underground Tool (PLUTO) subsurface soil sampling Mole system capable of self-penetration into regolith due to an internal electro-mechanical hammering mechanism. This lightweight device of less than 900 g mass was designed to repeatedly obtain and deliver to the lander regolith samples from depths down to 2 m which would have been analysed for organic matter and, specifically, organic carbon from potential extinct microbial activity. With funding from the ESA technology programme, an evolved Mole system - the Instrumented Mole System (IMS) - has now been developed to a readiness level of TRL 6. The IMS is to serve as a carrier for in situ instruments for measurements in planetary subsurface soils. This could complement or even eliminate the need to recover samples to the surface. The Engineering Model hardware having been developed within this effort is designed for accommodating a geophysical instrument package (Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package, HP3) that would be capable of measuring regolith physical properties and planetary heat flow. The chosen design encompasses a two-body Mole

Report on ISS Oxygen Production, Resupply, and Partial Pressure Management

Science.gov (United States)

Schaezler, Ryan; Ghariani, Ahmed; Leonard, Daniel; Lehman, Daniel

2011-01-01

The majority of oxygen used on International Space Station (ISS) is for metabolic support and denitrogenation procedures prior to Extra-Vehicular Activities. Oxygen is supplied by various visiting vehicles such as the Progress and Shuttle in addition to oxygen production capability on both the United States On-Orbit Segment (USOS) and Russian Segment (RS). To maintain a habitable atmosphere the oxygen partial pressure is controlled between upper and lower bounds. The full range of the allowable oxygen partial pressure along with the increased ISS cabin volume is utilized as a buffer allowing days to pass between oxygen production or direct addition of oxygen to the atmosphere from reserves. This paper summarizes amount of oxygen supplied and produced from all of the sources and describes past experience of managing oxygen partial pressure along with the range of management options available to the ISS.

Rock fragment distributions and regolith evolution in the Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Jonathan D. Phillips; Ken Luckow; Daniel A. Marion; Kristin R. Adams

2005-01-01

Rock fragments in the regolith are a persistent property that reflects the combined influences of geologic controls, erosion, deposition, bioturbation, and weathering. The distribution of rock fragments in regoliths of the Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas, shows that sandstone fragments are common in all layers, even if sandstone is absent in parent material. Shale and...

Effect of oxygen partial pressure on production of animal virus (VSV)

OpenAIRE

Lim, Hyun S.; Chang, Kern H.; Kim, Jung H.

1999-01-01

The effect of oxygen partial pressure on viral replication was investigated with Vero/VSV system. At 10% oxygen partial pressure in spinner culture, VSV titer was significantly increased 130 fold compared to that obtained at 21%. A similar result was obtained for viral production in 1liter bioreactor. This implies that oxygen partial pressure during viral production has to be low. In low oxygen partial pressure, malondialdehyde concentration was decreased about 5 fold. Thus, low oxygen partia...

Non-self-sustained electric discharge in oxygen gas mixtures: singlet delta oxygen production

CERN Document Server

Ionin, A A; Kotkov, A A; Kochetov, I V; Napartovich, A P; Seleznev, L V; Sinitsyn, D V; Hager, G D

2003-01-01

The possibility of obtaining a high specific input energy in an electron-beam sustained discharge ignited in oxygen gas mixtures O sub 2 : Ar : CO (or H sub 2) at the total gas pressures of 10-100 Torr was experimentally demonstrated. The specific input energy per molecular component exceeded approx 6 kJ l sup - sup 1 atm sup - sup 1 (150 kJ mol sup - sup 1) as a small amount of carbon monoxide was added into a gas mixture of oxygen and argon. It was theoretically demonstrated that one might expect to obtain a singlet delta oxygen yield of 25% exceeding its threshold value needed for an oxygen-iodine laser operation at room temperature, when maintaining a non-self-sustained discharge in oxygen gas mixtures with molecular additives CO, H sub 2 or D sub 2. The efficiency of singlet delta oxygen production can be as high as 40%.

Vibrational Locomotion Enabling Subsurface Exploration of Unconsolidated Regolith

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Proposed effort is to use vibration to propel a small, self-contained device through unconsolidated (loose, granular) material, such as regolith. Small scale robotic...

Investigation of element distributions in Luna-16 regolith

Science.gov (United States)

Kuznetsov, R. A.; Lure, B. G.; Minevich, V. Ia.; Stiuf, V. I.; Pankratov, V. B.

1981-03-01

The concentrations of 32 elements in fractions of different grain sizes in the samples of the lunar regolith brought back by Luna-16 are determined by means of neutron activation analysis. Four groups of elements are distinguished on the basis of the variations of their concentration with grain size, and concentration variations of the various elements with sample depth are also noted. Chemical leaching of the samples combined with neutron activation also reveals differences in element concentrations in the water soluble, metallic, sulphide, phosphate, rare mineral and rock phases of the samples. In particular, the rare earth elements are observed to be depleted in the regolith with respect to chondritic values, and to be concentrated in the phase extracted with 14 M HNO3.

Mineralogical and chemical properties of the lunar regolith

Science.gov (United States)

Mckay, David S.; Ming, Douglas W.

1989-01-01

The composition of lunar regolith and its attendant properties are discussed. Tables are provided listing lunar minerals, the abundance of plagioclase feldspar, pyroxene, olivine, and ilmenite in lunar materials, typical compositions of common lunar minerals, and cumulative grain-size distribution for a large number of lunar soils. Also provided are charts on the chemistry of breccias, the chemistry of lunar glass, and the comparative chemistry of surface soils for the Apollo sites. Lunar agglutinates, constructional particles made of lithic, mineral, and glass fragments welded together by a glassy matrix containing extremely fine-grained metallic iron and formed by micrometeoric impacts at the lunar surface, are discussed. Crystalline, igneous rock fragments, breccias, and lunar glass are examined. Volatiles implanted in lunar materials and regolith maturity are also addressed.

Mars Gardens in the University - Red Thumbs: Growing Vegetables in Martian regolith simulant.

Science.gov (United States)

Guinan, Edward Francis

2018-01-01

Over the next few decades NASA and private enterprise missions plan to send manned missions to Mars with the ultimate aim to establish a permanent human presence on this planet. For a self-sustaining colony on Mars it will be necessary to provide food by growing plants in sheltered greenhouses on the Martian surface. As part of an undergraduate student project in Astrobiology at Villanova University, experiments are being carried out, testing how various plants grow in Martian regolith. A wide sample of plants are being grown and tested in Mars regolith simulant commercially available from The Martian Garden (TheMartian Garden.com). This Mars regolith simulant is based on Mojave Mars Simulant (MMS) developed by NASA and JPL for the Mars Phoenix mission. The MMS is based on the Mojave Saddleback basalt similar that used by JPL/NASA. Additional reagents were added to this iron rich basalt to bring the chemical content close to actual Mars regolith. The MMS used is an approximately 90% similar to regolith found on the surface of Mars - excluding poisonous perchlorates commonly found on actual Mars surface.The students have selected various vegetables and herbs to grow and test. These include carrots, spinach, dandelions, kale, soy beans, peas, onions, garlic and of course potatoes and sweet potatoes. Plants were tested in various growing conditions, using different fertilizers, and varying light conditions and compared with identical “control plants” grown in Earth soil / humus. The results of the project will be discussed from an education view point as well as from usefulness for fundamental research.We thank The Martian Garden for providing Martian regolith simulant at education discounted prices.

Benefit of Lunar Regolith on Reflector Mass Savings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatton, Steven A.; El-Genk, Mohamed S.

2007-01-01

The 2004 NASA Vision for Space Exploration calls for the return of mankind to the moon by no later than 2020, in preparation for an adventure to Mars and beyond. An envisioned lunar outpost will provide living quarters for initially 5- 10 astronauts for up to 2 weeks, and latter for science experiments, and recovery of mineral and indigenous resources for the day-to-day operation and production of propellant. These activities would require electrical and thermal powers in the order of 10's - 100's of kilowatts 24/7. Potential power options include photovoltaic, requiring massive batteries or fuel cells for energy storage during the long nights on the moon, and nuclear reactor power systems, which are much more compact and operate independent of the sun. This paper examines the benefit of using the lunar regolith as a supplemental neutron reflector on decreasing the launch mass of the Sectored Compact Reactor (SCoRe-S), developed at the Institute for Space and Nuclear Power Studies. In addition to providing at least $2.00 of hot-clean excess reactivity at the beginning of life, various SCoRe-S concepts investigated in this paper are at least $1.00 sub-critical when shutdown, and when the bare reactor cores are submerged in wet sand and flooded with seawater, following a launch abort accident. Design calculations performed using MCNP5 confirmed that using lunar regolith as supplementary reflector reduces the launch mass of the SCoRe-S cores by ∼ 34% - 35%, or 150 - 200 kg, while satisfying the above reactivity requirements

Oxygen-controlled Biosurfactant Production in a Bench Scale Bioreactor

Science.gov (United States)

de Kronemberger, Frederico Araujo; Anna, Lidia Maria Melo Santa; Fernandes, Ana Carolina Loureiro Brito; de Menezes, Reginaldo Ramos; Borges, Cristiano Piacsek; Freire, Denise Maria Guimarães

Rhamnolipids have been pointed out as promising biosurfactants. The most studied microorganisms for the aerobic production of these molecules are the bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas. The aim of this work was to produce a rhamnolipid-type biosurfactant in a bench-scale bioreactor by one strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from oil environments. To study the microorganism growth and production dependency on oxygen, a nondispersive oxygenation device was developed, and a programmable logic controller (PLC) was used to set the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration. Using the data stored in a computer and the predetermined characteristics of the oxygenation device, it was possible to evaluate the oxygen uptake rate (OUR) and the specific OUR (SOUR) of this microorganism. These rates, obtained for some different DO concentrations, were then compared to the bacterial growth, to the carbon source consumption, and to the rhamnolipid and other virulence factors production. The SOUR presented an initial value of about 60.0 mg02/gdw h. Then, when the exponential growth phase begins, there is a rise in this rate. After that, the SOUR reduces to about 20.0 mg02/gdw h. The carbon source consumption is linear during the whole process.

Lunar regolith stratigraphy analysis based on the simulation of lunar penetrating radar signals

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Jialong; Xu, Yi; Zhang, Xiaoping; Tang, Zesheng

2017-11-01

The thickness of lunar regolith is an important index of evaluating the quantity of lunar resources such as 3He and relative geologic ages. Lunar penetrating radar (LPR) experiment of Chang'E-3 mission provided an opportunity of in situ lunar subsurface structure measurement in the northern mare imbrium area. However, prior work on analyzing LPR data obtained quite different conclusions of lunar regolith structure mainly because of the missing of clear interface reflectors in radar image. In this paper, we utilized finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method and three models of regolith structures with different rock density, number of layers, shapes of interfaces, and etc. to simulate the LPR signals for the interpretation of radar image. The simulation results demonstrate that the scattering signals caused by numerous buried rocks in the regolith can mask the horizontal reflectors, and the die-out of radar echo does not indicate the bottom of lunar regolith layer and data processing such as migration method could recover some of the subsurface information but also result in fake signals. Based on analysis of simulation results, we conclude that LPR results uncover the subsurface layered structure containing the rework zone with multiple ejecta blankets of small crater, the ejecta blanket of Chang'E-3 crater, and the transition zone and estimate the thickness of the detected layer is about 3.25 m.

Photo-excitation of carotenoids causes cytotoxicity via singlet oxygen production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshii, Hiroshi; Yoshii, Yukie; Asai, Tatsuya; Furukawa, Takako; Takaichi, Shinichi; Fujibayashi, Yasuhisa

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Some photo-excited carotenoids have photosensitizing ability. ► They are able to produce ROS. ► Photo-excited fucoxanthin can produce singlet oxygen through energy transfer. -- Abstract: Carotenoids, natural pigments widely distributed in algae and plants, have a conjugated double bond system. Their excitation energies are correlated with conjugation length. We hypothesized that carotenoids whose energy states are above the singlet excited state of oxygen (singlet oxygen) would possess photosensitizing properties. Here, we demonstrated that human skin melanoma (A375) cells are damaged through the photo-excitation of several carotenoids (neoxanthin, fucoxanthin and siphonaxanthin). In contrast, photo-excitation of carotenoids that possess energy states below that of singlet oxygen, such as β-carotene, lutein, loroxanthin and violaxanthin, did not enhance cell death. Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by photo-excited fucoxanthin or neoxanthin was confirmed using a reporter assay for ROS production with HeLa Hyper cells, which express a fluorescent indicator protein for intracellular ROS. Fucoxanthin and neoxanthin also showed high cellular penetration and retention. Electron spin resonance spectra using 2,2,6,6-tetramethil-4-piperidone as a singlet oxygen trapping agent demonstrated that singlet oxygen was produced via energy transfer from photo-excited fucoxanthin to oxygen molecules. These results suggest that carotenoids such as fucoxanthin, which are capable of singlet oxygen production through photo-excitation and show good penetration and retention in target cells, are useful as photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy for skin disease.

Yeast alter micro-oxygenation of wine: oxygen consumption and aldehyde production.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Guomin; Webb, Michael R; Richter, Chandra; Parsons, Jessica; Waterhouse, Andrew L

2017-08-01

Micro-oxygenation (MOx) is a common winemaking treatment used to improve red wine color development and diminish vegetal aroma, amongst other effects. It is commonly applied to wine immediately after yeast fermentation (phase 1) or later, during aging (phase 2). Although most winemakers avoid MOx during malolactic (ML) fermentation, it is often not possible to avoid because ML bacteria are often present during phase 1 MOx treatment. We investigated the effect of common yeast and bacteria on the outcome of micro-oxygenation. Compared to sterile filtered wine, Saccharomyces cerevisiae inoculation significantly increased oxygen consumption, keeping dissolved oxygen in wine below 30 µg L -1 during micro-oxygenation, whereas Oenococcus oeni inoculation was not associated with a significant impact on the concentration of dissolved oxygen. The unfiltered baseline wine also had both present, although with much higher populations of bacteria and consumed oxygen. The yeast-treated wine yielded much higher levels of acetaldehyde, rising from 4.3 to 29 mg L -1 during micro-oxygenation, whereas no significant difference was found between the bacteria-treated wine and the filtered control. The unfiltered wine exhibited rapid oxygen consumption but no additional acetaldehyde, as well as reduced pyruvate. Analysis of the acetaldehyde-glycerol acetal levels showed a good correlation with acetaldehyde concentrations. The production of acetaldehyde is a key outcome of MOx and it is dramatically increased in the presence of yeast, although it is possibly counteracted by the metabolism of O. oeni bacteria. Additional controlled experiments are necessary to clarify the interaction of yeast and bacteria during MOx treatments. Analysis of the glycerol acetals may be useful as a proxy for acetaldehyde levels. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Dielectric properties estimation of the lunar regolith at CE-3 landing site using lunar penetrating radar data

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Jianqing; Su, Yan; Ding, Chunyu; Xing, Shuguo; Dai, Shun; Zou, Yongliao

2017-03-01

The second channel (CH2) of the Lunar Penetrating Radar (LPR) carried on the Chang'e-3 (CE-3) Yutu Rover was used to determine the thickness and structure of the lunar regolith. Accurately revealing the true structure beneath the surface requires knowledge of the dielectric permittivity of the regolith, which allows one to properly apply migration to the radar image. In contrast to simple assumptions in previous studies, this paper takes account of heterogeneity of the regolith and derives regolith's permittivity distribution laterally and vertically by a method widely used in data processing of terrestrial Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). We find that regolith permittivity at the landing site increases with depth more quickly than previously recognized. At a depth of ∼2.5-3 m, the dielectric constant reaches the value of solid basalt. The radar image was migrated on the basis of the permittivity profile. We do not find any continuous distinct layers or an apparent regolith/rock interface in the migrated radargram, which implies that this area is covered by relatively young, poorly layered deposits.

Electrical stress and strain in lunar regolith simulants

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, J.; Richard, D.; Davis, S.

2011-11-01

Experiments to entrain dust with electrostatic and fluid-dynamic forces result in particulate clouds of aggregates rather than individual dust grains. This is explained within the framework of Griffith-flaw theory regarding the comminution/breakage of weak solids. Physical and electrical inhomogeneities in powders are equivalent to microcracks in solids insofar as they facilitate failure at stress risers. Electrical charging of powders induces bulk sample stresses similar to mechanical stresses experienced by strong solids, depending on the nature of the charging. A powder mass therefore "breaks" into clumps rather than separating into individual dust particles. This contrasts with the expectation that electrical forces on the Moon will eject a submicron population of dust from the regolith into the exosphere. A lunar regolith will contain physical and electrostatic inhomogeneities similar to those in most charged powders.

40 CFR 415.490 - Applicability; description of the oxygen and nitrogen production subcategory.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... oxygen and nitrogen production subcategory. 415.490 Section 415.490 Protection of Environment... POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Oxygen and Nitrogen Production Subcategory § 415.490 Applicability; description of the oxygen and nitrogen production subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are applicable to...

Hydrogen peroxide production is affected by oxygen levels in mammalian cell culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Maddalena, Lucas A; Selim, Shehab M; Fonseca, Joao; Messner, Holt; McGowan, Shannon; Stuart, Jeffrey A

2017-11-04

Although oxygen levels in the extracellular space of most mammalian tissues are just a few percent, under standard cell culture conditions they are not regulated and are often substantially higher. Some cellular sources of reactive oxygen species, like NADPH oxidase 4, are sensitive to oxygen levels in the range between 'normal' physiological (typically 1-5%) and standard cell culture (up to 18%). Hydrogen peroxide in particular participates in signal transduction pathways via protein redox modifications, so the potential increase in its production under standard cell culture conditions is important to understand. We measured the rates of cellular hydrogen peroxide production in some common cell lines, including C2C12, PC-3, HeLa, SH-SY5Y, MCF-7, and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) maintained at 18% or 5% oxygen. In all instances the rate of hydrogen peroxide production by these cells was significantly greater at 18% oxygen than at 5%. The increase in hydrogen peroxide production at higher oxygen levels was either abolished or substantially reduced by treatment with GKT 137831, a selective inhibitor of NADPH oxidase subunits 1 and 4. These data indicate that oxygen levels experienced by cells in culture influence hydrogen peroxide production via NADPH oxidase 1/4, highlighting the importance of regulating oxygen levels in culture near physiological values. However, we measured pericellular oxygen levels adjacent to cell monolayers under a variety of conditions and with different cell lines and found that, particularly when growing at 5% incubator oxygen levels, pericellular oxygen was often lower and variable. Together, these observations indicate the importance, and difficulty, of regulating oxygen levels experienced by cells in culture. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Net community production from autonomous oxygen observations in the Sargasso Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Feen, M.; Estapa, M. L.

2016-02-01

Optical sensors on autonomous floats provide high-resolution profiles of oxygen concentration over time. Improved spatiotemporal resolution in our measurements of oxygen will allow for better estimates of net community production and a greater understanding of the biological pump. Two autonomous profiling floats (NAVIS BGCi, Sea-Bird) equipped with SBE-63 optodes to measure dissolved oxygen were deployed in the Sargasso Sea on a series of five Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) cruises from July 2013 to April 2014. In situ calibration of the oxygen sensors to Winkler titration bottle samples at BATS did not show systematic drift in the oxygen sensors over time. Calibrations were applied to determine oxygen concentrations in profiles collected in the Sargasso Sea at 1.5 to 2.5 day intervals over a year. Oxygen concentrations were used to quantify sub-mixed layer net community production. Changes in production rates from this study were compared with upper water column biology and particle flux measurements obtained independently from optical sensors on the profiling floats, allowing us to examine processes controlling carbon export into the deep ocean.

Measuring the Shock Stage of Asteroid Regolith Grains by Electron Back-Scattered Diffraction

Science.gov (United States)

Zolensky, Michael; Martinez, James; Sitzman, Scott; Mikouchi, Takashi; Hagiya, Kenji; Ohsumi, Kazumasa; Terada, Yasuko; Yagi, Naoto; Komatsu, Mutsumi; Ozawa, Hikaru;

Single Cell Responses to Spatially Controlled Photosensitized Production of Extracellular Singlet Oxygen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Brian Wett; Sinks, Louise E.; Breitenbach, Thomas

2011-01-01

The response of individual HeLa cells to extracellularly produced singlet oxygen was examined. The spatial domain of singlet oxygen production was controlled using the combination of a membrane-impermeable Pd porphyrin-dendrimer, which served as a photosensitizer, and a focused laser, which served...... to localize the sensitized production of singlet oxygen. Cells in close proximity to the domain of singlet oxygen production showed morphological changes commonly associated with necrotic cell death. The elapsed post-irradiation “waiting period” before necrosis became apparent depended on (a) the distance...... between the cell membrane and the domain irradiated, (b) the incident laser fluence and, as such, the initial concentration of singlet oxygen produced, and (c) the lifetime of singlet oxygen. The data imply that singlet oxygen plays a key role in this process of light-induced cell death. The approach...

Determination of Oxygen Production by Cyanobacteria in Desert Environment Soil

Science.gov (United States)

Bueno Prieto, J. E.

2009-12-01

The cyanobacteria have been characterized for being precursor in the production of oxygen. By means of photosynthetic reactions, they provide oxygen to the environment that surrounds them and they capture part of surrounding dioxide of carbon. This way it happened since the primitive Earth until today. Besides, these microorganisms can support the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation. The presence of cyanobacterias in an environment like a dry tropical bioma, such as the geographical location called Desert of The Tatacoa (Huila - Colombia), is determinant to establish parameters in the search of biological origin of atmospheric oxygen detected in Mars. In that case, I work with a random sample of not rhizospheric soil, taken to 15 cm of depth. After determining the presence of cyanobacterias in the sample, this one was in laboratory to stimulate the oxygen production. The presence of oxygen in Mars is very interesting. Since oxygen gas is very reactive, it disappear if it is not renewed; the possibility that this renovation of oxygen has a biological origin is encouraging, bearing in mind that in a dry environment and high radiation such as the studied one, the production of oxygen by cyanobacterias is notable. Also it is necessary to keep in mind that the existence of cyanobacterias would determine water presence in Mars subsoil and the nutrients cycles renovation. An interesting exploration possibility for some future space probe to Mars might be the study of worldwide distribution of oxygen concentration in this planet and this way, indentify zones suitable for microbian life.

Telerobotic Perception During Asteroid and Mars Regolith Operations Project

Science.gov (United States)

Gaddis, Steven; Zeitlin, Nancy (Compiler); Mueller, Robert (Compiler)

2015-01-01

Current space telerobotic systems are constrained to only operating in bright light and dust-free conditions. This project will study the effects of difficult lighting and dust conditions on telerobotic perception systems to better assess and refine regolith operations on other neighboring celestial bodies. In partnership with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Caterpillar, Inc., optical, LiDAR and RADAR sensing equipment will be used in performing the study. This project will create a known dust environment in the Swamp Works Granular Mechanics & Regolith Operations (GMRO) Laboratory regolith test bin to characterize the behavior of the sensing equipment in various calibrated lighting and dust conditions. It will also identify potential methods for mitigating the impacts of these undesirable conditions on the performance of the sensing equipment. Enhancing the capability of telerobotic perception systems will help improve life on earth for those working in dangerous, dusty mining conditions, as well as help advance the same technologies used for safer self-driving automobiles in various lighting and weather conditions. It will also prove to be a critical skill needed for advancing robotic and human exploration throughout our solar system, for activities such as mining on an asteroid or pioneering the first colony on Mars.

Enhanced Mesh-Free Simulation of Regolith Flow, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — NASA needs simulation tools capable of predicting the behavior of regolith in proposed excavation, transport, and handling or sample acquisition systems. For...

Production and use of metals and oxygen for lunar propulsion

Science.gov (United States)

Hepp, Aloysius F.; Linne, Diane L.; Groth, Mary F.; Landis, Geoffrey A.; Colvin, James E.

1991-01-01

Production, power, and propulsion technologies for using oxygen and metals derived from lunar resources are discussed. The production process is described, and several of the more developed processes are discussed. Power requirements for chemical, thermal, and electrical production methods are compared. The discussion includes potential impact of ongoing power technology programs on lunar production requirements. The performance potential of several possible metal fuels including aluminum, silicon, iron, and titanium are compared. Space propulsion technology in the area of metal/oxygen rocket engines is discussed.

Regolith transport in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica

Science.gov (United States)

Putkonen, J.; Rosales, M.; Turpen, N.; Morgan, D.; Balco, G.; Donaldson, M.

2007-01-01

The stability of ground surface and preservation of landforms that record past events and environments is of great importance as the geologic and climatic history is evaluated in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica. Currently little is known about the regolith transport that tends to eradicate and confound this record and regolith transport is itself an environmental indicator. Based on analyses of repeat photographs, soil traps, and pebble transport distances, it was found that there is a large spatial variation in topographic diffusivities at least in the annual basis and that counter intuitively the highest topographic diffusivities are found in the alpine valleys that are located farther inland from the coast where the lowest topographic diffusivities were recorded. An average topographic diffusivity for the Dry Valleys was determined to be 10M-5–10-4 m2

Parameters and structure of lunar regolith in Chang'E-3 landing area from lunar penetrating radar (LPR) data

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Zehua; Fang, Guangyou; Ji, Yicai; Gao, Yunze; Wu, Chao; Zhang, Xiaojuan

2017-01-01

Chang'E-3 (CE-3) landed in the northwest Mare Imbrium, a region that has not been explored before. Yutu rover that released by CE-3 lander carried the first lunar surface penetrating radar (LPR) for exploring lunar regolith thickness and subsurface shallow geological structures. In this paper, based on the LPR data and the Panoramic Camera (PC) data, we first calculate the lunar surface regolith parameters in CE-3 landing area including its permittivity, density, conductivity and FeO + TiO2 content. LPR data provides a higher spatial resolution and more accuracy for the lunar regolith parameters comparing to other remote sensing techniques, such as orbit radar sounder and microwave sensing or earth-based powerful radar. We also derived the regolith thickness and its weathered rate with much better accuracy in the landing area. The results indicate that the regolith growth rate is much faster than previous estimation, the regolith parameters are not uniform even in such a small study area and the thickness and growth rate of lunar regolith here are different from other areas in Mare Imbrium. We infer that the main reason should be geological deformation that caused by multiple impacts of meteorites in different sizes.

Microbial methane production in oxygenated water column of an oligotrophic lake

Science.gov (United States)

Grossart, Hans-Peter; Frindte, Katharina; Dziallas, Claudia; Eckert, Werner; Tang, Kam W.

2011-01-01

The prevailing paradigm in aquatic science is that microbial methanogenesis happens primarily in anoxic environments. Here, we used multiple complementary approaches to show that microbial methane production could and did occur in the well-oxygenated water column of an oligotrophic lake (Lake Stechlin, Germany). Oversaturation of methane was repeatedly recorded in the well-oxygenated upper 10 m of the water column, and the methane maxima coincided with oxygen oversaturation at 6 m. Laboratory incubations of unamended epilimnetic lake water and inoculations of photoautotrophs with a lake-enrichment culture both led to methane production even in the presence of oxygen, and the production was not affected by the addition of inorganic phosphate or methylated compounds. Methane production was also detected by in-lake incubations of lake water, and the highest production rate was 1.8–2.4 nM⋅h−1 at 6 m, which could explain 33–44% of the observed ambient methane accumulation in the same month. Temporal and spatial uncoupling between methanogenesis and methanotrophy was supported by field and laboratory measurements, which also helped explain the oversaturation of methane in the upper water column. Potentially methanogenic Archaea were detected in situ in the oxygenated, methane-rich epilimnion, and their attachment to photoautotrophs might allow for anaerobic growth and direct transfer of substrates for methane production. Specific PCR on mRNA of the methyl coenzyme M reductase A gene revealed active methanogenesis. Microbial methane production in oxygenated water represents a hitherto overlooked source of methane and can be important for carbon cycling in the aquatic environments and water to air methane flux. PMID:22089233

3D Additive Construction with Regolith for Surface Systems

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Planetary surface exploration on Asteroids, the Moon, Mars and Martian Moons will require the stabilization of loose, fine, dusty regolith to avoid the effects of...

Cosmogenic nuclide depth-profiles and geochemical analysis of mountain regolith aimed at quantifying rates of glacial and periglacial erosion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Jane Lund; Egholm, David Lundbek; Knudsen, Mads Faurschou

Clay minerals such as kaolinite and gibbsite in mountain regolith in present-day cold environments are often, without further age-constraint, interpreted as products of weathering in a warmer climate (e.g. Rea, 1996; Strømsøe, 2011). This reasoning has, in turn, been used to infer long residence...

Oxygen production processes on the Moon: An overview

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Lawrence A.; Carrier, W. David, III

1991-01-01

The production of oxygen on the Moon utilizing indigenous material is paramount to a successful lunar colonization. Several processes were put forth to accomplish this. The lunar liquid oxygen (LLOX) generation schemes which have received the most study to date are those involving: (1) the reduction of ilmenite (FeTiO3) by H2, C, CO, CH4, CO-Cl2 plasma; (2) magma electrolysis, both unadulterated and fluoride-fluxed, and (3) several others, including carbo-chlorination, HF acid leaching, fluorine extraction, magma oxidation, and vapor pyrolysis. The H2 reduction of ilmenite and magma electrolysis processes have received the most study to date. At this stage of development, they both appear feasible schemes with various pros and cons. However, all processes should be addressed at least at the onset of the considerations. It is ultimatley the energy requirements of the entire process, including the acquisition of feedstock, which will determine the mode of oxygen productions. There is an obvious need for considerably more experimentation and study. Some of these requisite studies are in progress, and several of the most studied and feasible processes for winning oxygen from lunar materials are reviewed.

REE enrichment in granite-derived regolith deposits of the southeast United States: Prospective source rocks and accumulation processes

Science.gov (United States)

Foley, Nora K.; Ayuso, Robert A.; Simandl, G.J.; Neetz, M.

2015-01-01

The Southeastern United States contains numerous anorogenic, or A-type, granites, which constitute promising source rocks for REE-enriched ion adsorption clay deposits due to their inherently high concentrations of REE. These granites have undergone a long history of chemical weathering, resulting in thick granite-derived regoliths, akin to those of South China, which supply virtually all heavy REE and Y, and a significant portion of light REE to global markets. Detailed comparisons of granite regolith profiles formed on the Stewartsville and Striped Rock plutons, and the Robertson River batholith (Virginia) indicate that REE are mobile and can attain grades comparable to those of deposits currently mined in China. A REE-enriched parent, either A-type or I-type (highly fractionated igneous type) granite, is thought to be critical for generating the high concentrations of REE in regolith profiles. One prominent feature we recognize in many granites and mineralized regoliths is the tetrad behaviour displayed in REE chondrite-normalized patterns. Tetrad patterns in granite and regolith result from processes that promote the redistribution, enrichment, and fractionation of REE, such as late- to post- magmatic alteration of granite and silicate hydrolysis in the regolith. Thus, REE patterns showing tetrad effects may be a key for discriminating highly prospective source rocks and regoliths with potential for REE ion adsorption clay deposits.

Grain-Scale Supercharging and Breakdown on Airless Regoliths

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmerman, M. I.; Farrell, W. M.; Hartzell, C.M.; Wang, X.; Horanyi, M.; Hurley, D. M.; Hibbitts, K.

2016-01-01

Interactions of the solar wind and emitted photoelectrons with airless bodies have been studied extensively. However, the details of how charged particles interact with the regolith at the scale of a single grain have remained largely uncharacterized. Recent efforts have focused upon determining total surface charge under photoemission and solar wind bombardment and the associated electric field and potential. In this work, theory and simulations are used to show that grain-grain charge differences can exceed classical sheath predictions by several orders of magnitude, sometimes reaching dielectric breakdown levels. Temperature-dependent electrical conductivity works against supercharging by allowing current to leak through individual grains; the balance between internal conduction and surface charging controls the maximum possible grain-to-grain electric field. Understanding the finer details of regolith grain charging, conductive equilibrium, and dielectric breakdown will improve future numerical studies of space weathering and dust levitation on airless bodies.

Preliminary Broadband Measurements of Dielectric Permittivity of Planetary Regolith Analog Materials Using a Coaxial Airline

Science.gov (United States)

Boivin, A.; Tsai, C. A.; Ghent, R. R.; Daly, M. G.

2014-12-01

When considering radar observations of airless bodies containing regolith, the radar backscatter coefficient is dependent upon the complex dielectric permittivity of the regolith materials. In many current applications of imaging radar data, uncertainty in the dielectric permittivity precludes quantitative estimates of such important parameters as regolith thickness and depth to buried features (e.g., lava flows on the Aristarchus Plateau on the Moon and the flows that surround the Quetzalpetlatl Corona on Venus). For asteroids, radar is an important tool for detecting and characterizing regoliths. Many previous measurements of the real and/or complex parts of the dielectric permittivity have been made, particularly for the Moon (on both Apollo samples and regolith analogues). However, no studies to date have systematically explored the relationship between permittivity and the various mineralogical components such as presence of FeO and TiO2. For lunar materials, the presence of the mineral ilmenite (FeTiO3), which contains equal portions FeO and TiO2, is thought to be the dominant factor controlling the loss tangent (tanδ, the ratio of the imaginary and real components of the dielectric permittivity). Ilmenite, however, is not the only mineral to contain iron in the lunar soil and our understanding of the effect of iron on the loss tangent is insufficient. Beyond the Moon, little is known about the effects on permittivity of carbonaceous materials. This is particularly relevant for missions to asteroids, such as the OSIRIS-REx mission to (101955) Bennu, a carbonaceous asteroid whose regolith composition is largely unknown. Here we present preliminary broadband (300 Mhz to 14 GHz) measurements on materials intended as planetary regolith analogs. Our ultimate goal is to establish a database of the effects of a wide range mineralogical components on dielectric permittivity, in support of the OSIRIS REx mission and ongoing Earth-based radar investigation of the Moon

Regolith properties under trees and the biomechanical effects caused by tree root systems as recognized by electrical resistivity tomography (ERT)

Science.gov (United States)

Pawlik, Łukasz; Kasprzak, Marek

2018-01-01

Following previous findings regarding the influence of vascular plants (mainly trees) on weathering, soil production and hillslope stability, in this study, we attempted to test a hypothesis regarding significant impacts of tree root systems on soil and regolith properties. Different types of impacts from tree root system (direct and indirect) are commonly gathered under the key term of "biomechanical effects". To add to the discussion of the biomechanical effects of trees, we used a non-invasive geophysical method, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), to investigate the profiles of four different configurations at three study sites within the Polish section of the Outer Western Carpathians. At each site, one long profile (up to 189 m) of a large section of a hillslope and three short profiles (up to 19.5 m), that is, microsites occupied by trees or their remnants, were made. Short profiles included the tree root zone of a healthy large tree, the tree stump of a decaying tree and the pit-and-mound topography formed after a tree uprooting. The resistivity of regolith and bedrock presented on the long profiles and in comparison with the short profiles through the microsites it can be seen how tree roots impact soil and regolith properties and add to the complexity of the whole soil/regolith profile. Trees change soil and regolith properties directly through root channels and moisture migration and indirectly through the uprooting of trees and the formation of pit-and-mound topography. Within tree stump microsites, the impact of tree root systems, evaluated by a resistivity model, was smaller compared to microsites with living trees or those with pit-and-mound topography but was still visible even several decades after the trees were windbroken or cut down. The ERT method is highly useful for quick evaluation of the impact of tree root systems on soils and regolith. This method, in contrast to traditional soil analyses, offers a continuous dataset for the entire

Modeling the Expected Performance of the REgolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS)

OpenAIRE

Inamdar, Niraj K.; Binzel, Richard P.; Hong, Jae Sub; Allen, Branden; Grindlay, Jonathan; Masterson, Rebecca A.

2014-01-01

OSIRIS-REx is the third spacecraft in the NASA New Frontiers Program and is planned for launch in 2016. OSIRIS-REx will orbit the near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu, characterize it, and return a sample of the asteroid's regolith back to Earth. The Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) is an instrument on OSIRIS-REx designed and built by students at MIT and Harvard. The purpose of REXIS is to collect and image sun-induced fluorescent X-rays emitted by Bennu, thereby providing spectrosco...

Regolith-geology mapping with support vector machine: A case study over weathered Ni-bearing peridotites, New Caledonia

Science.gov (United States)

De Boissieu, Florian; Sevin, Brice; Cudahy, Thomas; Mangeas, Morgan; Chevrel, Stéphane; Ong, Cindy; Rodger, Andrew; Maurizot, Pierre; Laukamp, Carsten; Lau, Ian; Touraivane, Touraivane; Cluzel, Dominique; Despinoy, Marc

2018-02-01

Accurate maps of Earth's geology, especially its regolith, are required for managing the sustainable exploration and development of mineral resources. This paper shows how airborne imaging hyperspectral data collected over weathered peridotite rocks in vegetated, mountainous terrane in New Caledonia were processed using a combination of methods to generate a regolith-geology map that could be used for more efficiently targeting Ni exploration. The image processing combined two usual methods, which are spectral feature extraction and support vector machine (SVM). This rationale being the spectral features extraction can rapidly reduce data complexity by both targeting only the diagnostic mineral absorptions and masking those pixels complicated by vegetation, cloud and deep shade. SVM is a supervised classification method able to generate an optimal non-linear classifier with these features that generalises well even with limited training data. Key minerals targeted are serpentine, which is considered as an indicator for hydrolysed peridotitic rock, and iron oxy-hydroxides (hematite and goethite), which are considered as diagnostic of laterite development. The final classified regolith map was assessed against interpreted regolith field sites, which yielded approximately 70% similarity for all unit types, as well as against a regolith-geology map interpreted using traditional datasets (not hyperspectral imagery). Importantly, the hyperspectral derived mineral map provided much greater detail enabling a more precise understanding of the regolith-geological architecture where there are exposed soils and rocks.

Assessing the elements mobility through the regolith and their potential as tracers for hydrological processes

Science.gov (United States)

Moragues-Quiroga, Cristina; Hissler, Christophe; Chabaux, François; Legout, Arnaud; Stille, Peter

2017-04-01

Regoliths encompass different materials from the fresh bedrock to the top of the organic horizons. The regolith is a major component of the critical zone where fluxes of water, energy, solutes and matter occur. Therefore, its bio-physico-chemical properties drastically impact the water that percolates and/or stores in its different parts (organic and mineral soil horizons, and weathered and fractured bedrock). In order to better understand the critical zone functioning, we propose to assess the interaction between chemical elements from the regolith matrix and water during drainage infiltration. For this, we focus firstly on the potential mobility of different groups of major and trace elements according to a leaching experiment made on 10 different layers of a 7.5 m depth slate regolith, which covers a large part of the Rhenish Massif. Secondly, we carried out Sr-Nd-Pb-U-Th isotope analyses for 5 of these samples in both the untreated and leached samples. Given the specific chemical and mineralogical composition of each sampled material, our approach enables to trace the origin of major and trace elements and eventually assess their mobility. The results deliver valuable information on exchange processes at the water-mineral interface in the different zones of the regolith, which could improve the selection of tracers for the study of hydrological processes.

High Fidelity Regolith Simulation Tool for ISRU Applications, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — NASA has serious unmet needs for simulation tools capable of predicting the behavior of lunar regolith in proposed excavation, transport and handling systems....

Evolution of Shock Melt Compositions in Lunar Regoliths

Science.gov (United States)

Vance, A. M.; Christoffersen, R.; Keller, L. P.; Berger, E. L.; Noble, S. K.

2016-01-01

Space weathering processes - driven primarily by solar wind ion and micrometeorite bombardment, are constantly changing the surface regoliths of airless bodies, such as the Moon. It is essential to study lunar soils in order to fully under-stand the processes of space weathering, and how they alter the optical reflectance spectral properties of the lunar surface relative to bedrock. Lunar agglutinates are aggregates of regolith grains fused together in a glassy matrix of shock melt produced during micrometeorite impacts into the lunar regolith. The formation of the shock melt component in agglutinates involves reduction of Fe in the target material to generate nm-scale spherules of metallic Fe (nanophase Fe0 or npFe0). The ratio of elemental Fe, in the form of npFe0, to FeO in a given bulk soil indicates its maturity, which increases with length of surface exposure as well as being typically higher in the finer-size fraction of soils. The melting and mixing process in agglutinate formation remain poorly understood. This includes incomplete knowledge regarding how the homogeneity and overall compositional trends of the agglutinate glass portions (agglutinitic glass) evolve with maturity. The aim of this study is to use sub-micrometer scale X-ray compositional mapping and image analysis to quantify the chemical homogeneity of agglutinitic glass, correlate its homogeneity to its parent soil maturity, and identify the principal chemical components contributing to the shock melt composition variations. An additional focus is to see if agglutinitic glass contains anomalously high Fe sub-micron scale compositional domains similar to those recently reported in glassy patina coatings on lunar rocks.

The Strata-l Experiment on Microgravity Regolith Segregation

Science.gov (United States)

Fries, M.; Abell, P.; Brisset, J.; Britt, D.; Colwell, J.; Durda, D.; Dove, A.; Graham, L.; Hartzell, C.; John, K.;

Echo simulation of lunar penetrating radar: based on a model of inhomogeneous multilayer lunar regolith structure

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Shun; Su, Yan; Xiao, Yuan; Feng, Jian-Qing; Xing, Shu-Guo; Ding, Chun-Yu

2014-12-01

Lunar Penetrating Radar (LPR) based on the time domain Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technique onboard China's Chang'e-3 (CE-3) rover, has the goal of investigating the lunar subsurface structure and detecting the depth of lunar regolith. An inhomogeneous multi-layer microwave transfer inverse-model is established. The dielectric constant of the lunar regolith, the velocity of propagation, the reflection, refraction and transmission at interfaces, and the resolution are discussed. The model is further used to numerically simulate and analyze temporal variations in the echo obtained from the LPR attached on CE-3's rover, to reveal the location and structure of lunar regolith. The thickness of the lunar regolith is calculated by a comparison between the simulated radar B-scan images based on the model and the detected result taken from the CE-3 lunar mission. The potential scientific return from LPR echoes taken from the landing region is also discussed.

Echo simulation of lunar penetrating radar: based on a model of inhomogeneous multilayer lunar regolith structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dai Shun; Su Yan; Xiao Yuan; Feng Jian-Qing; Xing Shu-Guo; Ding Chun-Yu

2014-01-01

Lunar Penetrating Radar (LPR) based on the time domain Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technique onboard China's Chang'e-3 (CE-3) rover, has the goal of investigating the lunar subsurface structure and detecting the depth of lunar regolith. An inhomogeneous multi-layer microwave transfer inverse-model is established. The dielectric constant of the lunar regolith, the velocity of propagation, the reflection, refraction and transmission at interfaces, and the resolution are discussed. The model is further used to numerically simulate and analyze temporal variations in the echo obtained from the LPR attached on CE-3's rover, to reveal the location and structure of lunar regolith. The thickness of the lunar regolith is calculated by a comparison between the simulated radar B-scan images based on the model and the detected result taken from the CE-3 lunar mission. The potential scientific return from LPR echoes taken from the landing region is also discussed

Distribution of Amino Acids in Lunar Regolith

Science.gov (United States)

Elsila, J. E.; Callahan, M. P.; Glavin, D. P.; Dworkin, J. P.; Noble, S. K.; Gibson, E. K., Jr.

2014-01-01

One of the most eagerly studied questions upon initial return of lunar samples was whether significant amounts of organic compounds, including amino acids, were present. Analyses during the 1970s produced only tentative and inconclusive identifications of indigenous amino acids. Those analyses were hampered by analytical difficulties including relative insensitivity to certain compounds, the inability to separate chiral enantiomers, and the lack of compound-specific isotopic measurements, which made it impossible to determine whether the detected amino acids were indigenous to the lunar samples or the results of contamination. Numerous advances have been made in instrumentation and methodology for amino acid characterization in extraterrestrial samples in the intervening years, yet the origin of amino acids in lunar regolith samples has been revisited only once for a single lunar sample, (3) and remains unclear. Here, we present initial data from the analyses of amino acid abundances in 12 lunar regolith samples. We discuss these abundances in the context of four potential amino acid sources: (1) terrestrial biological contamination; (2) contamination from lunar module (LM) exhaust; (3) derivation from solar windimplanted precursors; and (4) exogenous delivery from meteorites.

Production of Singlet Oxygen in a Non-Self-Sustained Discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasil'eva, A.N.; Klopovskii, K.S.; Kovalev, A.S.; Lopaev, D.V.; Mankelevich, Yu.A.; Popov, N.A.; Rakhimov, A.T.; Rakhimova, T.V.

2005-01-01

The production of O 2 (a 1 Δ g ) singlet oxygen in non-self-sustained discharges in pure oxygen and mixtures of oxygen with noble gases (Ar or He) was studied experimentally. It is shown that the energy efficiency of O 2 (a 1 Δ g ) production can be optimized with respect to the reduced electric field E/N. It is shown that the optimal E/N values correspond to electron temperatures of 1.2-1.4 eV. At these E/N values, a decrease in the oxygen percentage in the mixture leads to an increase in the excitation rate of singlet oxygen because of the increase in the specific energy deposition per O 2 molecule. The onset of discharge instabilities not only greatly reduces the energy efficiency of singlet oxygen production but also makes it impossible to achieve high energy deposition in a non-self-sustained discharge. A model of a non-self-sustained discharge in pure oxygen is developed. It is shown that good agreement between the experimental and computed results for a discharge in oxygen over a wide range of reduced electric fields can be achieved only by taking into account the ion component of the discharge current. The cross section for the electron-impact excitation of O 2 (a 1 Δ g ) and the kinetic scheme of the discharge processes with the participation of singlet oxygen are verified by comparing the experimental and computed data on the energy efficiency of the production of O 2 (a 1 Δ g ) and the dynamics of its concentration. It is shown that, in the dynamics of O 2 (a 1 Δ g ) molecules in the discharge afterglow, an important role is played by their deexcitation in a three-body reaction with the participation of O( 3 P) atoms. At high energy depositions in a non-self-sustained discharge, this reaction can reduce the maximal attainable concentration of singlet oxygen. The effect of a hydrogen additive to an Ar : O 2 mixture is analyzed based on the results obtained using the model developed. It is shown that, for actual electron beam current densities, a

Apollo 16 regolith breccias and soils - Recorders of exotic component addition to the Descartes region of the moon

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, S. B.; Papike, J. J.; Laul, J. C.; Hughes, S. S.; Schmitt, R. A.

1988-01-01

Using the subdivision of Apollo 16 regolith breccias into ancient (about 4 Gyr) and younger samples (McKay et al., 1986), with the present-day soils as a third sample, a petrologic and chemical determination of regolith evolution and exotic component addition at the A-16 site was performed. The modal petrologies and mineral and chemical compositions of the regolith breccias in the region are presented. It is shown that the early regolith was composed of fragments of plutonic rocks, impact melt rocks, and minerals and impact glasses. It is found that KREEP lithologies and impact melts formed early in lunar history. The mare components, mainly orange high-TiO2 glass and green low-TiO2 glass, were added to the site after formation of the ancient breccias and prior to the formation of young breccias. The major change in the regolith since the formation of the young breccias is an increase in maturity represented by the formation of fused soil particles with prolonged exposure to micrometeorite impacts.

Recent advances in oxygen production for gasification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gunardson, H.H. [Air Products Canada Ltd., Mississauga, ON (Canada)

2005-07-01

This paper described the Ionic Transport Membrane (ITM) technology that reduces the overall cost of the gasification process by 7 per cent. Gasification is a proven, but expensive technology for producing hydrogen and synthesis gas from low cost hydrocarbon feedstock. Gasification is also an alternative to conventional steam methane reforming based on natural gas. A key cost element in gasification is the production of oxygen. For that reason, Air Products Canada Limited developed a ceramic membrane air separation technology that can reduce the cost of pure oxygen by more than 30 per cent. The separation technology achieves a capital cost reduction of 30 per cent and an energy reduction of 35 per cent over conventional cryogenic air separation. ITM is an electrochemical process that integrates very well with the gasification process and an integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) option for production of electrical power from the waste heat generated from gasification. This paper described the integration of ITM technology with both the gasification and IGCC processes and showed how the superior economics of ITM can allow gasification to compete with steam methane reforming and thereby reduce dependency of oil sands development on increasingly scarce and costly natural gas.

Improvement of lipase production at different stirring speeds and oxygen levels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F.O.M. Alonso

2005-03-01

Full Text Available Lipase production by a Brazilian wild strain of Yarrowia lipolytica at different stirring speeds and air flow rates was studied. The relationship among lipid consumption, cell growth and lipase production by this microorganism is presented. The most pronounced effect of oxygen on lipase production was determined by stirring speed. Maximum lipase activity was detected in the late stationary phase at 200 rpm and an air flow rate of 1-2 dm³/min (0.8-1.7 vvm when the lipid source had been fully consumed. Higher stirring speeds resulted in mechanical and/or oxidative stress, while lower stirring speeds seemed to limit oxygen levels. An increase in the availability of oxygen at higher air flow rates led to faster lipid uptake and anticipation of enzyme release into the culture medium. The highest lipase production was obtained at 200 rpm and 1 dm³/min (0.8 vvm.

Water and Regolith Shielding for Surface Reactor Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Poston, David I.; Ade, Brian J.; Sadasivan, Pratap; Leichliter, Katrina J.; Dixon, David D.

2006-01-01

This paper investigates potential shielding options for surface power fission reactors. The majority of work is focused on a lunar shield that uses a combination of water in stainless-steel cans and lunar regolith. The major advantage of a water-based shield is that development, testing, and deployment should be relatively inexpensive. This shielding approach is used for three surface reactor concepts: (1) a moderated spectrum, NaK cooled, Hastalloy/UZrH reactor, (2) a fast-spectrum, NaK-cooled, SS/UO2 reactor, and (3) a fast-spectrum, K-heat-pipe-cooled, SS/UO2 reactor. For this study, each of these reactors is coupled to a 25-kWt Stirling power system, designed for 5 year life. The shields are designed to limit the dose both to the Stirling alternators and potential astronauts on the surface. The general configuration used is to bury the reactor, but several other options exist as well. Dose calculations are presented as a function of distance from reactor, depth of buried hole, water boron concentration (if any), and regolith repacked density.

Water and Regolith Shielding for Surface Reactor Missions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poston, David I.; Sadasivan, Pratap; Dixon, David D.; Ade, Brian J.; Leichliter, Katrina J.

2006-01-01

This paper investigates potential shielding options for surface power fission reactors. The majority of work is focused on a lunar shield that uses a combination of water in stainless-steel cans and lunar regolith. The major advantage of a water-based shield is that development, testing, and deployment should be relatively inexpensive. This shielding approach is used for three surface reactor concepts: (1) a moderated spectrum, NaK cooled, Hastalloy/UZrH reactor, (2) a fast-spectrum, NaK-cooled, SS/UO2 reactor, and (3) a fast-spectrum, K-heat-pipe-cooled, SS/UO2 reactor. For this study, each of these reactors is coupled to a 25-kWt Stirling power system, designed for 5 year life. The shields are designed to limit the dose both to the Stirling alternators and potential astronauts on the surface. The general configuration used is to bury the reactor, but several other options exist as well. Dose calculations are presented as a function of distance from reactor, depth of buried hole, water boron concentration (if any), and regolith repacked density

Atomic oxygen production scaling in a nanosecond-pulsed externally grounded dielectric barrier plasma jet

Science.gov (United States)

Sands, Brian; Schmidt, Jacob; Ganguly, Biswa; Scofield, James

2014-10-01

Atomic oxygen production is studied in a capillary dielectric barrier plasma jet that is externally grounded and driven with a 20-ns risetime positive unipolar pulsed voltage at pulse repetition rates up to 25 kHz. The power coupled to the discharge can be easily increased by increasing the pulse repetition rate. At a critical turnover frequency, determined by the net energy density coupled to the discharge, the plasma chemistry abruptly changes. This is indicated by increased plasma conductance and a transition in reactive oxygen species production from an ozone-dominated production regime below the turnover frequency to atomic-oxygen-dominated production at higher pulse rates. Here, we characterize atomic oxygen production scaling using spatially- and temporally-resolved two-photon absorption laser-induced-fluorescence (TALIF). Quantitative results are obtained via calibration with xenon using a similar laser excitation and collection system. These results are compared with quantitative ozone and discharge power measurements using a helium gas flow with oxygen admixtures up to 3%.

Novel Instrumentation for Lunar Regolith Oxygen Production Facilities, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — In this SBIR effort, Los Gatos Research (LGR) proposes to develop, test and deploy three novel compact, rugged and easy-to-use multi-gas analysis instruments, based...

Magnetic Sorting of the Regolith on the Moon: Lunar Swirls

Science.gov (United States)

Pieters, C. M.; Garrick-Bethell, I.; Hemingway, D.

2014-12-01

All of the mysterious albedo features on the Moon called "lunar swirls" are associated with magnetic anomalies, but not all magnetic anomalies are associated with lunar swirls [1]. It is often hypothesized that the albedo markings are tied to immature regolith on the surface, perhaps due to magnetic shielding of the solar wind and prevention of normal space weathering of the soil. Although interaction of the solar wind with the surface at swirls is indeed affected by the local magnetic field [2], this does not appear to result in immature soils on the surface. Calibrated spectra from the Moon Mineralogy Mapper [M3] (in image format) demonstrate that the high albedo markings for swirls are simply not consistent with immature regolith as is now understood from detailed analyses of lunar samples [eg 3]. However, M3 data show that the high albedo features of swirls are distinct and quite different from normal soils (in both the highlands and the mare). They allexhibit a flatter continuum across the near-infrared, but the actual band strength of ferrous minerals shows little (if any) deviation [4]. Recent analyses of magnetic field direction at swirls [5] mimic the observed albedo patterns (horizontal surface fields in bright areas, vertical surface fields in dark lanes). When coupled with the optical properties of magnetic separates of lunar soils [6] and our knowledge that the magnetic component of the soil results from space weathering [3,6], we propose a new and very simple explanation for these enigmatic albedo markings: the lunar swirls result from magnetic sorting of a well developed regolith. With time, normal gardening of the soil over a magnetic anomaly causes some of the dark magnetic component of the soil to be gradually removed from regions (high albedo areas) and accumulated in others (dark lanes). We are modeling predicted sorting rates using realistic rates of dust production. If this mechanism is tenable, only the origin of these magnetic anomalies

Thermal design of a Mars oxygen production plant

Science.gov (United States)

Sridhar, K. R.; Iyer, Venkatesh A.

1991-01-01

The optimal design of the thermal components of a system that uses carbon dioxide from the Martian atmosphere to produce oxygen for spacecraft propulsion and/or life support is discussed. The gases are pressurized, heated and passed through an electrochemical cell. Carbon dioxide is reduced to carbon monoxide and oxygen due to thermal dissociation and electrocatalysis. The oxygen thus formed is separated from the gas mixture by the electrochemical cell. The objective of the design is to optimize both the overall mass and the power consumption of the system. The analysis shows that at electrochemical cell efficiencies of about 50 percent and lower, the optimal system would require unspent carbon dioxide in the exhaust gases to be separated and recycled. Various methods of efficiently compressing the intake gases to system pressures of 0.1 MPa are investigated. The total power requirement for oxygen production rates of 1, 5, and 10 kg/day at various cell efficiencies are presented.

LUNAR OUTGASSING, TRANSIENT PHENOMENA, AND THE RETURN TO THE MOON. II. PREDICTIONS AND TESTS FOR OUTGASSING/REGOLITH INTERACTIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crotts, Arlin P. S.; Hummels, Cameron

2009-01-01

We follow Paper I with predictions of how gas leaking through the lunar surface could influence the regolith, as might be observed via optical transient lunar phenomena (TLPs) and related effects. We touch on several processes, but concentrate on low and high flow rate extremes, which are perhaps the most likely. We model explosive outgassing for the smallest gas overpressure at the regolith base that releases the regolith plug above it. This disturbance's timescale and affected area are consistent with observed TLPs; we also discuss other effects. For slow flow, escape through the regolith is prolonged by low diffusivity. Water, found recently in deep magma samples, is unique among candidate volatiles, capable of freezing between the regolith base and surface, especially near the lunar poles. For major outgassing sites, we consider the possible accumulation of water ice. Over geological time, ice accumulation can evolve downward through the regolith. Depending on gases additional to water, regolith diffusivity might be suppressed chemically, blocking seepage and forcing the ice zone to expand to larger areas, up to km 2 scales, again, particularly at high latitudes. We propose an empirical path forward, wherein current and forthcoming technologies provide controlled, sensitive probes of outgassing. The optical transient/outgassing connection, addressed via Earth-based remote sensing, suggests imaging and/or spectroscopy, but aspects of lunar outgassing might be more covert, as indicated above. TLPs betray some outgassing, but does outgassing necessarily produce TLPs? We also suggest more intrusive techniques from radar to in situ probes. Understanding lunar volatiles seems promising in terms of resource exploitation for human exploration of the Moon and beyond, and offers interesting scientific goals in its own right. Many of these approaches should be practiced in a pristine lunar atmosphere, before significant confusing signals likely to be produced upon humans

High Fidelity Multi-Scale Regolith Simulation Tool for ISRU, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — NASA has serious unmet needs for simulation tools capable of predicting the behavior of lunar regolith in proposed excavation, transport and handling systems....

2007 Lunar Regolith Simulant Workshop Overview

Science.gov (United States)

McLemore, Carole A.; Fikes, John C.; Howell, Joe T.

2007-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) vision has as a cornerstone, the establishment of an Outpost on the Moon. This Lunar Outpost will eventually provide the necessary planning, technology development, and training for a manned mission to Mars in the future. As part of the overall activity, NASA is conducting Earth-based research and advancing technologies to a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 maturity under the Exploration Technology Development Program that will be incorporated into the Constellation Project as well as other projects. All aspects of the Lunar environment, including the Lunar regolith and its properties, are important in understanding the long-term impacts to hardware, scientific instruments, and humans prior to returning to the Moon and living on the Moon. With the goal of reducing risk to humans and hardware and increasing mission success on the Lunar surface, it is vital that terrestrial investigations including both development and verification testing have access to Lunar-like environments. The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is supporting this endeavor by developing, characterizing, and producing Lunar simulants in addition to analyzing existing simulants for appropriate applications. A Lunar Regolith Simulant Workshop was conducted by MSFC in Huntsville, Alabama, in October 2007. The purpose of the Workshop was to bring together simulant developers, simulant users, and program and project managers from ETDP and Constellation with the goals of understanding users' simulant needs and their applications. A status of current simulant developments such as the JSC-1A (Mare Type Simulant) and the NASA/U.S. Geological Survey Lunar Highlands-Type Pilot Simulant (NU-LHT-1 M) was provided. The method for evaluating simulants, performed via Figures of Merit (FoMs) algorithms, was presented and a demonstration was provided. The four FoM properties currently being assessed are: size, shape, density, and composition. Some of the

Controlled temperature expansion in oxygen production by molten alkali metal salts

Science.gov (United States)

Erickson, Donald C.

1985-06-04

A continuous process is set forth for the production of oxygen from an oxygen containing gas stream, such as air, by contacting a feed gas stream with a molten solution of an oxygen acceptor to oxidize the acceptor and cyclically regenerating the oxidized acceptor by releasing oxygen from the acceptor wherein the oxygen-depleted gas stream from the contact zone is treated sequentially to temperature reduction by heat exchange against the feed stream so as to condense out entrained oxygen acceptor for recycle to the process, combustion of the gas stream with fuel to elevate its temperature and expansion of the combusted high temperature gas stream in a turbine to recover power.

Data processing of the active neutron experiment DAN for a Martian regolith investigation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanin, A.B., E-mail: sanin@mx.iki.rssi.ru [Space Research Institute (IKI), RAS, Moscow (Russian Federation); Mitrofanov, I.G.; Litvak, M.L.; Lisov, D.I. [Space Research Institute (IKI), RAS, Moscow (Russian Federation); Starr, R. [Catholic University of America, Washington, DC (United States); Boynton, W. [University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States); Behar, A.; DeFlores, L. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (United States); Fedosov, F.; Golovin, D. [Space Research Institute (IKI), RAS, Moscow (Russian Federation); Hardgrove, C. [University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Harshman, K. [University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States); Jun, I. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (United States); Kozyrev, A.S. [Space Research Institute (IKI), RAS, Moscow (Russian Federation); Kuzmin, R.O. [Space Research Institute (IKI), RAS, Moscow (Russian Federation); Vernadsky Institute for Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Moscow (Russian Federation); Malakhov, A. [Space Research Institute (IKI), RAS, Moscow (Russian Federation); Milliken, R. [Brown University, Providence, RI (United States); Mischna, M. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (United States); Moersch, J. [University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Mokrousov, M.I. [Space Research Institute (IKI), RAS, Moscow (Russian Federation); and others

2015-07-21

Searching for water in the soil of Gale Crater is one of the primary tasks for the NASA Mars Science Laboratory rover named Curiosity. The primary task of the Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) experiment on board the rover is to investigate and qualitatively characterize the presence of water along the rover’s traverse across Gale Crater. The water depth distribution may be found from measurements of neutrons generated by the Pulsing Neutron Generator (PNG) included in the DAN instrument, scattered by the regolith and returned back to the detectors. This paper provides a description of the data processing of such measurements and data products of DAN investigation.

Photosynthetic oxygen production in a warmer ocean: the Sargasso Sea as a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Richardson, Katherine; Bendtsen, Jørgen

2017-09-13

Photosynthetic O 2 production can be an important source of oxygen in sub-surface ocean waters especially in permanently stratified oligotrophic regions of the ocean where O 2 produced in deep chlorophyll maxima (DCM) is not likely to be outgassed. Today, permanently stratified regions extend across approximately 40% of the global ocean and their extent is expected to increase in a warmer ocean. Thus, predicting future ocean oxygen conditions requires a better understanding of the potential response of photosynthetic oxygen production to a warmer ocean. Based on our own and published observations of water column processes in oligotrophic regions, we develop a one-dimensional water column model describing photosynthetic oxygen production in the Sargasso Sea to quantify the importance of photosynthesis for the downward flux of O 2 and examine how it may be influenced in a warmer ocean. Photosynthesis is driven in the model by vertical mixing of nutrients (including eddy-induced mixing) and diazotrophy and is found to substantially increase the downward O 2 flux relative to physical-chemical processes alone. Warming (2°C) surface waters does not significantly change oxygen production at the DCM. Nor does a 15% increase in re-mineralization rate (assuming Q 10  = 2; 2°C warming) have significant effect on net sub-surface oxygen accumulation. However, changes in the relative production of particulate (POM) and dissolved organic material (DOM) generate relatively large changes in net sub-surface oxygen production. As POM/DOM production is a function of plankton community composition, this implies plankton biodiversity and food web structure may be important factors influencing O 2 production in a warmer ocean.This article is part of the themed issue 'Ocean ventilation and deoxygenation in a warming world'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Influence of Martian regolith analogs on the activity and growth of methanogenic archaea, with special regard to long-term desiccation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janosch eSchirmack

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Methanogenic archaea have been studied as model organisms for possible life on Mars for several reasons: they can grow lithoautotrophically by using hydrogen and carbon dioxide as energy and carbon sources, respectively; they are anaerobes; and they evolved at a time when conditions on early Earth are believed to have looked similar to those of early Mars. As Mars is currently dry and cold and as water might be available only at certain time intervals, any organism living on this planet would need to cope with desiccation. On Earth there are several regions with low water availability as well, e.g. permafrost environments, desert soils and salt pans. Here, we present the results of a set of experiments investigating the influence of different Martian regolith analogs on the metabolic activity and growth of three methanogenic strains exposed to culture conditions as well as long-term desiccation. In most cases, concentrations below 1 %wt of regolith in the media resulted in an increase of methane production rates, whereas higher concentrations decreased the rates, thus prolonging the lag phase. Further experiments showed that methanogenic archaea are capable of producing methane when incubated on a water-saturated sedimentary matrix of regolith lacking nutrients. Survival of methanogens under these conditions was analyzed with a 400 day desiccation experiment in the presence of regolith analogs. All tested strains of methanogens survived the desiccation period as it was determined through reincubation on fresh medium and via qPCR following propidium monoazide treatment to identify viable cells. The survival of long-term desiccation and the ability of active metabolism on water-saturated MRAs strengthens the possibility of methanogenic archaea or physiologically similar organisms to exist in environmental niches on Mars. The best results were achieved in presence of a phyllosilicate, which provides insights of possible positive effects in habitats

The Nature of C Asteroid Regolith Revealed from the Jbilet Winselwan CM Chondrite

Science.gov (United States)

Zolensky, Michael; Mikouchi, Takashi; Hagiya, Kenji; Ohsumi, Kazumasa; Komatsu, Mutsumi; Chan, Queenie H. S.; Le, Loan; Kring, David; Cato, Michael; Fagan, Amy L.

2016-01-01

C-class asteroids frequently exhibit reflectance spectra consistent with thermally metamorphosed carbonaceous chondrites, or a mixture of phyllosilicate-rich material along with regions where they are absent. One particularly important example appears to be asteroid 162173 Ryugu, the target of the Hayabusa 2 mission, although most spectra of Ryugu are featureless, suggesting a heterogeneous regolith. Here we explore an alternative cause of dehydration of regolith of C-class asteroids - impact shock melting. Impact shock melting has been proposed to ex-plain some mineralogical characteristics of CB chondrites, but has rarely been considered a major process for hydrous carbonaceous chondrites.

Component and System Sensitivity Considerations for Design of a Lunar ISRU Oxygen Production Plant

Science.gov (United States)

Linne, Diane L.; Gokoglu, Suleyman; Hegde, Uday G.; Balasubramaniam, Ramaswamy; Santiago-Maldonado, Edgardo

2009-01-01

Component and system sensitivities of some design parameters of ISRU system components are analyzed. The differences between terrestrial and lunar excavation are discussed, and a qualitative comparison of large and small excavators is started. The effect of excavator size on the size of the ISRU plant's regolith hoppers is presented. Optimum operating conditions of both hydrogen and carbothermal reduction reactors are explored using recently developed analytical models. Design parameters such as batch size, conversion fraction, and maximum particle size are considered for a hydrogen reduction reactor while batch size, conversion fraction, number of melt zones, and methane flow rate are considered for a carbothermal reduction reactor. For both reactor types the effect of reactor operation on system energy and regolith delivery requirements is presented.

Description of regolith at Laxemar-Simpevarp. Site descriptive modelling SDM-Site Laxemar

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sohlenius, Gustav; Hedenstroem, Anna (Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU), Uppsala (Sweden))

2008-11-15

This report compiles all known available information regarding the regolith in the Laxemar-Simpevarp regional model area. Regolith refers to the loose deposits overlying the bedrock. In the Laxemar-Simpevarp area, all known regolith was deposited during the Quaternary period and is consequently often referred to as Quaternary deposits (QD). In the terrestrial areas the uppermost part of the regolith, which has been affected by climate and vegetation, is referred to as soil. The geographical and stratigraphical distributions of the regolith have been used to construct a model showing the distribution of regolith depths in the whole model area. The stratigraphical units shown in the regolith depth and stratigraphy model have been characterised with respect to physical and chemical properties. Most of the data used for that characterisation have been obtained from the site investigation but some data were taken from the literature. All QD in the Laxemar area have most probably been deposited during or after the latest deglaciation. The ice sheet in the area moved from the north-west during the latest ice age. The Baltic Sea completely covered the investigated area after the latest deglaciation c 12,000 BC. Land uplift was fastest during the first few thousand years following the deglaciation and has subsequently decreased to the present value of 1 mm/year. Older QD have been eroded in areas exposed to waves and currents and the material has later been redeposited. Fine-grained sediments have been deposited on the floor of bays and in other sheltered positions. Peat has accumulated in many of the wetlands situated in topographically low positions. The groundwater table in many of the former wetlands has been artificially lowered to obtain land for forestry and agriculture, which has caused the peat to partly or completely oxidise. As land uplift proceeds, some new areas are being subjected to erosion at the same time as other new areas are becoming lakes and sheltered

Distribution and Origin of Amino Acids in Lunar Regolith Samples

Science.gov (United States)

Elsila, J. E.; Callahan, M. P.; Glavin, D. P.; Dworkin, J. P.; McLain, H. L.; Noble, S. K.; Gibson, E. K., Jr.

2015-01-01

The existence of organic compounds on the lunar surface has been a question of interest from the Apollo era to the present. Investigations of amino acids immediately after collection of lunar samples yielded inconclusive identifications, in part due to analytical limitations including insensitivity to certain compounds, an inability to separate enantiomers, and lack of compound-specific isotopic measurements. It was not possible to determine if the detected amino acids were indigenous to the lunar samples or the result of terrestrial contamination. Recently, we presented initial data from the analysis of amino acid abundances in 12 lunar regolith samples and discussed those results in the context of four potential amino acid sources [5]. Here, we expand on our previous work, focusing on amino acid abundances and distributions in seven regolith samples and presenting the first compound-specific carbon isotopic ratios measured for amino acids in a lunar sample.

Molecular Tuning of Phenylene-Vinylene Derivatives for Two-Photon Photosensitized Singlet Oxygen Production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Christian B.; Arnbjerg, Jacob; Johnsen, Mette

2009-01-01

Substituent-dependent features and properties of the sensitizer play an important role in the photosensitized production of singlet oxygen, O2(a1Δg). In this work, we systematically examine the effect of molecular changes in the sensitizer on the efficiency of singlet oxygen production using......, as the sensitizer, oligophenylene-vinylene derivatives designed to optimally absorb light in a nonlinear two-photon process. We demonstrate that one cannot always rely on rule-of-thumb guidelines when attempting to construct efficient two-photon singlet oxygen sensitizers. Rather, as a consequence of behavior...... that can deviate from the norm, a full investigation of the photophysical properties of the system is generally required. For example, it is acknowledged that the introduction of a ketone moiety to the sensitizer chromophore often results in more efficient production of singlet oxygen. However, we show...

Modeling the expected performance of the REgolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS)

Science.gov (United States)

Inamdar, Niraj K.; Binzel, Richard P.; Hong, Jae Sub; Allen, Branden; Grindlay, Jonathan; Masterson, Rebecca A.

2014-09-01

OSIRIS-REx is the third spacecraft in the NASA New Frontiers Program and is planned for launch in 2016. OSIRIS-REx will orbit the near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu, characterize it, and return a sample of the asteroid's regolith back to Earth. The Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) is an instrument on OSIRIS-REx designed and built by students at MIT and Harvard. The purpose of REXIS is to collect and image sun-induced fluorescent X-rays emitted by Bennu, thereby providing spectroscopic information related to the elemental makeup of the asteroid regolith and the distribution of features over its surface. Telescopic reflectance spectra suggest a CI or CM chondrite analog meteorite class for Bennu, where this primitive nature strongly motivates its study. A number of factors, however, will influence the generation, measurement, and interpretation of the X-ray spectra measured by REXIS. These include: the compositional nature and heterogeneity of Bennu, the time-variable solar state, X-ray detector characteristics, and geometric parameters for the observations. In this paper, we will explore how these variables influence the precision to which REXIS can measure Bennu's surface composition. By modeling the aforementioned factors, we place bounds on the expected performance of REXIS and its ability to ultimately place Bennu in an analog meteorite class.

High Surface Area Iridium Anodes and Melt Containers for Molten Oxide Electrolysis, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Direct electrochemical reduction of molten regolith is the most attractive method of oxygen production on the lunar surface, because no additional chemical reagents...

Sputtering of Lunar Regolith Simulant by Protons and Multicharged Heavy Ions at Solar Wind Energies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyer, Fred W.; Harris, Peter R.; Taylor, C.N.; Meyer, Harry M. III; Barghouty, N.; Adams, J. Jr.

2011-01-01

We report preliminary results on sputtering of a lunar regolith simulant at room temperature by singly and multiply charged solar wind ions using quadrupole and time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry approaches. Sputtering of the lunar regolith by solar-wind heavy ions may be an important particle source that contributes to the composition of the lunar exosphere, and is a possible mechanism for lunar surface ageing and compositional modification. The measurements were performed in order to assess the relative sputtering efficiency of protons, which are the dominant constituent of the solar wind, and less abundant heavier multicharged solar wind constituents, which have higher physical sputtering yields than same-velocity protons, and whose sputtering yields may be further enhanced due to potential sputtering. Two different target preparation approaches using JSC-1A AGGL lunar regolith simulant are described and compared using SEM and XPS surface analysis.

Parabanic acid is the singlet oxygen specific oxidation product of uric acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Iida, Sayaka; Ohkubo, Yuki; Yamamoto, Yorihiro; Fujisawa, Akio

2017-11-01

Uric acid quenches singlet oxygen physically or reacts with it, but the oxidation product has not been previously characterized. The present study determined that the product is parabanic acid, which was confirmed by LC/TOFMS analysis. Parabanic acid was stable at acidic pH (acid at neutral or alkaline pH. The total yields of parabanic acid and oxaluric acid based on consumed uric acid were ~100% in clean singlet oxygen production systems such as UVA irradiation of Rose Bengal and thermal decomposition of 3-(1,4-dihydro-1,4-epidioxy-4-methyl-1-naphthyl)propionic acid. However, the ratio of the amount of uric acid consumed to the total amount of singlet oxygen generated was less than 1/180, indicating that most of the singlet oxygen was physically quenched. The total yields of parabanic acid and oxaluric acid were high in the uric acid oxidation systems with hydrogen peroxide plus hypochlorite or peroxynitrite. They became less than a few percent in peroxyl radical-, hypochlorite- or peroxynitrite-induced oxidation of uric acid. These results suggest that parabanic acid could be an in vivo probe of singlet oxygen formation because of the wide distribution of uric acid in human tissues and extracellular spaces. In fact, sunlight exposure significantly increased human skin levels of parabanic acid.

Solar Flare Track Exposure Ages in Regolith Particles: A Calibration for Transmission Electron Microscope Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Eve L.; Keller, Lindsay P.

2015-01-01

Mineral grains in lunar and asteroidal regolith samples provide a unique record of their interaction with the space environment. Space weathering effects result from multiple processes including: exposure to the solar wind, which results in ion damage and implantation effects that are preserved in the rims of grains (typically the outermost 100 nm); cosmic ray and solar flare activity, which result in track formation; and impact processes that result in the accumulation of vapor-deposited elements, impact melts and adhering grains on particle surfaces. Determining the rate at which these effects accumulate in the grains during their space exposure is critical to studies of the surface evolution of airless bodies. Solar flare energetic particles (mainly Fe-group nuclei) have a penetration depth of a few millimeters and leave a trail of ionization damage in insulating materials that is readily observable by transmission electron microscope (TEM) imaging. The density of solar flare particle tracks is used to infer the length of time an object was at or near the regolith surface (i.e., its exposure age). Track measurements by TEM methods are routine, yet track production rate calibrations have only been determined using chemical etching techniques [e.g., 1, and references therein]. We used focused ion beam-scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) sample preparation techniques combined with TEM imaging to determine the track density/exposure age relations for lunar rock 64455. The 64455 sample was used earlier by [2] to determine a track production rate by chemical etching of tracks in anorthite. Here, we show that combined FIB/TEM techniques provide a more accurate determination of a track production rate and also allow us to extend the calibration to solar flare tracks in olivine.

Extraction of Water from Martian Regolith Simulant via Open Reactor Concept

Science.gov (United States)

Trunek, Andrew J.; Linne, Diane L.; Kleinhenz, Julie E.; Bauman, Steven W.

2018-01-01

To demonstrate proof of concept water extraction from simulated Martian regolith, an open reactor design is presented along with experimental results. The open reactor concept avoids sealing surfaces and complex moving parts. In an abrasive environment like the Martian surface, those reactor elements would be difficult to maintain and present a high probability of failure. A general lunar geotechnical simulant was modified by adding borax decahydrate (Na2B4O7·10H2O) (BDH) to mimic the 3 percent water content of hydrated salts in near surface soils on Mars. A rotating bucket wheel excavated the regolith from a source bin and deposited the material onto an inclined copper tray, which was fitted with heaters and a simple vibration system. The combination of vibration, tilt angle and heat was used to separate and expose as much regolith surface area as possible to liberate the water contained in the hydrated minerals, thereby increasing the efficiency of the system. The experiment was conducted in a vacuum system capable of maintaining a Martian like atmosphere. Evolved water vapor was directed to a condensing system using the ambient atmosphere as a sweep gas. The water vapor was condensed and measured. Processed simulant was captured in a collection bin and weighed in real time. The efficiency of the system was determined by comparing pre- and post-processing soil mass along with the volume of water captured.

CNT-Based Smart Electrostatic Filters for Capturing Nanoparticulate Lunar Regolith, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The abrasive, reactive, and ubiquitous nature of lunar regolith created significant and serious problems during the Apollo moon missions. In this Phase I, Agave...

Regolith stratigraphy at the Chang'E-3 landing site as seen by lunar penetrating radar

Science.gov (United States)

Fa, Wenzhe; Zhu, Meng-Hua; Liu, Tiantian; Plescia, Jeffrey B.

2015-12-01

The Chang'E-3 lunar penetrating radar (LPR) observations at 500 MHz reveal four major stratigraphic zones from the surface to a depth of ~20 m along the survey line: a layered reworked zone (<1 m), an ejecta layer (~2-6 m), a paleoregolith layer (~4-11 m), and the underlying mare basalts. The reworked zone has two to five distinct layers and consists of surface regolith. The paleoregolith buried by the ejecta from a 500 m crater is relatively homogenous and contains only a few rocks. Population of buried rocks increases with depth to ~2 m at first, and then decreases with depth, representing a balance between initial deposition of the ejecta and later turnover of the regolith. Combining with the surface age, the LPR observations indicate a mean accumulation rate of about 5-10 m/Gyr for the surface regolith, which is at least 4-8 times larger than previous estimation.

Apollo 14 regolith breccias - Different glass populations and their potential for charting space time variations

Science.gov (United States)

Delano, John W.

1988-01-01

Apollo 14 regolith breccias (14313, 14307, 14301, 14049, 14047) have been found to have different populations of nonagglutinitic, mare-derived glasses. These variations appear to not only reflect different source regoliths but also different closure ages for these breccias. Based upon these different glass populations, 14301 is inferred to have a closure age sometime during the epoch of mare volcanism. All of the other four breccias were formed after the termination of mare volcanism with a possible age sequence from old to young of the following: 14307, 14313, 14049, 14047. Due to the relative simplicity of acquiring high-quality chemical data on large numbers of glasses by electron microprobe, mare glass populations allow: (1) classification of regolith breccias with respect to provenance and (2) estimation of their relative and absolute closure ages. The determination of (Ar-40)-(Ar-39) ages on individual glass spherules within breccias using the laser probe should in the future prove to be a promising extension of the present study.

Electrostatic Separation of Lunar Regolith for Size Beneficiation Using Same-Material Tribocharging

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The success of future long-term manned lunar missions depends on the development of certain key technologies. One such technology, the utilization of lunar regolith...

Triassic regolithization: A major stage of pre-enrichment in the formation of unconformity related deposits in Southern France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmitt, J.M.; Clement, J.Y.

1989-01-01

The formation of unconformity related uranium deposits in Canada and Australia is currently thought to have involved some stage of preconcentration within the Proterozoic regolith. Uranium deposits in the southern Massif central (France) are spatially linked to the Mesozoic unconformity. Under this unconformity, rocks of the Hercynian basement as well as Permo-Carboniferous sediments show a regolithic alteration dating back to the Late Permian to Late Triassic period. On the elevated parts of the Triassic landscape, 30 to 50 m deep weathering profiles are preserved. Three main zones can be distinguished: a lower pink coloured zone, showing partly albitized and chloritized rocks: a middle bleached zone with neogenic clays; and an upper reddish zone with Fe-Mn oxyhydroxides. Towards the Triassic basin, much deeper (200-300 m) alteration profiles are observed on Permo-Carboniferous sediments. The two upper regolithic zones are present, but the lower albitized one is very developed with two subzones: analcite/albite at the top, and K-feldspar/albite at the bottom. Geochemical data show that potassium is fixed in the uppermost horizons of the regolith, whereas sodium is transported towards the lower horizons and basin areas and fixed in analcite/albite zones. Uranium, vanadium, copper and less mobile elements such as titanium and zirconium are strongly leached from the weathering profiles in elevated parts of the landscape but are enriched in basin zones of albitization up to 5-15 times. Thus, solutions generated from the weathering profiles have brought about a major redistribution of uranium in the Triassic landscape. The remarkable applanation and tectonic stability of the area as well as a subarid climate seem to have favoured this 'regolithization' process. In southern France, geochemical differentiation during the Triassic has thus given rise to important uranium pre-enrichment, and the regolith is a major control for later uranium deposits. (author). 16 refs, 8

Late Quaternary changes in surface productivity and oxygen ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Changes in the abundance of selected planktic foraminiferal species and some sedimentological parameters at ODP site 728A were examined to understand the fluctuations in the surface productivity and deep sea oxygenation in the NW Arabian Sea during last ∼540 kyr. The increased relative abundances of high fertility ...

Regolith thickness at the Chang'E-3 landing site from the Lunar Penetrating Radar and impact craters

Science.gov (United States)

Fa, W.; Zhu, M.-H.; Liu, T.

2015-10-01

The Chang'E-3 lunar penetrating radar (LPR) observations reveal a newly formed regolith layer (<1 m), an ejecta layer (~2-6 m), and a palaeoregolith layer (~4-9 m) from the surface to a depth of ~ 20 m. The thicknesses of the newly formed regolith layer and the palaeoregolith layer are consistent with the estimations based on the excavation depth and morphology of small fresh craters.

Effect of static magnetic field on the oxygen production of Scenedesmus obliquus cultivated in municipal wastewater.

Science.gov (United States)

Tu, Renjie; Jin, Wenbiao; Xi, Tingting; Yang, Qian; Han, Song-Fang; Abomohra, Abd El-Fatah

2015-12-01

Algal-bacterial symbiotic system, with biological synergism of physiological functions of both algae and bacteria, has been proposed for cultivation of microalgae in municipal wastewater for biomass production and wastewater treatment. The algal-bacterial symbiotic system can enhance dissolved oxygen production which enhances bacterial growth and catabolism of pollutants in wastewater. Therefore, the oxygen production efficiency of microalgae in algal-bacterial systems is considered as the key factor influencing the wastewater treatment efficiency. In the present study, we have proposed a novel approach which uses static magnetic field to enhance algal growth and oxygen production rate with low operational cost and non-toxic secondary pollution. The performance of oxygen production with the magnetic field was evaluated using Scenedesmus obliquus grown in municipal wastewater and was calculated based on the change in dissolved oxygen concentration. Results indicated that magnetic treatment stimulates both algal growth and oxygen production. Application of 1000 GS of magnetic field once at logarithmic growth phase for 0.5 h increased the chlorophyll-a content by 11.5% over the control after 6 days of growth. In addition, magnetization enhanced the oxygen production rate by 24.6% over the control. Results of the study confirmed that application of a proper magnetic field could reduce the energy consumption required for aeration during the degradation of organic matter in municipal wastewater in algal-bacterial symbiotic systems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design of generic coal conversion facilities: Production of oxygenates from synthesis gas---A technology review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1991-10-01

This report concentrates on the production of oxygenates from coal via gasification and indirect liquefaction. At the present the majority of oxygenate synthesis programs are at laboratory scale. Exceptions include commercial and demonstration scale plants for methanol and higher alcohols production, and ethers such as MTBE. Research and development work has concentrated on elucidating the fundamental transport and kinetic limitations governing various reactor configurations. But of equal or greater importance has been investigations into the optimal catalyst composition and process conditions for the production of various oxygenates.

Population characteristics of submicrometer-sized craters on regolith particles from asteroid Itokawa

Science.gov (United States)

Matsumoto, Toru; Hasegawa, S.; Nakao, S.; Sakai, M.; Yurimoto, H.

2018-03-01

We investigated impact crater structures on regolith particles from asteroid Itokawa using scanning electron microscopy. We observed the surfaces of 51 Itokawa particles, ranging from 15 μm to 240 μm in size. Craters with average diameters ranging from 10 nm to 2.8 μm were identified on 13 Itokawa particles larger than 80 μm. We examined the abundance, spatial distribution, and morphology of approximately 900 craters on six Itokawa particles. Craters with sizes in excess of 200 nm are widely dispersed, with spatial densities from 2.6 μm2 to 4.5 μm2; a fraction of the craters was locally concentrated with a density of 0.1 μm2. The fractal dimension of the cumulative crater diameters ranges from 1.3 to 2.3. Craters of several tens of nanometers in diameter exhibit pit and surrounding rim structures. Craters of more than 100 nm in diameter commonly have melted residue at their bottom. These morphologies are similar to those of submicrometer-sized craters on lunar regolith. We estimated the impactor flux on Itokawa regolith-forming craters, assuming that the craters were accumulated during direct exposure to the space environment for 102 to 104 yr. The range of impactor flux onto Itokawa particles is estimated to be at least one order of magnitude higher than the interplanetary dust flux and comparable to the secondary impact flux on the Moon. This indicates that secondary ejecta impacts are probably the dominant cratering process in the submicrometer range on Itokawa regolith particles, as well as on the lunar surface. We demonstrate that secondary submicrometer craters can be produced anywhere in centimeter- to meter-sized depressions on Itokawa's surface through primary interplanetary dust impacts. If the surface unevenness on centimeter to meter scales is a significant factor determining the abundance of submicrometer secondary cratering, the secondary impact flux could be independent of the overall shapes or sizes of celestial bodies, and the secondary

Mineralogical sources of groundwater fluoride in Archaen bedrock/regolith aquifers: Mass balances from southern India and north-central Sri Lanka

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B.M. Hallett

2015-09-01

New hydrological insights for the region: An estimate of weathering duration for the in situ regolith in Andhra Pradesh, 250–380 Ka, is close to a previous estimate for southern India. Partial or total destruction of the primary F-bearing bedrock minerals and consistent depletion of F in the remnant minerals result in a much reduced total F content in the regolith. Leaching experiments and field relationships, however, indicate a greater potential for F mobilisation to groundwater from the regolith than the bedrock. Schemes for managed aquifer recharge should beware the risk of mobilising additional F to groundwater.

Numerical Simulations of the Lunar Penetrating Radar and Investigations of the Geological Structures of the Lunar Regolith Layer at the Chang’E 3 Landing Site

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunyu Ding

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In the process of lunar exploration, and specifically when studying lunar surface structure and thickness, the established lunar regolith model is usually a uniform and ideal structural model, which is not well-suited to describe the real structure of the lunar regolith layer. The present study aims to explain the geological structural information contained in the channel 2 LPR (lunar penetrating radar data. In this paper, the random medium theory and Apollo drilling core data are used to construct a modeling method based on discrete heterogeneous random media, and the simulation data are processed and collected by the electromagnetic numerical method FDTD (finite-difference time domain. When comparing the LPR data with the simulated data, the heterogeneous random medium model is more consistent with the actual distribution of the media in the lunar regolith layer. It is indicated that the interior structure of the lunar regolith layer at the landing site is not a pure lunar regolith medium but rather a regolith-rock mixture, with rocks of different sizes and shapes. Finally, several reasons are given to explain the formation of the geological structures of the lunar regolith layer at the Chang’E 3 landing site, as well as the possible geological stratification structure.

Performance analysis of a lunar based solar thermal power system with regolith thermal storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Xiaochen; Ma, Rong; Wang, Chao; Yao, Wei

2016-01-01

The manned deep-space exploration is a hot topic of the current space activities. The continuous supply of thermal and electrical energy for the scientific equipment and human beings is a crucial issue for the lunar outposts. Since the night lasts for periods of about 350 h at most locations on the lunar surface, massive energy storage is required for continuous energy supply during the lengthy lunar night and the in-situ resource utilization is demanded. A lunar based solar thermal power system with regolith thermal storage is presented in this paper. The performance analysis is carried out by the finite-time thermodynamics to take into account major irreversible losses. The influences of some key design parameters are analyzed for system optimization. The analytical results shows that the lunar based solar thermal power system with regolith thermal storage can meet the requirement of the continuous energy supply for lunar outposts. - Highlights: • A lunar based solar thermal power system with regolith thermal storage is presented. • The performance analysis is carried out by the finite-time thermodynamics. • The influences of some key design parameters are analyzed.

RESOLVE's Field Demonstration on Mauna Kea, Hawaii 2010

Science.gov (United States)

Captain, Janine; Quinn, Jacqueline; Moss, Thomas; Weis, Kyle

2010-01-01

In cooperation with the Canadian Space Agency, and the Northern Centre for Advanced Technology, Inc., NASA has undertaken the In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) project called RESOLVE (Regolith and Environment Science & Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction). This project is an Earth-based lunar precursor demonstration of a system that could be sent to explore permanently shadowed polar lunar craters, where it would drill into regolith, quantify the volatiles that are present, and extract oxygen by hydrogen reduction of iron oxides. The resulting water could be electrolyzed into oxygen to support exploration and hydrogen, which would be recycled through the process. The RESOLVE chemical processing system was mounted on a Canadian Space Agency mobility chasis and successfully demonstrated on Hawaii's Mauna Kea volcano in February 2010. The RESOLVE unit is the initial prototype of a robotic prospecting mission to the Moon. RESOLVE is designed to go to the poles of the Moon to "ground truth" the form and concentration of the hydrogen/water/hydroxyl that has been seen from orbit (M3, Lunar Prospector and LRO) and to test technologies to extract oxygen from the lunar regolith. RESOLVE has the ability to capture a one-meter core sample of lunar regolith and heat it to determine the volatiles that may be released and then demonstrate the production of oxygen from minerals found in the regolith. The RESOLVE project, which is led by KSC, is a multi-center and multi-organizational effort that includes representatives from KSC, JSC, GRC, the Canadian Space Agency, and the Northern Center for Advanced Technology (NORCAT). This paper details the results obtained from four days of lunar analog testing that included gas chromatograph analysis for volatile components, remote control of chemistry and drilling operations via satalite communications, and real-time water quantification using a novel capacitance measurement technique.

Regolith Formation Rates and Evolution from the Diviner Lunar Radiometer

Science.gov (United States)

Hayne, P. O.; Ghent, R. R.; Bandfield, J. L.; Vasavada, A. R.; Williams, J. P.; Siegler, M. A.; Lucey, P. G.; Greenhagen, B. T.; Elder, C. M.; Paige, D. A.

2015-12-01

Fragmentation and overturn of lunar surface materials produces a layer of regolith, which increases in thickness through time. Experiments on the lunar surface during the Apollo era, combined with remote sensing, found that the upper 10's of cm of regolith exhibit a rapid increase in density and thermal conductivity with depth. This is interpreted to be the signature of impact gardening, which operates most rapidly in the uppermost layers. Gravity data from the GRAIL mission showed that impacts have also extensively fractured the deeper crust. The breakdown and mixing of crustal materials is therefore a central process to lunar evolution and must be understood in order to interpret compositional information from remote sensing and sample analysis. Recently, thermal infrared data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Diviner radiometer were used to provide the first remote observational constraints on the rate of ejecta breakdown around craters L., Campbell, B. A., Allen, C. C., Carter, L. M., & Paige, D. A. (2014). Constraints on the recent rate of lunar ejecta breakdown and implications for crater ages. Geology, 42(12), 1059-1062.

DIHeDRAL: Downhole Regolith Interrogation with Helium-Assisted Drill and LIBS, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Future landed robotic missions to the lunar poles will seek to characterize the properties of subsurface regolith. Current instruments for such in-situ analysis,...

DIHeDRAL: Downhole Regolith Interrogation with Helium-Assisted DRill And LIBS, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Future landed robotic missions to the lunar poles will seek to characterize the properties of subsurface regolith. Current instruments for such in-situ analysis,...

With medium-chain triglycerides, higher and faster oxygen radical production by stimulated polymorphonuclear leukocytes occurs.

Science.gov (United States)

Kruimel, J W; Naber, A H; Curfs, J H; Wenker, M A; Jansen, J B

2000-01-01

Parenteral lipid emulsions are suspected of suppressing the immune function. However, study results are contradictory and mainly concern the conventional long-chain triglyceride emulsions. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes were preincubated with parenteral lipid emulsions. The influence of the lipid emulsions on the production of oxygen radicals by these stimulated leukocytes was studied by measuring chemiluminescence. Three different parenteral lipid emulsions were tested: long-chain triglycerides, a physical mixture of medium- and long-chain triglycerides, and structured triglycerides. Structured triglycerides consist of triglycerides where the medium- and long-chain fatty acids are attached to the same glycerol molecule. Stimulated polymorphonuclear leukocytes preincubated with the physical mixture of medium- and long-chain triglycerides showed higher levels of oxygen radicals (p triglycerides or structured triglycerides. Additional studies indicated that differences in results of various lipid emulsions were not caused by differences in emulsifier. The overall production of oxygen radicals was significantly lower after preincubation with the three lipid emulsions compared with controls without lipid emulsion. A physical mixture of medium- and long-chain triglycerides induced faster production of oxygen radicals, resulting in higher levels of oxygen radicals, compared with long-chain triglycerides or structured triglycerides. This can be detrimental in cases where oxygen radicals play either a pathogenic role or a beneficial one, such as when rapid phagocytosis and killing of bacteria is needed. The observed lower production of oxygen radicals by polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the presence of parenteral lipid emulsions may result in immunosuppression by these lipids.

A coupled regolith-lake development model applied to the Forsmark site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brydsten, Lars; Stroemgren, Maarten (Umeaa Univ., Umeaa (Sweden))

2010-11-15

The Quaternary geology at the Forsmark site has been characterized using both a map of Quaternary deposits and a regolith depth model (RDM) that show the stratigraphy and thickness of different deposits. Regolith refers to all the unconsolidated deposits overlying the bedrock. The surface geology and regolith depth are important parameters for hydrogeological and geochemical modelling and for the overall understanding of the area. The safety assessment analysis should focus on processes involved during a period of 120,000 years, which includes a full glacial cycle; however, the investigations within the site description model do not cover the temporal change of the regolith, a limitation that does not fulfil the requirements for the safety assessment. To this end, this study constructs a model that can predict the surface geology, stratigraphy, and thickness of different strata at any time during a glacial cycle and applies this model to the Forsmark site. The Weichselian ice sheet covered the study area until around 9500 BC. The deglaciation revealed a marine landscape with bedrock, till and glacial clay. For the safety assessment, the most important unconsolidated strata are clay or silt: these small grains can bind nuclear elements more easily than coarser sediment particles. Thick layers of clay can be found where post-glacial clay settled on top of glacial clay, especially where the middle-aged erosion of postglacial clay is missing and where there is an uninterrupted sequence of accumulation of finegrained particles. Such areas could be found in deep marine basins that later become lakes when raised into a supra-marine position. The coupled regolith-lake development model (RLDM) predicts the course of events described above during an interglacial, especially the dynamics of the clay and silt particles. The RLDM is divided into two modules: a marine module that predicts the sediment dynamics caused by wind waves and a lake module that predicts the lake infill

A coupled regolith-lake development model applied to the Forsmark site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brydsten, Lars; Stroemgren, Maarten

2010-11-01

The Quaternary geology at the Forsmark site has been characterized using both a map of Quaternary deposits and a regolith depth model (RDM) that show the stratigraphy and thickness of different deposits. Regolith refers to all the unconsolidated deposits overlying the bedrock. The surface geology and regolith depth are important parameters for hydrogeological and geochemical modelling and for the overall understanding of the area. The safety assessment analysis should focus on processes involved during a period of 120,000 years, which includes a full glacial cycle; however, the investigations within the site description model do not cover the temporal change of the regolith, a limitation that does not fulfil the requirements for the safety assessment. To this end, this study constructs a model that can predict the surface geology, stratigraphy, and thickness of different strata at any time during a glacial cycle and applies this model to the Forsmark site. The Weichselian ice sheet covered the study area until around 9500 BC. The deglaciation revealed a marine landscape with bedrock, till and glacial clay. For the safety assessment, the most important unconsolidated strata are clay or silt: these small grains can bind nuclear elements more easily than coarser sediment particles. Thick layers of clay can be found where post-glacial clay settled on top of glacial clay, especially where the middle-aged erosion of postglacial clay is missing and where there is an uninterrupted sequence of accumulation of finegrained particles. Such areas could be found in deep marine basins that later become lakes when raised into a supra-marine position. The coupled regolith-lake development model (RLDM) predicts the course of events described above during an interglacial, especially the dynamics of the clay and silt particles. The RLDM is divided into two modules: a marine module that predicts the sediment dynamics caused by wind waves and a lake module that predicts the lake infill

Description of regolith at Laxemar-Simpevarp. Site descriptive modelling SDM-Site Laxemar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sohlenius, Gustav; Hedenstroem, Anna

2008-11-01

This report compiles all known available information regarding the regolith in the Laxemar-Simpevarp regional model area. Regolith refers to the loose deposits overlying the bedrock. In the Laxemar-Simpevarp area, all known regolith was deposited during the Quaternary period and is consequently often referred to as Quaternary deposits (QD). In the terrestrial areas the uppermost part of the regolith, which has been affected by climate and vegetation, is referred to as soil. The geographical and stratigraphical distributions of the regolith have been used to construct a model showing the distribution of regolith depths in the whole model area. The stratigraphical units shown in the regolith depth and stratigraphy model have been characterised with respect to physical and chemical properties. Most of the data used for that characterisation have been obtained from the site investigation but some data were taken from the literature. All QD in the Laxemar area have most probably been deposited during or after the latest deglaciation. The ice sheet in the area moved from the north-west during the latest ice age. The Baltic Sea completely covered the investigated area after the latest deglaciation c 12,000 BC. Land uplift was fastest during the first few thousand years following the deglaciation and has subsequently decreased to the present value of 1 mm/year. Older QD have been eroded in areas exposed to waves and currents and the material has later been redeposited. Fine-grained sediments have been deposited on the floor of bays and in other sheltered positions. Peat has accumulated in many of the wetlands situated in topographically low positions. The groundwater table in many of the former wetlands has been artificially lowered to obtain land for forestry and agriculture, which has caused the peat to partly or completely oxidise. As land uplift proceeds, some new areas are being subjected to erosion at the same time as other new areas are becoming lakes and sheltered

The role of oxygen and water on molybdenum nanoclusters for electro catalytic ammonia production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Howalt, Jakob Geelmuyden; Vegge, Tejs

2014-01-01

are -0.72 V or lower for all oxygen coverages studied, and it is thus possible to (re)activate (partially) oxidized nanoclusters for electrochemical ammonia production, e.g., using a dry proton conductor or an aqueous electrolyte. At lower oxygen coverages, nitrogen molecules can adsorb to the surface...... and electrochemical ammonia production via the associative mechanism is possible at potentials as low as -0.45 V to -0.7 V. © 2014 Howalt and Vegge........ In this study, we present theoretical investigations of the influence of oxygen adsorption and reduction on pure and nitrogen covered molybdenum nanocluster electro catalysts for electrochemical reduction of N2 to NH3 with the purpose of understanding oxygen and water poisoning of the catalyst. Density...

Robust and Elastic Lunar and Martian Structures from 3D-Printed Regolith Inks

Science.gov (United States)

Jakus, Adam E.; Koube, Katie D.; Geisendorfer, Nicholas R.; Shah, Ramille N.

2017-03-01

Here, we present a comprehensive approach for creating robust, elastic, designer Lunar and Martian regolith simulant (LRS and MRS, respectively) architectures using ambient condition, extrusion-based 3D-printing of regolith simulant inks. The LRS and MRS powders are characterized by distinct, highly inhomogeneous morphologies and sizes, where LRS powder particles are highly irregular and jagged and MRS powder particles are rough, but primarily rounded. The inks are synthesized via simple mixing of evaporant, surfactant, and plasticizer solvents, polylactic-co-glycolic acid (30% by solids volume), and regolith simulant powders (70% by solids volume). Both LRS and MRS inks exhibit similar rheological and 3D-printing characteristics, and can be 3D-printed at linear deposition rates of 1-150 mm/s using 300 μm to 1.4 cm-diameter nozzles. The resulting LRS and MRS 3D-printed materials exhibit similar, but distinct internal and external microstructures and material porosity (~20-40%). These microstructures contribute to the rubber-like quasi-static and cyclic mechanical properties of both materials, with young’s moduli ranging from 1.8 to 13.2 MPa and extension to failure exceeding 250% over a range of strain rates (10-1-102 min-1). Finally, we discuss the potential for LRS and MRS ink components to be reclaimed and recycled, as well as be synthesized in resource-limited, extraterrestrial environments.

The Role of Planetary Dust and Regolith Mechanics in Technology Developments at NASA

Science.gov (United States)

Agui, Juan H.

2011-01-01

One of NASA's long term goals continues to be the exploration of other planets and orbital bodies in our solar system. Our sustained presence through the installation of stations or bases on these planetary surfaces will depend on developing properly designed habitation modules, mobility systems and supporting infrastructure. NASA Glenn Research Center is involved in several technology developments in support of this overarching goal. Two key developments are in the area of advanced filtration and excavation systems. The first addresses the issues posed by the accumulation of particulate matter over long duration missions and the intrusion of planetary dust into spacecraft and habitat pressurized cabins. The latter supports the operation and infrastructure of insitu resource utilization (ISRU) processes to derive consumables and construction materials from the planetary regolith. These two developments require a basic understanding of the lunar regolith at the micro (particle) to macro (bulk) level. Investigation of the relevant properties of the lunar regolith and characterization of the standard simulant materials used in. testing were important first steps in these developments. The fundamentals and operational concepts of these technologies as well as descriptions of new NASA facilities, including the Particulate Filtration Testing and the NASA Excavation and Traction Testing facilities, and their capabilities for testing and advancing these technologies will be presented. The test data also serves to validate and anchor computational simulation models.

Mars Atmosphere and Regolith COllector/PrOcessor for Lander Operations

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This project was established to build and demonstrate a methane/oxygen propellant production system in a Mars analog environment. Proving a propellant production...

The Origin of Amino Acids in Lunar Regolith Samples

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Jamie E.; Callahan, Michael P.; Dworkin, Jason P.; Glavin, Daniel P.; McLain, Hannah L.; Noble, Sarah K.; Gibson, Everett K., Jr.

2016-01-01

We analyzed the amino acid content of seven lunar regolith samples returned by the Apollo 16 and Apollo 17 missions and stored under NASA curation since collection using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Consistent with results from initial analyses shortly after collection in the 1970s, we observed amino acids at low concentrations in all of the curated samples, ranging from 0.2 parts-per-billion (ppb) to 42.7 ppb in hot-water extracts and 14.5 ppb to 651.1 ppb in 6M HCl acid-vapor-hydrolyzed, hot-water extracts. Amino acids identified in the Apollo soil extracts include glycine, D- and L-alanine, D- and L-aspartic acid, D- and L-glutamic acid, D- and L-serine, L-threonine, and L-valine, all of which had previously been detected in lunar samples, as well as several compounds not previously identified in lunar regoliths: -aminoisobutyric acid (AIB), D-and L-amino-n-butyric acid (-ABA), DL-amino-n-butyric acid, -amino-n-butyric acid, -alanine, and -amino-n-caproic acid. We observed an excess of the L enantiomer in most of the detected proteinogenic amino acids, but racemic alanine and racemic -ABA were present in some samples.

Growth of cyanobacteria on Martian Regolith Simulant after exposure to vacuum

Science.gov (United States)

Arai, Mayumi; Sato, Seigo; Ohmori, Masayuki; Tomita-Yokotani, Kaori; Hashimoto, Hirofumi; Yamashita, Masamichi

Habitation on Mars is one of our challenges in this century. The growth of cyanobacteria on Martian Regolith Simulant (MRS) was studied with two species of terrestrial cyanobacteria, Nostoc, and one species of other cyanobacterium, Synechosystis. Their vacuum tolerances was examined in order to judge feasibility of the use of cyanobacteria to creat habitable environment on a distant planet. The viability of cyanobacteria tested was evaluated by the microscopic observation after staining by FDA (fluorescein diacetate). A part of them were also re-incubated again in a liquid culture medium, and viability and the chlorophyll production were examined in detail. Nostoc was found to grow for over 140 days with their having normal function of chlorophyll synthesis on the MRS. After the exposure to high vacuum environment (10-5 Pa) for a year, Nostoc sp. started growth. Chlorophyll was produced after this vacuum exposure as well. The A'MED (Arai's Mars Ecosystem Dome, A'MED) is designed to install on Mars for conducting agricultural production in it. We performed the fundamental experiment with MRS. These results show a possibility that cyanobacteria could adapt to MRS, and grow under the low pressure environment expected on Mars.

Measurements of Regolith Simulant Thermal Conductivity Under Asteroid and Mars Surface Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, A. J.; Christensen, P. R.

2017-12-01

Laboratory measurements have been necessary to interpret thermal data of planetary surfaces for decades. We present a novel radiometric laboratory method to determine temperature-dependent thermal conductivity of complex regolith simulants under rough to high vacuum and across a wide range of temperatures. This method relies on radiometric temperature measurements instead of contact measurements, eliminating the need to disturb the sample with thermal probes. We intend to determine the conductivity of grains that are up to 2 cm in diameter and to parameterize the effects of angularity, sorting, layering, composition, and eventually cementation. We present the experimental data and model results for a suite of samples that were selected to isolate and address regolith physical parameters that affect bulk conductivity. Spherical glass beads of various sizes were used to measure the effect of size frequency distribution. Spherical beads of polypropylene and well-rounded quartz sand have respectively lower and higher solid phase thermal conductivities than the glass beads and thus provide the opportunity to test the sensitivity of bulk conductivity to differences in solid phase conductivity. Gas pressure in our asteroid experimental chambers is held at 10^-6 torr, which is sufficient to negate gas thermal conduction in even our coarsest of samples. On Mars, the atmospheric pressure is such that the mean free path of the gas molecules is comparable to the pore size for many regolith particulates. Thus, subtle variations in pore size and/or atmospheric pressure can produce large changes in bulk regolith conductivity. For each sample measured in our martian environmental chamber, we repeat thermal measurement runs at multiple pressures to observe this behavior. Finally, we present conductivity measurements of angular basaltic simulant that is physically analogous to sand and gravel that may be present on Bennu. This simulant was used for OSIRIS-REx TAGSAM Sample Return

Tailoring nanomaterial products through electrode material and oxygen partial pressure in a mini-arc plasma reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui Shumao; Mattson, Eric C.; Lu, Ganhua; Hirschmugl, Carol; Gajdardziska-Josifovska, Marija; Chen Junhong

2012-01-01

Nanomaterials with controllable morphology and composition are synthesized by a simple one-step vapor condensation process using a mini-arc plasma source. Through systematic investigation of mini-arc reactor parameters, the roles of carrier gas, electrode material, and precursor on producing diverse nanomaterial products are revealed. Desired nanomaterial products, including tungsten oxide nanoparticles (NPs), tungsten oxide nanorods (NRs), tungsten oxide and tin oxide NP mixtures and pure tin dioxide NPs can thus be obtained by tailoring reaction conditions. The amount of oxygen in the reactor is critical to determining the final nanomaterial product. Without any precursor material present, a lower level of oxygen in the reactor favors the production of W 18 O 49 NRs with tungsten as cathode, while a high level of oxygen produces more round WO 3 NPs. With the presence of a precursor material, amorphous particles are favored with a high ratio of argon:oxygen. Oxygen is also found to affect tin oxide crystallization from its amorphous phase in the thermal annealing. Results from this study can be used for guiding gas phase nanomaterial synthesis in the future.

Controls on O2 Production in Cyanobacterial Mats and Implications for Earth's Oxygenation

Science.gov (United States)

Dick, Gregory J.; Grim, Sharon L.; Klatt, Judith M.

2018-05-01

Cyanobacterial mats are widely assumed to have been globally significant hot spots of biogeochemistry and evolution during the Archean and Proterozoic, but little is known about their quantitative contributions to global primary productivity or Earth's oxygenation. Modern systems show that mat biogeochemistry is the outcome of concerted activities and intimate interactions between various microbial metabolisms. Emerging knowledge of the regulation of oxygenic and sulfide-driven anoxygenic photosynthesis by versatile cyanobacteria, and their interactions with sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and sulfate-reducing bacteria, highlights how ecological and geochemical processes can control O2 production in cyanobacterial mats in unexpected ways. This review explores such biological controls on O2 production. We argue that the intertwined effects of light availability, redox geochemistry, regulation and competition of microbial metabolisms, and biogeochemical feedbacks result in emergent properties of cyanobacterial mat communities that are all critical yet largely overlooked mechanisms to potentially explain the protracted nature of Earth's oxygenation.

Solubility of corrosion products of plain steel in oxygen-containing water solutions at high parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martynova, O.I.; Samojlov, Yu.F.; Petrova, T.I.; Kharitonova, N.L.

1983-01-01

Technique for calculation of solubility of iron corrosion products in oxygen-containing aqueous solutions in the 298-573 K temperature range is presented. Solubility of corrosion products of plain steel in deeply-desalinizated water in the presence of oxygen for the such range of the temperatures is experimentally determined. Rather good convergence between calculated and experimental data is noted

The properties of the lunar regolith at Chang'e-3 landing site: A study based on LPR data

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, J.; Su, Y.; Xing, S.; Ding, C.; Li, C.

2015-12-01

In situ sampling from surface is difficult in the exploration of planets and sometimes radar sensing is a better choice. The properties of the surface material such as permittivity, density and depth can be obtained by a surface penetrating radar. The Chang'e-3 (CE-3) landed in the northern Mare Imbrium and a Lunar Penetrating Radar (LPR) is carried on the Yutu rover to detect the shallow structure of the lunar crust and the properties of the lunar regolith, which will give us a close look at the lunar subsurface. We process the radar data in a way which consist two steps: the regular preprocessing step and migration step. The preprocessing part includes zero time correction, de-wow, gain compensation, DC removal, geometric positioning. Then we combine all radar data obtained at the time the rover was moving, and use FIR filter to reduce the noise in the radar image with a pass band frequency range 200MHz-600MHz. A normal radar image is obtained after the preprocessing step. Using a nonlinear least squares fitting method, we fit the most hyperbolas in the radar image which are caused by the buried objects or rocks in the regolith and estimate the EM wave propagation velocity and the permittivity of the regolith. For there is a fixed mathematical relationship between dielectric constant and density, the density profile of the lunar regolith is also calculated. It seems that the permittivity and density at the landing site is larger than we thought before. Finally with a model of variable velocities, we apply the Kirchhoff migration method widely used in the seismology to transform the the unfocused space-time LPR image to a focused one showing the object's (most are stones) true location and size. From the migrated image, we find that the regolith depth in the landing site is smaller than previous study and the stone content rises rapidly with depth. Our study suggests that the landing site is a young region and the reworked history of the surface is short, which is

Turning the Moon into a Solar Photovoltaic Paradise

Science.gov (United States)

Freundlich, Alex; Alemu, Andenet; Williams, Lawrence; Nakamura, Takashi; Sibille, Laurent; Curren, Peter

2006-01-01

Lunar resource utilization has focused principally on the extraction of oxygen from the lunar regolith. A number of schemes have been proposed for oxygen extraction from Ilmenite and Anorthite. Serendipitously, these schemes have as their by-products (or more directly as their "waste products"), materials needed for the fabrication of thin film silicon solar cells. Thus lunar surface possesses both the elemental components needed for the fabrication of silicon solar cells and a vacuum environment that allows for vacuum deposition of thin film solar cells directly on the surface of the Moon without the need for vacuum chambers. In support of the US space exploration initiative a new architecture for the production of thin film solar cells on directly on the lunar surface is proposed. The paper discusses experimental data on the fabrication and properties of lunar glass substrates, evaporated lunar regolith thin films (anti-reflect coatings and insulators), and preliminary attempts in the fabrication of thin film (silicon/II-VI) photovoltaic materials on lunar regolith glass substrates. A conceptual design for a solar powered robotic rover capable of fabricating solar cells directly on the lunar surface is provided. Technical challenges in the development of such a facility and strategies to alleviate perceived difficulties are discussed.

Physics and engineering of singlet delta oxygen production in low-temperature plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ionin, A A; Kochetov, I V; Napartovich, A P; Yuryshev, N N

2007-01-01

An overview is presented of experimental and theoretical research in the field of physics and engineering of singlet delta oxygen (SDO) production in low-temperature plasma of various electric discharges. Attention is paid mainly to the SDO production with SDO yield adequate for the development of an electric discharge oxygen-iodine laser (DOIL). The review comprises a historical sketch describing the main experimental results on SDO physics in low-temperature plasma obtained since the first detection of SDO in electric discharge in the 1950s and the first attempt to launch a DOIL in the 1970s up to the mid-1980s when several research groups started their activity aimed at DOIL development, stimulated by success in the development of a chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL). A detailed analysis of theoretical and experimental research on SDO production in electric discharge from the mid-1980s to the present, when the first DOIL has been launched, is given. Different kinetic models of oxygen low-temperature plasma are compared with the model developed by the authors. The latter comprises electron kinetics based on the accompanying solution of the electron Boltzmann equation, plasma chemistry including reactions of excited molecules and numerous ion-molecular reactions, thermal energy balance and electric circuit equation. The experimental part of the overview is focused on the experimental methods of SDO detection including experiments on the measurements of the Einstein coefficient for SDO transition a 1 Δ g - X 3 Σ g - and experimental procedures of SDO production in self-sustained and non-self-sustained discharges and analysis of different plasma-chemical processes occurring in oxygen low-temperature plasma which brings limitation to the maximum SDO yield and to the lifetime of the SDO in an electric discharge and its afterglow. Quite recently obtained results on gain and output characteristics of DOIL and some projects aimed at the development of high-power DOIL

Strata-1: An International Space Station Experiment into Fundamental Regolith Processes in Microgravity

Science.gov (United States)

Fries, M.; Abell, P.; Brisset, J.; Britt, D.; Colwell, J.; Durda, D.; Dove, A.; Graham, L.; Hartzell, C.; John, K.;

Some consequences of a liquid water saturated regolith in early Martian history

Science.gov (United States)

Fuller, A. O.; Hargraves, R. B.

1978-01-01

Flooding of low-lying areas of the Martian regolith may have occurred early in the planet's history when a comparatively dense primitive atmosphere existed. If this model is valid, the following are some pedogenic and mineralogical consequences to be expected. Fluctuation of the water table in response to any seasonal or longer term causes would have resulted in precipitation of ferric oxyhydroxides with the development of a vesicular duricrust (or hardpan). Disruption of such a crust by scarp undercutting or frost heaving accompanied by wind deflation of fines could account for the boulders visible on Utopia Planitia in the vicinity of the second Viking lander site. Laboratory and field evidence on earth suggests that under weakly oxidizing conditions lepidocrocite (rather than goethite) would have preferentially formed in the Martian regolith from the weathering of ferrous silicates, accompanied by montmorillonite, nontronite, and cronstedtite. Maghemite may have formed as a low-temperature dehydrate of lepidocrocite or directly from ferrous precursors.

Beneficiation of lunar ilmenite

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz, Joaquin

1991-01-01

One of the most important commodities lacking in the moon is free oxygen which is required for life and used extensively for propellent. Free oxygen, however, can be obtained by liberating it from the oxides and silicates that form the lunar rocks and regolith. Ilmenite (FeTiO3) is considered one of the leading candidates for production of oxygen because it can be reduced with a reasonable amount of energy and it is an abundant mineral in the lunar regolith and many mare basalts. In order to obtain oxygen from ilmenite, a method must be developed to beneficiate ilmenite from lunar material. Two possible techniques are electrostatic or magnetic methods. Both methods have complications because lunar ilmenite completely lacks Fe(3+). Magnetic methods were tested on eucrite meteorites, which are a good chemical simulant for low Ti mare basalts. The ilmenite yields in the experiments were always very low and the eucrite had to be crushed to xxxx. These data suggest that magnetic separation of ilmenite from fine grain lunar basalts would not be cost effective. Presently, experiments are being performed with electrostatic separators, and lunar regolith is being waited for so that simulants do not have to be employed.

Ozone Production Using Pulsed Dielectric Barrier Discharge in Oxygen

OpenAIRE

Samaranayake, W. J. M.; Miyahara, Y.; Namihira, T.; Katsuki, S.; Hackam, R.; Akiyama, H.; ナミヒラ, タカオ; カツキ, スナオ; アキヤマ, ヒデノリ; 浪平, 隆男; 勝木, 淳; 秋山, 秀典

2000-01-01

The production of ozone was investigated using a dielectric barrier discharge in oxygen, and employing short-duration pulsed power. The dependence of the ozone concentration (parts per million, ppm) and ozone production yield (g(O3)/kWh) on the peak pulsed voltage (17.5 to 57.9 kV) and the pulse repetition rate (25 to 400 pulses/s, pps) were investigated. In the present study, the following parameters were kept constant: a pressure of 1.01×105 Pa, a temperature of 26±4°C a gas flow rate of 3....

Potential Use of In Situ Material Composites such as Regolith/Polyethylene for Shielding Space Radiation

Science.gov (United States)

Theriot, Corey A.; Gersey, Buddy; Bacon, Eugene; Johnson, Quincy; Zhang, Ye; Norman, Jullian; Foley, Ijette; Wilkins, Rick; Zhou, Jianren; Wu, Honglu

2010-01-01

NASA has an extensive program for studying materials and methods for the shielding of astronauts to reduce the effects of space radiation when on the surfaces of the Moon and Mars, especially in the use of in situ materials native to the destination reducing the expense of materials transport. The most studied material from the Moon is Lunar regolith and has been shown to be as efficient as aluminum for shielding purposes (1). The addition of hydrogenous materials such as polyethylene should increase shielding effectiveness and provide mechanical properties necessary of structural materials (2). The neutron radiation shielding effectiveness of polyethylene/regolith stimulant (JSC-1A) composites were studied using confluent human fibroblast cell cultures exposed to a beam of high-energy spallation neutrons at the 30deg-left beam line (ICE house) at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center. At this angle, the radiation spectrum mimics the energy spectrum of secondary neutrons generated in the upper atmosphere and encountered when aboard spacecraft and high-altitude aircraft. Cell samples were exposed in series either directly to the neutron beam, within a habitat created using regolith composite blocks, or behind 25 g/sq cm of loose regolith bulk material. In another experiment, cells were also exposed in series directly to the neutron beam in T-25 flasks completely filled with either media or water up to a depth of 20 cm to test shielding effectiveness versus depth and investigate the possible influence of secondary particle generation. All samples were sent directly back to JSC for sub-culturing and micronucleus analysis. This presentation is of work performed in collaboration with the NASA sponsored Center for Radiation Engineering and Science for Space Exploration (CRESSE) at Prairie View A&M.

Kinetic and Potential Sputtering Enhancements of Lunar Regolith Erosion: The Contribution of the Heavy Multicharged (Minority) Solar Wind Constituents

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, F. W.; Barghouty, A. F.

2012-01-01

We report preliminary results for H+, Ar+1, Ar+6 and Ar+9 ion sputtering of JSC-1A lunar regolith simulant at solar wind velocities, obtain ed at the ORNL Multicharged Ion Research Facility using quadrupole ma ss spectrometry. The multi-charged Ar ions were used as proxies for i ntermediate mass solar wind multicharged ions. Prior to the Ar beam e xposures, the sample was exposed to high fluence H+ irradiation to si mulate H-loading due to the dominant solar wind constituent. A x80 en hancement of oxygen sputtering by Ar+ over same velocity H+ was measu red and an additional x2 increase for Ar+9 over same velocity Ar+ was demonstrated, giving clear evidence of the importance of potential s puttering by multicharged ions. This enhancement was observed to pers ist to the maximum fluences investigated (approx 10(exp 16)/sq cm). As discussed in a companion abstract by N. Barghouty, such persistent s puttering enhancement has significant implications on weathering and aging of lunar regolith. In addition, XPS measurements showed strong evidence of Fe reduction for those target areas that had been exposed to high fluence Ar+ and Ar+8 beams. Preferential oxidation of the Fe -reduced beam-exposed regions during transfer to the XPS system led t o enhanced O concentrations in those regions as well. On the basis of these very promising preliminary results, a NASA-LASER project on mo re extensive measurements was recently selected for funding. The prop osal expands the collaboration with NASA-MSFC for the simulation effort, and adds a new collaboration with NASA-GSFC for lunar mission-rele vant measurements.

Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot (RASSOR) Phase 2 and Smart Autonomous Sand-Swimming Excavator

Science.gov (United States)

Sandy, Michael

2015-01-01

The Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot (RASSOR) Phase 2 is an excavation robot for mining regolith on a planet like Mars. The robot is programmed using the Robotic Operating System (ROS) and it also uses a physical simulation program called Gazebo. This internship focused on various functions of the program in order to make it a more professional and efficient robot. During the internship another project called the Smart Autonomous Sand-Swimming Excavator was worked on. This is a robot that is designed to dig through sand and extract sample material. The intern worked on programming the Sand-Swimming robot, and designing the electrical system to power and control the robot.

The role of oxygen and water on molybdenum nanoclusters for electro catalytic ammonia production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jakob G. Howalt

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The presence of water often gives rise to oxygen adsorption on catalyst surfaces through decomposition of water and the adsorbed oxygen or hydroxide species often occupy important surfaces sites, resulting in a decrease or a total hindrance of other chemical reactions taking place at that site. In this study, we present theoretical investigations of the influence of oxygen adsorption and reduction on pure and nitrogen covered molybdenum nanocluster electro catalysts for electrochemical reduction of N2 to NH3 with the purpose of understanding oxygen and water poisoning of the catalyst. Density functional theory calculations are used in combination with the computational hydrogen electrode approach to calculate the free energy profile for electrochemical protonation of O and N2 species on cuboctahedral Mo13 nanoclusters. The calculations show that the molybdenum nanocluster will preferentially bind oxygen over nitrogen and hydrogen at neutral bias, but under electrochemical reaction conditions needed for nitrogen reduction, oxygen adsorption is severely weakened and the adsorption energy is comparable to hydrogen and nitrogen adsorption. The potentials required to reduce oxygen off the surface are −0.72 V or lower for all oxygen coverages studied, and it is thus possible to (reactivate (partially oxidized nanoclusters for electrochemical ammonia production, e.g., using a dry proton conductor or an aqueous electrolyte. At lower oxygen coverages, nitrogen molecules can adsorb to the surface and electrochemical ammonia production via the associative mechanism is possible at potentials as low as −0.45 V to −0.7 V.

Characterization of reaction products in sodium-oxygen batteries : An electrolyte concentration study

OpenAIRE

Hedman, Jonas

2017-01-01

In this thesis, the discharge products formed at the cathode and the performance and cell chemistry of sodium-oxygen batteries have been studied. This was carried out using different NaOTf salt concentrations. The influence of different salt concentrations on sodium-oxygen batteries was investigated since it has been shown that increasing the salt concentration beyond conventional concentrations could result in advantages such as increased stability of the electrolytes towards decomposition, ...

Changes in carbon storage and oxygen production in forest timber ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2009-10-05

Oct 5, 2009 ... treaties and processes, has shown itself around the world and in our country as the concept of planning and ... Key words: Carbon storage, oxygen production, forest management, geographic information systems, land cover change. .... biomass transformation factors developed for the forests in Turkey are ...

Molecular Ions in Ion Upflows and their Effects on Hot Atomic Oxygen Production

Science.gov (United States)

Foss, V.; Yau, A. W.; Shizgal, B.

2017-12-01

We present new direct ion composition observations of molecular ions in auroral ion upflows from the CASSIOPE Enhanced Polar Outflow Probe (e-POP). These observed molecular ions are N2+, NO+, and possibly O2+, and are found to occur at all e-POP altitudes starting at about 400 km, during auroral substorms and the different phases of magnetic storms, sometimes with upflow velocities exceeding a few hundred meters per second and abundances of 5-10%. The dissociative recombination of both O2+ and NO+ was previously proposed as an important source of hot oxygen atoms in the topside thermosphere [Hickey et al., 1995]. We investigate the possible effect of the observed molecular ions on the production of hot oxygen atoms in the storm and substorm-time auroral thermosphere. We present numerical solutions of the Boltzmann equation for the steady-state oxygen energy distribution function, taking into account both the production of the hot atoms and their subsequent collisional relaxation. Our result suggests the formation of a hot oxygen population with a characteristic temperature on the order of 0.3 eV and constituting 1-5% of the oxygen density near the exobase. We discuss the implication of this result in the context of magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere coupling.

Oxygen in the Martian atmosphere: Regulation of PO2 by the deposition of iron formations on Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Roger G.

1992-01-01

During Earth's early history, and prior to the evolution of its present day oxygenated atmosphere, extensive iron rich siliceous sedimentary rocks were deposited, consisting of alternating layers of silica (chert) and iron oxide minerals (hematite and magnetite). The banding in iron formations recorded changes of atmosphere-hydrosphere interactions near sea level in the ancient ocean, which induced the oxidation of dissolved ferrous iron, precipitation of insoluble ferric oxides and silica, and regulation of oxygen in Earth's early atmosphere. Similarities between the Archean Earth and the composition of the present day atmosphere on Mars, together with the pervasive presence of ferric oxides in the Martian regolith suggest that iron formation might also have been deposited on Mars and influenced the oxygen content of the Martian atmosphere. Such a possibility is discussed here with a view to assessing whether the oxygen content of the Martian atmosphere has been regulated by the chemical precipitation of iron formations on Mars.

Mitigating an increase of specific power consumption in a cryogenic air separation unit at reduced oxygen production

Science.gov (United States)

Singla, Rohit; Chowdhury, Kanchan

2017-02-01

Specific power consumed in a Linde double column air separation unit (ASU) increases as the quantity of oxygen produced at a given purity is decreased due to the changes of system requirement or market demand. As the plant operates in part load condition, the specific power consumption (SPC) increases as the total power consumption remains the same. In order to mitigate the increase of SPC at lower oxygen production, the operating pressure of high pressure column (HPC) can be lowered by extending the low pressure column (LPC) by a few trays and adding a second reboiler. As the duty of second reboiler in LPC is increased, the recovery of oxygen decreases with a lowering of the HPC pressure. This results in mitigation of the increase of SPC of the plant. A Medium pressure ASU with dual reboiler that produces pressurised gaseous and liquid products of oxygen and nitrogen is simulated in Aspen Hysys 8.6®, a commercial process simulator to determine SPC at varying oxygen production. The effects of reduced pressure of air feed into the cold box on the size of heat exchangers (HX) are analysed. Operation strategy to obtain various oxygen production rates at varying demand is also proposed.

Mars Atmosphere and Regolith COllector/PrOcessor for Lander Ops (MARCO POLO) Atmospheric Processing Module

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The multi-NASA center Mars Atmosphere and Regolith COllector/PrOcessor for Lander Operations (MARCO POLO) project was established to build and demonstrate a...

Mars oxygen production system design

Science.gov (United States)

Cotton, Charles E.; Pillow, Linda K.; Perkinson, Robert C.; Brownlie, R. P.; Chwalowski, P.; Carmona, M. F.; Coopersmith, J. P.; Goff, J. C.; Harvey, L. L.; Kovacs, L. A.

1989-01-01

The design and construction phase is summarized of the Mars oxygen demonstration project. The basic hardware required to produce oxygen from simulated Mars atmosphere was assembled and tested. Some design problems still remain with the sample collection and storage system. In addition, design and development of computer compatible data acquisition and control instrumentation is ongoing.

Experimental Investigation of InSight HP3 Mole Interaction with Martian Regolith Simulant. Quasi-Static and Dynamic Penetration Testing

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Jason P.; Hudson, Troy L.; Andrade, José E.

2017-10-01

The InSight mission launches in 2018 to characterize several geophysical quantities on Mars, including the heat flow from the planetary interior. This quantity will be calculated by utilizing measurements of the thermal conductivity and the thermal gradient down to 5 meters below the Martian surface. One of the components of InSight is the Mole, which hammers into the Martian regolith to facilitate these thermal property measurements. In this paper, we experimentally investigated the effect of the Mole's penetrating action on regolith compaction and mechanical properties. Quasi-static and dynamic experiments were run with a 2D model of the 3D cylindrical mole. Force resistance data was captured with load cells. Deformation information was captured in images and analyzed using Digitial Image Correlation (DIC). Additionally, we used existing approximations of Martian regolith thermal conductivity to estimate the change in the surrounding granular material's thermal conductivity due to the Mole's penetration. We found that the Mole has the potential to cause a high degree of densification, especially if the initial granular material is relatively loose. The effect on the thermal conductivity from this densification was found to be relatively small in first-order calculations though more complete thermal models incorporating this densification should be a subject of further investigation. The results obtained provide an initial estimate of the Mole's impact on Martian regolith thermal properties.

Integration of oxygen membranes for oxygen production in cement plants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Puig Arnavat, Maria; Søgaard, Martin; Hjuler, Klaus

2015-01-01

The present paper describes the integration of oxygen membranes in cement plants both from an energy, exergy and economic point of view. Different configurations for oxygen enrichment of the tertiary air for combustion in the pre-calciner and full oxy-fuel combustion in both pre-calciner and kiln...

Estimating primary production from oxygen time series: A novel approach in the frequency domain

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cox, T.J.S.; Maris, T.; Soetaert, K.; Kromkamp, J.C.; Meire, P.; Meysman, F.J.R.

2015-01-01

Based on an analysis in the frequency domain of the governing equation of oxygen dynamics in aquatic systems, we derive a new method for estimating gross primary production (GPP) from oxygen time series. The central result of this article is a relation between time averaged GPP and the amplitude of

Reactive oxygen species production, induced by atmospheric modification, alter conidial quality of Beauveria bassiana.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Guzmán, D; Montesinos-Matías, R; Arce-Cervantes, O; Gómez-Quiroz, L E; Loera, O; Garza-López, P M

2016-08-01

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and conidial infectivity in Beauveria bassiana. Beauveria bassiana Bb 882.5 was cultured in solid-state culture (SSC) using rice under three oxygen conditions (21%, or pulses at 16 and 26%). Hydrophobicity was determined using exclusion phase assay. Bioassays with larvae or adults of Tenebrio molitor allowed the measurements of infectivity parameters. A fluorometric method was used for ROS quantification (superoxide and total peroxides). NADPH oxidase (NOX) activity was determined by specific inhibition. Conidial hydrophobicity decreased by O2 pulses. Mortality of larvae was only achieved with conidia harvested from cultures under 21% O2 ; whereas for adult insects, the infectivity parameters deteriorated in conidia obtained after pulses at 16 and 26% O2 . At day 7, ROS production increased after 16 and 26% O2 treatments. NOX activity induced ROS production at early stages of the culture. Modification of atmospheric oxygen increases ROS production, reducing conidial quality and infectivity. This is the first study in which conidial infectivity and ROS production in B. bassiana has been related, enhancing the knowledge of the effect of O2 pulses in B. bassiana. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Nitrous oxide production by nitrification and denitrification in the Eastern Tropical South Pacific oxygen minimum zone

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Qixing; Babbin, Andrew R.; Jayakumar, Amal; Oleynik, Sergey; Ward, Bess B.

2015-12-01

The Eastern Tropical South Pacific oxygen minimum zone (ETSP-OMZ) is a site of intense nitrous oxide (N2O) flux to the atmosphere. This flux results from production of N2O by nitrification and denitrification, but the contribution of the two processes is unknown. The rates of these pathways and their distributions were measured directly using 15N tracers. The highest N2O production rates occurred at the depth of peak N2O concentrations at the oxic-anoxic interface above the oxygen deficient zone (ODZ) because slightly oxygenated waters allowed (1) N2O production from both nitrification and denitrification and (2) higher nitrous oxide production yields from nitrification. Within the ODZ proper (i.e., anoxia), the only source of N2O was denitrification (i.e., nitrite and nitrate reduction), the rates of which were reflected in the abundance of nirS genes (encoding nitrite reductase). Overall, denitrification was the dominant pathway contributing the N2O production in the ETSP-OMZ.

Fate of individual sewage disposal system wastewater within regolith in mountainous terrain

Science.gov (United States)

Dano, Kathleen; Poeter, Eileen; Thyne, Geoff

2008-06-01

In order to improve understanding of the fate of septic tank or individual sewage disposal system (ISDS) effluent in regolith overlying fractured-rock aquifers, effluent from an ISDS in such a setting was tracked via geophysical, hydrological, and geochemical methods. Under typical precipitation conditions, the effluent entered the fractured bedrock within 5 m of the boundary of the constructed infiltration area. During a period of unusually high spring recharge, the plume migrated between 50 and 100 m within the regolith before infiltrating the fractured bedrock. The chemical signature of the effluent is similar to that required to account for the decline in water quality, suggesting a causative relationship (as estimated from mass-balance models of the surface-water chemistry near the mouth of the basin). The elevated salt content of the effluent during periods of high natural recharge to the infiltration area correlates with elevated salt concentrations in surface and groundwater at the basin scale, suggesting that some of the effluent salt load may be stored in the unsaturated zone during dry periods and flushed during periods of elevated natural recharge.

Performance of ground-penetrating radar on granitic regoliths with different mineral composition

Science.gov (United States)

Breiner, J.M.; Doolittle, James A.; Horton, Radley M.; Graham, R.C.

2011-01-01

Although ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is extensively used to characterize the regolith, few studies have addressed the effects of chemical and mineralogical compositions of soils and bedrock on its performance. This investigation evaluated the performance of GPR on two different granitic regoliths of somewhat different mineralogical composition in the San Jacinto Mountains of southern California. Radar records collected at a site where soils are Alfisols were more depth restricted than the radar record obtained at a site where soils are Entisols. Although the Alfisols contain an argillic horizon, and the Entisols have no such horizon of clay accumulation, the main impact on GPR effectiveness is related to mineralogy. The bedrock at the Alfisol site, which contains more mafic minerals (5% hornblende and 20% biotite), is more attenuating to GPR than the bedrock at the Entisol site, where mafic mineral content is less (<1% hornblende and 10% biotite). Thus, a relatively minor variation in bedrock mineralogy, specifically the increased biotite content, severely restricts the performance of GPR. Copyright ?? 2011 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Visible-light activate Ag/WO3 films based on wood with enhanced negative oxygen ions production properties

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Likun; Gan, Wentao; Cao, Guoliang; Zhan, Xianxu; Qiang, Tiangang; Li, Jian

2017-12-01

The Ag/WO3-wood was fabricated through a hydrothermal method and a silver mirror reaction. The system of visible-light activate Ag/WO3-wood was used to produce negative oxygen ions, and the effect of Ag nanoparticles on negative oxygen ions production was investigated. From the results of negative oxygen ions production tests, it can be observed that the sample doped with Ag nanoparticles, the concentration of negative oxygen ions is up to 1660 ions/cm3 after 60 min visible light irradiation. Moreover, for the Ag/WO3-wood, even after 60 min without irradiation, the concentration of negative oxygen ions could keep more than 1000 ions/cm3, which is up to the standard of the fresh air. Moreover, due to the porous structure of wood, the wood acted as substrate could promote the nucleation of nanoparticles, prevent the agglomeration of the particles, and thus lead the improvement of photocatalytic properties. And such wood-based functional materials with the property of negative oxygen ions production could be one of the most promising materials in the application of indoor decoration materials, which would meet people's pursuit of healthy, environment-friendly life.

The design of a PC-based real-time system for monitoring Methane and Oxygen concentration in biogas production

Science.gov (United States)

Yantidewi, M.; Muntini, M. S.; Deta, U. A.; Lestari, N. A.

2018-03-01

Limited fossil fuels nowadays trigger the development of alternative energy, one of which is biogas. Biogas is one type of bioenergy in the form of fermented gases of organic materials such as animal waste. The components of gases present in biogas and affect the biogas production are various, such as methane and oxygen. The biogas utilization will be more optimal if both gases concentration (in this case is methane and oxygen concentration) can be monitored. Therefore, this research focused on designing the monitoring system of methane and oxygen concentration in biogas production in real-time. The results showed that the instrument system was capable of monitoring and recording the data of gases (methane and oxygen) concentration in biogas production in every second.

The composition and evolution of an Oligocene regolith on top of the Sesia–Lanzo Zone (Western Alps)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kapferer, Notburga; Mercolli, Ivan; Berger, Alfons

2011-01-01

An Oligocene paleosurface (regolith) lies on top of the high-pressure metamorphic rocks of the Sesia–Lanzo Zone near Biella, NW Italy. Only the saprock, the lowermost part in a regolith profile, is preserved. No evidence for any paleosoil can be observed. Field observations indicate that the rego...... with this sequence of subaerial rocks being very close to the intrusion depth of the Valle del Cervo Pluton at the time of its emplacement (4–7 km; Zanoni et al., in Rend Online SGI Note Brevi 1: 199–202, 2008; Zanoni et al., in Int Geol Rev 52: 1244–1267, 2010 and references therein)....

Technical note: Consistent calculation of aquatic gross production from oxygen triple isotope measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Kaiser

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Oxygen triple isotope measurements can be used to calculate aquatic gross oxygen production rates. Past studies have emphasised the appropriate definition of the ¹⁷O excess and often used an approximation to derive production rates from the ¹⁷O excess. Here, I show that the calculation can be phrased more consistently and without any approximations using the relative ¹⁷O/¹⁶O and ¹⁸O/¹⁶O isotope ratio differences (delta values directly. I call this the "dual delta method". The ¹⁷O excess is merely a mathematical construct and the derived production rate is independent of its definition, provided all calculations are performed with a consistent definition. I focus on the mixed layer, but also show how time series of triple isotope measurements below the mixed layer can be used to derive gross production.

In the calculation of mixed layer productivity, I explicitly include isotopic fractionation during gas invasion and evasion, which requires the oxygen supersaturation s to be measured as well. I also suggest how bubble injection could be considered in the same mathematical framework. I distinguish between concentration steady state and isotopic steady state and show that only the latter needs to be assumed in the calculation. It is even possible to derive an estimate of the net production rate in the mixed layer that is independent of the assumption of concentration steady state.

I review measurements of the parameters required for the calculation of gross production rates and show how their systematic uncertainties as well as the use of different published calculation methods can cause large variations in the production rates for the same underlying isotope ratios. In particular, the ¹⁷O excess of dissolved O₂ in equilibrium with atmospheric O₂ and the ¹⁷O excess of photosynthetic O₂ need to

Dynamic molecular oxygen production in cometary comae

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Yunxi; Giapis, Konstantinos P.

2017-05-01

Abundant molecular oxygen was discovered in the coma of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Its origin was ascribed to primordial gaseous O2 incorporated into the nucleus during the comet's formation. This thesis was put forward after discounting several O2 production mechanisms in comets, including photolysis and radiolysis of water, solar wind-surface interactions and gas-phase collisions. Here we report an original Eley-Rideal reaction mechanism, which permits direct O2 formation in single collisions of energetic water ions with oxidized cometary surface analogues. The reaction proceeds by H2O+ abstracting a surface O-atom, then forming an excited precursor state, which dissociates to produce O2-. Subsequent photo-detachment leads to molecular O2, whose presence in the coma may thus be linked directly to water molecules and their interaction with the solar wind. This abiotic O2 production mechanism is consistent with reported trends in the 67P coma and raises awareness of the role of energetic negative ions in comets.

In-Situ Resource Utilization: Oxygen Production

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The leading option for extracting oxygen from the Mars atmospheric carbon dioxide is to use a solid oxide electrolyzer, which removes one oxygen atom from the CO2...

Strategies to overcome oxygen transfer limitations during hairy root cultivation of Azadiracta indica for enhanced azadirachtin production.

Science.gov (United States)

Srivastava, Smita; Srivastava, Ashok Kumar

2012-07-01

The vast untapped potential of hairy root cultures as a stable source of biologically active chemicals has focused the attention of scientific community toward its commercial exploitation. However, the major bottleneck remains its successful scale-up. Due to branching, the roots form an interlocked matrix that exhibits resistance to oxygen transfer. Thus, present work was undertaken to develop cultivation strategies like optimization of inlet gas composition (in terms of % (v/v) O(2) in air), air-flow rate and addition of oxygen vectors in the medium, to curb the oxygen transfer limitations during hairy root cultivation of Azadirachta indica for in vitro azadirachtin (a biopesticide) production. It was found that increasing the oxygen fraction in the inlet air (in the range, 20-100% (v/v) O(2) in air) increased the azadirachtin productivity by approximately threefold, to a maximum of 4.42 mg/L per day (at 100% (v/v) O(2) in air) with respect to 1.68 mg/L per day in control (air with no oxygen supplementation). Similarly, increasing the air-flow rate (in the range, 0.3-2 vvm) also increased the azadirachtin productivity to a maximum of 1.84 mg/L per day at 0.8 vvm of air-flow rate. On the contrary, addition of oxygen vectors (in the range, 1-4% (v/v); hydrogen peroxide, toluene, Tween 80, kerosene, silicone oil, and n-hexadecane), decreased the azadirachtin productivity with respect to control (1.76 mg/L per day).

Comparison of Iron and Tungsten Based Oxygen Carriers for Hydrogen Production Using Chemical Looping Reforming

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, M. N.; Shamim, T.

2017-08-01

Hydrogen production by using a three reactor chemical looping reforming (TRCLR) technology is an innovative and attractive process. Fossil fuels such as methane are the feedstocks used. This process is similar to a conventional steam-methane reforming but occurs in three steps utilizing an oxygen carrier. As the oxygen carrier plays an important role, its selection should be done carefully. In this study, two oxygen carrier materials of base metal iron (Fe) and tungsten (W) are analysed using a thermodynamic model of a three reactor chemical looping reforming plant in Aspen plus. The results indicate that iron oxide has moderate oxygen carrying capacity and is cheaper since it is abundantly available. In terms of hydrogen production efficiency, tungsten oxide gives 4% better efficiency than iron oxide. While in terms of electrical power efficiency, iron oxide gives 4.6% better results than tungsten oxide. Overall, a TRCLR system with iron oxide is 2.6% more efficient and is cost effective than the TRCLR system with tungsten oxide.

Oxygen pathway modeling estimates high reactive oxygen species production above the highest permanent human habitation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isaac Cano

Full Text Available The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS from the inner mitochondrial membrane is one of many fundamental processes governing the balance between health and disease. It is well known that ROS are necessary signaling molecules in gene expression, yet when expressed at high levels, ROS may cause oxidative stress and cell damage. Both hypoxia and hyperoxia may alter ROS production by changing mitochondrial Po2 (PmO2. Because PmO2 depends on the balance between O2 transport and utilization, we formulated an integrative mathematical model of O2 transport and utilization in skeletal muscle to predict conditions to cause abnormally high ROS generation. Simulations using data from healthy subjects during maximal exercise at sea level reveal little mitochondrial ROS production. However, altitude triggers high mitochondrial ROS production in muscle regions with high metabolic capacity but limited O2 delivery. This altitude roughly coincides with the highest location of permanent human habitation. Above 25,000 ft., more than 90% of exercising muscle is predicted to produce abnormally high levels of ROS, corresponding to the "death zone" in mountaineering.

Oxygen toxicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. A. van der Westhuizen

1990-07-01

Full Text Available Oxygen has been discovered about 200 years ago. Since then the vital physiological involvement of oxygen in various biologi­cal processes, mainly energy production, has been established. However, in the body molecular oxygen can be converted to toxic oxygen metabolites such as superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, the hydroxyl radical and singlet oxygen. These toxic metabolites are produced mainly in the mitochondria, plasma membranes and endoplasmic reticulum.

Developing a Material Response Model of Biopolymer-Stabilized Regolith to Predict Micrometeorite Damage of ISRU Habitat Systems

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The proposed space technology research aims to investigate the micrometeorite impact performance of Regolith Biocomposite (RBC), an innovative in-situ material...

Ion-adsorption REEs in regolith of the Liberty Hill pluton, South Carolina, USA: An effect of hydrothermal alteration

Science.gov (United States)

Bern, Carleton R.; Yesavage, Tiffany; Foley, Nora K.

2017-01-01

Ion-adsorbed rare earth element (REE) deposits supply the majority of world heavy REE production and substantial light REE production, but relatively little is known of their occurrence outside Southeast Asia. We examined the distribution and forms of REEs on a North American pluton located in the highly weathered and slowly eroding South Carolina Piedmont. The Hercynian Liberty Hill pluton experiences a modern climate that includes ~ 1500 mm annual rainfall and a mean annual temperature of 17 °C. The pluton is medium- to coarse-grained biotite-amphibole granite with minor biotite granite facies. REE-bearing phases are diverse and include monazite, zircon, titanite, allanite, apatite and bastnäsite. Weathered profiles were sampled up to 7 m-deep across the ~ 400 km2 pluton. In one profile, ion-adsorbed REEs plus yttrium (REE + Y) ranged up to 581 mg/kg and accounted for up to 77% of total REE + Y in saprolite. In other profiles, ion-adsorbed REE + Y ranged 12–194 mg/kg and only accounted for 3–37% of totals. The profile most enriched in ion-adsorbed REEs was located along the mapped boundary of two granite facies and contained trioctahedral smectite in the saprolite, evidence suggestive of hydrothermal alteration of biotite at that location. Post-emplacement deuteric alteration can generate easily weathered REE phases, particularly fluorocarbonates. In the case of Liberty Hill, hydrothermal alteration may have converted less soluble to more soluble REE minerals. Additionally, regolith P content was inversely correlated with the fraction ion-adsorbed REEs, and weathering related secondary REE-phosphates were found in some regolith profiles. Both patterns illustrate how low P content aids in the accumulation of ion-adsorbed REEs. The localized occurrence at Liberty Hill sheds light on conditions and processes that generate ion-adsorbed REEs.

Regolith Derived Heat Shield for Planetary Body Entry and Descent System with In Situ Fabrication

Science.gov (United States)

Hogue, Michael D.; Meuller, Robert P.; Sibille, Laurent; Hintze, Paul E.; Rasky, Daniel J.

2012-01-01

This NIAC project investigated an innovative approach to provide heat shield protection to spacecraft after launch and prior to each EDL thus potentially realizing significant launch mass savings. Heat shields fabricated in situ can provide a thermal-protection system for spacecraft that routinely enter a planetary atmosphere. By fabricating the heat shield with space resources from materials available on moons and asteroids, it is possible to avoid launching the heat-shield mass from Earth. Regolith has extremely good insulating properties and the silicates it contains can be used in the fabrication and molding of thermal-protection materials. Such in situ developed heat shields have been suggested before by Lewis. Prior research efforts have shown that regolith properties can be compatible with very-high temperature resistance. Our project team is highly experienced in regolith processing and thermal protection systems (TPS). Routine access to space and return from any planetary surface requires dealing with heat loads experienced by the spacecraft during reentry. Our team addresses some of the key issues with the EDL of human-scale missions through a highly innovative investigation of heat shields that can be fabricated in space by using local resources on asteroids and moons. Most space missions are one-way trips, dedicated to placing an asset in space for economical or scientific gain. However, for human missions, a very-reliable heat-shield system is necessary to protect the crew from the intense heat experienced at very high entry velocities of approximately 11 km/s at approximately Mach 33 (Apollo). For a human mission to Mars, the return problem is even more difficult, with predicted velocities of up to 14 km/s, at approximately Mach 42 at the Earth-atmosphere entry. In addition to human return, it is very likely that future space-travel architecture will include returning cargo to the Earth, either for scientific purposes or for commercial reasons

A new look at oxygen production on Mars - In situ propellant production (ISPP)

Science.gov (United States)

Frisbee, Robert H.; French, James R., Jr.; Lawton, Emil A.

1987-01-01

Consideration is given to the technique of producing oxygen on Mars from CO2 in the Martian atmosphere via in situ propellent production (ISPP). Mission implications of ISPP for both manned and unmanned Mars missions are described as well as ways to improve system reliability. Technology options that improve reliability and reduce power requirements include the use of adsorption pumps and advanced zirconia membranes. It is concluded that both manned and unmanned missions will benefit greatly from ISPP, especially in the context of a permanent manned base on Mars.

Lunar oxygen and metal for use in near-earth space - Magma electrolysis

Science.gov (United States)

Colson, Russell O.; Haskin, Larry A.

1990-01-01

The unique conditions on the moon, such as vacuum, absence of many reagents common on the earth, and presence of very nontraditional 'ores', suggest that a unique and nontraditional process for extracting materials from the ores may prove the most practical. An investigation has begun into unfluxed silicate electrolysis as a method for extracting oxygen, Fe, and Si from lunar regolith. The advantages of the process include simplicity of concept, absence of need to supply reagents from the earth, and low power and mass requirements for the processing plant. Disadvantages include the need for uninterrupted high temperature and the highly corrosive nature of the high-temperature silicate melts, which has made identifying suitable electrode and container materials difficult.

Mechanical properties of lunar regolith and lunar soil simulant

Science.gov (United States)

Perkins, Steven W.

1989-01-01

Through the Surveyor 3 and 7, and Apollo 11-17 missions a knowledge of the mechanical properties of Lunar regolith were gained. These properties, including material cohesion, friction, in-situ density, grain-size distribution and shape, and porosity, were determined by indirect means of trenching, penetration, and vane shear testing. Several of these properties were shown to be significantly different from those of terrestrial soils, such as an interlocking cohesion and tensile strength formed in the absence of moisture and particle cementation. To characterize the strength and deformation properties of Lunar regolith experiments have been conducted on a lunar soil simulant at various initial densities, fabric arrangements, and composition. These experiments included conventional triaxial compression and extension, direct tension, and combined tension-shear. Experiments have been conducted at low levels of effective confining stress. External conditions such as membrane induced confining stresses, end platten friction and material self weight have been shown to have a dramatic effect on the strength properties at low levels of confining stress. The solution has been to treat these external conditions and the specimen as a full-fledged boundary value problem rather than the idealized elemental cube of mechanics. Centrifuge modeling allows for the study of Lunar soil-structure interaction problems. In recent years centrifuge modeling has become an important tool for modeling processes that are dominated by gravity and for verifying analysis procedures and studying deformation and failure modes. Centrifuge modeling is well established for terrestrial enginering and applies equally as well to Lunar engineering. A brief review of the experiments is presented in graphic and outline form.

Nitric Oxide is Required for Homeostasis of Oxygen and Reactive Oxygen Species in Barley Roots under Aerobic Conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gupta, Kapuganti J; Hebelstrup, Kim; Kruger, Nicholas J

2014-01-01

Oxygen, the terminal electron acceptor for mitochondrial electron transport, is vital for plants because of its role in the production of ATP by oxidative phosphorylation. While photosynthetic oxygen production contributes to the oxygen supply in leaves, reducing the risk of oxygen limitation of ...... electron transport chain (Gupta et al., 2011). Thus, NO could influence oxygen consumption under normal aerobic conditions in roots, and it is this specific function that is assessed here.......Oxygen, the terminal electron acceptor for mitochondrial electron transport, is vital for plants because of its role in the production of ATP by oxidative phosphorylation. While photosynthetic oxygen production contributes to the oxygen supply in leaves, reducing the risk of oxygen limitation...

Production of an accelerated oxygen-14 beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Powell, J.; O'Neil, J.P.; Cerny, Joseph

2003-01-01

BEARS is an ongoing project to provide a light-ion radioactive-beam capability at the 88-Inch Cyclotron at LBNL. Light radioactive isotopes are produced at a 10 MeV proton medical cyclotron, transported 350 m via a high-speed gas transport capillary, cryogenically separated, and injected into the 88-Inch Cyclotron's ion source. The first radioactive beam successfully accelerated was carbon-11 and beams of intensity more than 10 8 ions/s have been utilized for experiments. Development of oxygen-14 as the second BEARS beam presented considerable technical challenges, both due to its short half-life of 71 s and the radiation chemistry of oxygen in the target. The usual techniques developed for medical uses of oxygen-15 involve the addition of significant amounts of carrier oxygen, something that would overload the ion source. As a solution, oxygen-14 is produced as water in a carrier-free form, and is chemically converted in two steps to carbon dioxide, a form readily usable by the BEARS. This system has been built and is operational, and initial tests of accelerating an oxygen-14 beam have been performed

The study of excited oxygen molecule gas species production and quenching on thermal protection system materials

Science.gov (United States)

Nordine, Paul C.; Fujimoto, Gordon T.; Greene, Frank T.

1987-01-01

The detection of excited oxygen and ozone molecules formed by surface catalyzed oxygen atom recombination and reaction was investigated by laser induced fluorescence (LIF), molecular beam mass spectrometric (MBMS), and field ionization (FI) techniques. The experiment used partially dissociated oxygen flows from a microwave discharge at pressures in the range from 60 to 400 Pa or from an inductively coupled RF discharge at atmospheric pressure. The catalyst materials investigated were nickel and the reaction cured glass coating used for Space Shuttle reusable surface insulation tiles. Nonradiative loss processes for the laser excited states makes LIF detection of O2 difficult such that formation of excited oxygen molecules could not be detected in the flow from the microwave discharge or in the gaseous products of atom loss on nickel. MBMS experiments showed that ozone was a product of heterogeneous O atom loss on nickel and tile surfaces at low temperatures and that ozone is lost on these materials at elevated temperatures. FI was separately investigated as a method by which excited oxygen molecules may be conveniently detected. Partial O2 dissociation decreases the current produced by FI of the gas.

Release of intracellular Calcium increase production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species in renal distal epithelial cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjerregaard, Henning F.

peroxide (H2O2) has traditionally been regarded as toxic by-products of aerobic metabolism. However, recent findings indicate that H2O2 act as a signalling molecule. The aim of the present study was to monitor, in real time, the rates of ROS generation in order to directly determine their production......Release of intracellular Calcium increase production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species in renal distal epithelial cells. Henning F. Bjerregaard, Roskilde University, Department of Science, Systems and Models , 4000 Roskilde, Denmark. HFB@ RUC.DK Reactive oxygen species (ROS) like, hydrogen...... to G-protein stimulation of phospholipase C and release of inositol -3 phosphate. Cd (0.4 mM) treatment of A6 cells enhanced the ROS production after one minutes incubation. The production rate was constant for at least 10 to 20 min. Experiments showed that the Cd induced increase in ROS production...

High Surface Iridium Anodes for Molten Oxide Electrolysis, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Processing of lunar regolith into oxygen for habitat and propulsion is needed to support future space missions. Direct electrochemical reduction of molten regolith...

Mixomics analysis of Bacillus subtilis: effect of oxygen availability on riboflavin production.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Junlang; Lei, Pan; Mohsin, Ali; Liu, Xiaoyun; Huang, Mingzhi; Li, Liang; Hu, Jianhua; Hang, Haifeng; Zhuang, Yingping; Guo, Meijin

2017-09-12

Riboflavin, an intermediate of primary metabolism, is one kind of important food additive with high economic value. The microbial cell factory Bacillus subtilis has already been proven to possess significant importance for the food industry and have become one of the most widely used riboflavin-producing strains. In the practical fermentation processes, a sharp decrease in riboflavin production is encountered along with a decrease in the dissolved oxygen (DO) tension. Influence of this oxygen availability on riboflavin biosynthesis through carbon central metabolic pathways in B. subtilis is unknown so far. Therefore the unveiled effective metabolic pathways were still an unaccomplished task till present research work. In this paper, the microscopic regulation mechanisms of B. subtilis grown under different dissolved oxygen tensions were studied by integrating 13 C metabolic flux analysis, metabolomics and transcriptomics. It was revealed that the glucose metabolic flux through pentose phosphate (PP) pathway was lower as being confirmed by smaller pool sizes of metabolites in PP pathway and lower expression amount of ykgB at transcriptional level. The latter encodes 6-phosphogluconolactonase (6-PGL) under low DO tension. In response to low DO tension in broth, the glucose metabolic flux through Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas (EMP) pathway was higher and the gene, alsS, encoding for acetolactate synthase was significantly activated that may result due to lower ATP concentration and higher NADH/NAD + ratio. Moreover, ResE, a membrane-anchored protein that is capable of oxygen regulated phosphorylase activity, and ResD, a regulatory protein that can be phosphorylated and dephosphorylated by ResE, were considered as DO tension sensor and transcriptional regulator respectively. This study shows that integration of transcriptomics, 13 C metabolic flux analysis and metabolomics analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of biosynthesized riboflavin's regulatory mechanisms in

Production of an accelerated oxygen-14 beam

CERN Document Server

Powell, J; Cerny, J

2003-01-01

BEARS is an ongoing project to provide a light-ion radioactive-beam capability at the 88-Inch Cyclotron at LBNL. Light radioactive isotopes are produced at a 10 MeV proton medical cyclotron, transported 350 m via a high-speed gas transport capillary, cryogenically separated, and injected into the 88-Inch Cyclotron's ion source. The first radioactive beam successfully accelerated was carbon-11 and beams of intensity more than 10 sup 8 ions/s have been utilized for experiments. Development of oxygen-14 as the second BEARS beam presented considerable technical challenges, both due to its short half-life of 71 s and the radiation chemistry of oxygen in the target. The usual techniques developed for medical uses of oxygen-15 involve the addition of significant amounts of carrier oxygen, something that would overload the ion source. As a solution, oxygen-14 is produced as water in a carrier-free form, and is chemically converted in two steps to carbon dioxide, a form readily usable by the BEARS. This system has bee...

Designing the Lunar Regolith Excavation Competition

Science.gov (United States)

Le, Christopher

2009-01-01

The project assigned this summer involves designing a lunar regolith mining robotics competition. This process involves consulting several assets available at the Kennedy Space Center. The process involves several steps. The first step is to determine the requirements for the competition. Once these requirements are determined, the dimensions of the playing field are drawn up, first by hand, and then using computer models. After these drawings are tentatively decided upon, the cost of materials must be determined, so as to fit within the allotted budget for the project. The materials are to then be ordered, assembled, broken down, and stored throughout the duration of the competition. We must also design the advertisements and logos for the competition. This is to market and publicize the competition to college level teams. We must also determine the rules for the competition so as to have uniform requirements for all teams. Once these processes are completed, the competition can be finalized and publicized for the public. The contributing parties are Greg Galloway, Robert Mueller, Susan Sawyer, Gloria Murphy, Julia Nething, and Cassandra Liles.

Effects of topographic data quality on estimates of shallow slope stability using different regolith depth models

Science.gov (United States)

Baum, Rex L.

2017-01-01

Thickness of colluvium or regolith overlying bedrock or other consolidated materials is a major factor in determining stability of unconsolidated earth materials on steep slopes. Many efforts to model spatially distributed slope stability, for example to assess susceptibility to shallow landslides, have relied on estimates of constant thickness, constant depth, or simple models of thickness (or depth) based on slope and other topographic variables. Assumptions of constant depth or thickness rarely give satisfactory results. Geomorphologists have devised a number of different models to represent the spatial variability of regolith depth and applied them to various settings. I have applied some of these models that can be implemented numerically to different study areas with different types of terrain and tested the results against available depth measurements and landslide inventories. The areas include crystalline rocks of the Colorado Front Range, and gently dipping sedimentary rocks of the Oregon Coast Range. Model performance varies with model, terrain type, and with quality of the input topographic data. Steps in contour-derived 10-m digital elevation models (DEMs) introduce significant errors into the predicted distribution of regolith and landslides. Scan lines, facets, and other artifacts further degrade DEMs and model predictions. Resampling to a lower grid-cell resolution can mitigate effects of facets in lidar DEMs of areas where dense forest severely limits ground returns. Due to its higher accuracy and ability to penetrate vegetation, lidar-derived topography produces more realistic distributions of cover and potential landslides than conventional photogrammetrically derived topographic data.

Paraffin as oxygen vector modulates tyrosine phenol lyase production by Citrobacter freundii MTCC 2424.

Science.gov (United States)

Azmi, Wamik; Kumar, Ajay; Dev, Varun

2013-06-01

The efficiency of three oxygen-vectors liquid paraffin, silicone oil and n-dodecane in the production of tyrosine phenol lyase (TPL) by Citrobacter freundii MTCC 2424 was evaluated at 4% (v/v) concentration. The liquid paraffin as oxygenvectors was found to exhibit a stimulatory effect on TPL synthesis. The liquid paraffin at 6% (v/v) resulted in 34% increase in the TPL synthesis accompanied by a 13% increase in the production of cell mass at a 10 L scale. This improvement in TPL and cell mass production in the presence of liquid paraffin can be related to the fact that liquid paraffin was capable of maintaining dissolved O2 concentration above 28% throughout the course of the fermentation. Maintenance of the dissolved O2 concentration above 28% could be viewed in terms of an adequate oxygen supply to the rapidly dividing cells of the bacterium, which in turn resulted in enhanced synthesis of TPL and cell mass.

A foundational methodology for determining system static complexity using notional lunar oxygen production processes

Science.gov (United States)

Long, Nicholas James

This thesis serves to develop a preliminary foundational methodology for evaluating the static complexity of future lunar oxygen production systems when extensive information is not yet available about the various systems under consideration. Evaluating static complexity, as part of a overall system complexity analysis, is an important consideration in ultimately selecting a process to be used in a lunar base. When system complexity is higher, there is generally an overall increase in risk which could impact the safety of astronauts and the economic performance of the mission. To evaluate static complexity in lunar oxygen production, static complexity is simplified and defined into its essential components. First, three essential dimensions of static complexity are investigated, including interconnective complexity, strength of connections, and complexity in variety. Then a set of methods is developed upon which to separately evaluate each dimension. Q-connectivity analysis is proposed as a means to evaluate interconnective complexity and strength of connections. The law of requisite variety originating from cybernetic theory is suggested to interpret complexity in variety. Secondly, a means to aggregate the results of each analysis is proposed to create holistic measurement for static complexity using the Single Multi-Attribute Ranking Technique (SMART). Each method of static complexity analysis and the aggregation technique is demonstrated using notional data for four lunar oxygen production processes.

Exploring Fingerprints of the Extreme Thermoacidophile Metallosphaera sedula Grown on Synthetic Martian Regolith Materials as the Sole Energy Sources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denise Kölbl

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The biology of metal transforming microorganisms is of a fundamental and applied importance for our understanding of past and present biogeochemical processes on Earth and in the Universe. The extreme thermoacidophile Metallosphaera sedula is a metal mobilizing archaeon, which thrives in hot acid environments (optimal growth at 74°C and pH 2.0 and utilizes energy from the oxidation of reduced metal inorganic sources. These characteristics of M. sedula make it an ideal organism to further our knowledge of the biogeochemical processes of possible life on extraterrestrial planetary bodies. Exploring the viability and metal extraction capacity of M. sedula living on and interacting with synthetic extraterrestrial minerals, we show that M. sedula utilizes metals trapped in the Martian regolith simulants (JSC Mars 1A; P-MRS; S-MRS; MRS07/52 as the sole energy sources. The obtained set of microbiological and mineralogical data suggests that M. sedula actively colonizes synthetic Martian regolith materials and releases free soluble metals. The surface of bioprocessed Martian regolith simulants is analyzed for specific mineralogical fingerprints left upon M. sedula growth. The obtained results provide insights of biomining of extraterrestrial material as well as of the detection of biosignatures implementing in life search missions.

Exploring Fingerprints of the Extreme Thermoacidophile Metallosphaera sedula Grown on Synthetic Martian Regolith Materials as the Sole Energy Sources.

Science.gov (United States)

Kölbl, Denise; Pignitter, Marc; Somoza, Veronika; Schimak, Mario P; Strbak, Oliver; Blazevic, Amir; Milojevic, Tetyana

2017-01-01

The biology of metal transforming microorganisms is of a fundamental and applied importance for our understanding of past and present biogeochemical processes on Earth and in the Universe. The extreme thermoacidophile Metallosphaera sedula is a metal mobilizing archaeon, which thrives in hot acid environments (optimal growth at 74°C and pH 2.0) and utilizes energy from the oxidation of reduced metal inorganic sources. These characteristics of M. sedula make it an ideal organism to further our knowledge of the biogeochemical processes of possible life on extraterrestrial planetary bodies. Exploring the viability and metal extraction capacity of M. sedula living on and interacting with synthetic extraterrestrial minerals, we show that M. sedula utilizes metals trapped in the Martian regolith simulants (JSC Mars 1A; P-MRS; S-MRS; MRS07/52) as the sole energy sources. The obtained set of microbiological and mineralogical data suggests that M. sedula actively colonizes synthetic Martian regolith materials and releases free soluble metals. The surface of bioprocessed Martian regolith simulants is analyzed for specific mineralogical fingerprints left upon M. sedula growth. The obtained results provide insights of biomining of extraterrestrial material as well as of the detection of biosignatures implementing in life search missions.

Combustion Joining of Regolith Tiles for In-Situ Fabrication of Launch/Landing Pads on the Moon and Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Ferguson, Robert E.; Shafirovich, Evgeny; Mantovani, James G.

2017-01-01

To mitigate dust problems during launch/landing operations in lunar and Mars missions, it is desired to build solid pads on the surface. Recently, strong tiles have been fabricated from lunar regolith simulants using high-temperature sintering. The present work investigates combustion joining of these tiles through the use of exothermic intermetallic reactions. Specifically, nickel/aluminum (1:1 mole ratio) mixture was placed in a gap between the tiles sintered from JSC-1A lunar regolith simulant. Upon ignition by a laser, a self-sustained propagation of the combustion front over the mixture occurred. Joining was improved with increasing the tile thickness from 6.3 mm to 12.7 mm. The temperatures sufficient for melting the glass phase of JSC-1A were recorded for 12.7-mm tiles, which explains the observed better joining.

Production of perhydroxy radical (HO2) and oxygen in the radiolysis of aqueous solution and the LET effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imamura, Masashi

1987-01-01

This article aims to review the results concerning the production of perhydroxy radical (HO 2 ) and oxygen from irradiated aqueous solutions and the LET effects on these products, beginning with a brief introduction to the elementary primary processes in radiolysis of aqueous solution. Oxygen, if produced in the radiolysis of aqueous solution, may be considered responsible for the decreased oxygen enhancement ratio (OER) in biological systems exposed to high LET radiation. A Harwell's group has determined oxygen generated from aqueous ferrous solutions irradiated with heavy ions and concluded that the oxygen is a precursor of perhydroxy radicals. The LET-dependent yields for perhydroxy radical have been determined by LaVerne and Schuler; the analysis of their results sheds light into the reactions taking place in high-LET track cores. In conjunction with these results, the possible contributions to the LET effects are pointed out and discussed of the energetic secondary electrons ejected from the track core by knock-on collision with heavy ions and of the variation in the track core size with energy of the heavy particles. (author)

Application of airborne gamma-ray spectrometry in soil/regolith mapping and applied geomorphology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilford, J.R.; Bierwirth, P.N.; Craig, M.A.

1997-01-01

Gamma-ray spectrometric surveys are an important source of information for soil, regolith and geomorphological studies, as demonstrated by the interpretation of airborne surveys in Western Australia, central New South Wales and north Queensland. Gamma-rays emitted from the ground surface relate to the primary mineralogy and geochemistry of the bedrock, and the secondary weathered materials. Weathering modifies the distribution and concentration of radioelements from the original bedrock source. Once the radioelement response of bedrock and weathered materials is understood, the gamma-ray data can provide information on geomorphic processes and soil/regolith properties, including their mineralogy, texture, chemistry and style of weathering. This information can contribute significantly to an understanding of the weathering and geomorphic history of a region and, therefore, has the potential to be used in developing more effective land-management strategies and refining geochemical models in support of mineral exploration. Gamma-ray imagery is enhanced when combined with Landsat TM bands and digital elevation models (DEM). This synergy enables geochemical information derived from the gamma-ray data to be interpreted within a geomorphic framework. Draping gamma-ray images over DEMs as 3D landscape perspective views aids interpretation and allows the interpreter to visualise complex relationships between the gamma-ray response and landform features. 44 refs.,1 tab., 11 figs

Sintering of micro-trusses created by extrusion-3D-printing of lunar regolith inks

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Shannon L.; Jakus, Adam E.; Koube, Katie D.; Ibeh, Amaka J.; Geisendorfer, Nicholas R.; Shah, Ramille N.; Dunand, David C.

2018-02-01

The development of in situ fabrication methods for the infrastructure required to support human life on the Moon is necessary due to the prohibitive cost of transporting large quantities of materials from the Earth. Cellular structures, consisting of a regular network (truss) of micro-struts with ∼500 μm diameters, suitable for bricks, blocks, panels, and other load-bearing structural elements for habitats and other infrastructure are created by direct-extrusion 3D-printing of liquid inks containing JSC-1A lunar regolith simulant powders, followed by sintering. The effects of sintering time, temperature, and atmosphere (air or hydrogen) on the microstructures, mechanical properties, and magnetic properties of the sintered lunar regolith micro-trusses are investigated. The air-sintered micro-trusses have higher relative densities, linear shrinkages, and peak compressive strengths, due to the improved sintering of the struts within the micro-trusses achieved by a liquid or glassy phase. Whereas the hydrogen-sintered micro-trusses show no liquid-phase sintering or glassy phase, they contain metallic iron 0.1-2 μm particles from the reduction of ilmenite, which allows them to be lifted with magnets.

Stratification in the lunar regolith - a preliminary view

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duke, M.B.; Nagle, J.S.

1975-01-01

Although the knowledge of lunar regolith stratification is incomplete, several categories of thick and thin strata have been identified. Relatively thick units average 2 to 3 cm in thickness, and appear surficially to be massive. On more detailed examination, these units can be uniformly fine-grained, can show internal trends, or can show internal variations which apparently are random. Other thick units contain soil clasts apparently reworked from underlying units. Thin laminae average approximately 1 mm in thickness; lenticular distribution and composition of some thin laminae indicates they are fillets shed from adjacent rock fragments. Other dark, fine-grained, well-sorted thin laminae appear to be surficial zones, reworked by micrometeorites. Interpretations of stratigraphic succession can be strengthened by the occurrence of characteristic coarse rock fragments and the orientation of large spatter agglutinates, which are commonly found in their original depositional orientation. (Auth.)

Nature of parent rocks, mineralization styles and ore genesis of regolith-hosted REE deposits in South China: An integrated genetic model

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan Hei Martin; Zhao, Wen Winston; Zhou, Mei-Fu

2017-10-01

Regolith-hosted rare earth element (REE) deposits, also called ion-adsorption or weathered crust elution-deposited REE deposits are distributed over Jiangxi, Guangdong, Fujian, Hunan, Guangxi and Yunnan provinces in South China. In general, these deposits can be categorized into the HREE-dominated type, for example the famous Zudong deposit in southern Jiangxi province and the LREE-dominated type, such as the Heling and Dingnan deposits in southern Jiangxi province. Most of these deposits form from weathering of biotite and muscovite granites, syenites, monzogranites, granodiorites, granite porphyries, and rhyolitic tuffs. The parent rocks are generally peraluminous, siliceous, alkaline and contain a variety of REE-bearing minerals. Mostly, REE patterns of regolith are inherited from the parent rocks, and therefore, characteristics of the parent rocks impose a significant control on the ore formation. Data compilation shows that autometasomatism during the latest stage of granite crystallization is likely essential in forming the HREE-enriched granites, whereas LREE-enriched granites could form through magmatic differentiation. These deposits are normally two- to three-fold, but could be up to ten-fold enrichment in REE compared to the parent granites, where the maximum enrichment usually occurs from the lower B to the upper C horizon. Ce shows different behavior with the other REEs. Strongly positive Ce anomalies commonly occur at the upper part of weathering profiles, likely due to oxidation of Ce3+ to Ce4+ and removal of Ce from soil solutions through precipitation of cerianite. Vertical pH and redox gradients in weathering crusts facilitate dissolution of REE-bearing minerals at shallow level and fixation of REE at depth through either adsorption on clay minerals or precipitation of secondary minerals. At the same time, mass removal of major elements plays an important role in concentrating REE in regolith. Combination of mass removal and eluviation

The extent of lunar regolith mixing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishiizumi, K.; Imamura, M.; Kohl, C.P.; Murrell, M.T.; Arnold, J.R.; Russ, G.P. III

1979-01-01

The activity of solar cosmic-ray-produced 53 Mn has been measured as a function of depth in the upper 100 g/cm 2 (approximately 55 cm) of lunar cores 60009-60010 and 12025-12028. Additional samples which supplement earlier work were analyzed from the Apollo 15 and 16 drill stems. These data, taken in conjunction with previously published results and the 22 Na and 26 Al data of the Battelle Northwest group, indicate that in at least three of the four cases studied the regolith has been measureably disturbed within the last 10 m.y. In one case gardening to > 19 g/cm 2 is required. Activities measured in the uppermost 2 g/cm 2 indicate frequent mixing within this depth range. No undisturbed profiles were observed nor were any major discontinuities observed in the profiles. The Monte Carlo gardening model of Arnold has been used to derive profiles for the gardened moon-wide average of 53 Mn and 26 Al as a function of depth. The 53 Mn and 26 Al experimental results are compared with these theoretical predictions. Agreement is good in several respects, but the calculated depth of disturbance appears to be too low. (Auth.)

Distribution, movement, and evolution of the volatile elements in the lunar regolith

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibson, E.K. Jr.

1975-01-01

The abundances and distributions of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur in lunar soils are reviewed. Carbon and nitrogen have a predominantly extra-lunar origin in lunar soils and breccias, while sulfur is mostly indigeneous to the Moon. The lunar processes which effect the movement, distribution, and evolution of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur, along with the volatile alkali elements sodium, potassium, and rubidium during regolith processes are discussed. Possible mechanisms which may result in the addition to or loss from the Moon of these volatile elements are considered. (Auth.)

Distribution, movement, and evolution of the volatile elements in the lunar regolith

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, E. K., Jr.

1975-01-01

The abundances and distributions of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur in lunar soils are reviewed. Carbon and nitrogen have a predominantly extra-lunar origin in lunar soils and breccias, while sulfur is mostly indigeneous to the moon. The lunar processes which effect the movement, distribution, and evolution of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur, along with the volatile alkali elements sodium, potassium, and rubidium during regolith processes are discussed. Possible mechanisms which may result in the addition to or loss from the moon of these volatile elements are considered.

Comets, volcanism, the salt-rich regolith, and cycling of volatiles on Mars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, B.C.

1987-01-01

The composition of the Martian surface and its evolution are examined, reviewing the results of recent theoretical models and composition estimates based on Viking-lander analyses. The data are compiled in tables and characterized in detail, and a high degree of variation among the predictions is noted. The discussion centers on the possible roles of comets (as sources of volatiles), the salt-rich regolith (as an important water sink), and volcanic activity (interfering with volatile-recycling processes and eventually producing a volatile-depleted surface layer). 45 references

Improved Discrimination of Volcanic Complexes, Tectonic Features, and Regolith Properties in Mare Serenitatis from Earth-Based Radar Mapping

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Bruce A.; Hawke, B. Ray; Morgan, Gareth A.; Carter, Lynn M.; Campbell, Donald B.; Nolan, Michael

2014-01-01

Radar images at 70 cm wavelength show 4-5 dB variations in backscatter strength within regions of relatively uniform spectral reflectance properties in central and northern Mare Serenitatis, delineating features suggesting lava flow margins, channels, and superposition relationships. These backscatter differences are much less pronounced at 12.6 cm wavelength, consistent with a large component of the 70 cm echo arising from the rough or blocky transition zone between the mare regolith and the intact bedrock. Such deep probing is possible because the ilmenite content, which modulates microwave losses, of central Mare Serenitatis is generally low (2-3% by weight). Modeling of the radar returns from a buried interface shows that an average regolith thickness of 10m could lead to the observed shifts in 70 cm echo power with a change in TiO2 content from 2% to 3%. This thickness is consistent with estimates of regolith depth (10-15m) based on the smallest diameter for which fresh craters have obvious blocky ejecta. The 70 cm backscatter differences provide a view of mare flow-unit boundaries, channels, and lobes unseen by other remote sensing methods. A localized pyroclastic deposit associated with Rima Calippus is identified based on its low radar echo strength. Radar mapping also improves delineation of units for crater age dating and highlights a 250 km long, east-west trending feature in northern Mare Serenitatis that we suggest is a large graben flooded by late-stage mare flows.

Exposure to ultrafine particles, intracellular production of reactive oxygen species in leukocytes and altered levels of endothelial progenitor cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jantzen, Kim; Møller, Peter; Karottki, Dorina Gabriela; Olsen, Yulia; Bekö, Gabriel; Clausen, Geo; Hersoug, Lars-Georg; Loft, Steffen

2016-01-01

Exposure to particles in the fine and ultrafine size range has been linked to induction of low-grade systemic inflammation, oxidative stress and development of cardiovascular diseases. Declining levels of endothelial progenitor cells within systemic circulation have likewise been linked to progression of cardiovascular diseases. The objective was to determine if exposure to fine and ultrafine particles from indoor and outdoor sources, assessed by personal and residential indoor monitoring, is associated with altered levels of endothelial progenitor cells, and whether such effects are related to leukocyte-mediated oxidative stress. The study utilized a cross sectional design performed in 58 study participants from a larger cohort. Levels of circulating endothelial progenitor cells, defined as either late (CD34 + KDR + cells) or early (CD34 + CD133 + KDR + cells) subsets were measured using polychromatic flow cytometry. We additionally measured production of reactive oxygen species in leukocyte subsets (lymphocytes, monocytes and granulocytes) by flow cytometry using intracellular 2′,7′-dichlorofluoroscein. The measurements encompassed both basal levels of reactive oxygen species production and capacity for reactive oxygen species production for each leukocyte subset. We found that the late endothelial progenitor subset was negatively associated with levels of ultrafine particles measured within the participant residences and with reactive oxygen species production capacity in lymphocytes. Additionally, the early endothelial progenitor cell levels were positively associated with a personalised measure of ultrafine particle exposure and negatively associated with both basal and capacity for reactive oxygen species production in lymphocytes and granulocytes, respectively. Our results indicate that exposure to fine and ultrafine particles derived from indoor sources may have adverse effects on human vascular health.

Numerical Simulations of the Lunar Penetrating Radar and Investigations of the Geological Structures of the Lunar Regolith Layer at the Chang’E 3 Landing Site

OpenAIRE

Ding, Chunyu; Su, Yan; Xing, Shuguo; Dai, Shun; Xiao, Yuan; Feng, Jianqing; Liu, Danqing; Li, Chunlai

2017-01-01

In the process of lunar exploration, and specifically when studying lunar surface structure and thickness, the established lunar regolith model is usually a uniform and ideal structural model, which is not well-suited to describe the real structure of the lunar regolith layer. The present study aims to explain the geological structural information contained in the channel 2 LPR (lunar penetrating radar) data. In this paper, the random medium theory and Apollo drilling core data are used to co...

Production of alkyl-aromatics from light oxygenates over zeolite catalysts for bio-oil refining

Science.gov (United States)

Hoang, Trung Q.

Upgrading of light oxygenates derived from biomass conversion, such as propanal and glycerol, to more valuable aromatics for biofuels has been demonstrated on zeolite catalysts. Aromatics with a high ratio of C 9/(C8+C7) and little benzene are produced at much higher yield from oxygenates than from olefins at mild conditions over HZSM-5. It is proposed that C9 aromatics are predominantly produced via acid-catalyzed aldol condensation. This reaction pathway is different from the pathway of propylene and other hydrocarbon aromatization that occurs via a hydrocarbon pool at more severe conditions with major aromatic products C6 and C7. In fact, investigation on the effect of crystallite size HZSM-5 has shown a higher ratio of C9/(C8+C 7) aromatics on small crystallite. This is due to faster removal of products from the shorter diffusion path length. As a result, a longer catalyst lifetime, less isomerization, and less cracking were observed on small crystallites. Beside crystallite size, pore geometry of zeolites was also found to significantly affect aromatic production for both conversion of propanal and glycerol. It is shown that the structure of the HZSM-22, with a one-dimensional and narrower channel system, restricts the formation of aromatics. In contrast, a higher yield of aromatic products is observed over HZSM-5 with its three-dimensional channel system. By increasing channel dimension and connectivity of the channels, increasing catalyst activity was also observed due to more accessible acid sites. It was also found that glycerol is highly active for dehydration on zeolites to produce high yields of acrolein (propenal), a high value chemical. To maximize aromatics from glycerol conversion, HZSM-5 and HY were found to be effective. A two-bed reactor of Pd/ZnO and HZSM-5 was used to first deoxygenate/hydrogenate glycerol over Pd/ZnO to intermediate oxygenates that can further aromatize on HZSM-5. The end results are very promising with significant improvement

Study and development of a fluorescence based sensor system for monitoring oxygen in wine production : the WOW project

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Trivellin, Nicola; Barbisan, Diego; Badocco, Denis; Pastore, Paolo; Meneghesso, Gaudenzio; Meneghini, Matteo; Zanoni, Enrico; Belgioioso, Giuseppe; Cenedese, Angelo

2018-01-01

The importance of oxygen in the winemaking process is widely known, as it affects the chemical aspects and therefore the organoleptic characteristics of the final product. Hence, it is evident the usefulness of a continuous and real-time measurements of the levels of oxygen in the various stages of

PROGRA2 experiment: new results for dust clouds and regoliths

Science.gov (United States)

Renard, J.-B.; Hadamcik, E.; Worms, J.-C.; Levasseur-Regourd, A.-C.; Daugeron, D.

With the CNES-sponsored PROGRA2 facility, linear polarization of scattered light is performed on various types of dust clouds in microgravity during parabolic flights onboard the CNES- and ESA-sponsored A300 Zéro-G aircraft. Clouds of fluffy aggregates are also studied on the ground when lifted by an air-draught. The effect of the physical properties of the particles, such as the grains size and size distribution, the real part of the refractive index, and the structure is currently being studied. The size distribution of the agglomerates is measured in the field of view from the polarized component images. The large number of phase curves already obtained in the various conditions of measurements, in order to build a database (about 160 curves) allows us to better connect the physical properties with the observed polarization of the dust in the clouds. The aim is to compare these curves with those obtained in the solar system by remote-sensing and in-situ techniques for interplanetary dust, cometary coma, and solid particles in planetary atmospheres (Renard et al., 2003). Measurements on layers of particles (i.e. on the ground) are then compared with remote measurements on asteroidal regoliths and planetary surfaces. New phase curves will be presented and discussed i.e. for quartz samples, crystals, fluffy mixtures of alumina and silica, and a high porosity ``regolith'' analogue made of micron-sized silica spheres. This work will contribute to the choice of the samples to be studied with the IMPACT/ICAPS instrument onboard the ISS. J.-B. Renard, E. Hadamcik, T. Lemaire, J.-C. Worms and A.-C. Levasseur-Regourd (2003). Polarization imaging of dust cloud particles: improvement and applications of the PROGRA2 instrument, ASR 31, 12, 2511-2518.

Shelf erosion and submarine river canyons: implications for deep-sea oxygenation and ocean productivity during glaciation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Tsandev

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The areal exposure of continental shelves during glacial sea level lowering enhanced the transfer of erodible reactive organic matter to the open ocean. Sea level fall also activated submarine canyons thereby allowing large rivers to deposit their particulate load, via gravity flows, directly in the deep-sea. Here, we analyze the effects of shelf erosion and particulate matter re-routing to the open ocean during interglacial to glacial transitions, using a coupled model of the marine phosphorus, organic carbon and oxygen cycles. The results indicate that shelf erosion and submarine canyon formation may significantly lower deep-sea oxygen levels, by up to 25%, during sea level low stands, mainly due to the supply of new material from the shelves, and to a lesser extent due to particulate organic matter bypassing the coastal zone. Our simulations imply that deep-sea oxygen levels can drop significantly if eroded shelf material is deposited to the seafloor. Thus the glacial ocean's oxygen content could have been significantly lower than during interglacial stages. Primary production, organic carbon burial and dissolved phosphorus inventories are all affected by the erosion and rerouting mechanisms. However, re-routing of the continental and eroded shelf material to the deep-sea has the effect of decoupling deep-sea oxygen demand from primary productivity in the open ocean. P burial is also not affected showing a disconnection between the biogeochemical cycles in the water column and the P burial record.

Influence of geology, regolith and soil on fluid flow pathways in an upland catchment in central NSW, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Bernardi, Tony

2014-05-01

Influence of geology, regolith and soil on fluid flow pathways in an upland catchment in central NSW, Australia. Tony Bernardi and Leah Moore Dryland Salinity Hazard Mitigation Program (DSHMP), University of Canberra, ACT 2601, AUSTRALIA The diversity of salt expression in central NSW has defied classification because salt expression, mobilisation and transport is highly variable and is typically site specific. Hydrological models are extensively used to simulate possible outcomes for a range of land use changes to mitigate the mobilisation and transport of salt into the streams or across the land surface. The ability of these models to mimic reality can be variable thereby reducing the confidence in the models outputs and uptake of strategic management changes by the community. This study focuses on a 250 ha semi-arid sub-catchment of Little River catchment in central west NSW in the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia. We propose that an understanding the structure of the landforms and configuration of rock, regolith and soil materials at the study site influences fluid flow pathways in the landscape and can be related to observed variations in the chemical composition and salinity of surface and aquifer water. Preliminary geological mapping of the site identified the dominant rock type as a pink and grey dacite and in localised mid-slope areas, a coarsely crystalline biotite-phyric granodiorite. Samples were taken at regular intervals from natural exposures in eroded stream banks and in excavations made during the installation of neutron moisture meter tubes. In order to establish mineral weathering pathways, samples were taken from the relatively unweathered core to the outer weathered 'onion skins' of corestones on both substrates, and then up through the regolith profile, including the soil zone, to the land surface. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) was conducted on the rock and soil/saprock samples. Electromagnetic induction (EMI

Hydrodeoxygenation of aliphatic and aromatic oxygenates on sulphided catalysts for production of second generation biofuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Senol, O.I.

2007-07-01

Environmental concerns and diminishing petroleum reserves have increased the importance of biofuels for traffic fuel applications. Second generation biofuels produced from wood, vegetable oils and animal fats have been considered promising for delivering biofuels in large amount with low production cost. The abundance of oxygen in the form of various aliphatic and aromatic oxygenates decreases the quality of biofuels, however, and therefore the oxygen content of biofuels must be reduced. Upgrading of biofuels can be achieved by hydrodeoxygenation (HDO), which is similar to hydrodesulphurisation in oil refining. In HDO, oxygen-containing compounds are converted to hydrocarbons by eliminating oxygen in the form of water in the presence of hydrogen and a sulphided catalyst. Due to the low sulphur content of biofuels, a sulphiding agent is typically added to the HDO feed to maintain activity and stability of the catalyst. The aim of this work was to investigate HDO using aliphatic and aromatic oxygenates as model compounds on sulphided NiMo/gamma-Al{sub 2}O3 and CoMo/gamma-Al{sub 2}O3 catalysts. The effects of side product, water, and of sulphiding agents, H{sub 2}S and CS{sub 2}, on HDO were determined. The primary focus was on the HDO of aliphatic oxygenates, because a reasonable amount of data regarding the HDO of aromatic oxygenates already exists. The HDO of aliphatic esters produced hydrocarbons from intermediate alcohol, carboxylic acid, aldehyde and ether compounds. A few sulphur-containing compounds were also detected in trace amounts, and their formation caused desulphurisation of the catalysts. Hydrogenation reactions and acid-catalysed reactions (dehydration, hydrolysis, esterification, E{sub 2} elimination and SN{sub 2} nucleophilic substitution) played a major role in the HDO of aliphatic oxygenates. The NiMo catalyst showed a higher activity for HDO and hydrogenation reactions than the CoMo catalyst, but both catalysts became deactivated because of

Going Steady: Using multiple isotopes to test the steady-state assumption at the Susquehanna Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

West, N.; Kirby, E.; Ma, L.; Bierman, P. R.

2013-12-01

Regolith-mantled hillslopes are ubiquitous features of most temperate landscapes, and their morphology reflects the climatically, biologically, and tectonically mediated interplay between regolith production and downslope transport. Despite intensive research, few studies have quantified both of these mass fluxes in the same field site. Here, we exploit two isotopic systems to quantify regolith production and transport within the Susquehanna Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory (SSHO), in central Pennsylvania. We present an analysis of 131 meteoric 10Be measurements from regolith and bedrock to quantify rates of regolith transport, and compare these data with previously determined regolith production rates, measured using uranium-series isotopes. Regolith flux inferred from meteoric 10Be varies linearly with topographic gradient (determined from high-resolution LiDAR-based topography) along the upper portions of hillslopes in and adjacent to SSHO. However, regolith flux appears to depend on the product of gradient and regolith depth where regolith is thick, near the base of hillslopes. Meteoric 10Be inventories along 4 ridgetops within and adjacent to the SSHO indicate regolith residence times ranging from ~ 9 - 15 ky, similar to residence times inferred from U-series isotopes (6.7 × 3 ky - 15 × 8 ky). Similarly, the downslope flux of regolith (~ 500 - 1,000 m2/My) nearly balances production (850 × 22 m2/My - 960 × 530 m2/My). The combination of our results with U-series derived regolith production rates implies that regolith production and erosion rates along ridgecrests in the SSHO may be approaching steady state conditions over the Holocene.

Plants for water recycling, oxygen regeneration and food production

Science.gov (United States)

Bubenheim, D. L.

1991-01-01

During long-duration space missions that require recycling and regeneration of life support materials the major human wastes to be converted to usable forms are CO2, hygiene water, urine and feces. A Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) relies on the air revitalization, water purification and food production capabilities of higher plants to rejuvenate human wastes and replenish the life support materials. The key processes in such a system are photosynthesis, whereby green plants utilize light energy to produce food and oxygen while removing CO2 from the atmosphere, and transpiration, the evaporation of water from the plant. CELSS research has emphasized the food production capacity and efforts to minimize the area/volume of higher plants required to satisfy all human life support needs. Plants are a dynamic system capable of being manipulated to favour the supply of individual products as desired. The size and energy required for a CELSS that provides virtually all human needs are determined by the food production capacity. Growing conditions maximizing food production do not maximize transpiration of water; conditions favoring transpiration and scaling to recycle only water significantly reduces the area, volume, and energy inputs per person. Likewise, system size can be adjusted to satisfy the air regeneration needs. Requirements of a waste management system supplying inputs to maintain maximum plant productivity are clear. The ability of plants to play an active role in waste processing and the consequence in terms of degraded plant performance are not well characterized. Plant-based life support systems represent the only potential for self sufficiency and food production in an extra-terrestrial habitat.

Application of dimensional analysis to ozone production by pulsed streamer discharge in oxygen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Buntat, Z; Harry, J E; Smith, I R [Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3TU (United Kingdom)

2003-07-07

This paper describes the use of dimensional analysis in investigating the effects of the electrical and the discharge configuration parameters on ozone production in oxygen, by means of a pulsed streamer discharge. Ozone destruction factors are taken into account in the model, and predicted results are shown to be in good agreement with experimental findings.

Application of dimensional analysis to ozone production by pulsed streamer discharge in oxygen

CERN Document Server

Buntat, Z; Smith, I R

2003-01-01

This paper describes the use of dimensional analysis in investigating the effects of the electrical and the discharge configuration parameters on ozone production in oxygen, by means of a pulsed streamer discharge. Ozone destruction factors are taken into account in the model, and predicted results are shown to be in good agreement with experimental findings.

Application of dimensional analysis to ozone production by pulsed streamer discharge in oxygen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buntat, Z; Harry, J E; Smith, I R

2003-01-01

This paper describes the use of dimensional analysis in investigating the effects of the electrical and the discharge configuration parameters on ozone production in oxygen, by means of a pulsed streamer discharge. Ozone destruction factors are taken into account in the model, and predicted results are shown to be in good agreement with experimental findings

Application of dimensional analysis to ozone production by pulsed streamer discharge in oxygen

Science.gov (United States)

Buntat, Z.; Harry, J. E.; Smith, I. R.

2003-07-01

This paper describes the use of dimensional analysis in investigating the effects of the electrical and the discharge configuration parameters on ozone production in oxygen, by means of a pulsed streamer discharge. Ozone destruction factors are taken into account in the model, and predicted results are shown to be in good agreement with experimental findings.

The Evolution of Porosity During Weathering of Serpentinite and the Creation of Thin Regolith in the Appalachian Piedmont

Science.gov (United States)

Marcon, V.; Gu, X.; Brantley, S. L.

2017-12-01

Life on Earth relies on the breakdown of impermeable bedrock into porous weathered rock to release nutrients and open pathways for gases and fluids to move through the subsurface. Serpentinites, though rare, are found across the globe and often have thin soils. Few studies have evaluated how porosity, a first order control on weathering, evolves from unweathered serpentinite bedrock to the soil. In this study, we evaluated weathering of serpentinites from bedrock to soil along a ridgetop in Nottingham Park, PA. A suite of geochemical analyses were used to determine chemical and physical changes during weathering. We used neutron scattering to measure pores 2nm to 20 microns in size (referred to here as nanoporosity). As this serpentinite weathers, small pores ( 1nm in diameter) are occluded and total nanoporosity and pore connectivity decrease throughout the weathered rock. Specifically, total nanoporosity decreases from 10% in the unweathered parent material to 5% in the weathered rock. However, in the upper meter of the profile, total nanoporosity increases as Fe, Mg, Mn, Si, Ni, Cr, and V are depleted. Additionally, bulk density and strain calculations suggest total volume expansion throughout the weathered rock followed by volume collapse in the upper 0.5m of the profile. We propose that low temperature reactions alter olivine in the parent material to serpentine minerals at the parent-weathered rock interface, resulting in a volume expansion and the loss of nanopores 1-100nm in size in this weathered rock zone. Volume expansion has long been reported to occur during low temperature serpentinization. We also infer that this loss of porosity limits the infiltration of reactive meteoric fluids into the deeper rock material and restricts the depth of regolith development. Following low temperature serpentinization, serpentine minerals (e.g. antigorite and lizardite) dissolve higher in the weathered rock. Because serpentinite rocks lack a non-reactive mineral such

Solar light-induced production of reactive oxygen species by single walled carbon nanotubes in water

Science.gov (United States)

Photosensitizing processes of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) which include photo-induced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) convert light energy into oxidizing chemical energy that mediates transformations of nanomaterials. The oxidative stress associated with ROS may p...

Mechanisms of electron transfer from structrual Fe(II) in reduced nontronite to oxygen for production of hydroxyl radicals

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Songhu; Liu, Xixiang; Liao, Wenjuan; Zhang, Peng; Wang, Xiaoming; Tong, Man

2018-02-01

Production of hydroxyl radicals (radOH) has been recently revealed upon oxygenation of sediments in redox-dynamic subsurface environments. In particular, Fe(II)-bearing clay minerals are the major sediment components contributing to radOH production upon oxygenation, and the produced radOH can oxidize contaminants and inactivate bacteria. Whereas, the mechanisms of radOH production from oxygenation of Fe(II)-bearing clay minerals remain elusive. The objectives of this study were to identify the structural variation of Fe(II) entities during the oxidation of Fe(II)-bearing clay minerals by O2, and to unravel the mechanisms of electron transfer within the mineral structure and from mineral to O2 for radOH production. Nontronite (NAu-2, 23% Fe) which was chemically reduced to 54.5% Fe(II) in total Fe was used as a model Fe(II)-bearing clay mineral. Production of radOH and oxidation of Fe(II) were measured during the oxidation of reduced NAu-2 by O2. A wide spectrum of spectroscopic techniques, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Fe K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), Mössbauer spectra, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), were employed to explore the structural variation of Fe(II) entities in NAu-2 and the electron transfer within NAu-2 and from NAu-2 to O2. For 180 min oxidation of 1 g/L reduced NAu-2, a biphasic radOH production was observed, being quick within the initial 15 min and slow afterwards. Production of radOH correlates well with oxidation of Fe(II) in the reduced NAu-2. Within the initial 15 min, trioctahedral Fe(II)-Fe(II)-Fe(II) entities and edge Fe(II) in the reduced NAu-2 were preferentially and quickly oxidized, and electrons from the interior Fe(II)-Fe(II)-Fe(II) entities were most likely ejected from the basal siloxane plane to O2. Meanwhile, trioctahedral Fe(II)-Fe(II)-Fe(II) entities were mainly transformed to dioctahedral Fe(II)-Fe(II) entities. When the time of oxygenation was longer than 15 min

Oxygen, nitric oxide and articular cartilage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B Fermor

2007-04-01

Full Text Available Molecular oxygen is required for the production of nitric oxide (NO, a pro-inflammatory mediator that is associated with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. To date there has been little consideration of the role of oxygen tension in the regulation of nitric oxide production associated with arthritis. Oxygen tension may be particularly relevant to articular cartilage since it is avascular and therefore exists at a reduced oxygen tension. The superficial zone exists at approximately 6% O2, while the deep zone exists at less than 1% O2. Furthermore, oxygen tension can alter matrix synthesis, and the material properties of articular cartilage in vitro.The increase in nitric oxide associated with arthritis can be caused by pro-inflammatory cytokines and mechanical stress. Oxygen tension significantly alters endogenous NO production in articular cartilage, as well as the stimulation of NO in response to both mechanical loading and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Mechanical loading and pro-inflammatory cytokines also increase the production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2. There is a complex interaction between NO and PGE2, and oxygen tension can alter this interaction. These findings suggest that the relatively low levels of oxygen within the joint may have significant influences on the metabolic activity, and inflammatory response of cartilage as compared to ambient levels. A better understanding of the role of oxygen in the production of inflammatory mediators in response to mechanical loading, or pro-inflammatory cytokines, may aid in the development of strategies for therapeutic intervention in arthritis.

Surface recombination of oxygen atoms in O2 plasma at increased pressure: II. Vibrational temperature and surface production of ozone

Science.gov (United States)

Lopaev, D. V.; Malykhin, E. M.; Zyryanov, S. M.

2011-01-01

Ozone production in an oxygen glow discharge in a quartz tube was studied in the pressure range of 10-50 Torr. The O3 density distribution along the tube diameter was measured by UV absorption spectroscopy, and ozone vibrational temperature TV was found comparing the calculated ab initio absorption spectra with the experimental ones. It has been shown that the O3 production mainly occurs on a tube surface whereas ozone is lost in the tube centre where in contrast the electron and oxygen atom densities are maximal. Two models were used to analyse the obtained results. The first one is a kinetic 1D model for the processes occurring near the tube walls with the participation of the main particles: O(3P), O2, O2(1Δg) and O3 molecules in different vibrational states. The agreement of O3 and O(3P) density profiles and TV calculated in the model with observed ones was reached by varying the single model parameter—ozone production probability (\\gamma_{O_{3}}) on the quartz tube surface on the assumption that O3 production occurs mainly in the surface recombination of physisorbed O(3P) and O2. The phenomenological model of the surface processes with the participation of oxygen atoms and molecules including singlet oxygen molecules was also considered to analyse \\gamma_{O_{3}} data obtained in the kinetic model. A good agreement between the experimental data and the data of both models—the kinetic 1D model and the phenomenological surface model—was obtained in the full range of the studied conditions that allowed consideration of the ozone surface production mechanism in more detail. The important role of singlet oxygen in ozone surface production was shown. The O3 surface production rate directly depends on the density of physisorbed oxygen atoms and molecules and can be high with increasing pressure and energy inputted into plasma while simultaneously keeping the surface temperature low enough. Using the special discharge cell design, such an approach opens up the

Surface recombination of oxygen atoms in O2 plasma at increased pressure: II. Vibrational temperature and surface production of ozone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopaev, D V; Malykhin, E M; Zyryanov, S M

2011-01-01

Ozone production in an oxygen glow discharge in a quartz tube was studied in the pressure range of 10-50 Torr. The O 3 density distribution along the tube diameter was measured by UV absorption spectroscopy, and ozone vibrational temperature T V was found comparing the calculated ab initio absorption spectra with the experimental ones. It has been shown that the O 3 production mainly occurs on a tube surface whereas ozone is lost in the tube centre where in contrast the electron and oxygen atom densities are maximal. Two models were used to analyse the obtained results. The first one is a kinetic 1D model for the processes occurring near the tube walls with the participation of the main particles: O( 3 P), O 2 , O 2 ( 1 Δ g ) and O 3 molecules in different vibrational states. The agreement of O 3 and O( 3 P) density profiles and T V calculated in the model with observed ones was reached by varying the single model parameter-ozone production probability (γ O 3 ) on the quartz tube surface on the assumption that O 3 production occurs mainly in the surface recombination of physisorbed O( 3 P) and O 2 . The phenomenological model of the surface processes with the participation of oxygen atoms and molecules including singlet oxygen molecules was also considered to analyse γ O 3 data obtained in the kinetic model. A good agreement between the experimental data and the data of both models-the kinetic 1D model and the phenomenological surface model-was obtained in the full range of the studied conditions that allowed consideration of the ozone surface production mechanism in more detail. The important role of singlet oxygen in ozone surface production was shown. The O 3 surface production rate directly depends on the density of physisorbed oxygen atoms and molecules and can be high with increasing pressure and energy inputted into plasma while simultaneously keeping the surface temperature low enough. Using the special discharge cell design, such an approach opens up

Location and limitation of cellulose production by Acetobacter xylinum established from oxygen profiles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verschuren, P.G.; Cardona, T.D.; Nout, M.J.R.; Gooijer, de K.D.; Heuvel, van den J.C.

2000-01-01

The static fermentation of coconut water sucrose by Acetobacter xylinum was carried out at initial pH's of 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 or 6.0. Cellulose was produced at the surface, and its production was most favourable at pH's 4.0 and 5.0. These pH values also allowed for optimal bacterial growth. Oxygen

Preparation and use of nitrogen (2) oxide of special purity for production of oxygen and nitrogen isotopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polevoj, A.S.

1989-01-01

Problems related with production of oxygen and nitrogen isotopes by means of low-temperature rectification of nitrogen (2) oxide are analyzed. Special attention, in particular, is payed to the techniques of synthesis and high purification of initial NO, utilization of waste flows formed during isotope separation. Ways to affect the initial isotope composition of nitrogen oxide and the rate of its homogeneous-isotope exchange, which provide for possibility of simultaneous production of oxygen and nitrogen isotopes by means of NO rectification, are considered. Description of a new technique for high purification of nitrogen oxide, prepared at decomposition of nitric acid by sulfurous anhydride, suggested by the author is presented

Comparative techno-economic analysis and process design for indirect liquefaction pathways to distillate-range fuels via biomass-derived oxygenated intermediates upgrading: Liquid Transportation Fuel Production via Biomass-derived Oxygenated Intermediates Upgrading

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tan, Eric C. D. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO USA; Snowden-Swan, Lesley J. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA USA; Talmadge, Michael [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO USA; Dutta, Abhijit [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO USA; Jones, Susanne [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA USA; Ramasamy, Karthikeyan K. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA USA; Gray, Michel [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA USA; Dagle, Robert [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA USA; Padmaperuma, Asanga [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA USA; Gerber, Mark [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA USA; Sahir, Asad H. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO USA; Tao, Ling [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO USA; Zhang, Yanan [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO USA

2016-09-27

This paper presents a comparative techno-economic analysis (TEA) of five conversion pathways from biomass to gasoline-, jet-, and diesel-range hydrocarbons via indirect liquefaction with specific focus on pathways utilizing oxygenated intermediates. The four emerging pathways of interest are compared with one conventional pathway (Fischer-Tropsch) for the production of the hydrocarbon blendstocks. The processing steps of the four emerging pathways include: biomass to syngas via indirect gasification, gas cleanup, conversion of syngas to alcohols/oxygenates followed by conversion of alcohols/oxygenates to hydrocarbon blendstocks via dehydration, oligomerization, and hydrogenation. Conversion of biomass-derived syngas to oxygenated intermediates occurs via three different pathways, producing: 1) mixed alcohols over a MoS2 catalyst, 2) mixed oxygenates (a mixture of C2+ oxygenated compounds, predominantly ethanol, acetic acid, acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate) using an Rh-based catalyst, and 3) ethanol from syngas fermentation. This is followed by the conversion of oxygenates/alcohols to fuel-range olefins in two approaches: 1) mixed alcohols/ethanol to 1-butanol rich mixture via Guerbet reaction, followed by alcohol dehydration, oligomerization, and hydrogenation, and 2) mixed oxygenates/ethanol to isobutene rich mixture and followed by oligomerization and hydrogenation. The design features a processing capacity of 2,000 tonnes/day (2,205 short tons) of dry biomass. The minimum fuel selling prices (MFSPs) for the four developing pathways range from $3.40 to $5.04 per gasoline-gallon equivalent (GGE), in 2011 US dollars. Sensitivity studies show that MFSPs can be improved with co-product credits and are comparable to the commercial Fischer-Tropsch benchmark ($3.58/GGE). Overall, this comparative TEA study documents potential economics for the developmental biofuel pathways via mixed oxygenates.

Astrobiological Aspects of Radiation Chemistry in Europa's Icy Regolith

Science.gov (United States)

Carlson, R. W.; Hand, K. P.

2006-05-01

Jupiter's moon Europa, with its likely subsurface ocean and young, active surface, is a promising habitat for life. Europa orbits in the heart of Jupiter's powerful magnetosphere and suffers intense energetic particle bombardment, producing both positive and negative aspects for astrobiology at Europa. Ionizing radiation can produce oxidants that could support a radiation-driven ecology as proposed by Chyba. On the other hand, biomolecular evidence for life that may be upwelled to the surface is rapidly altered by irradiation, complicating astrobiological searches for evidence of life. We present an overview of laboratory work performed at JPL and elsewhere and observational results related to these two aspects. The oxidants hydrogen peroxide and molecular oxygen are known to exist on Europa and the radiolytic production of these species has been studied in the laboratory for both electron and ion irradiation. Laboratory- measured equilibrium concentrations of H2O2, where production and destruction rates are equal, are in general agreement with the observed 0.1% molar abundance on Europa. The shape of Europa's peroxide band is consistent with the line shapes observed in radiolysis and with H2O2 dispersed in water ice rather than occurring as H2O2 aggregates. Surprisingly, molecular oxygen may be even more abundant on Europa even though O2 is extremely volatile ande would be expected to escape from the ice surface. Radiolysis can produce molecular oxygen and appears to simultaneously alter the ice matrix, trapping the O2. Other species observed on Europa are CO2 and SO2, and laboratory radiolysis of these species in H2O ice produces carbonic and sulfuric acid, respectively. We are studying the radiolytic degradation of biomarkers in ice at Europa temperatures by studying both simple organics and more complex biomolecules, including microorganisms. Hydrocarbon radiolysis yields carbon dioxide and methane, which can escape the system and results in loss of carbon. In

The continuous inhalation of oxygen-15 for assessing regional oxygen extraction in the brain of man

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, T.; Chesler, D.A.; Ter-Pogossian, M.M.

1976-01-01

A non-invasive steady-state method for studying the regional accumulation of oxygen in the brain by continuously inhaling oxygen-15 has been investigated. Oxygen respiration by tissue results in the formation of water of metabolism which may be considered as the 'exhaust product' of respiration. In turn the steady-state distribution of this product may be related to that of oxygen utilization. It has been found in monkeys than an appreciable component of the signal, recorded over the head during the inhalation of 15 O 2 , was attributable to the local production of 15 O-labelled water of metabolism. In man the distribution of radioactivity recorded over the head during 15 O 2 inhalation clearly related to active cerebal tissue. Theoretically the respiration product is linearly dependent on the oxygen extraction ratio of the tissue, and at normal cerebal perfusion it is less sensitive to changes in blood flow. At low rates of perfusion a more linear dependence on flow is shown. The dual dependence on blood flow and oxygen extraction limited the interpretation of the cerebal distribution obtained with this technique. Means for obtaining more definitive measurements with this approach are discussed. (author)

Study and Development of a Fluorescence Based Sensor System for Monitoring Oxygen in Wine Production: The WOW Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Trivellin, Nicola; Barbisan, Diego; Badocco, Denis; Pastore, Paolo; Meneghesso, Gaudenzio; Meneghini, Matteo; Zanoni, Enrico; Belgioioso, Giuseppe; Cenedese, Angelo

2018-04-07

The importance of oxygen in the winemaking process is widely known, as it affects the chemical aspects and therefore the organoleptic characteristics of the final product. Hence, it is evident the usefulness of a continuous and real-time measurements of the levels of oxygen in the various stages of the winemaking process, both for monitoring and for control. The WOW project (Deployment of WSAN technology for monitoring Oxygen in Wine products) has focused on the design and the development of an innovative device for monitoring the oxygen levels in wine. This system is based on the use of an optical fiber to measure the luminescent lifetime variation of a reference metal/porphyrin complex, which decays in presence of oxygen. The developed technology results in a high sensitivity and low cost sensor head that can be employed for measuring the dissolved oxygen levels at several points inside a wine fermentation or aging tank. This system can be complemented with dynamic modeling techniques to provide predictive behavior of the nutrient evolution in space and time given few sampled measuring points, for both process monitoring and control purposes. The experimental validation of the technology has been first performed in a controlled laboratory setup to attain calibration and study sensitivity with respect to different photo-luminescent compounds and alcoholic or non-alcoholic solutions, and then in an actual case study during a measurement campaign at a renown Italian winery.

Study and Development of a Fluorescence Based Sensor System for Monitoring Oxygen in Wine Production: The WOW Project

Science.gov (United States)

Trivellin, Nicola; Barbisan, Diego; Badocco, Denis; Pastore, Paolo; Meneghini, Matteo; Zanoni, Enrico; Belgioioso, Giuseppe

2018-01-01

The importance of oxygen in the winemaking process is widely known, as it affects the chemical aspects and therefore the organoleptic characteristics of the final product. Hence, it is evident the usefulness of a continuous and real-time measurements of the levels of oxygen in the various stages of the winemaking process, both for monitoring and for control. The WOW project (Deployment of WSAN technology for monitoring Oxygen in Wine products) has focused on the design and the development of an innovative device for monitoring the oxygen levels in wine. This system is based on the use of an optical fiber to measure the luminescent lifetime variation of a reference metal/porphyrin complex, which decays in presence of oxygen. The developed technology results in a high sensitivity and low cost sensor head that can be employed for measuring the dissolved oxygen levels at several points inside a wine fermentation or aging tank. This system can be complemented with dynamic modeling techniques to provide predictive behavior of the nutrient evolution in space and time given few sampled measuring points, for both process monitoring and control purposes. The experimental validation of the technology has been first performed in a controlled laboratory setup to attain calibration and study sensitivity with respect to different photo-luminescent compounds and alcoholic or non-alcoholic solutions, and then in an actual case study during a measurement campaign at a renown Italian winery. PMID:29642468

Measurement of ozone production scaling in a helium plasma jet with oxygen admixture

Science.gov (United States)

Sands, Brian; Ganguly, Biswa

2012-10-01

Capillary dielectric barrier plasma jet devices that generate confined streamer-like discharges along a rare gas flow can produce significant quantities of reactive oxygen species with average input powers ranging from 100 mW to >1 W. We have measured spatially-resolved ozone production in a He plasma jet with O2 admixture concentrations up to 5% using absorption spectroscopy of the O3 Hartley band system. A 20-ns risetime, 10-13 kV positive unipolar voltage pulse train was used to power the discharge, with pulse repetition rates varied from 1-20 kHz. The discharge was operated in a transient glow mode to scale the input power by adjusting the gap width between the anode and downstream cathodic plane. Peak ozone number densities in the range of 10^16 - 10^17 cm-3 were measured. At a given voltage, the density of ozone increased monotonically up to 3% O2 admixture (6 mm gap) as the peak discharge current decreased by an order of magnitude. Ozone production increased with distance from the capillary, consistent with observations by other groups. Atomic oxygen production inferred from O-atom 777 nm emission intensity did not scale with ozone as the input power was increased. The spatial distribution of ozone and scaling with input power will be presented.

Assessing extraterrestrial regolith material simulants for in-situ resource utilization based 3D printing

OpenAIRE

Goulas, A; Binner, JGP; Harris, RA; Friel, RJ

2017-01-01

This research paper investigates the suitability of ceramic multi-component materials, which are found on the Martian and Lunar surfaces, for 3D printing (aka Additive Manufacturing) of solid structures. 3D printing is a promising solution as part of the cutting edge field of future in situ space manufacturing applications. 3D printing of physical assets from simulated Martian and Lunar regolith was successfully performed during this work by utilising laser-based powder bed fusion equipment. ...

Effect of oxygen supply on Monascus pigments and citrinin production in submerged fermentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jian; Chen, Qi; Wang, Weiping; Hu, Jiajun; Hu, Chuan

2015-05-01

The influence of oxygen supply on Monascus pigments and citrinin production by Monascus ruber HS.4000 in submerged fermentation was studied. For Monascus cultivation with high pigments and low citrinin production, the initial growth phase, mid-stage phase, and later-stage production phase were separated by shifting oxygen supply. The optimal condition for the fermentation process in shake-flask fermentation was a three-stage rotating rate controlled strategy (0-48 h at 150 rpm, 48-108 h at 250 rpm, 108-120 h at 200 rpm) with medium volume of 100 mL added to 250 mL Erlenmeyer flasks at 30°C for 120 h cultivation. Compared to constant one-stage cultivation (medium volume of 100 mL, rotating rate of 250 rpm), the pigments were reduced by 40.4%, but citrinin was reduced by 64.2%. The most appropriate condition for the fermentation process in a 10 L fermentor is also a three-stage aeration process (0-48 h at 300 L/h, 48-96 h at 500 L/h, 96-120 h at 200 L/h) with agitation of 300 rpm at 30°C for 120 h cultivation, and 237.3 ± 5.7 U/mL pigments were produced in 120 h with 6.05 ± 0.19 mg/L citrinin in a 10 L fermentor. Compared to aeration-constant (500 L/h) cultivation, pigment production was increased by 29.6% and citrinin concentration was reduced by 79.5%. Copyright © 2014 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Screening of NiFe₂O₄ Nanoparticles as Oxygen Carrier in Chemical Looping Hydrogen Production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Shuai; He, Fang; Huang, Zhen

2016-01-01

) methods were used to prepare NiFe2O4 oxygen carriers. Samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measurement, as well as Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH......The objective of this paper is to systematically investigate the influences of different preparation methods on the properties of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles as oxygen carrier in chemical looping hydrogen production (CLH). The solid state (SS), coprecipitation (CP), hydrothermal (HT), and sol-gel (SG...... gas (24% H2 + 24% CO + 12% CO2 + N2 balance), then reacted with steam to produce H2, and finally fully oxidized by air. The NiFe2O4 oxygen carrier prepared by the sol gel method showed the best capacity for hydrogen production and the highest recovery degree of lattice oxygen, in agreement...

A PIXE/PIGE study of lateritic gold mineralization from the regolith of the Mystery Zone, Mt Percy, Western Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, X.; Van Moort, J.C.

1998-01-01

PIXE/PIGE have been utilized extensively in the search for gold and volcanic hosted massive sulphide deposits, using rock powders from relatively fresh rock. The present study uses regolith samples, from which weathering products (oxides, hydroxides, carbonates, sulphates and clay) have been removed by sequential treatment with aqua regia and sulphuric acid. The samples come from the Mystery Zone, Mt Percy, Kalgoorlie, comprising both mineralized and barren samples. The acid insoluble residue consist essentially of quartz with minor sericite. The PlXE/PIGE data from the acid insoluble residue shows that the geochemical character of W, Al, K, Ca, V, Ga, Rb, Rb/K and Rb/Al could correctly define the location of underlying mineralization at depth. The ratio of Ti/Zr remained relatively constant in different geological units and can be used to distinguish lithologies. (authors)

A PIXE/PIGE study of lateritic gold mineralization from the regolith of the Mystery Zone, Mt Percy, Western Australia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, X.; Van Moort, J.C. [Tasmania Univ., Sandy Bay, TAS (Australia). Dept. of Geology

1998-06-01

PIXE/PIGE have been utilized extensively in the search for gold and volcanic hosted massive sulphide deposits, using rock powders from relatively fresh rock. The present study uses regolith samples, from which weathering products (oxides, hydroxides, carbonates, sulphates and clay) have been removed by sequential treatment with aqua regia and sulphuric acid. The samples come from the Mystery Zone, Mt Percy, Kalgoorlie, comprising both mineralized and barren samples. The acid insoluble residue consist essentially of quartz with minor sericite. The PlXE/PIGE data from the acid insoluble residue shows that the geochemical character of W, Al, K, Ca, V, Ga, Rb, Rb/K and Rb/Al could correctly define the location of underlying mineralization at depth. The ratio of Ti/Zr remained relatively constant in different geological units and can be used to distinguish lithologies. (authors). Extended abstract. 5 refs.

The compositional study of nitrogen and oxygen compounds in products of heavy oil primary and secondary upgrading processes. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chmielowiec, J.

1986-02-01

The primary objective was to characterize nitrogen and oxygen compound types in the upgraded products derived from Athabasca bitumen. Nitrogen compounds, depending on their nature and concentrations, in charge stocks to catalytic processess (hydro-processes and reforming) can severely limit or poison the catalyst activity. Oxygen compounds are corrosive (especially naphthenic acids) and can promote gum formation as part of the deterioration of the hydrocarbons in the petroleum product. A secondary objective was to evaluate the advantages and limitations of in-house mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy methods for analyzing specific classes of polar compounds in naphthas, middle distillates, and gas oils. An analytical procedure that was based on the discrimination of polar compound classes using liquid chromatography followed by mass spectrometric analysis was tested. The chemical intelligence on the fractions obtained from Athabasca bitumen and its upgrading products has been advanced by determining structural characteristics of the nitrogen and oxygen components. This report describes the determination of the distributions of nitrogen and oxygen compounds in samples from various process streams. This procedure is capable of providing information useful for evaluating hydrodenitrogenation and hydrodeoxygenation reactions.

Instrument for Solvent Extraction and Analysis (ISEE) of Organics from Regolith Simulant Using Supercritical Fluid Extraction and Chromatography

Science.gov (United States)

Franco, Carolina; Hintze, Paul E.

2017-01-01

ISEE is an instrument with the potential to perform extractions from regolith found on the surface of asteroids and planets, followed by characterization and quantitation of the extracts using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and chromatography (SFC). SFE is a developed technique proven to extract a wide range of organic compounds. SFC is similar to High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) but has the advantage of performing chiral separations without needing to derivatize the chiral compounds. CO2 will be the solvent for both stages as it is readily available in the Mars atmosphere. ISEE will capture CO2 from the environment, and use it for SFE and SFC. If successful, this would allow ISEE to perform analysis of organic compounds without using consumables. This paper will present results on a preliminary, proof-of-principle effort to use SFE and SFC to extract and analyze lunar regolith simulant spiked with organic compounds representing a range of organics that ISEE would expect to characterize. An optimization of variables for the extraction of the organics from the spiked regolith was successfully developed, using 138 bar pressure and 40 C temperature. The extraction flow rate was optimized at 2% SLPM with 30% methanol modifier. The extractions were successful with a value of 77.3+/- 0.9% of organics extracted. However, the recovery of organics after the extraction was very low with only 48.5+/-14.2%. Moreover, three columns were selected to analyze multiple samples at a time; two of them are Viridis HSS C18 SB and Torus DIOL, and the third column, specific for chiral separations, has not yet been selected yet.

Filterability of corrosion products formed between carbon steel and water. Influence of temperature and oxygen content

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelen, T.; Falk, I.

1975-09-01

A laboratory investigation has been made for the purpose of studying the influence of temperature and oxygen content on the filterability of corrosion products formed between carbon-steel and water. The experiments were performed in a high temperature loop where the water is initially heated in a pre-heater, then cooled and finally filtered. The corrosion products were transferred to thewater from a carbon-steel surface that had previously been neutron activated and the amount of iron present was determined from measurements of the γ-radiation emitted by Fe-59. Filterability was then computed as the ratio between the total amount of iron in the water phase and the amount of iron retained on the filter. The investigation covers a series of experiments at filtering temperatures of 20, 90 and 160 dec G, pre-heater temperatures up to 300 deg C and oxygen contents of 10 and 300 ppb O 2 . In addition the extent of iron deposition in the pre-heater and heat regulator has been determined after each series of experiments. Filterability exhibited a pronounced dependence upon both the filter and pre-heater temperatures and also upon the oxygen content. Among the conclusions to which the results lead is the observation that a strict comparison of filterability values for the fraction of corrosion products in cooled water samples is impossible when these are taken from 1) different sections of a high temperature system 2) a single sampling point while the system is being run up 3) two separate systems (e.g. steam boilers) operated at different temperatures 4) two separate systems operated at different oxygen contents. It accordingly appears advizable to restrict the use of cold-filtered samples from conventional steam-raising plants to the comparison of values relating to a single sampling point under constant operating conditions. (author)

Detection of Cyclooxygenase-2-Derived Oxygenation Products of the Endogenous Cannabinoid 2-Arachidonoylglycerol in Mouse Brain.

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Amanda J; Kingsley, Philip J; Mitchener, Michelle M; Altemus, Megan; Patrick, Toni A; Gaulden, Andrew D; Marnett, Lawrence J; Patel, Sachin

2018-05-09

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) catalyzes the formation of prostaglandins, which are involved in immune regulation, vascular function, and synaptic signaling. COX-2 also inactivates the endogenous cannabinoid (eCB) 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) via oxygenation of its arachidonic acid backbone to form a variety of prostaglandin glyceryl esters (PG-Gs). Although this oxygenation reaction is readily observed in vitro and in intact cells, detection of COX-2-derived 2-AG oxygenation products has not been previously reported in neuronal tissue. Here we show that 2-AG is metabolized in the brain of transgenic COX-2-overexpressing mice and mice treated with lipopolysaccharide to form multiple species of PG-Gs that are detectable only when monoacylglycerol lipase is concomitantly blocked. Formation of these PG-Gs is prevented by acute pharmacological inhibition of COX-2. These data provide evidence that neuronal COX-2 is capable of oxygenating 2-AG to form a variety PG-Gs in vivo and support further investigation of the physiological functions of PG-Gs.

Amplifying the manganese scavenging potential of Streptococcus zooepidemicus to reactive oxygen species during production of hyaluronic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Mashitah, M D; Masitah, H; Ramachandran, K B

2004-05-01

Streptococcus zooepidemicus (SZ) is an aerotolerant bacteria and its ability to survive under reactive oxidant challenge raises the question of the existence of a defense system. Thus growth, hyaluronic acid (HA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production by SZ in the presence of increasing concentration of Mn2+ were studied. The results suggested that the tested strain supported growth and HA production in cultures treated with 1 and 10 mM of Mn2+ regardless of H2O2 presence in the medium. This showed that SZ have acquired elaborate defense mechanisms to scavenge oxygen toxicity and thus protect cells from direct and indirect effect of this radical. In contrast, cells treated with 25 mM Mn2+ were sensitive, in which, the HA production was reduced considerably. Thus showing that the oxygen scavenger systems of the cells may be fully saturated at this concentration.

Elucidation of oxidation and degradation products of oxygen containing fuel components by combined use of a stable isotopic tracer and mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Frauscher, Marcella; Besser, Charlotte; Allmaier, Günter; Dörr, Nicole

2017-11-15

In order to reveal the degradation products of oxygen-containing fuel components, in particular fatty acid methyl esters, a novel approach was developed to characterize the oxidation behaviour. Combination of artificial alteration under pressurized oxygen atmosphere, a stable isotopic tracer, and gas chromatography electron impact mass spectrometry (GC-EI-MS) was used to obtain detailed information on the formation of oxidation products of (9Z), (12Z)-octadecadienoic acid methyl ester (C18:2 ME). Thereby, biodiesel simulating model compound C18:2 ME was oxidized in a rotating pressurized vessel standardized for lubricant oxidation tests (RPVOT), i.e., artificially altered, under 16 O 2 as well as 18 O 2 atmosphere. Identification of the formed degradation products, mainly carboxylic acids of various chain lengths, alcohols, ketones, and esters, was performed by means of GC-EI-MS. Comparison of mass spectra of compounds under both atmospheres revealed not only the degree of oxidation and the origin of oxygen atoms, but also the sites of oxidative attack and bond cleavage. Hence, the developed and outlined strategy based on a gas-phase stable isotopic tracer and mass spectrometry provides insight into the degradation of oxygen-containing fuels and fuel components by means of the accurate differentiation of oxygen origin in a degradation product. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantifying the controls on potential soil production rates: a case study of the San Gabriel Mountains, California

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. D. Pelletier

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The potential soil production rate, i.e., the upper limit at which bedrock can be converted into transportable material, limits how fast erosion can occur in mountain ranges in the absence of widespread landsliding in bedrock or intact regolith. Traditionally, the potential soil production rate has been considered to be solely dependent on climate and rock characteristics. Data from the San Gabriel Mountains of California, however, suggest that topographic steepness may also influence potential soil production rates. In this paper I test the hypothesis that topographically induced stress opening of preexisting fractures in the bedrock or intact regolith beneath hillslopes of the San Gabriel Mountains increases potential soil production rates in steep portions of the range. A mathematical model for this process predicts a relationship between potential soil production rates and average slope consistent with published data. Once the effects of average slope are accounted for, a small subset of the data suggests that cold temperatures may limit soil production rates at the highest elevations of the range due to the influence of temperature on vegetation growth. These results suggest that climate and rock characteristics may be the sole controls on potential soil production rates as traditionally assumed but that the porosity of bedrock or intact regolith may evolve with topographic steepness in a way that enhances the persistence of soil cover in compressive-stress environments. I develop an empirical equation that relates potential soil production rates in the San Gabriel Mountains to the average slope and a climatic index that accounts for temperature limitations on soil production rates at high elevations. Assuming a balance between soil production and erosion rates on the hillslope scale, I illustrate the interrelationships among potential soil production rates, soil thickness, erosion rates, and topographic steepness that result from the

High cell density fed-batch fermentations for lipase production: feeding strategies and oxygen transfer.

Science.gov (United States)

Salehmin, M N I; Annuar, M S M; Chisti, Y

2013-11-01

This review is focused on the production of microbial lipases by high cell density fermentation. Lipases are among the most widely used of the enzyme catalysts. Although lipases are produced by animals and plants, industrial lipases are sourced almost exclusively from microorganisms. Many of the commercial lipases are produced using recombinant species. Microbial lipases are mostly produced by batch and fed-batch fermentation. Lipases are generally secreted by the cell into the extracellular environment. Thus, a crude preparation of lipases can be obtained by removing the microbial cells from the fermentation broth. This crude cell-free broth may be further concentrated and used as is, or lipases may be purified from it to various levels. For many large volume applications, lipases must be produced at extremely low cost. High cell density fermentation is a promising method for low-cost production: it allows a high concentration of the biomass and the enzyme to be attained rapidly and this eases the downstream recovery of the enzyme. High density fermentation enhances enzyme productivity compared with the traditional submerged culture batch fermentation. In production of enzymes, a high cell density is generally achieved through fed-batch operation, not through perfusion culture which is cumbersome. The feeding strategies used in fed-batch fermentations for producing lipases and the implications of these strategies are discussed. Most lipase-producing microbial fermentations require oxygen. Oxygen transfer in such fermentations is discussed.

Aqueous extracts of a Mars analogue regolith that mimics the Phoenix landing site do not inhibit spore germination or growth of model spacecraft contaminants Bacillus subtilis 168 and Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholson, Wayne L.; McCoy, Lashelle E.; Kerney, Krystal R.; Ming, Douglas W.; Golden, D. C.; Schuerger, Andrew C.

2012-08-01

Because Mars is a primary target for life detection and habitability assessment missions, its exploration is also by necessity a Planetary Protection issue. The recent finding of significant levels of perchlorate (ClO4-) in regolith sampled from the Phoenix landing site raises the question of its potential biotoxicity to putative indigenous martian life, microbial forward contaminants from Earth, or future human visitors. To address this issue, an analogue regolith was constructed based on regolith chemistry data from the Phoenix landing site. A Mars Aqueous Regolith Extract (MARE) was prepared from the Phoenix analogue regolith and analyzed by ion chromatography. The MARE contained (mg/L) the cations Na+ (1411 ± 181), Mg2+ (1051 ± 160), Ca2+ (832 ± 125), and K+ (261 ± 29), and the anions SO42-(5911±993), ClO4-(5316±1767), Cl(171±25) and F- (2.0 ± 0.4). Nitrogen-containing species NO3-(773±113) and NO2-(6.9±2.3) were also present as a result of regolith preparation procedures, but their relevance to Mars is at present unknown. The MARE was tested for potential toxic effects on two model spacecraft contaminants, the spore-forming bacteria Bacillus subtilis strain 168 and Bacillus pumilus strain SAFR-032. In B. subtilis, spore germination and initial vegetative growth (up to ˜5 h) was not inhibited in a rich complex medium prepared with the MARE, but growth after 5 h was significantly suppressed in medium prepared using the MARE. Both B. subtilis and B. pumilus exhibited significantly higher rates of spore germination and growth in the MARE vs. DW with no additions (likely due to endogenous spore nutrients), but germination and growth was further stimulated by addition of glucose and a combination of buffered inorganic salts (K2HPO4, KH2PO4, (NH4)2SO4, and MgSO4). The data indicate that the aqueous environment in the regolith from the Phoenix landing site containing high levels of perchlorate does not pose a significant barrier to growth of putative

Sulfate Deposition in Regolith Exposed in Trenches on the Plains Between the Spirit Landing Site and Columbia Hills in Gusev Crater, Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Alian; Haskin, L. A.; Squyres, S. W.; Arvidson, R.; Crumpler, L.; Gellert, R.; Hurowitz, J.; Schroeder, C.; Tosca, N.; Herkenhoff, K.

2005-01-01

During its exploration within Gusev crater between sol 01 and sol 158, the Spirit rover dug three trenches (Fig. 1) to expose the subsurface regolith [1, 2, 9]. Laguna trench (approx. 6 cm deep, approx.203 m from the rim of Bonneville crater) was dug in Laguna Hollow at the boundary of the impact ejecta from Bonneville crater and the surrounding plains. The Big Hole trench (approx. 6-7 cm deep) and The Boroughs trench (approx. 11 cm deep) were dug in the plains between the Bonneville crater and the Columbia Hills (approx.556 m and approx.1698 m from the rim of Bonneville crater respectively). The top, wall and floor regolith of the three trenches were investigated using the entire set of Athena scientific instruments [10].

The determination and analysis of site-specific rates of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Quinlan, Casey L; Perevoschikova, Irina V; Goncalves, Renata L S

2013-01-01

Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) are widely implicated in physiological and pathological pathways. We propose that it is critical to understand the specific sites of mitochondrial ROS production and their mechanisms of action. Mitochondria possess at least eight distinct sites of ROS...... production in the electron transport chain and matrix compartment. In this chapter, we describe the nature of the mitochondrial ROS-producing machinery and the relative capacities of each site. We provide detailed methods for the measurement of H2O2 release and the conditions under which maximal rates from...

Studies on the rheology and oxygen mass transfer in the clavulanic acid production by Streptomyces clavuligerus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. R. Gouveia

2000-12-01

Full Text Available In the present work rheological characteristics and volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (kLa were investigated during batch cultivations of Streptomyces clavuligerus NRRL 3585 for production of clavulanic acid. The experimental rheological data could be adequately described in terms of the power law model and logistic equation. Significant changes in the rheological parameters consistency index (K and flow behavior index (n were observed with the fermentation evolution. Interesting correlations between the consistency index (K/biomass concentration (C X and the flow behavior index (n/biomass concentration were proposed. Volumetric oxygen mass transfer coefficient (kLa was determined by the gas balance method. Classical correlation relating the volumetric oxygen mass transfer coefficient to the operating conditions, physical and to transport properties, including apparent viscosity (muap, could be applied to the experimental results.

Latitudinal variations in intermediate depth ventilation and biological production over northeastern Pacific Oxygen Minimum Zones during the last 60 ka

Science.gov (United States)

Cartapanis, Olivier; Tachikawa, Kazuyo; Bard, Edouard

2012-10-01

Mechanisms affecting past variability in the Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ) in the Eastern Tropical North Pacific (ETNP) are poorly known. We analyzed core MD02-2524, obtained from the Nicaragua Margin in the present ETNP OMZ for major and minor elements (titanium (Ti), brome (Br), silicon (Si), potassium (K), and calcium (Ca)) using an X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) core scanner, and redox-sensitive trace elements (uranium (U), molybdenum (Mo), and nickel (Ni)) determined by ICP-MS. The U and Mo content was higher during the deglaciation than during the Holocene and the last glacial maximum, whereas enrichment was not observed for Ni, an element closely associated with organic matter. High-resolution XRF scanning indicated that the Ca-based carbonate content had millennial-scale variability inversely correlated with Br-based organic matter and Si/K-based opal content during the last glacial period. The available data suggest no clear regional trend in biological productivity during the last deglaciation, but significant local variability in the coastal eastern equatorial Pacific. The trace element enrichment and the lack of a concomitant increase in biogenic phases indicated that an enhanced ETNP OMZ, at least between 15°N and 12°N at a water depth of 500-900 m, was principally caused by a reduced oxygen supply driven by oceanic circulation to the Nicaragua Basin during the deglaciation. The observed patterns can be interpreted as the distinct changes in the oxygenation state of northern and southern water masses at intermediate depths. We also found evidence for a decoupling between local productivity and pore water oxygenation for several millennial-scale events during Marine Isotopic Stage 3, indicating that remote oxygen consumption and/or oceanic ventilation impacted OMZ intensity. Multi-millennial scale variations of the productivity at Papagayo upwelling cell displayed an opposite trend from productivity at the Costa Rica Dome, in relation with the latitudinal shift

The analysis of water in the Martian regolith.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, D M; Tice, A R

1979-12-01

One of the scientific objectives of the Viking Mission to Mars was to accomplish an analysis of water in the Martian regolith. The analytical scheme originally envisioned was severely compromised in the latter stages of the Lander instrument package design. Nevertheless, a crude soil water analysis was accomplished. Samples from each of the two widely separated sites yielded roughly 1 to 3% water by weight when heated successively to several temperatures up to 500 degrees C. A significant portion of this water was released in the 200 degrees to 350 degrees C interval indicating the presence of mineral hydrates of relatively low thermal stability, a finding in keeping with the low temperatures generally prevailing on Mars. The presence of a duricrust at one of the Lander sites is taken as possible evidence for the presence of hygroscopic minerals on Mars. The demonstrated presence of atmospheric water vapor and thermodynamic calculations lead to the belief that adsorbed water could provide a relatively favorable environment for endolithic organisms on Mars similar to types recently discovered in the dry antarctic deserts.

Software Architecture to Support the Evolution of the ISRU RESOLVE Engineering Breadboard Unit 2 (EBU2)

Science.gov (United States)

Moss, Thomas; Nurge, Mark; Perusich, Stephen

2011-01-01

The In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) Regolith & Environmental Science and Oxygen & Lunar Volatiles Extraction (RESOLVE) software provides operation of the physical plant from a remote location with a high-level interface that can access and control the data from external software applications of other subsystems. This software allows autonomous control over the entire system with manual computer control of individual system/process components. It gives non-programmer operators the capability to easily modify the high-level autonomous sequencing while the software is in operation, as well as the ability to modify the low-level, file-based sequences prior to the system operation. Local automated control in a distributed system is also enabled where component control is maintained during the loss of network connectivity with the remote workstation. This innovation also minimizes network traffic. The software architecture commands and controls the latest generation of RESOLVE processes used to obtain, process, and quantify lunar regolith. The system is grouped into six sub-processes: Drill, Crush, Reactor, Lunar Water Resource Demonstration (LWRD), Regolith Volatiles Characterization (RVC) (see example), and Regolith Oxygen Extraction (ROE). Some processes are independent, some are dependent on other processes, and some are independent but run concurrently with other processes. The first goal is to analyze the volatiles emanating from lunar regolith, such as water, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ammonia, hydrogen, and others. This is done by heating the soil and analyzing and capturing the volatilized product. The second goal is to produce water by reducing the soil at high temperatures with hydrogen. This is done by raising the reactor temperature in the range of 800 to 900 C, causing the reaction to progress by adding hydrogen, and then capturing the water product in a desiccant bed. The software needs to run the entire unit and all sub-processes; however

Laser diagnostics of atomic hydrogen and oxygen production in rf and microwave plasma discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Preppernau, B.L.

1993-01-01

The research for this thesis involved the application of two-photon allowed laser-induced fluorescence (TALIF) to the study of atomic hydrogen and oxygen production in industrial scale radio-frequency and microwave plasma discharge apparatus. Absolute atomic hydrogen concentration profiles were measured in a Gaseous Electronics Conference Reference Cell installed at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio operating with a simple H 2 discharge. Two-dimensional atomic hydrogen concentration profiles were also measured in an ASTEX HPMM microwave plasma diamond deposition reactor during actual diamond growth. In addition absolute atomic oxygen concentrations were measured in the ASTEX system. Particular attention as paid to refining the concentration calibration technique and in determining a correction to account for the collisional quenching of excited state fluorescence in high pressure gases

System analysis of dry black liquor gasification based synthetic gas production comparing oxygen and air blown gasification systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naqvi, Muhammad; Yan, Jinyue; Dahlquist, Erik

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Circulating fluidized bed system for black liquor gasification with direct causticization. ► Effects of gasifying medium i.e. oxygen or air, on gasification are studied. ► Direct causticization eliminates energy intensive limekiln reducing biomass use. ► Results show 10% higher SNG production from O 2 blown system than air blown system. ► SNG production is higher in O 2 blown system than air blown system. - Abstract: The black liquor gasification based bio-fuel production at chemical pulp mill is an attractive option to replace conventional recovery boilers increasing system energy efficiency. The present paper studies circulating fluidized bed system with direct causticization using TiO 2 for the gasification of the black liquor to the synthesis gas. The advantage of using direct causticization is the elimination of energy-intensive lime kiln which is an integral part of the conventional black liquor recovery system. The study evaluates the effects of gasifying medium i.e. oxygen or air, on the fluidized bed gasification system, the synthesis gas composition, and the downstream processes for the synthesis gas conversion to the synthetic natural gas (SNG). The results showed higher synthetic natural gas production potential with about 10% higher energy efficiency using oxygen blown gasification system than the air blown system. From the pulp mill integration perspective, the material and energy balance results in better integration of air blown system than the oxygen blown system, e.g. less steam required to be generated in the power boiler, less electricity import, and less additional biomass requirement. However, the air blown system still requires a significant amount of energy in terms of the synthesis gas handling and gas upgrading using the nitrogen rejection system

Production of pulsed atomic oxygen beams via laser vaporization methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brinza, D.E.; Coulter, D.R.; Liang, R.H.; Gupta, A.

1987-01-01

Energetic pulsed atomic oxygen beams were generated by laser-driven evaporation of cryogenically frozen ozone/oxygen films and thin films of indium-tin oxide (ITO). Mass and energy characterization of beams from the ozone/oxygen films were carried out by mass spectrometry. The peak flux, found to occur at 10 eV, is estimated from this data to be 3 x 10(20) m(-2) s(-1). Analysis of the time-of-flight data indicates a number of processes contribute to the formation of the atomic oxygen beam. The absence of metastable states such as the 2p(3) 3s(1) (5S) level of atomic oxygen blown off from ITO films is supported by the failure to observe emission at 777.3 nm from the 2p(3) 3p(1) (5P/sub J/) levels. Reactive scattering experiments with polymer film targets for atomic oxygen bombardment are planned using a universal crossed molecular beam apparatus

An Investigation of the Mechanical Properties of Some Martian Regolith Simulants with Respect to the Surface Properties at the InSight Mission Landing Site

Science.gov (United States)

Delage, Pierre; Karakostas, Foivos; Dhemaied, Amine; Belmokhtar, Malik; Lognonné, Philippe; Golombek, Matt; De Laure, Emmanuel; Hurst, Ken; Dupla, Jean-Claude; Kedar, Sharon; Cui, Yu Jun; Banerdt, Bruce

2017-10-01

In support of the InSight mission in which two instruments (the SEIS seismometer and the HP3 heat flow probe) will interact directly with the regolith on the surface of Mars, a series of mechanical tests were conducted on three different regolith simulants to better understand the observations of the physical and mechanical parameters that will be derived from InSight. The mechanical data obtained were also compared to data on terrestrial sands. The density of the regolith strongly influences its mechanical properties, as determined from the data on terrestrial sands. The elastoplastic compression volume changes were investigated through oedometer tests that also provided estimates of possible changes in density with depth. The results of direct shear tests provided values of friction angles that were compared with that of a terrestrial sand, and an extrapolation to lower density provided a friction angle compatible with that estimated from previous observations on the surface of Mars. The importance of the contracting/dilating shear volume changes of sands on the dynamic penetration of the mole was determined, with penetration facilitated by the ˜1.3 Mg/m3 density estimated at the landing site. Seismic velocities, measured by means of piezoelectric bender elements in triaxial specimens submitted to various isotropic confining stresses, show the importance of the confining stress, with lesser influence of density changes under compression. A power law relation of velocity as a function of confining stress with an exponent of 0.3 was identified from the tests, allowing an estimate of the surface seismic velocity of 150 m/s. The effect on the seismic velocity of a 10% proportion of rock in the regolith was also studied. These data will be compared with in situ data measured by InSight after landing.

Net community production at Ocean Station Papa observed with nitrate and oxygen sensors on profiling floats

Science.gov (United States)

Plant, Joshua N.; Johnson, Kenneth S.; Sakamoto, Carole M.; Jannasch, Hans W.; Coletti, Luke J.; Riser, Stephen C.; Swift, Dana D.

2016-06-01

Six profiling floats equipped with nitrate and oxygen sensors were deployed at Ocean Station P in the Gulf of Alaska. The resulting six calendar years and 10 float years of nitrate and oxygen data were used to determine an average annual cycle for net community production (NCP) in the top 35 m of the water column. NCP became positive in February as soon as the mixing activity in the surface layer began to weaken, but nearly 3 months before the traditionally defined mixed layer began to shoal from its winter time maximum. NCP displayed two maxima, one toward the end of May and another in August with a summertime minimum in June corresponding to the historical peak in mesozooplankton biomass. The average annual NCP was determined to be 1.5 ± 0.6 mol C m-2 yr-1 using nitrate and 1.5 ± 0.7 mol C m-2 yr-1 using oxygen. The results from oxygen data proved to be quite sensitive to the gas exchange model used as well as the accuracy of the oxygen measurement. Gas exchange models optimized for carbon dioxide flux generally ignore transport due to gas exchange through the injection of bubbles, and these models yield NCP values that are two to three time higher than the nitrate-based estimates. If nitrate and oxygen NCP rates are assumed to be related by the Redfield model, we show that the oxygen gas exchange model can be optimized by tuning the exchange terms to reproduce the nitrate NCP annual cycle.

Oxygen enrichment incineration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jeong Guk; Yang, Hee Chul; Park, Geun Il; Kim, Joon Hyung

2000-10-01

Oxygen enriched combustion technology has recently been used in waste incineration. To apply the oxygen enrichment on alpha-bearing waste incineration, which is being developed, a state-of-an-art review has been performed. The use of oxygen or oxygen-enriched air instead of air in incineration would result in increase of combustion efficiency and capacity, and reduction of off-gas product. Especially, the off-gas could be reduced below a quarter, which might reduce off-gas treatment facilities, and also increase an efficiency of off-gas treatment. However, the use of oxygen might also lead to local overheating and high nitrogen oxides (NOx) formation. To overcome these problems, an application of low NOx oxy-fuel burner and recycling of a part of off-gas to combustion chamber have been suggested

Oxygen enrichment incineration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jeong Guk; Yang, Hee Chul; Park, Geun Il; Kim, Joon Hyung

2000-10-01

Oxygen enriched combustion technology has recently been used in waste incineration. To apply the oxygen enrichment on alpha-bearing waste incineration, which is being developed, a state-of-an-art review has been performed. The use of oxygen or oxygen-enriched air instead of air in incineration would result in increase of combustion efficiency and capacity, and reduction of off-gas product. Especially, the off-gas could be reduced below a quarter, which might reduce off-gas treatment facilities, and also increase an efficiency of off-gas treatment. However, the use of oxygen might also lead to local overheating and high nitrogen oxides (NOx) formation. To overcome these problems, an application of low NOx oxy-fuel burner and recycling of a part of off-gas to combustion chamber have been suggested.

Numerical investigation of a non-aqueous lithium-oxygen battery based on lithium superoxide as the discharge product

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tan, Peng; Ni, Meng; Shao, Zongping; Chen, Bin; Kong, Wei

2017-01-01

Highlights: •A macroscopic model for Li-O 2 batteries based on LiO 2 is developed. •The electrode and electrolyte properties on discharge behaviors are investigated. •A thin cathode with a large porosity is favorable for a high specific capacity. •A high catalytic activity can lead to a high discharge voltage. •The oxygen solubility has larger impacts on the discharge performance. -- Abstract: It is reported lithium superoxide as the discharge product can largely decrease the charge voltage and enable a high round-trip efficiency of lithium-oxygen (Li-O 2 ) batteries. Here, we conduct a numerical investigation of the discharge behaviors of such batteries with LiO 2 as the discharge product. A mathematical model considering the mass transport and electrochemical reaction processes is first developed, which gives good agreement of the simulated discharge voltage with the experimental data. Then, with this model, the effects of electrode and electrolyte properties on the discharge performance are detailedly investigated. It is found that a thin cathode with a large porosity is favorable for a high specific capacity, and a high catalytic activity can lead to a high discharge voltage. For the cathode with different geometrical properties, it is found that the oxygen solubility and diffusivity have similar impacts on discharge capacities, but the oxygen solubility has a larger impact on energy densities. Besides, the limitations and further developments of the present model are also discussed. The results obtained from this work may give useful guidance for the discharge performance improvements of non-aqueous Li-O 2 batteries, and provide implications for other energy storage systems with solid product formation such as Na-O 2 batteries and Li-S batteries.

Hydrogen-oxygen steam generator applications for increasing the efficiency, maneuverability and reliability of power production

Science.gov (United States)

Schastlivtsev, A. I.; Borzenko, V. I.

2017-11-01

The comparative feasibility study of the energy storage technologies showed good applicability of hydrogen-oxygen steam generators (HOSG) based energy storage systems with large-scale hydrogen production. The developed scheme solutions for the use of HOSGs for thermal power (TPP) and nuclear power plants (NPP), and the feasibility analysis that have been carried out have shown that their use makes it possible to increase the maneuverability of steam turbines and provide backup power supply in the event of failure of the main steam generating equipment. The main design solutions for the integration of hydrogen-oxygen steam generators into the main power equipment of TPPs and NPPs, as well as their optimal operation modes, are considered.

The influence of propofol on P-selectin expression and nitric oxide production in re-oxygenated human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Corcoran, T B

2012-02-03

BACKGROUND: Reperfusion injury is characterized by free radical production and endothelial inflammation. Neutrophils mediate much of the end-organ injury that occurs, requiring P-selectin-mediated neutrophil-endothelial adhesion, and this is associated with decreased endothelial nitric oxide production. Propofol has antioxidant properties in vitro which might abrogate this inflammation. METHODS: Cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells were exposed to 20 h of hypoxia and then returned to normoxic conditions. Cells were treated with saline, Diprivan 5 microg\\/l or propofol 5 microg\\/l for 4 h after re-oxygenation and were then examined for P-selectin expression and supernatant nitric oxide concentrations for 24 h. P-selectin was determined by flow cytometry, and culture supernatant nitric oxide was measured as nitrite. RESULTS: In saline-treated cells, a biphasic increase in P-selectin expression was demonstrated at 30 min (P = 0.01) and 4 h (P = 0.023) after re-oxygenation. Propofol and Diprivan prevented these increases in P-selectin expression (P < 0.05). Four hours after re-oxygenation, propofol decreased endothelial nitric oxide production (P = 0.035). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to demonstrate an effect of propofol upon endothelial P-selectin expression. Such an effect may be important in situations of reperfusion injury such as cardiac transplantation and coronary artery bypass surgery. We conclude that propofol attenuates re-oxygenation-induced endothelial inflammation in vitro.

Size-dependent Measurements of the Scattering Properties of Planetary Regolith Analogs: A Challenge to Theory

Science.gov (United States)

Piatek, J. L.; Hapke, B. W.; Nelson, R. M.; Hale, A. S.; Smythe, W. D.

2003-01-01

The nature of the scattering of light is thought to be well understood when the medium is made up of independent scatterers that are much larger than the wavelength of that light. This is not the case when the size of the scattering objects is similar to or smaller than the wavelength or the scatterers are not independent. In an attempt to examine the applicability of independent particle scattering models, to planetary regoliths, a dataset of experimental results were compared with theoretical predictions.

Reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation product-scavenging ability of yogurt organisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, M Y; Yen, C L

1999-08-01

The antioxidative activity of the intracellular extracts of yogurt organisms was investigated. All 11 strains tested, including five strains of Streptococcus thermophilus and six strains of Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus, demonstrated an antioxidative effect on the inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation. The antioxidative effect of intracellular extracts of 10(8) cells of yogurt organisms was equivalent to 25 to 96 ppm butylated hydroxytoluene, which indicated that all strains demonstrated excellent antioxidative activity. The scavenging of reactive oxygen species, hydroxyl radical, and hydrogen peroxide was studied for intracellular extracts of yogurt organisms. All strains showed reactive oxygen species-scavenging ability. Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus Lb demonstrated the highest hydroxyl radical-scavenging ability at 234 microM. Streptococcus thermophilus MC and 821 and L. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus 448 and 449 scavenged the most hydrogen peroxide at approximately 50 microM. The scavenging ability of lipid peroxidation products, t-butylhydroperoxide and malondialdehyde, was also evaluated. Results showed that the extracts were not able to scavenge the t-butylhydroperoxide. Nevertheless, malondialdehyde was scavenged well by most strains.

Mars 2024/2026 Pathfinder Mission: Mars Architectures, Systems, and Technologies for Exploration and Resources Project

Science.gov (United States)

Zeitlin, Nancy; Mueller, Robert; Muscatello, Anthony

2015-01-01

Integrate In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) sub-systems and examine advanced capabilities and technologies to verify Mars 2024 Forward architecture precursor pathfinder options: Integrated spacecraft/surface infrastructure fluid architecture: propulsion, power, life support center dot Power system feed and propellant scavenging from propulsion system center dot High quality oxygen for life support and EVA Fluid/cryogenic zero-loss transfer and long-term storage center dot Rapid depot-to-rover/spacecraft center dot Slow ISRU plant-to-ascent vehicle Integration of ISRU consumable production center dot Oxygen only from Mars atmosphere carbon dioxide center dot Oxygen, fuel, water, from extraterrestrial soil/regolith Test bed to evaluate long duration life, operations, maintenance on hardware, sensors, and autonomy

Improved Data Reduction Algorithm for the Needle Probe Method Applied to In-Situ Thermal Conductivity Measurements of Lunar and Planetary Regoliths

Science.gov (United States)

Nagihara, S.; Hedlund, M.; Zacny, K.; Taylor, P. T.

2013-01-01

The needle probe method (also known as the' hot wire' or 'line heat source' method) is widely used for in-situ thermal conductivity measurements on soils and marine sediments on the earth. Variants of this method have also been used (or planned) for measuring regolith on the surfaces of extra-terrestrial bodies (e.g., the Moon, Mars, and comets). In the near-vacuum condition on the lunar and planetary surfaces, the measurement method used on the earth cannot be simply duplicated, because thermal conductivity of the regolith can be approximately 2 orders of magnitude lower. In addition, the planetary probes have much greater diameters, due to engineering requirements associated with the robotic deployment on extra-terrestrial bodies. All of these factors contribute to the planetary probes requiring much longer time of measurement, several tens of (if not over a hundred) hours, while a conventional terrestrial needle probe needs only 1 to 2 minutes. The long measurement time complicates the surface operation logistics of the lander. It also negatively affects accuracy of the thermal conductivity measurement, because the cumulative heat loss along the probe is no longer negligible. The present study improves the data reduction algorithm of the needle probe method by shortening the measurement time on planetary surfaces by an order of magnitude. The main difference between the new scheme and the conventional one is that the former uses the exact mathematical solution to the thermal model on which the needle probe measurement theory is based, while the latter uses an approximate solution that is valid only for large times. The present study demonstrates the benefit of the new data reduction technique by applying it to data from a series of needle probe experiments carried out in a vacuum chamber on JSC-1A lunar regolith stimulant. The use of the exact solution has some disadvantage, however, in requiring three additional parameters, but two of them (the diameter and the

Singlet oxygen production and quenching mechanisms in travelling microwave discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savin, Yu V; Goryachev, L V; Adamenkov, Yu A; Rakhimova, T V; Mankelevich, Yu A; Popov, N A; Adamenkov, A A; Egorov, V V; Ilyin, S P; Kolobyanin, Yu V; Kudryashov, E A; Rogozhnikov, G S; Vyskubenko, B A

2004-01-01

Experimental and theoretical studies of singlet oxygen excitation in travelling microwave (TMW) discharges are presented. Singlet oxygen O 2 (a 1 Δ g ) concentrations and atomic oxygen mole fraction have been measured for different pressures, input powers and distances from the MW resonator. It was shown that a steady-state TMW discharge with a coaxial cavity resonator could provide a maximal O 2 (a 1 Δ g ) yield of 22% for 2 Torr of pure oxygen and 27-30% for He : O 2 = 1 : 1 mixture. The two-dimensional (r, z) model developed for calculations of plasma-chemical kinetics, heat and mass transfer was used for simulation of processes in the TMW discharge under study. Effects of gas pressure, gas flow rate and input power are studied and compared with experimental measurements of O 2 (a 1 Δ g ) concentrations and atomic oxygen mole fractions

Dissolved natural organic matter (NOM) impacts photosynthetic oxygen production and electron transport in coontail Ceratophyllum demersum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pflugmacher, S.; Pietsch, C.; Rieger, W.; Steinberg, C.E.W.

2006-01-01

Dissolved natural organic matter (NOM) is dead organic matter exceeding, in freshwater systems, the concentration of organic carbon in all living organisms by far. 80-90% (w/w) of the NOM is made up of humic substances (HS). Although NOM possesses several functional groups, a potential effect on aquatic organisms has not been studied. In this study, direct effects of NOM from various origins on physiological and biochemical functions in the aquatic plant Ceratophyllum demersum are presented. Environmentally relevant concentrations of NOM cause inhibitory effects on the photosynthetic oxygen production of C. demersum. Various NOM sources and the synthetic humic substance HS1500 inhibit the photosynthetic oxygen production of the plant as observed with 1-amino-anthraquinone, a known inhibitor of plant photosynthesis. 1-Aminoanthraquinone may serve as an analogue for the quinoid structures in NOM and HS. Most likely, the effects of NOM may be related to quinoid structures and work downstream of photosynthesis at photosystem (PS) II

Singlet Oxygen Production by Illuminated Road Dust and Winter Street Sweepings

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, S.; Gan, L.; Gao, S.; Hoy, K. S.; Kwasny, J. R.; Styler, S. A.

2017-12-01

Road dust is an important urban source of primary particulate matter, especially in cities where sand and other traction materials are applied to roadways in winter. Although the composition and detrimental health effects of road dust are reasonably well characterized, little is currently known regarding its chemical behaviour. Motivated by our previous work, in which we showed that road dust is a photochemical source of singlet oxygen (1O2), we investigated 1O2 production by bulk winter street sweepings and by road dust collected in a variety of urban, industrial, and suburban locations in both autumn and spring. In all cases, the production of 1O2 by road dust was greater than that by Arizona test dust and desert-sourced dust, which highlights the unique photochemical environment afforded by this substrate. Mechanistically, we observed correlations between 1O2 production and the UV absorbance properties of dust extracts, which suggests the involvement of chromophoric dissolved organic matter in the observed photochemistry. Taken together, this work provides evidence that road dust-mediated photochemistry may influence the environmental lifetime of pollutants that react via 1O2-mediated pathways, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

The role of iron and reactive oxygen species in the production of CO2 in arctic soil waters

Science.gov (United States)

Trusiak, Adrianna; Treibergs, Lija A.; Kling, George W.; Cory, Rose M.

2018-03-01

Hydroxyl radical (radOH) is a highly reactive oxidant of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the environment. radOH production in the dark was observed through iron and DOC mediated Fenton reactions in natural environments. Specifically, when dissolved oxygen (O2) was added to low oxygen and anoxic soil waters in arctic Alaska, radOH was produced in proportion to the concentrations of reduced iron (Fe(II)) and DOC. Here we demonstrate that Fe(II) was the main electron donor to O2 to produce radOH. In addition to quantifying radOH production, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was detected in soil waters as a likely intermediate in radOH production from oxidation of Fe(II). For the first time in natural systems we detected carbon dioxide (CO2) production from radOH oxidation of DOC. More than half of the arctic soil waters tested showed production of CO2 under conditions conducive for production of radOH. Findings from this study strongly suggest that DOC is the main sink for radOH, and that radOH can oxidize DOC to yield CO2. Thus, this iron-mediated, dark chemical oxidation of DOC may be an important component of the arctic carbon cycle.

Biphasic effect of oxygen radicals on prostaglandin production by rat mesangial cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adler, S.; Stahl, R.A.K.; Baker, P.J.; Chen, Y.P.; Pritzl, P.M.; Couser, W.G.

1987-01-01

Cultured rat mesangial cells were exposed to a reactive oxygen species (ROS) generating system (xanthine plus xanthine oxidase) to explore the effect of ROS on their metabolism of arachidonic acid (AA). Cell viability, as assessed by 51 Cr release, was not affected by the concentrations of xanthine plus xanthine oxidase used. Prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) production following exposure to increasing quantities of xanthine plus xanthine oxidase was significantly decreased when cells were stimulated with the calcium ionophore A23187 or AA. Maximum suppression of production was seen within 10 min of ROS exposure. Thromboxane B 2 production was similarly decreased. This effect was reversed by addition of catalase to the ROS generating system but not by superoxide dismutase or mannitol, which suggested that H 2 O 2 was the responsible metabolite. High levels of H 2 O 2 suppressed PGE 2 production. Lower levels of H 2 O 2 resulted in significant stimulation of base-line PGE 2 production. Analysis of release of 3 H]AA-labeled metabolites from A23187-stimulated cells showed no effect of H 2 O 2 on phospholipase activity. Thus ROS can stimulate or inhibitor AA metabolism in the glomerular mesangium, which may have important effects on glomerular hemodynamics during glomerular injury

Multi-Use Solar Thermal System for Oxygen Production from Lunar Regolith [7227-060], Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI), in collaboration with the Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (LMSSC) and Orbital Technologies Corporation (Orbitec), proposes to...

Oxygen Concentration Inside a Functioning Photosynthetic Cell

OpenAIRE

Kihara, Shigeharu; Hartzler, Daniel A.; Savikhin, Sergei

2014-01-01

The excess oxygen concentration in the photosynthetic membranes of functioning oxygenic photosynthetic cells was estimated using classical diffusion theory combined with experimental data on oxygen production rates of cyanobacterial cells. The excess oxygen concentration within the plesiomorphic cyanobacterium Gloeobactor violaceus is only 0.025 μM, or four orders of magnitude lower than the oxygen concentration in air-saturated water. Such a low concentration suggests that the first oxygenic...

Investigation of the singlet delta oxygen and ozone yields from the pulsed radiolysis of oxygen and oxygen-noble gas mixtures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zediker, M.S.

1984-01-01

The experiments discussed herein were performed with a flowing gas apparatus coupled to the University of Illinois TRIGA reactor. The detectors (lambda = 1.27 μ 634 nm) were calibrated with a novel NO 2 titration scheme and the absorbed dose was estimated from the ozone concentrations measured in pure oxygen. The results of these experiments revealed an O 2 (a 1 Δ) production efficiency of 0.14% for direct nuclear pumping in an argon-oxygen mixture. Extensive modeling of the oxygen and argon-oxygen mixtures were benchmarked against these and other experiments. However, good agreement over a broad absorbed dose range was only possible if the O 4 + + O 4 - neutralization reaction was assumed to be nondissociative. In a second set of experiments with a nuclear sustained electrical discharge (low E/N), the O 2 (a 1 Δ) production efficiency was approx.0.40% for the electrical power densities examined. In addition, the O 2 (a 1 Δ) was observed to scale with the square root of the electrical power deposition but was independent of the oxygen concentration. A simple analytic model was developed which explains this behavior as a characteristic of an externally sustained discharge involving an electron attaching gas such as oxygen. The results of these experiments and the modeling of the chemical kinetics are discussed with an emphasis on optimizing the O 2 (a 1 Δ) and O 3 yields

Lunar oxygen and metal for use in near-Earth space: Magma electrolysis

Science.gov (United States)

Colson, Russell O.; Haskin, Larry A.

1990-01-01

Because it is energetically easier to get material from the Moon to Earth orbit than from the Earth itself, the Moon is a potentially valuable source of materials for use in space. The unique conditions on the Moon, such as vacuum, absence of many reagents common on the Earth, and the presence of very nontraditional ores suggest that a unique and nontraditional process for extracting materials from the ores may prove the most practical. With this in mind, an investigation of unfluxed silicate electrolysis as a method for extracting oxygen, iron, and silicon from lunar regolith was initiated and is discussed. The advantages of the process include simplicity of concept, absence of need to supply reagents from Earth, and low power and mass requirements for the processing plant. Disadvantages include the need for uninterrupted high temperature and the highly corrosive nature of the high-temperature silicate melts which has made identifying suitable electrode and container materials difficult.

Nutrient utilization and oxygen production by Chlorella Vulgaris in a hybrid membrane bioreactor and algal membrane photobioreactor system

KAUST Repository

Najm, Yasmeen Hani Kamal; Jeong, Sanghyun; Leiknes, TorOve

2017-01-01

This work studied oxygen production and nutrient utilization by Chlorella Vulgaris at different organic/inorganic carbon (OC/IC) and ammonium/nitrate (NH4+-N/NO3--N) ratios to design a hybrid aerobic membrane bioreactor (MBR) and membrane photobioreactor (MPBR) system. Specific oxygen production by C. vulgaris was enough to support the MBR if high growth is accomplished. Nearly 100% removal (or utilization) of PO43--P and IC was achieved under all conditions tested. Optimal growth was achieved at mixotrophic carbon conditions (0.353 d-1) and the highest NH4+-N concentration (0.357 d-1), with preferable NH4+-N utilization rather than NO3--N. The results indicate the potential of alternative process designs to treat domestic wastewater by coupling the hybrid MBR - MPBR systems.

Nutrient utilization and oxygen production by Chlorella Vulgaris in a hybrid membrane bioreactor and algal membrane photobioreactor system

KAUST Repository

Najm, Yasmeen Hani Kamal

2017-02-17

This work studied oxygen production and nutrient utilization by Chlorella Vulgaris at different organic/inorganic carbon (OC/IC) and ammonium/nitrate (NH4+-N/NO3--N) ratios to design a hybrid aerobic membrane bioreactor (MBR) and membrane photobioreactor (MPBR) system. Specific oxygen production by C. vulgaris was enough to support the MBR if high growth is accomplished. Nearly 100% removal (or utilization) of PO43--P and IC was achieved under all conditions tested. Optimal growth was achieved at mixotrophic carbon conditions (0.353 d-1) and the highest NH4+-N concentration (0.357 d-1), with preferable NH4+-N utilization rather than NO3--N. The results indicate the potential of alternative process designs to treat domestic wastewater by coupling the hybrid MBR - MPBR systems.

[Comparison of reactive oxygen species production in neat semen and washed spermatozoa].

Science.gov (United States)

Svobodová, M; Oborná, I; Fingerová, H; Novotný, J; Brezinová, J; Radová, L; Vyslouzilová, J; Horáková, J; Grohmannová, J

2009-12-01

To determine Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production in neat semen and spermatozoa suspension using chemiluminescence and to examine correlation between both methods. Prospective laboratory study. Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, University Hospital, Olomouc. The study included fertile volunteers (FV, n = 17), men from infertile couples (NM, n = 19) and men with idiopathic infertility (NMI, n = 15). ROS levels were determined by the same method in neat and washed semen samples. The ROS production in neat semen was lower than that in spermatozoa suspension. There was no significant diference in ROS production between volunteers and males from infertile couples. There was a significant correlation between log ROS in neat semen and in spermatozoa suspension in studied groups (FV r = 0.85, p = 1.5 x 10(-5); NM r = 0.76, p neat semen is simpler, faster and better reflecting the actual level of oxidative stress than the same measurement in spermatozoa suspension. The implementation of this method can complement the algorithm of diagnostics and treatment of male infertility and be helpful in selection of patients for antioxidant or antibiotic treatment.

Metabolic Prosthesis for Oxygenation of Ischemic Tissue

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Greenbaum, Elias [ORNL

2009-01-01

This communication discloses new ideas and preliminary results on the development of a "metabolic prosthesis" for local oxygenation of ischemic tissue under physiological neutral conditions. We report for the first time the selective electrolysis of physiological saline by repetitively pulsed charge-limited electrolysis for the production of oxygen and suppression of free chlorine. For example, using 800 A amplitude current pulses and <200 sec pulse durations, we demonstrated prompt oxygen production and delayed chlorine production at the surface of a shiny 0.85 mm diameter spherical platinum electrode. The data, interpreted in terms of the ionic structure of the electric double layer, suggest a strategy for in situ production of metabolic oxygen via a new class of "smart" prosthetic implants for dealing with ischemic disease such as diabetic retinopathy. We also present data indicating that drift of the local pH of the oxygenated environment can be held constant using a feedback-controlled three electrode electrolysis system that chooses anode and cathode pair based on pH data provided by local microsensors. The work is discussed in the context of diabetic retinopathy since surgical techniques for multielectrode prosthetic implants aimed at retinal degenerative diseases have been developed.

RECENT PROGRESS OF OXYGEN/NITROGEN SEPARATION USING MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY

OpenAIRE

K. C. CHONG; S. O. LAI; H. S. THIAM; H. C. TEOH; S. L. HENG

2016-01-01

The oxygen-enriched air is highly demanded for various industrial applications such as medical, chemical and enhanced combustion processes. The conventional oxygen/nitrogen production is either cryogenic distillation or pressure swing adsorption (PSA). Both of these techniques possess the production capability of 20 to 300 tonnes of oxygen per day and oxygen purity of more than 95%. However, these techniques are energy intensive. Alternatively, membrane technology is an emerging technology...

Live Candida albicans Suppresses Production of Reactive Oxygen Species in Phagocytes▿ †

Science.gov (United States)

Wellington, Melanie; Dolan, Kristy; Krysan, Damian J.

2009-01-01

Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is an important aspect of phagocyte-mediated host responses. Since phagocytes play a crucial role in the host response to Candida albicans, we examined the ability of Candida to modulate phagocyte ROS production. ROS production was measured in the murine macrophage cell line J774 and in primary phagocytes using luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence. J774 cells, murine polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), human monocytes, and human PMN treated with live C. albicans produced significantly less ROS than phagocytes treated with heat-killed C. albicans. Live C. albicans also suppressed ROS production in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages from C57BL/6 mice, but not from BALB/c mice. Live C. albicans also suppressed ROS in response to external stimuli. C. albicans and Candida glabrata suppressed ROS production by phagocytes, whereas Saccharomyces cerevisiae stimulated ROS production. The cell wall is the initial point of contact between Candida and phagocytes, but isolated cell walls from both heat-killed and live C. albicans stimulated ROS production. Heat-killed C. albicans has increased surface exposure of 1,3-β-glucan, a cell wall component that can stimulate phagocytes. To determine whether surface 1,3-β-glucan exposure accounted for the difference in ROS production, live C. albicans cells were treated with a sublethal dose of caspofungin to increase surface 1,3-β-glucan exposure. Caspofungin-treated C. albicans was fully able to suppress ROS production, indicating that suppression of ROS overrides stimulatory signals from 1,3-β-glucan. These studies indicate that live C. albicans actively suppresses ROS production in phagocytes in vitro, which may represent an important immune evasion mechanism. PMID:18981256

The effect of lipid peroxidation products on reactive oxygen species formation and nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ambrožová, Gabriela; Pekarová, Michaela; Lojek, Antonín

2011-01-01

Roč. 25, č. 1 (2011), s. 145-152 ISSN 0887-2333 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) OC08058; GA ČR(CZ) GA524/08/1753 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50040507; CEZ:AV0Z50040702 Keywords : lipid peroxidation products * reactive oxygen species * nitric oxide Subject RIV: BO - Biophysics Impact factor: 2.775, year: 2011

To the problem about the origin of lunar maria and continents (Moessbauer investigations)

Science.gov (United States)

Malysheva, T. V.

1977-01-01

A comparative study of Mossbauer spectra of regolith returned by the Luna 16 and Luna 20 spacecraft is presented. The Mossbauer spectra of the mare regolith differs significantly for all fractions from the spectra for the same fractions of continental regolith. The total quantity of iron is 1.85 times greater in the mare regolith. There is 2.4 times less olivine in the mare region than in the continental region. The pyroxene component of the mare regolith is less homogeneous in composition (contains more augite and glass) and is present in larger quantities. Ilmenite was found only in the mare regolith. In the continental region, the predominant titanium-containing phase is ulvospinel. The mare regolith contains more metallic iron, which is more finely dispersed and contains less nickel. Troilite is found in the maria region. Based on these differences, it is concluded that the formation of continental rocks occurred at an earlier stage of crystallization from the melt and at higher temperatures and higher partial pressures of oxygen. The mare basalts crystallized from a more reduced magma, apparently in a later process.

The REgolith X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) for OSIRIS-REx: Identifying Regional Elemental Enrichment on Asteroids

OpenAIRE

Allen, Branden; Grindlay, Jonathan; Hong, Jaesub; Binzel, Richard P.; Masterson, Rebecca; Inamdar, Niraj K.; Chodas, Mark; Smith, Matthew W.; Bautz, Marshall W.; Kissel, Steven E.; Villasenor, Joel; Oprescu, Miruna; Induni, Nicholas

2013-01-01

The OSIRIS-REx Mission was selected under the NASA New Frontiers program and is scheduled for launch in September of 2016 for a rendezvous with, and collection of a sample from the surface of asteroid Bennu in 2019. 101955 Bennu (previously 1999 RQ36) is an Apollo (near-Earth) asteroid originally discovered by the LINEAR project in 1999 which has since been classified as a potentially hazardous near-Earth object. The REgolith X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) was proposed jointly by MIT an...

Workshop on Oxygen in the Terrestrial Planets

Science.gov (United States)

2004-01-01

This volume contains abstracts that have been accepted for presentation at the Workshop on Oxygen in the Terrestrial Planets, July 20-23,2004, Santa Fe, New Mexico. The contents include: 1) Experimental Constraints on Oxygen and Other Light Element Partitioning During Planetary Core Formation; 2) In Situ Determination of Fe(3+)/SigmaFe of Spinels by Electron Microprobe: An Evaluation of the Flank Method; 3) The Effect of Oxygen Fugacity on Large-Strain Deformation and Recrystallization of Olivine; 4) Plagioclase-Liquid Trace Element Oxygen Barometry and Oxygen Behaviour in Closed and Open System Magmatic Processes; 5) Core Formation in the Earth: Constraints from Ni and Co; 6) Oxygen Isotopic Compositions of the Terrestrial Planets; 7) The Effect of Oxygen Fugacity on Electrical Conduction of Olivine and Implications for Earth s Mantle; 8) Redox Chemical Diffusion in Silicate Melts: The Impact of the Semiconductor Condition; 9) Ultra-High Temperature Effects in Earth s Magma Ocean: Pt and W Partitioning; 10) Terrestrial Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotope Variations: Primordial Values, Systematics, Subsolidus Effects, Planetary Comparisons, and the Role of Water; 11) Redox State of the Moon s Interior; 12) How did the Terrestrial Planets Acquire Their Water?; 13) Molecular Oxygen Mixing Ratio and Its Seasonal Variability in the Martian Atmosphere; 14) Exchange Between the Atmosphere and the Regolith of Mars: Discussion of Oxygen and Sulfur Isotope Evidence; 15) Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotope Systematics of Atmospheric Water Vapor and Meteoric Waters: Evidence from North Texas; 16) Implications of Isotopic and Redox Heterogeneities in Silicate Reservoirs on Mars; 17) Oxygen Isotopic Variation of the Terrestrial Planets; 18) Redox Exchanges in Hydrous Magma; 19) Hydrothermal Systems on Terrestrial Planets: Lessons from Earth; 20) Oxygen in Martian Meteorites: A Review of Results from Mineral Equilibria Oxybarometers; 21) Non-Linear Fractionation of Oxygen Isotopes Implanted in

Fetal programming alters reactive oxygen species production in sheep cardiac mitochondria.

Science.gov (United States)

von Bergen, Nicholas H; Koppenhafer, Stacia L; Spitz, Douglas R; Volk, Kenneth A; Patel, Sonali S; Roghair, Robert D; Lamb, Fred S; Segar, Jeffrey L; Scholz, Thomas D

2009-04-01

Exposure to an adverse intrauterine environment is recognized as an important risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease later in life. Although oxidative stress has been proposed as a mechanism for the fetal programming phenotype, the role of mitochondrial O(2)(*-) (superoxide radical) production has not been explored. To determine whether mitochondrial ROS (reactive oxygen species) production is altered by in utero programming, pregnant ewes were given a 48-h dexamethasone (dexamethasone-exposed, 0.28 mg.kg(-1) of body weight.day(-1)) or saline (control) infusion at 27-28 days gestation (term=145 days). Intact left ventricular mitochondria and freeze-thaw mitochondrial membranes were studied from offspring at 4-months of age. AmplexRed was used to measure H(2)O(2) production. Activities of the antioxidant enzymes Mn-SOD (manganese superoxide dismutase), GPx (glutathione peroxidase) and catalase were measured. Compared with controls, a significant increase in Complex I H(2)O(2) production was found in intact mitochondria from dexamethasone-exposed animals. The treatment differences in Complex I-driven H(2)O(2) production were not seen in mitochondrial membranes. Consistent changes in H(2)O(2) production from Complex III in programmed animals were not found. Despite the increase in H(2)O(2) production in intact mitochondria from programmed animals, dexamethasone exposure significantly increased mitochondrial catalase activity, whereas Mn-SOD and GPx activities were unchanged. The results of the present study point to an increase in the rate of release of H(2)O(2) from programmed mitochondria despite an increase in catalase activity. Greater mitochondrial H(2)O(2) release into the cell may play a role in the development of adult disease following exposure to an adverse intrauterine environment.

Productivity variations, oxygen minimum zone and their impact on organic enrichment in the sediments

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Paropkari, A.L.

of Somalia, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Pakistan and Eastern and Western shelves of India (except a part of inner shelf), irrespective of primary productivity variation (Fig. 3), is mainly ascribed to decomposition of organic matter in contact.... Nevertheless, moderate to very high concentrations of organic carbon (Fig. 1) are invariably associated with the entire slope sediments, forming a long and wide band in contact with oxygen minima from Saurashtra to the southern tip of India. It may...

Optical measurements of atomic oxygen concentration, temperature and nitric oxide production rate in flames

Science.gov (United States)

Myhr, Franklin Henry

An optical method for measuring nitric oxide (NO) production rates in flames was developed and characterized in a series of steady, one-dimensional, atmospheric-pressure laminar flames of 0.700 Hsb2/0.199 Nsb2/0.101 COsb2 or 0.700 CHsb4/0.300 Nsb2 (by moles) with dry air, with equivalence ratios from 0.79 to 1.27. Oxygen atom concentration, (O), was measured by two-photon laser-induced fluorescence (LIF), temperature was measured by ultraviolet Rayleigh scattering, and nitrogen concentration was calculated from supplied reactant flows; together this information was used to calculate the NO production rate through the thermal (Zel'dovich) mechanism. Measurements by two other techniques were compared with results from the above method. In the first comparison, gas sampling was used to measure axial NO concentration profiles, the slopes of which were multiplied by velocity to obtain total NO production rates. In the second comparison, LIF measurements of hydroxyl radical (OH) were used with equilibrium water concentrations and a partial equilibrium assumption to find (O). Nitric oxide production rates from all three methods agreed reasonably well. Photolytic interference was observed during (O) LIF measurements in all of the flames; this is the major difficulty in applying the optical technique. Photolysis of molecular oxygen in lean flames has been well documented before, but the degree of interference observed in the rich flames suggests that some other molecule is also dissociating; the candidates are OH, CO, COsb2 and Hsb2O. An extrapolative technique for removing the effects of photolysis from (O) LIF measurements worked well in all flames where NO production was significant. Using the optical method to measure NO production rates in turbulent flames will involve a tradeoff among spatial resolution, systematic photolysis error, and random shot noise. With the conventional laser system used in this work, a single pulse with a resolution of 700 mum measured NO

Resources of Near-Earth Space: Abstracts

Science.gov (United States)

1991-01-01

The objectives are by theory, experiment, and bench-level testing of small systems, to develop scientifically-sound engineering processes and facility specifications for producing propellants and fuels, construction and shielding materials, and life support substances from the lithospheres and atmospheres of lunar, planetary, and asteroidal bodies. Current emphasis is on the production of oxygen, other usefull gases, metallic, ceramic/composite, and related byproducts from lunar regolith, carbonaceous chrondritic asteroids, and the carbon dioxide rich Martian atmosphere.

Using Combustion Synthesis to Reinforce Berms and Other Regolith Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriquez, Gary

2013-01-01

The Moonraker Excavator and other tools under development for use on the Moon, Mars, and asteroids will be employed to construct a number of civil engineering projects and to mine the soil. Mounds of loose soil will be subject to the local transport mechanisms plus artificial mechanisms such as blast effects from landers and erosion from surface vehicles. Some of these structures will require some permanence, with a minimum of maintenance and upkeep. Combustion Synthesis (CS) is a family of processes and techniques whereby chemistry is used to transform materials, often creating flame in a hard vacuum. CS can be used to stabilize civil engineering works such as berms, habitat shielding, ramps, pads, roadways, and the like. The method is to unroll thin sheets of CS fabric between layers of regolith and then fire the fabric, creating a continuous sheet of crusty material to be interposed among layers of loose regolith. The combination of low-energy processes, ISRU (in situ resource utilization) excavator, and CS fabrics, seems compelling as a general method for establishing structures of some permanence and utility, especially in the role of robotic missions as precursors to manned exploration and settlement. In robotic precursory missions, excavator/ mobility ensembles mine the Lunar surface, erect constructions of soil, and dispense sheets of CS fabrics that are covered with layers of soil, fired, and then again covered with layers of soil, iterating until the desired dimensions and forms are achieved. At the base of each berm, for example, is a shallow trench lined with CS fabric, fired and filled, mounded, and then covered and fired, iteratively to provide a footing against lateral shear. A larger trench is host to a habitat module, backfilled, covered with fabric, covered with soil, and fired. Covering the applied CS fabric with layers of soil before firing allows the resulting matrix to incorporate soil both above and below the fabric ply into the fused layer

The role of biology in planetary evolution: cyanobacterial primary production in low‐oxygen Proterozoic oceans

Science.gov (United States)

Bryant, Donald A.; Macalady, Jennifer L.

2016-01-01

Summary Understanding the role of biology in planetary evolution remains an outstanding challenge to geobiologists. Progress towards unravelling this puzzle for Earth is hindered by the scarcity of well‐preserved rocks from the Archean (4.0 to 2.5 Gyr ago) and Proterozoic (2.5 to 0.5 Gyr ago) Eons. In addition, the microscopic life that dominated Earth's biota for most of its history left a poor fossil record, consisting primarily of lithified microbial mats, rare microbial body fossils and membrane‐derived hydrocarbon molecules that are still challenging to interpret. However, it is clear from the sulfur isotope record and other geochemical proxies that the production of oxygen or oxidizing power radically changed Earth's surface and atmosphere during the Proterozoic Eon, pushing it away from the more reducing conditions prevalent during the Archean. In addition to ancient rocks, our reconstruction of Earth's redox evolution is informed by our knowledge of biogeochemical cycles catalysed by extant biota. The emergence of oxygenic photosynthesis in ancient cyanobacteria represents one of the most impressive microbial innovations in Earth's history, and oxygenic photosynthesis is the largest source of O 2 in the atmosphere today. Thus the study of microbial metabolisms and evolution provides an important link between extant biota and the clues from the geologic record. Here, we consider the physiology of cyanobacteria (the only microorganisms capable of oxygenic photosynthesis), their co‐occurrence with anoxygenic phototrophs in a variety of environments and their persistence in low‐oxygen environments, including in water columns as well as mats, throughout much of Earth's history. We examine insights gained from both the rock record and cyanobacteria presently living in early Earth analogue ecosystems and synthesize current knowledge of these ancient microbial mediators in planetary redox evolution. Our analysis supports the hypothesis that anoxygenic

The role of biology in planetary evolution: cyanobacterial primary production in low-oxygen Proterozoic oceans.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, Trinity L; Bryant, Donald A; Macalady, Jennifer L

2016-02-01

Understanding the role of biology in planetary evolution remains an outstanding challenge to geobiologists. Progress towards unravelling this puzzle for Earth is hindered by the scarcity of well-preserved rocks from the Archean (4.0 to 2.5 Gyr ago) and Proterozoic (2.5 to 0.5 Gyr ago) Eons. In addition, the microscopic life that dominated Earth's biota for most of its history left a poor fossil record, consisting primarily of lithified microbial mats, rare microbial body fossils and membrane-derived hydrocarbon molecules that are still challenging to interpret. However, it is clear from the sulfur isotope record and other geochemical proxies that the production of oxygen or oxidizing power radically changed Earth's surface and atmosphere during the Proterozoic Eon, pushing it away from the more reducing conditions prevalent during the Archean. In addition to ancient rocks, our reconstruction of Earth's redox evolution is informed by our knowledge of biogeochemical cycles catalysed by extant biota. The emergence of oxygenic photosynthesis in ancient cyanobacteria represents one of the most impressive microbial innovations in Earth's history, and oxygenic photosynthesis is the largest source of O2 in the atmosphere today. Thus the study of microbial metabolisms and evolution provides an important link between extant biota and the clues from the geologic record. Here, we consider the physiology of cyanobacteria (the only microorganisms capable of oxygenic photosynthesis), their co-occurrence with anoxygenic phototrophs in a variety of environments and their persistence in low-oxygen environments, including in water columns as well as mats, throughout much of Earth's history. We examine insights gained from both the rock record and cyanobacteria presently living in early Earth analogue ecosystems and synthesize current knowledge of these ancient microbial mediators in planetary redox evolution. Our analysis supports the hypothesis that anoxygenic photosynthesis

The Dust Management Project: Characterizing Lunar Environments and Dust, Developing Regolith Mitigation Technology and Simulants

Science.gov (United States)

Hyatt, Mark J.; Straka, Sharon A.

2010-01-01

A return to the Moon to extend human presence, pursue scientific activities, use the Moon to prepare for future human missions to Mars, and expand Earth?s economic sphere, will require investment in developing new technologies and capabilities to achieve affordable and sustainable human exploration. From the operational experience gained and lessons learned during the Apollo missions, conducting long-term operations in the lunar environment will be a particular challenge, given the difficulties presented by the unique physical properties and other characteristics of lunar regolith, including dust. The Apollo missions and other lunar explorations have identified significant lunar dust-related problems that will challenge future mission success. Comprised of regolith particles ranging in size from tens of nanometers to microns, lunar dust is a manifestation of the complex interaction of the lunar soil with multiple mechanical, electrical, and gravitational effects. The environmental and anthropogenic factors effecting the perturbation, transport, and deposition of lunar dust must be studied in order to mitigate it?s potentially harmful effects on exploration systems and human explorers. The Dust Management Project (DMP) is tasked with the evaluation of lunar dust effects, assessment of the resulting risks, and development of mitigation and management strategies and technologies related to Exploration Systems architectures. To this end, the DMP supports the overall goal of the Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP) of addressing the relevant high priority technology needs of multiple elements within the Constellation Program (CxP) and sister ETDP projects. Project scope, plans, and accomplishments will be presented.

Blood conservation with membrane oxygenators and dipyridamole.

Science.gov (United States)

Teoh, K H; Christakis, G T; Weisel, R D; Madonik, M M; Ivanov, J; Wong, P Y; Mee, A V; Levitt, D; Benak, A; Reilly, P

1987-07-01

Cardiopulmonary bypass induces platelet activation and dysfunction, which result in platelet deposition and depletion. Reduced platelet numbers and abnormal platelet function may contribute to postoperative bleeding. A membrane oxygenator may preserve platelets and reduce bleeding more than a bubble oxygenator, and the antiplatelet agent dipyridamole may protect platelets intraoperatively and reduce bleeding postoperatively. A prospective randomized trial was performed in 44 patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting to assess the effects of the membrane oxygenator and dipyridamole on platelet counts, platelet activation products, and postoperative bleeding. Patients who were randomized to receive a bubble oxygenator and no dipyridamole had the lowest postoperative platelet counts, the greatest blood loss, and the most blood products transfused. Platelet counts were highest and blood loss was least in patients randomized to receive a membrane oxygenator and dipyridamole (p less than .05). A bubble oxygenator with dipyridamole and a membrane oxygenator without dipyridamole resulted in intermediate postoperative platelet counts and blood loss. Arterial thromboxane B2 and platelet factor 4 concentrations were elevated on cardiopulmonary bypass in all groups. Both the membrane oxygenator and dipyridamole were independently effective (by multivariate analysis) in preserving platelets. Optimal blood conservation was achieved with a membrane oxygenator and dipyridamole.

Oxygen discharge and post-discharge kinetics experiments and modeling for the electric oxygen-iodine laser system.

Science.gov (United States)

Palla, A D; Zimmerman, J W; Woodard, B S; Carroll, D L; Verdeyen, J T; Lim, T C; Solomon, W C

2007-07-26

Laser oscillation at 1315 nm on the I(2P1/2)-->I(2P3/2) transition of atomic iodine has been obtained by a near resonant energy transfer from O2(a1Delta) produced using a low-pressure oxygen/helium/nitric oxide discharge. In the electric discharge oxygen-iodine laser (ElectricOIL) the discharge production of atomic oxygen, ozone, and other excited species adds levels of complexity to the singlet oxygen generator (SOG) kinetics which are not encountered in a classic purely chemical O2(a1Delta) generation system. The advanced model BLAZE-IV has been introduced to study the energy-transfer laser system dynamics and kinetics. Levels of singlet oxygen, oxygen atoms, and ozone are measured experimentally and compared with calculations. The new BLAZE-IV model is in reasonable agreement with O3, O atom, and gas temperature measurements but is under-predicting the increase in O2(a1Delta) concentration resulting from the presence of NO in the discharge and under-predicting the O2(b1Sigma) concentrations. A key conclusion is that the removal of oxygen atoms by NOX species leads to a significant increase in O2(a1Delta) concentrations downstream of the discharge in part via a recycling process; however, there are still some important processes related to the NOX discharge kinetics that are missing from the present modeling. Further, the removal of oxygen atoms dramatically inhibits the production of ozone in the downstream kinetics.

Influence of Power Modulation on Ozone Production Using an AC Surface Dielectric Barrier Discharge in Oxygen

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Šimek, Milan; Pekárek, S.; Prukner, Václav

2010-01-01

Roč. 30, č. 5 (2010), s. 607-617 ISSN 0272-4324 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA202/09/0176 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20430508 Keywords : Ozone * Surface DBD * Oxygen * Production efficiency Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 1.798, year: 2010 http://www.springerlink.com/content/28539775w5243513/

Silibinin activates AMP-activated protein kinase to protect neuronal cells from oxygen and glucose deprivation-re-oxygenation.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Zhi; Ding, Sheng-quan; Shen, Ya-fang

2014-11-14

In this study, we explored the cytoprotective potential of silibinin against oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)-induced neuronal cell damages, and studied underling mechanisms. In vitro model of ischemic stroke was created by keeping neuronal cells (SH-SY5Y cells and primary mouse cortical neurons) in an OGD condition followed by re-oxygenation. Pre-treatment of silibinin significantly inhibited OGD/re-oxygenation-induced necrosis and apoptosis of neuronal cells. OGD/re-oxygenation-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) reduction were also inhibited by silibinin. At the molecular level, silibinin treatment in SH-SY5Y cells and primary cortical neurons led to significant AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling activation, detected by phosphorylations of AMPKα1, its upstream kinase liver kinase B1 (LKB1) and the downstream target acetyl-CoA Carboxylase (ACC). Pharmacological inhibition or genetic depletion of AMPK alleviated the neuroprotective ability of silibinin against OGD/re-oxygenation. Further, ROS scavenging ability by silibinin was abolished with AMPK inhibition or silencing. While A-769662, the AMPK activator, mimicked silibinin actions and suppressed ROS production and neuronal cell death following OGD/re-oxygenation. Together, these results show that silibinin-mediated neuroprotection requires activation of AMPK signaling. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of zilpaterol hydrochloride on methane production, total body oxygen consumption, and blood metabolites in finishing beef steers

Science.gov (United States)

An indirect calorimetry experiment was conducted to determine the effects of feeding zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) for 20 d on total body oxygen consumption, respiratory quotient, methane production, and blood metabolites in finishing beef steers. Sixteen Angus steers (initial BW = 555 ± 12.7 kg) w...

Characterization of Adipose Tissue Product Quality Using Measurements of Oxygen Consumption Rate.

Science.gov (United States)

Suszynski, Thomas M; Sieber, David A; Mueller, Kathryn; Van Beek, Allen L; Cunningham, Bruce L; Kenkel, Jeffrey M

2018-03-14

Fat grafting is a common procedure in plastic surgery but associated with unpredictable graft retention. Adipose tissue (AT) "product" quality is affected by the methods used for harvest, processing and transfer, which vary widely amongst surgeons. Currently, there is no method available to accurately assess the quality of AT. In this study, we present a novel method for the assessment of AT product quality through direct measurements of oxygen consumption rate (OCR). OCR has exhibited potential in predicting outcomes following pancreatic islet transplant. Our study aim was to reapportion existing technology for its use with AT preparations and to confirm that these measurements are feasible. OCR was successfully measured for en bloc and postprocessed AT using a stirred microchamber system. OCR was then normalized to DNA content (OCR/DNA), which represents the AT product quality. Mean (±SE) OCR/DNA values for fresh en bloc and post-processed AT were 149.8 (± 9.1) and 61.1 (± 6.1) nmol/min/mg DNA, respectively. These preliminary data suggest that: (1) OCR and OCR/DNA measurements of AT harvested using conventional protocol are feasible; and (2) standard AT processing results in a decrease in overall AT product quality. OCR measurements of AT using existing technology can be done and enables accurate, real-time, quantitative assessment of the quality of AT product prior to transfer. The availability and further validation of this type of assay could enable optimization of fat grafting protocol by providing a tool for the more detailed study of procedural variables that affect AT product quality.

Integrated Bio-ISRU and Life Support Systems at the Lunar Outpost: Concept and Preliminary Results

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, I. I.; Garrison, D. H.; Allen, C. C.; Pickering, K.; Sarkisova, S. A.; Galindo, C., Jr.; Pan, D.; Foraker, E.; Mckay, D. S.

2009-01-01

We continue the development of our concept of a biotechnological loop for in-situ resource extraction along with propellant and food production at a future lunar outpost, based on the cultivation of litholytic cyanobacteria (LCB) with lunar regolith (LR) in a geobioreactor energized by sunlight. Our preliminary studies have shown that phototropic cultivation of LCB with simulants of LR in a low-mineralized medium supplemented with CO2 leads to rock dissolution (bioweathering) with the resulting accumulation of Fe, Mg and Al in cyanobacterial cells and in the medium. LCB cultivated with LR simulants produces more O2 than the same organisms cultivated in a high-mineralized medium. The loss of rock mass after bioweathering with LCB suggests the release of O from regolith. Further studies of chemical pathways of released O are required. The bioweathering process is limited by the availability of CO2, N, and P. Since lunar regolith is mainly composed of O, Si, Ca, Al and Mg, we propose to use organic waste to supply a geobioreactor with C, N and P. The recycling of organic waste, including urine, through a geobioreactor will allow for efficient element extraction as well as oxygen and biomass production. The most critical conclusion is that a biological life support system tied to a geobioreactor might be more efficient for supporting an extraterrestrial outpost than a closed environmental system.

Mitochondrial Respiration and Oxygen Tension.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Daniel S; Meitha, Karlia; Considine, Michael J; Foyer, Christine H

2017-01-01

Measurements of respiration and oxygen tension in plant organs allow a precise understanding of mitochondrial capacity and function within the context of cellular oxygen metabolism. Here we describe methods that can be routinely used for the isolation of intact mitochondria, and the determination of respiratory electron transport, together with techniques for in vivo determination of oxygen tension and measurement of respiration by both CO 2 production and O 2 consumption that enables calculation of the respiratory quotient [CO 2 ]/[O 2 ].

Extracellular matrix production by nucleus pulposus and bone marrow stem cells in response to altered oxygen and glucose microenvironments.

Science.gov (United States)

Naqvi, Syeda M; Buckley, Conor T

2015-12-01

Bone marrow (BM) stem cells may be an ideal source of cells for intervertebral disc (IVD) regeneration. However, the harsh biochemical microenvironment of the IVD may significantly influence the biological and metabolic vitality of injected stem cells and impair their repair potential. This study investigated the viability and production of key matrix proteins by nucleus pulposus (NP) and BM stem cells cultured in the typical biochemical microenvironment of the IVD consisting of altered oxygen and glucose concentrations. Culture-expanded NP cells and BM stem cells were encapsulated in 1.5% alginate and ionically crosslinked to form cylindrical hydrogel constructs. Hydrogel constructs were maintained under different glucose concentrations (1, 5 and 25 mM) and external oxygen concentrations (5 and 20%). Cell viability was measured using the Live/Dead® assay and the production of sulphated glycosaminoglycans (sGAG), and collagen was quantified biochemically and histologically. For BM stem cells, IVD-like micro-environmental conditions (5 mM glucose and 5% oxygen) increased the accumulation of sGAG and collagen. In contrast, low glucose conditions (1 mM glucose) combined with 5% external oxygen concentration promoted cell death, inhibiting proliferation and the accumulation of sGAG and collagen. NP-encapsulated alginate constructs were relatively insensitive to oxygen concentration or glucose condition in that they accumulated similar amounts of sGAG under all conditions. Under IVD-like microenvironmental conditions, NP cells were found to have a lower glucose consumption rate compared with BM cells and may in fact be more suitable to adapt and sustain the harsh microenvironmental conditions. Considering the highly specialised microenvironment of the central NP, these results indicate that IVD-like concentrations of low glucose and low oxygen are critical and influential for the survival and biological behaviour of stem cells. Such findings may promote and accelerate

Evaluation of Primary Production in the Lower Amazon River Based on a Dissolved Oxygen Stable Isotopic Mass Balance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gagne-Maynard, William C.; Ward, Nicholas D.; Keil, Richard G.; Sawakuchi, Henrique O.; Da Cunha, Alan C.; Neu, Vania; Brito, Daimio C.; Da Silva Less, Diani F.; Diniz, Joel E. M.; De Matos Valerio, Aline; Kampel, Milton; Krusche, Alex V.; Richey, Jeffrey E.

2017-02-07

The Amazon River outgasses nearly an equivalent amount of CO₂ as the rainforest sequesters on an annual basis due to microbial decomposition of terrigenous and aquatic organic matter. Most research performed in the Amazon has been focused on unraveling the mechanisms driving CO₂ production since the recognition of a persistent state of CO₂ supersaturation. However, although the river system is clearly net heterotrophic, the interplay between primary production and respiration is an essential aspect to understanding the overall metabolism of the ecosystem and potential transfer of energy up trophic levels. For example, an efficient ecosystem is capable of both decomposing high amounts of organic matter at lower trophic levels, driving CO₂ emissions, and accumulating energy/biomass in higher trophic levels, stimulating fisheries production. Early studies found minimal evidence for primary production in the Amazon River mainstem and it has since been assumed that photosynthesis is strongly limited by low light penetration attributed to the high sediment load. Here, we test this assumption by measuring the stable isotopic composition of O₂ (δ¹⁸O-O₂) and O₂ saturation levels in the lower Amazon River from Óbidos to the river mouth and its major tributaries, the Xingu and Tapajós rivers, during high and low water periods. An oxygen mass balance model was developed to estimate the input of photosynthetic oxygen in the discrete reach from Óbidos to Almeirim, midway to the river mouth. Based on the oxygen mass balance we estimate that primary production occurred at a rate of 0.39 ± 0.24 g O m³ d^-1 at high water and 1.02 ± 0.55 g O m³ d^-1 at low water. This translates to 41 ± 24% of the rate of O₂ drawdown via respiration during high water and 67 ± 33% during low water. These primary production rates are 2-7 times higher than

Comparative study of activities in reactive oxygen species production/defense system in mitochondria of rat brain and liver, and their susceptibility to methylmercury toxicity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mori, N.; Hirayama, K. [Kumamoto University, School of Health Science, Kumamoto (Japan); Yasutake, A. [National Institute for Minamata Disease, Minamata (Japan)

2007-11-15

The involvement of oxidative stress has been suggested as a mechanism for neurotoxicity caused by methylmercury (MeHg), but the mechanism for MeHg selective toxicity in the central nervous system is still unclear. In this research, to clarify the mechanism of selective neurotoxicity caused by MeHg, the oxygen consumption levels, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production rates and several antioxidant levels in mitochondria were compared among the cerebrum, cerebellum and liver of male Wistar rats. In addition, the alterations of these indexes were examined in MeHg-intoxicated rats (oral administration of 10 mg/kg day, for 5 days). Although the cerebrum and cerebellum in intact rats showed higher mitochondrial oxygen consumption levels and ROS production rates than the liver, glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were much lower in the cerebrum and cerebellum than in the liver. Especially, the cerebellum showed the highest oxygen consumption and ROS production rate and the lowest mitochondrial glutathione (GSH) levels among the tissues examined. In the MeHg-treated rats, decrease in the oxygen consumption and increase in the ROS generation were found only in the cerebellum mitochondria, despite a lower Hg accumulation in the mitochondrial fraction compared to the liver. Since MeHg treatment produced an enhancement of ROS generation in cerebellum mitochondria supplemented with succinate substrates, MeHg-induced oxidative stress might affect the complex II-III mediated pathway in the electron transfer chain in the cerebellum mitochondria. Our study suggested that inborn factors, high production system activity and low defense system activity of ROS in the brain, would relate to the high susceptibility of the central nervous system to MeHg toxicity. (orig.)

Reactive Oxygen Species Production by Forward and Reverse Electron Fluxes in the Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain

Science.gov (United States)

Selivanov, Vitaly A.; Votyakova, Tatyana V.; Pivtoraiko, Violetta N.; Zeak, Jennifer; Sukhomlin, Tatiana; Trucco, Massimo; Roca, Josep; Cascante, Marta

2011-01-01

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced in the mitochondrial respiratory chain (RC) are primary signals that modulate cellular adaptation to environment, and are also destructive factors that damage cells under the conditions of hypoxia/reoxygenation relevant for various systemic diseases or transplantation. The important role of ROS in cell survival requires detailed investigation of mechanism and determinants of ROS production. To perform such an investigation we extended our rule-based model of complex III in order to account for electron transport in the whole RC coupled to proton translocation, transmembrane electrochemical potential generation, TCA cycle reactions, and substrate transport to mitochondria. It fits respiratory electron fluxes measured in rat brain mitochondria fueled by succinate or pyruvate and malate, and the dynamics of NAD+ reduction by reverse electron transport from succinate through complex I. The fitting of measured characteristics gave an insight into the mechanism of underlying processes governing the formation of free radicals that can transfer an unpaired electron to oxygen-producing superoxide and thus can initiate the generation of ROS. Our analysis revealed an association of ROS production with levels of specific radicals of individual electron transporters and their combinations in species of complexes I and III. It was found that the phenomenon of bistability, revealed previously as a property of complex III, remains valid for the whole RC. The conditions for switching to a state with a high content of free radicals in complex III were predicted based on theoretical analysis and were confirmed experimentally. These findings provide a new insight into the mechanisms of ROS production in RC. PMID:21483483

Determining the Source of Water Vapor in a Cerium Oxide Electrochemical Oxygen Separator to Achieve Aviator Grade Oxygen

Science.gov (United States)

Graf, John; Taylor, Dale; Martinez, James

2014-01-01

More than a metric ton of water is transported to the International Space Station (ISS) each year to provide breathing oxygen for the astronauts. Water is a safe and compact form of stored oxygen. The water is electrolyzed on ISS and ambient pressure oxygen is delivered to the cabin. A much smaller amount of oxygen is used each year in spacesuits to conduct Extra Vehicular Activities (EVAs). Space suits need high pressure (>1000 psia) high purity oxygen (must meet Aviator Breathing Oxygen "ABO" specifications, >99.5% O2). The water / water electrolysis system cannot directly provide high pressure, high purity oxygen, so oxygen for EVAs is transported to ISS in high pressure gas tanks. The tanks are relatively large and heavy, and the majority of the system launch weight is for the tanks and not the oxygen. Extracting high purity oxygen from cabin air and mechanically compressing the oxygen might enable on-board production of EVA grade oxygen using the existing water / water electrolysis system. This capability might also benefit human spaceflight missions, where oxygen for EVAs could be stored in the form of water, and converted into high pressure oxygen on-demand. Cerium oxide solid electrolyte-based ion transport membranes have been shown to separate oxygen from air, and a supported monolithic wafer form of the CeO2 electrolyte membrane has been shown to deliver oxygen at pressures greater than 300 psia. These supported monolithic wafers can withstand high pressure differentials even though the membrane is very thin, because the ion transport membrane is supported on both sides (Fig 1). The monolithic supported wafers have six distinct layers, each with matched coefficients of thermal expansion. The wafers are assembled into a cell stack which allows easy air flow across the wafers, uniform current distribution, and uniform current density (Fig 2). The oxygen separation is reported to be "infinitely selective" to oxygen [1] with reported purity of 99.99% [2

Reactivity Studies of Inconel 625 with Sodium, and Lunar Regolith Stimulant

Science.gov (United States)

Gillies, Donald; Salvail, Pat; Reid, Bob; Colebaugh, James; Easterling, Greg

2008-01-01

In the event of the need for nuclear power in exploration, high flux heat pipes will be needed for heat transfer from space nuclear reactors to various energy conversion devices, and to safely dissipate excess heat. Successful habitation will necessitate continuous operation of alkali metal filled heat pipes for 10 or-more years in a hostile environment with little maintenance. They must be chemical and creep resistant in the high vacuum of space (lunar), and they must operate reliably in low gravity conditions with intermittent high radiation fluxes. One candidate material for the heat pipe shell, namely Inconel 625, has been tested to determine its compatibility with liquid sodium. Any reactivity could manifest itself as a problem over the long time periods anticipated. In addition, possible reactions with the lunar regolith will take place, as will evaporation of selected elements at the external surfaces of the heat pipes, and so there is a need for extensive long-term testing under simulated lunar conditions.

Acetylene and oxygen as inhibitors of nitrous oxide production in Nitrosomonas europaea and Nitrosospira briensis: a cautionary tale

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wrage, N.; Velthof, G.L.; Oenema, O.; Laanbroek, H.J.

2004-01-01

Autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria produce nitrous oxide (N2O) as a by-product of nitrification or as an intermediate of nitrifier denitrification. In soil incubations, acetylene (C2H2) and large partial pressures of oxygen (O2) are used to distinguish between these sources. C2H2 inhibits

The Vacuum-Compacted Regolith Gripping Mechanism and Unmanned Flights via Quad-Rotors

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Rollin L.

2014-01-01

During the course of the Kennedy Space Center Summer Internship, two main experiments were performed: The Vacuum-Compacted Regolith Gripping Mechanism and Unmanned Flights via Quad-copters. The objectives of the Vacuum-Compacted Regolith Gripping Mechanism, often abbreviated as the Granular Gripper, are to exhibit Space Technology, such as a soft robotic hand, lift different apparatuses used to excavate regolith, and conserve energy while executing its intended task. The project is being conducted to test how much weight the Granular Gripper can hold. With the use of an Animatronic Robotic Hand, Arduino Uno, and other components, the system was calibrated before actually conducting the intended weight test. The maximum weight each finger could hold with the servos running, in the order of pinky, ring, middle, and index fingers, are as follows: 1.340N, 1.456 N, 0.9579 N, and 1.358 N. Using the small vacuum pump system, the maximum weight each finger could hold, in the same order, was: 4.076 N, 6.159 N, 5.454 N, and 4.052 N. The maximum torques on each of the fingers when the servos were running, in the same respective order, was: 0.0777 Nm, 0.0533 Nm, 0.0648 Nm, and 0.0532 Nm. The maximum torques on the individual fingers, when the small vacuum pump was in effect, in the same order as above, was: 0.2318 Nm, 0.3032 Nm, 0.2741 Nm, and 0.1618 Nm. In testing all the fingers with the servos running, the total weight was 5.112 N and the maximum torque on the all the fingers was 0.2515 Nm. However, when the small vacuum pump system was used, the total weight was 19.741 N and the maximum torque on the all the fingers was 0.9713 Nm. The conclusion that was drawn stated that using the small vacuum pump system proved nearly 4 times more effective when testing how much weigh the hand could hold. The resistance provided by the compacted sand in the glove allowed more weight to be held by the hand and glove. Also, when the servos turned off and the hand still retaining its

Cryoseism Vibrational Movement and Sorting of Detritus of Mars' Regolith Bedforms (E.G., ~ Streaks, Gullies): a New, Dry, Midsummer Antarctic Analogue Mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Ford, A. B.

2015-12-01

"SNAP!, CRACK!, POP!" The sounds reverberated across newly shaded permafrost of unusual talus aprons (Ford & Andersen, 1967; J. Geol., 75, 722-732) of interior Antarctica (lats. >84°S; Thiel, Pensacola mtns.), coming from ice cracking under tensile failure (cryoseisms). Apron regoliths show conspicuously reversed downslope particle-size sorting and downslope-oriented lineations (debris-cleared tracts; stone stripes) formed by vibrational movement of detritus by midsummer, diurnal cracking of ice. Moving laterally by vibrations away from cracks, with downslope component by gravity, finer detritus becomes concentrated downslope from coarser debris of initial cliff fall — winnowed, as if on a gigantic vibrating shaking table. Slopes outside shade zones remain free of cracking. Diurnal midday shading of solar-warmed, debris-mantled permafrost- and glacier-surface ice at low ambient midsummer temperatures produces high strain-loading rates that exceed tensile toughness of inhomogeneous, polycrystalline ice containing zones of older but sealed cracks. This dry, mechanical, cryoseism mechanism is here proposed also for now waterless Mars and other icy Solar System bodies. Regolith features of Mars' cryosphere may appear different from anrarctic analogues owing to likely operation over tens if not hundreds of millions of years longer than on Earth. The strain distributions in tensile failure of ice better explain a common spacing uniformity of many martian linear features than others' proposed origins, and for some "active" streaks and gully channels, TARS, RSL and dune-slipface channels, as well as for dune orthogonality, diurnal moonquakes and asteroid-regolith detrital sorting (e.g., "rubble-pile" 25143-Itokawa). Because periodic shade from topography (canyons, craters, etc.) is needed, the mechanism is not expected on flattish terrains where more normal annual cooling rates produce the common polygonal tensile fracturing of ice

Engineering the oxygen sensing regulation results in an enhanced recombinant human hemoglobin production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martinez Ruiz, José Luis; Liu, Lifang; Petranovic, Dina

2015-01-01

Efficient production of appropriate oxygen carriers for transfusions (blood substitutes or artificial blood) has been pursued for many decades, and to date several strategies have been used, from synthetic polymers to cell-free hemoglobin carriers. The recent advances in the field of metabolic en...... the transcription factor HAP1, which resulted in an increase of the final recombinant active hemoglobin titer exceeding 7% of the total cellular protein....

Oxygen production by molten alkali metal salts using multiple absorption-desorption cycles

Science.gov (United States)

Cassano, Anthony A.

1985-01-01

A continuous chemical air separation is performed wherein oxygen is recovered with a molten alkali metal salt oxygen acceptor in a series of absorption zones which are connected to a plurality of desorption zones operated in separate parallel cycles with the absorption zones. A greater recovery of high pressure oxygen is achieved at reduced power requirements and capital costs.

RECENT PROGRESS OF OXYGEN/NITROGEN SEPARATION USING MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. C. CHONG

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The oxygen-enriched air is highly demanded for various industrial applications such as medical, chemical and enhanced combustion processes. The conventional oxygen/nitrogen production is either cryogenic distillation or pressure swing adsorption (PSA. Both of these techniques possess the production capability of 20 to 300 tonnes of oxygen per day and oxygen purity of more than 95%. However, these techniques are energy intensive. Alternatively, membrane technology is an emerging technology in gas separation as it requires low energy consumption and relatively moderate production volume, if compared to the conventional gas production techniques. These advantages have spurred much interest from industries and academics to speed up the commercial viability of the O2/N2 separation via membrane technology. In this review, the conventional and membrane technologies in O2/N2 separation, as well as recent development of membrane fabrication techniques and materials are reviewed. The latest membrane performance in O2/N2 separation is also tabulated and discussed.

Hydrogen Production from Cyclic Chemical Looping Steam Methane Reforming over Yttrium Promoted Ni/SBA-16 Oxygen Carrier

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanaz Daneshmand-Jahromi

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In this work, the modification of Ni/SBA-16 oxygen carrier (OC with yttrium promoter is investigated. The yttrium promoted Ni-based oxygen carrier was synthesized via co-impregnation method and applied in chemical looping steam methane reforming (CL-SMR process, which is used for the production of clean energy carrier. The reaction temperature (500–750 °C, Y loading (2.5–7.4 wt. %, steam/carbon molar ratio (1–5, Ni loading (10–30 wt. % and life time of OCs over 16 cycles at 650 °C were studied to investigate and optimize the structure of OC and process temperature with maximizing average methane conversion and hydrogen production yield. The synthesized OCs were characterized by multiples techniques. The results of X-ray powder diffraction (XRD and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX of reacted OCs showed that the presence of Y particles on the surface of OCs reduces the coke formation. The smaller NiO species were found for the yttrium promoted OC and therefore the distribution of Ni particles was improved. The reduction-oxidation (redox results revealed that 25Ni-2.5Y/SBA-16 OC has the highest catalytic activity of about 99.83% average CH4 conversion and 85.34% H2 production yield at reduction temperature of 650 °C with the steam to carbon molar ratio of 2.

Radar-Enabled Recovery of the Sutters Mill Meteorite, a Carbonaceous Chondrite Regolith Breccia

Science.gov (United States)

Jenniskens, Petrus M.; Fries, Marc D.; Yin, Qing-Zhu; Zolensky, Michael E.; Krot, Alexander N.; Sandford, Scott A.; Sears, Derek; Beauford, Robert; Ebel, Denton S.; Friedrich, Jon M.;

Oxygen production by molten alkali metal salts using multiple absorption-desorption cycles

Science.gov (United States)

Cassano, A.A.

1985-07-02

A continuous chemical air separation is performed wherein oxygen is recovered with a molten alkali metal salt oxygen acceptor in a series of absorption zones which are connected to a plurality of desorption zones operated in separate parallel cycles with the absorption zones. A greater recovery of high pressure oxygen is achieved at reduced power requirements and capital costs. 3 figs.

Improvement of AD Biosynthesis Response to Enhanced Oxygen Transfer by Oxygen Vectors in Mycobacterium neoaurum TCCC 11979.

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Liqiu; Shen, Yanbing; Gao, Tian; Luo, Jianmei; Wang, Min

2017-08-01

In steroid biotransformation, soybean oil can improve the productivity of steroids by increasing substrate solubility and strengthen the cell membrane permeability. However, little is known of its role as oxygen carrier and its mechanism of promoting the steroid biotransformation. In this work, soybean oil used as oxygen vector for the enhancement of androst-4-ene-3,17-dione (AD) production by Mycobacterium neoaurum TCCC 11979 (MNR) was investigated. Upon the addition of 16% (v/v) soybean oil, the volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (K L a) value increased by 44%, and the peak molar yield of AD (55.76%) was achieved. Analysis of intracellular cofactor levels showed high NAD + , ATP level, and a low NADH/NAD + ratio. Meanwhile, the two key enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, namely, isocitrate dehydrogenase and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, were upregulated after incubation with soybean oil. These enhancements induced by the increasing of oxygen supply showed positive effects on phytosterol (PS) bioconversion. Results could contribute to the understanding of effects of soybean oil as oxygen vector on steroid biotransformation and provided a convenient method for enhancing the efficiency of aerobic steroid biocatalysis.

Process analysis of an oxygen lean oxy-fuel power plant with co-production of synthesis gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Normann, Fredrik; Thunman, Henrik; Johnsson, Filip

2009-01-01

This paper investigates new possibilities and synergy effects for an oxy-fuel fired polygeneration scheme (transportation fuel and electricity) with carbon capture and co-firing of biomass. The proposed process has the potential to make the oxy-fuel process more effective through a sub-stoichiometric combustion in-between normal combustion and gasification, which lowers the need for oxygen within the process. The sub-stoichiometric combustion yields production of synthesis gas, which is utilised in an integrated synthesis to dimethyl ether (DME). The process is kept CO 2 neutral through co-combustion of biomass in the process. The proposed scheme is simulated with a computer model with a previous study of an oxy-fuel power plant as a reference process. The degree of sub-stoichiometric combustion, or amount of synthesis gas produced, is optimised with respect to the overall efficiency. The maximal efficiency was found at a stoichiometric ratio just below 0.6 with the efficiency for the electricity producing oxy-fuel process of 0.35 and a DME process efficiency of 0.63. It can be concluded that the proposed oxygen lean combustion process constitutes a way to improve the oxy-fuel carbon capture processes with an efficient production of DME in a polygeneration process

Inhibition of fungal growth with extreme low oxygen levels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Per Væggemose; Haasum, Iben

1998-01-01

Fungal spoilage of foods is effectively controlled by removal of oxygen from the package, especially if this is combined with elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) levels. However, great uncertainty exist on just how low the residual oxygen levels in the package must be especially when carbon dioxide lev...... food with low CO2 levels. Active packaging with oxygen absorbers may be considered for these products. The packaging solution must also reflect the micro flora of the product.......Fungal spoilage of foods is effectively controlled by removal of oxygen from the package, especially if this is combined with elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) levels. However, great uncertainty exist on just how low the residual oxygen levels in the package must be especially when carbon dioxide...... Penicillia and Aspergilli were also inhibited by oxygen levels less than 0.5%, but less than 0.01% was required to efficiently inhibit these fungi. Most resistant to very low oxygen levels was the Fusarium species.These results shows that very low oxygen levels are required to avoid fungal growth in package...

Sirtuin-3 (Sirt3) regulates skeletal muscle metabolism and insulin signaling via altered mitochondrial oxidation and reactive oxygen species production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jing, Enxuan; Emanuelli, Brice; Hirschey, Matthew D

2011-01-01

Sirt3 is a member of the sirtuin family of protein deacetylases that is localized in mitochondria and regulates mitochondrial function. Sirt3 expression in skeletal muscle is decreased in models of type 1 and type 2 diabetes and regulated by feeding, fasting, and caloric restriction. Sirt3 knockout...... mice exhibit decreased oxygen consumption and develop oxidative stress in skeletal muscle, leading to JNK activation and impaired insulin signaling. This effect is mimicked by knockdown of Sirt3 in cultured myoblasts, which exhibit reduced mitochondrial oxidation, increased reactive oxygen species......, activation of JNK, increased serine and decreased tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1, and decreased insulin signaling. Thus, Sirt3 plays an important role in diabetes through regulation of mitochondrial oxidation, reactive oxygen species production, and insulin resistance in skeletal muscle....

Singlet oxygen: photosensitized generation, detection and reaction with organic molecules

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barik, Atanu; Indira Priyadarsini, K; Mohan, Hari; Bajaj, P N; Sapre, A V; Mittal, J P; Mukherjee, T [Radiation and Photochemistry Div., Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai (India)

2006-10-15

Singlet molecular oxygen ({sup 1}O{sub 2}) is an excited state of molecular oxygen, having antiparallel spin in the same {pi} antibonding orbital. The study of singlet oxygen production and reactivity has emerged as a rich and diverse area, with implication in diverse fields, such as synthetic chemistry, polymer chemistry, photodynamic therapy, etc. There are several known methods to produce singlet oxygen, and also various techniques employed to detect it. Out of these, photosensitization method is the most popular one. In this article, photosensitized production of singlet oxygen from triplet oxygen and photosensitizers in presence of light, and its detection by the infrared luminescence at 1270 nm have been presented. Further, some results using different types of photosensitizers, effect of solvent on singlet oxygen quantum yields and lifetime have been discussed. The quenching rate constants of singlet oxygen have been determined with different types of organic molecules such as derivatives of thiourea and its analogues, hydroxy indoles and antioxidants and the results have been presented. (author)

Singlet oxygen: photosensitized generation, detection and reaction with organic molecules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barik, Atanu; Indira Priyadarsini, K.; Hari Mohan; Bajaj, P.N.; Sapre, A.V.; Mittal, J.P.; Mukherjee, T.

2006-10-01

Singlet molecular oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) is an excited state of molecular oxygen, having antiparallel spin in the same π antibonding orbital. The study of singlet oxygen production and reactivity has emerged as a rich and diverse area, with implication in diverse fields, such as synthetic chemistry, polymer chemistry, photodynamic therapy, etc. There are several known methods to produce singlet oxygen, and also various techniques employed to detect it. Out of these, photosensitization method is the most popular one. In this article, photosensitized production of singlet oxygen from triplet oxygen and photosensitizers in presence of light, and its detection by the infrared luminescence at 1270 nm have been presented. Further, some results using different types of photosensitizers, effect of solvent on singlet oxygen quantum yields and lifetime have been discussed. The quenching rate constants of singlet oxygen have been determined with different types of organic molecules such as derivatives of thiourea and its analogues, hydroxy indoles and antioxidants and the results have been presented. (author)

Role of N2 molecules in pulse discharge production of I atoms for a pulsed chemical oxygen-iodine laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kochetov, I V; Napartovich, A P; Vagin, N P; Yuryshev, N N

2011-01-01

A pulsed electric discharge is the most effective means to turn chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL) operation into the pulse mode by fast production of iodine atoms. Experimental studies and numerical simulations are performed on a pulsed COIL initiated by an electric discharge in a mixture CF 3 I : N 2 : O 2 ( 3 X) : O 2 (a 1 Δ g ) flowing out of a chemical singlet oxygen generator. A transverse pulsed discharge is realized at various iodide pressures. The model comprises a system of kinetic equations for neutral and charged species, the electric circuit equation, the gas thermal balance equation and the photon balance equation. Reaction rate coefficients for processes involving electrons are repeatedly re-calculated by the electron Boltzmann equation solver when the plasma parameters are changed. The processes accounted for in the Boltzmann equation include direct and stepwise excitation and ionization of atoms and molecules, dissociation of molecules, electron attachment processes, electron-ion recombination, electron-electron collisions and second-kind collisions. The last processes are particularly important because of a high singlet oxygen concentration in gas flow from the singlet oxygen chemical generator. A conclusion is drawn about satisfactory agreement between the theory and the experiment.

Energy deposition and ion production from thermal oxygen ion precipitation during Cassini's T57 flyby

Science.gov (United States)

Snowden, Darci; Smith, Michael; Jimson, Theodore; Higgins, Alex

2018-05-01

Cassini's Radio Science Investigation (RSS) and Langmuir Probe observed abnormally high electron densities in Titan's ionosphere during Cassini's T57 flyby. We have developed a three-dimensional model to investigate how the precipitation of thermal magnetospheric O+ may have contributed to enhanced ion production in Titan's ionosphere. The three-dimensional model builds on previous work because it calculates both the flux of oxygen through Titan's exobase and the energy deposition and ion production rates in Titan's atmosphere. We find that energy deposition rates and ion production rates due to thermal O+ precipitation have a similar magnitude to the rates from magnetospheric electron precipitation and that the simulated ionization rates are sufficient to explain the abnormally high electron densities observed by RSS and Cassini's Langmuir Probe. Globally, thermal O+ deposits less energy in Titan's atmosphere than solar EUV, suggesting it has a smaller impact on the thermal structure of Titan's neutral atmosphere. However, our results indicate that thermal O+ precipitation can have a significant impact on Titan's ionosphere.

Nitrous oxide production during nitrification from organic solid waste under temperature and oxygen conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Nag, Mitali; Shimaoka, Takayuki; Komiya, Teppei

2016-11-01

Landfill aeration can accelerate the biological degradation of organic waste and reduce methane production; however, it induces nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas. Nitrification is one of the pathways of N2O generation as a by-product during aerobic condition. This study was initiated to demonstrate the features of N2O production rate from organic solid waste during nitrification under three different temperatures (20°C, 30°C, and 40°C) and three oxygen concentrations (5%, 10%, and 20%) with high moisture content and high substrates' concentration. The experiment was carried out by batch experiment using Erlenmeyer flasks incubated in a shaking water bath for 72 h. A duplicate experiment was carried out in parallel, with addition of 100 Pa of acetylene as a nitrification inhibitor, to investigate nitrifiers' contribution to N2O production. The production rate of N2O ranged between 0.40 × 10(-3) and 1.14 × 10(-3) mg N/g-DM/h under the experimental conditions of this study. The rate of N2O production at 40°C was higher than at 20°C and 30°C. Nitrification was found to be the dominant pathway of N2O production. It was evaluated that optimization of O2 content is one of the crucial parameters in N2O production that may help to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and N turnover during aeration.

Substrates and oxygen dependent citric acid production by Yarrowia lipolytica: insights through transcriptome and fluxome analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Sabra, Wael; Bommareddy, Rajesh Reddy; Maheshwari, Garima; Papanikolaou, Seraphim; Zeng, An-Ping

2017-05-08

Unlike the well-studied backer yeast where catabolite repression represents a burden for mixed substrate fermentation, Yarrowia lipolytica, an oleaginous yeast, is recognized for its potential to produce single cell oils and citric acid from different feedstocks. These versatilities of Y. lipolytica with regards to substrate utilization make it an attractive host for biorefinery application. However, to develop a commercial process for the production of citric acid by Y. lipolytica, it is necessary to better understand the primary metabolism and its regulation, especially for growth on mixed substrate. Controlling the dissolved oxygen concentration (pO 2 ) in Y. lipolytica cultures enhanced citric acid production significantly in cultures grown on glucose in mono- or dual substrate fermentations, whereas with glycerol as mono-substrate no significant effect of pO 2 was found on citrate production. Growth on mixed substrate with glucose and glycerol revealed a relative preference of glycerol utilization by Y. lipolytica. Under optimized conditions with pO 2 control, the citric acid titer on glucose in mono- or in dual substrate cultures was 55 and 50 g/L (with productivity of 0.6 g/L*h in both cultures), respectively, compared to a maximum of 18 g/L (0.2 g/L*h) with glycerol in monosubstrate culture. Additionally, in dual substrate fermentation, glycerol limitation was found to trigger citrate consumption despite the presence of enough glucose in pO 2 -limited culture. The metabolic behavior of this yeast on different substrates was investigated at transcriptomic and 13 C-based fluxomics levels. Upregulation of most of the genes of the pentose phosphate pathway was found in cultures with highest citrate production with glucose in mono- or in dual substrate fermentation with pO 2 control. The activation of the glyoxylate cycle in the oxygen limited cultures and the imbalance caused by glycerol limitation might be the reason for the re-consumption of citrate in

Optimal oxygen feeding policy to maximize the production of Maleic anhydride in unsteady state fixed bed catalytic reactors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Ali

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The effect of different oxygen feeding scenarios in a fixed bed reactor for the production of Maleic anhydride (MA is studied. Two reactor configurations were examined. In the first configuration, a cross flow reactor (CFR with 4 discrete feeding points is considered. Another configuration is the conventional packed-bed reactor (PBR with a single feed. Nonlinear Model Predictive Controller (NLMPC was used as optimal controller to operate the CFR in dynamic mode and to optimize the multiple feed dosages in order to enhance the MA yield. The simulation results indicated that different combinations of the four feed ratios can operate the reactor at the best value for the yield provided the first feeding point is kept as low as possible. For the packed bed reactor configuration, a single oxygen feed is considered and is optimized transiently by NLMPC. The simulation outcomes showed that the reactor performance in terms of the produced MA mole fraction can also be enhanced to the same magnitude obtained by CFR configuration. This improvement requires decreasing the oxygen ratio in the reactor single feed by 70%.

Seasonal Oxygen Dynamics in a Warm Temperate Estuary: Effects of Hydrologic Variability on Measurements of Primary Production, Respiration, and Net Metabolism

Science.gov (United States)

Seasonal responses in estuarine metabolism (primary production, respiration, and net metabolism) were examined using two complementary approaches. Total ecosystem metabolism rates were calculated from dissolved oxygen time series using Odum’s open water method. Water column rates...

Oxygenates to hike gasoline price

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that cost of achieving required US gasoline formulations this winter in Environmental Protection Agency carbon monoxide (CO) nonattainment areas could reach 3-5 cents/gal, an Energy Information Administration analysis has found. EIA says new winter demand for gasoline blending oxygenates such as methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) or ethanol created by 190 amendments to the Clean Air Act (CAA) will exceed US oxygenate production by 140,000-220,000 b/d. The shortfall must be made up from inventory or imports. EIA estimates the cost of providing incremental oxygenate to meet expected gasoline blending demand likely will result in a price premium of about 20 cents/gal of MTBE equivalent over traditional gasoline blend octane value. That cost likely will be added to the price of oxygenated gasoline

Oxidation of D-glucose and D-fructose with oxygen in aqueous, alkaline solutions. III. Kinetic approach to the product distribution

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Wilt, H.G.J.; Kuster, Ben

1972-01-01

Based on a previously reported, integral reaction-scheme for the homogeneous oxidation of -glucose and -fructose with oxygen in aqueous, alkaline solutions, a kinetic model covering the product distribution has been developed. The model consists of a repeated set of reactions with constant rate

REgolith X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) Aboard NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, JaeSub; Allen, Branden; Grindlay, Jonathan E.; Binzel, Richard P.; Masterson, Rebecca; Inamdar, Niraj K; Chodas, Mark; Smith, Matthew W; Bautz, Mark W.; Kissel, Steven E; Villasenor, Jesus Noel; Oprescu, Antonia

2014-06-01

The REgolith X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) is a student-led instrument being designed, built, and operated as a collaborative effort involving MIT and Harvard. It is a part of NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, which is scheduled for launch in September of 2016 for a rendezvous with, and collection of a sample from the surface of the primitive carbonaceous chondrite-like asteroid 101955 Bennu in 2019. REXIS will determine spatial variations in elemental composition of Bennu's surface through solar-induced X-ray fluorescence. REXIS consists of four X-ray CCDs in the detector plane and an X-ray mask. It is the first coded-aperture X-ray telescope in a planetary mission, which combines the benefit of high X-ray throughput of wide-field collimation with imaging capability of a coded-mask, enabling detection of elemental surface distributions at approximately 50-200 m scales. We present an overview of the REXIS instrument and the expected performance.

From Lunar Regolith to Fabricated Parts: Technology Developments and the Utilization of Moon Dirt

Science.gov (United States)

McLemore, C. A.; Fikes, J. C.; McCarley, K. S.; Good, J. E.; Gilley, S. D.; Kennedy, J. P.

2008-01-01

The U.S. Space Exploration Policy has as a cornerstone the establishment of an outpost on the moon. This lunar outpost wil1 eventually provide the necessary planning, technology development, testbed, and training for manned missions in the future beyond the Moon. As part of the overall activity, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is investigating how the in situ resources can be utilized to improve mission success by reducing up-mass, improving safety, reducing risk, and bringing down costs for the overall mission. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), along with other NASA centers, is supporting this endeavor by exploring how lunar regolith can be mined for uses such as construction, life support, propulsion, power, and fabrication. An infrastructure capable of fabrication and nondestructive evaluation will be needed to support habitat structure development and maintenance, tools and mechanical parts fabrication, as well as repair and replacement of space-mission hardware such as life-support items, vehicle components, and crew systems, This infrastructure will utilize the technologies being developed under the In Situ Fabrication and Repair (ISFR) element, which is working in conjunction with the technologies being developed under the In Situ Resources Utilization (ISRU) element, to live off the land. The ISFR Element supports the Space Exploration Initiative by reducing downtime due to failed components; decreasing risk to crew by recovering quickly from degraded operation of equipment; improving system functionality with advanced geometry capabilities; and enhancing mission safety by reducing assembly part counts of original designs where possible. This paper addresses the need and plan for understanding the properties of the lunar regolith to determine the applicability of using this material in a fabrication process. This effort includes the development of high fidelity simulants that will be used in fabrication processes on the ground to

Rates and products of degradation for MTBE and other oxygenate fuel additives in the subsurface environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tratnyek, P.G.; Church, C.D.; Pankow, J.F.

1995-01-01

The recent realization that oxygenated fuel additives such as MTBE are becoming widely distributed groundwater contaminants has created a sudden and pressing demand for data on the processes that control their environmental fate. Explaining and predicting the subsequent environmental fate of these compounds is going to require extrapolations over long time frames that will be very sensitive to the quality of input data on each compound. To provide such data, they have initiated a systematic study of the pathways and kinetics of fuel oxygenate degradation under subsurface conditions. Batch experiments in simplified model systems are being performed to isolate specific processes that may contribute to MTBE degradation. A variety of degradation pathways can be envisioned that lead to t-butyl alcohol (TBA) as the primary or secondary product. However, experiments to date with a facultative iron reducing bacteria showed no evidence for TBA formation. Continuing experiments include mixed cultures from a range of aquifer materials representative of NAWQA study sites

Relationships between human vitality and mitochondrial respiratory parameters, reactive oxygen species production and dNTP levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maynard, Scott; Keijzers, Guido; Gram, Martin

2013-01-01

. Therefore, we measured a number of cellular parameters related to mitochondrial activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from middle-aged men, and tested for association with vitality. These parameters estimate mitochondrial respiration, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production...

Transmission Electron Microscopy of Itokawa Regolith Grains

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, Lindsay P.; Berger, E. L.

2013-01-01

Introduction: In a remarkable engineering achievement, the JAXA space agency successfully recovered the Hayabusa space-craft in June 2010, following a non-optimal encounter and sur-face sampling mission to asteroid 25143 Itokawa. These are the first direct samples ever obtained and returned from the surface of an asteroid. The Hayabusa samples thus present a special op-portunity to directly investigate the evolution of asteroidal sur-faces, from the development of the regolith to the study of the effects of space weathering. Here we report on our preliminary TEM measurements on two Itokawa samples. Methods: We were allocated particles RA-QD02-0125 and RA-QD02-0211. Both particles were embedded in low viscosity epoxy and thin sections were prepared using ultramicrotomy. High resolution images and electron diffraction data were ob-tained using a JEOL 2500SE 200 kV field-emission scanning-transmission electron microscope. Quantitative maps and anal-yses were obtained using a Thermo thin-window energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectrometer. Results: Both particles are olivine-rich (Fo70) with µm-sized inclusions of FeS and have microstructurally complex rims. Par-ticle RA-QD02-0125 is rounded and has numerous sub-µm grains attached to its surface including FeS, albite, olivine, and rare melt droplets. Solar flare tracks have not been observed, but the particle is surrounded by a continuous 50 nm thick, stuctur-ally disordered rim that is compositionally similar to the core of the grain. One of the surface adhering grains is pyrrhotite show-ing a S-depleted rim (8-10 nm thick) with nanophase Fe metal grains (<5 nm) decorating the outermost surface. The pyrrhotite displays a complex superstructure in its core that is absent in the S-depleted rim. Particle RA-QD02-0211 contains solar flare particle tracks (2x109 cm-2) and shows a structurally disordered rim 100 nm thick. The track density corresponds to a surface exposure of 103-104 years based on the track production rate

Efficiencies for production of atomic nitrogen and oxygen by relativistic proton impact in air

Science.gov (United States)

Porter, H. S.; Jackman, C. H.; Green, A. E. S.

1976-01-01

Relativistic electron and proton impact cross sections are obtained and represented by analytic forms which span the energy range from threshold to 1 GeV. For ionization processes, the Massey-Mohr continuum generalized oscillator strength surface is parameterized. Parameters are determined by simultaneous fitting to (1) empirical data, (2) the Bethe sum rule, and (3) doubly differential cross sections for ionization. Branching ratios for dissociation and predissociation from important states of N2 and O2 are determined. The efficiency for the production of atomic nitrogen and oxygen by protons with kinetic energy less than 1 GeV is determined using these branching ratio and cross section assignments.

Palladium-cobalt particles as oxygen-reduction electrocatalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Adzic, Radoslav [East Setauket, NY; Huang, Tao [Manorville, NY

2009-12-15

The present invention relates to palladium-cobalt particles useful as oxygen-reducing electrocatalysts. The invention also relates to oxygen-reducing cathodes and fuel cells containing these palladium-cobalt particles. The invention additionally relates to methods for the production of electrical energy by using the palladium-cobalt particles of the invention.

Advanced Carbothermal Electric Reactor, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — ORBITEC proposes to develop the Advanced Carbothermal Electric (ACE) reactor to efficiently extract oxygen from lunar regolith. Unlike state-of-the-art carbothermal...

Evaluation of a Gentex (registered trademark) ORO-NASAL Oxygen Mask for Integration with the Aqualung (registered trademark) Personal Helicopter Oxygen Delivery System (PHODS)

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Roller, Richard A; Curry, Ian P

2008-01-01

.... The United States Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory (USAARL) was tasked by the Product Manager Air Warrior to evaluate an oxygen mask for use with the Personal Helicopter Oxygen Delivery System (PHODS...

Photosensitized production of singlet oxygen: spatially-resolved optical studies in single cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Breitenbach, Thomas; Kuimova, Marina; Gbur, Peter

2009-01-01

be monitored using viability assays. Time- and spatially-resolved optical measurements of both singlet oxygen and its precursor, the excited state sensitizer, reflect the complex and dynamic morphology of the cell. These experiments help elucidate photoinduced, oxygen-dependent events that compromise cell...

Modelling of the dose-rate variations with depth in the Martian regolith using GEANT4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morthekai, P.; Jain, M.; Dartnell, L.; Murray, A.S.; Botter-Jensen, L.; Desorgher, L.

2007-01-01

The environmental radiation field at the Martian surface consists mainly of Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) and charged particles ejected during the Solar Particle Events (SPE). Interactions between these radiation fluxes and the regolith result in a complex radiation field that varies both as a function of depth and time and can only be quantified using radiation transport models. We first describe here the main issues and constraints in deriving Martian dose rates. Preliminary results, obtained using the GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulation tool kit, suggest the surface dose rate is ∼63 mGy a -1 during quiet periods in solar activity. The accuracy of the model predictions has been tested by comparison with published observations of cosmic ray dose-rate variation in the Earth's atmosphere

Resistance of Terrestrial Microbial Communities to Impack of Physical Conditinos of Subsurface Layers of Martian Regolith

Science.gov (United States)

Cheptsov, V. S.; Vorobyova, E. A.

2017-05-01

Currently, astrobiology is focused on Mars as one of the most perspective objects in the Solar System to search for microbial life. It was assumed that the putative biosphere of Mars could be cryopreserved and had been stored for billions of years in anabiotic state like microbial communities of Arctic and Antarctic permafrost deposits have been preserved till now for millions of years. In this case microbial cells should be not able to repair the damages or these processes have to be significantly depressed, and the main factor causing cell's death should be ionizing radiation. In a series of experiments we simulated the effects of combination of physical factors known as characteristics of the Martian regolith (and close to the space environment) on the natural microbial communities inhabiting xerophytic harsh habitats with extreme temperature conditions: polar permafrost and desert soils. The aim of the study was to examine the cumulative effect of factors (gamma radiation, low temperature, low pressure) to assess the possibility of metabolic reactions, and to find limits of the viability of natural microbial communities after exposure to the given conditions. It was found that microbial biomarkers could be reliably detected in soil samples after radiation dose accumulation up to 1 MGy (not further investigated) in combination with exposure to low temperature and low pressure. Resistance to extremely high doses of radiation in simulated conditions proves that if there was an Earth-like biosphere on the early Mars microorganisms could survive in the surface or subsurface layers of the Martian regolith for more than tens of millions of years after climate change. The study gives also some new grounds for the approval of transfer of viable microorganisms in space.

Gallic Acid as an Oxygen Scavenger in Bio-Based Multilayer Packaging Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Pant, Astrid F; Sängerlaub, Sven; Müller, Kajetan

2017-05-03

Oxygen scavengers are used in food packaging to protect oxygen-sensitive food products. A mixture of gallic acid (GA) and sodium carbonate was used as an oxygen scavenger (OSc) in bio-based multilayer packaging films produced in a three-step process: compounding, flat film extrusion, and lamination. We investigated the film surface color as well as oxygen absorption at different relative humidities (RHs) and temperatures, and compared the oxygen absorption of OSc powder, monolayer films, and multilayer films. The films were initially brownish-red in color but changed to greenish-black during oxygen absorption under humid conditions. We observed a maximum absorption capacity of 447 mg O₂/g GA at 21 °C and 100% RH. The incorporation of GA into a polymer matrix reduced the rate of oxygen absorption compared to the GA powder because the polymer acted as a barrier to oxygen and water vapor diffusion. As expected, the temperature had a significant effect on the initial absorption rate of the multilayer films; the corresponding activation energy was 75.4 kJ/mol. Higher RH significantly increased the oxygen absorption rate. These results demonstrate for the first time the production and the properties of a bio-based multilayer packaging film with GA as the oxygen scavenger. Potential applications include the packaging of food products with high water activity (a w > 0.86).

Pleiotropic Effects of Biguanides on Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species Production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alena Pecinova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Metformin is widely prescribed as a first-choice antihyperglycemic drug for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, and recent epidemiological studies showed its utility also in cancer therapy. Although it is in use since the 1970s, its molecular target, either for antihyperglycemic or antineoplastic action, remains elusive. However, the body of the research on metformin effect oscillates around mitochondrial metabolism, including the function of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS apparatus. In this study, we focused on direct inhibitory mechanism of biguanides (metformin and phenformin on OXPHOS complexes and its functional impact, using the model of isolated brown adipose tissue mitochondria. We demonstrate that biguanides nonspecifically target the activities of all respiratory chain dehydrogenases (mitochondrial NADH, succinate, and glycerophosphate dehydrogenases, but only at very high concentrations (10−2–10−1 M that highly exceed cellular concentrations observed during the treatment. In addition, these concentrations of biguanides also trigger burst of reactive oxygen species production which, in combination with pleiotropic OXPHOS inhibition, can be toxic for the organism. We conclude that the beneficial effect of biguanides should probably be associated with subtler mechanism, different from the generalized inhibition of the respiratory chain.

The Moon as a recorder of organic evolution in the early solar system: a lunar regolith analog study.

Science.gov (United States)

Matthewman, Richard; Court, Richard W; Crawford, Ian A; Jones, Adrian P; Joy, Katherine H; Sephton, Mark A

2015-02-01

The organic record of Earth older than ∼3.8 Ga has been effectively erased. Some insight is provided to us by meteorites as well as remote and direct observations of asteroids and comets left over from the formation of the Solar System. These primitive objects provide a record of early chemical evolution and a sample of material that has been delivered to Earth's surface throughout the past 4.5 billion years. Yet an effective chronicle of organic evolution on all Solar System objects, including that on planetary surfaces, is more difficult to find. Fortunately, early Earth would not have been the only recipient of organic matter-containing objects in the early Solar System. For example, a recently proposed model suggests the possibility that volatiles, including organic material, remain archived in buried paleoregolith deposits intercalated with lava flows on the Moon. Where asteroids and comets allow the study of processes before planet formation, the lunar record could extend that chronicle to early biological evolution on the planets. In this study, we use selected free and polymeric organic materials to assess the hypothesis that organic matter can survive the effects of heating in the lunar regolith by overlying lava flows. Results indicate that the presence of lunar regolith simulant appears to promote polymerization and, therefore, preservation of organic matter. Once polymerized, the mineral-hosted newly formed organic network is relatively protected from further thermal degradation. Our findings reveal the thermal conditions under which preservation of organic matter on the Moon is viable.

The Productivity of Oxygenic Photosynthesis around Cool, M Dwarf Stars

Science.gov (United States)

Lehmer, Owen R.; Catling, David C.; Parenteau, Mary N.; Hoehler, Tori M.

2018-06-01

In the search for life around cool stars, the presence of atmospheric oxygen is a prominent biosignature, as it may indicate oxygenic photosynthesis (OP) on the planetary surface. On Earth, most oxygenic photosynthesizing organisms (OPOs) use photons between 400 and 750 nm, which have sufficient energy to drive the photosynthetic reaction that generates O2 from H2O and CO2. OPOs around cool stars may evolve similar biological machinery capable of producing oxygen from water. However, in the habitable zones (HZs) of the coolest M dwarf stars, the flux of 400–750 nm photons may be just a few percent that of Earth’s. We show that the reduced flux of 400–750 nm photons around M dwarf stars could result in Earth-like planets being growth limited by light, unlike the terrestrial biosphere, which is limited by nutrient availability. We consider stars with photospheric temperatures between 2300 and 4200 K and show that such light-limited worlds could occur at the outer edge of the HZ around TRAPPIST-1-like stars. We find that even if OP can use photons longer than 750 nm, there would still be insufficient energy to sustain the Earth’s extant biosphere throughout the HZ of the coolest stars. This is because such stars emit largely in the infrared and near-infrared, which provide sufficient energy to make the planet habitable, but limits the energy available for OP. TRAPPIST-1f and g may fall into this category. Biospheres on such planets, potentially limited by photon availability, may generate small biogenic signals, which could be difficult for future observations to detect.

Assessment and Use of Optical Oxygen Sensors as Tools to Assist in Optimal Product Component Selection for the Development of Packs of Ready-to-Eat Mixed Salads and for the Non-Destructive Monitoring of in-Pack Oxygen Levels Using Chilled Storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Hempel, Andreas W; O'Sullivan, Maurice G; Papkovsky, Dmitri B; Kerry, Joseph P

2013-05-22

Optical oxygen sensors were used to ascertain the level of oxygen consumed by individual salad leaves for optimised packaging of ready-to-eat (RTE) Italian salad mixes during refrigerated storage. Seven commonly found leaves in Italian salad mixes were individually assessed for oxygen utilisation in packs. Each leaf showed varying levels of respiration throughout storage. Using the information obtained, an experimental salad mix was formulated (termed Mix 3) which consisted of the four slowest respiring salad leaves-Escarole, Frisee, Red Batavia, Lollo Rosso. Mix 3 was then compared against two commercially available Italian salads; Mix 1 (Escarole, Frisee, Radicchio, Lollo Rosso) and Mix 2 (Cos, Frisee, Radicchio, Lollo Rosso). Optical sensors were used to non-destructively monitor oxygen usage in all mixes throughout storage. In addition to oxygen consumption, all three salad mixes were quality assessed in terms of microbial load and sensorial acceptability. In conclusion, Mix 3 was found to consume the least amount of oxygen over time, had the lowest microbial load and was most sensorially preferred ( p products.

PHOTOINDUCED TRANSFER OF OXYGEN FROM WATER: AN ARTIFICAL PHOTOSYNTHETIC SYSTEM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Willner, Itamar; Otvos, John W.; Ford, William E.; Mettee, Howard; Calvin, Melvin

1979-11-01

The photoinduced splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen has evoked great interest in recent years as a means for energy storag eand fuel production. Photoinduced reduction of water to hydrogen, using visible light, has been described using heterogeneous or homogeneous catalysts. However, the complementary part involving the oxidation of water to oxygen is required in order to create a cyclic artificial 'photosynthetic' fuel system. The major difficulty assocaited with the photooxidation of water involves the requirement for a four electron transfer to produce oxygen. A stepwise one-electron oxidation of water is unfavorable due to the implied formation of active hydroxyl radicals. Very recently, it has been reported that RuO{sub 2} can serve as a heterogeneous charge storage catalyst for oxygen production. On the basis of the limited knowledge about natural photosynthesis, in which manganese ions play an important role in oxygen evolution, synthetic manganese complexes, and in particular dimeric complexes, have been proposed as potential catalysts for oxygen production. So far, efforts directed toward this goal have been unsuccessful. Consequently, using a manganese complex, they attempted to perform a photoinduced oxidation of water whereby the active oxygen is transferred to a trapping substrate. In such a way, the requirement for a dimerization process to evolve molecular oxygen is avoided. They wish to report a photoinduced redox cycle sensitized by a manganese porphyrin, 5-(4{prime}-hexadecylpyridium)-10, 15, 20-tri (4{prime}-pyridyl)-porphinatomanganese(III) (abbreciated to Pn-Mn{sup III}) in which the resultant reaction is the oxidation of water and trapping of the single oxygen atom by a substrate (triphenylphosphine).

Study of oxygen inhibition effect on radiation curing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao Bin; Yang Xuemei; Zhao Pengji; Zeng Shuqing; Jiang Bo; Zhou Yong; Huang Wei; Zhou Youyi

1995-01-01

Michacl addition reaction product was used in the research of oxygen inhibition effect of radiation curing. The experimental results was measured by the content of gel and percentage of double bonds. It was proved that 9% of Michacl addition product could speed up 1.2 times of the radiation curing rate at 30 kGy of EB irradiation. This kind of formulation can withstand oxygen inhibition effect obviously, so it was the foundation of application for radiation curing in atmospheric condition

Oxygen concentration inside a functioning photosynthetic cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Kihara, Shigeharu; Hartzler, Daniel A; Savikhin, Sergei

2014-05-06

The excess oxygen concentration in the photosynthetic membranes of functioning oxygenic photosynthetic cells was estimated using classical diffusion theory combined with experimental data on oxygen production rates of cyanobacterial cells. The excess oxygen concentration within the plesiomorphic cyanobacterium Gloeobactor violaceus is only 0.025 μM, or four orders of magnitude lower than the oxygen concentration in air-saturated water. Such a low concentration suggests that the first oxygenic photosynthetic bacteria in solitary form could have evolved ∼2.8 billion years ago without special mechanisms to protect them against reactive oxygen species. These mechanisms instead could have been developed during the following ∼500 million years while the oxygen level in the Earth's atmosphere was slowly rising. Excess oxygen concentrations within individual cells of the apomorphic cyanobacteria Synechocystis and Synechococcus are 0.064 and 0.25 μM, respectively. These numbers suggest that intramembrane and intracellular proteins in isolated oxygenic photosynthetic cells are not subjected to excessively high oxygen levels. The situation is different for closely packed colonies of photosynthetic cells. Calculations show that the excess concentration within colonies that are ∼40 μm or larger in diameter can be comparable to the oxygen concentration in air-saturated water, suggesting that species forming colonies require protection against reactive oxygen species even in the absence of oxygen in the surrounding atmosphere. Copyright © 2014 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Site Specific Ground Response Analysis for Quantifying Site Amplification at A Regolith Site

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bambang Setiawan

2017-08-01

Full Text Available DOI: 10.17014/ijog.4.3.159-167A numerical model has demonstrated that it can simulate reasonably well earthquake motions at the ground level during a seismic event. The most widely used model is an equivalent linear approach. The equivalent linear model was used to compute the free-field response of Adelaide regolith during the 1997 Burra earthquake. The aim of this study is to quantify the amplification at the investigated site. The model computed the ground response of horizontally layered soil deposits subjected to transient and vertically propagating shear waves through a one-dimensional-soil column. Each soil layer was assumed to be homogeneous, visco-elastic, and infinite in the horizontal extent. The results of this study were compared to other studies and forward computation of the geotechnical dynamic parameters of the investigated site. The amplification triggered by the 1997 Burra seismic event was deduced. This study reveals the amplification factor up to 3.6 at the studied site.

OXYGEN PRESSURE REGULATOR DESIGN AND ANALYSIS THROUGH FINITE ELEMENT MODELING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asterios KOSMARAS

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Oxygen production centers produce oxygen in high pressure that needs to be defused. A regulator is designed and analyzed in the current paper for medical use in oxygen production centers. This study aims to design a new oxygen pressure regulator and perform an analysis using Finite Element Modeling in order to evaluate its working principle. In the design procedure,the main elements and the operating principles of a pressure regulator are taking into account. The regulator is designed and simulations take place in order to assessthe proposed design. Stress analysis results are presented for the main body of the regulator, as well as, flow analysis to determine some important flow characteristics in the inlet and outlet of the regulator.

Metamorphism of cosmic dust: Processing from circumstellar outflows to the cometary regolith

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nuth, J.A. III.

1989-01-01

Metamorphism of refractory particles continues in the interstellar medium (ISM) where the driving forces are sputtering by cosmic ray particles, annealing by high energy photons, and grain destruction in supernova generated shocks. Studies of the depletion of the elements from the gas phase of the interstellar medium tell us that if grain destruction occurs with high efficiency in the ISM, then there must be some mechanism by which grains can be formed in the ISM. Most grains in a cloud which collapses to form a star will be destroyed; many of the surviving grains will be severely processed. Grains in the outermost regions of the nebula may survive relatively unchanged by thermal processing or hydration. It is these grains which one hopes to find in comets. However, only those grains encased in ice at low temperature can be considered pristine since a considerable degree of hydrous alteration might occur in a cometary regolith if the comet enters the inner solar system. The physical, chemical and isotopic properties of a refractory grain at each stage of its life cycle will be discussed

Costs and benefits of lunar oxygen: Engineering, operations, and economics

Science.gov (United States)

Sherwood, Brent; Woodcock, Gordon R.

1991-01-01

Oxygen is the most commonly discussed lunar resource. It will certainly not be the easiest to retrieve, but oxygen's fundamental place in propulsion and life support guarantees it continued attention as a prime candidate for early in situ resource utilization (ISRU). The findings are reviewed of recent investigation, sponsored by NASA-Ames, into the kinds of technologies, equipment, and scenarios (the engineering and operations costs) that will be required even to initiate lunar oxygen production. The infrastructure necessary to surround and support a viable oxygen-processing operation is explained. Selected details are used to illustrate the depth of technology challenges, extent of operations burdens, and complexity of decision linkages. Basic assumptions, and resulting timelines and mass manifests, are listed. These findings are combined with state-of-the-art knowledge of lunar and Mars propulsion options in simple economic input/output and internal-rate-of-return models, to compare production costs with performance benefits. Implications for three realistic scales of exploration architecture - expeditionary, aggressive science, and industrialization/settlement - are discussed. Conclusions are reached regarding the contextual conditions within which production of lunar oxygen (LLOX) is a reasonable activity. LLOX appears less useful for Mars missions than previously hoped. Its economical use in low Earth orbit hinges on production of lunar hydrogen as well. LLOX shows promise for lunar ascent/descent use, but that depends strongly on the plant mass required.

Sinoporphyrin sodium, a novel sensitizer, triggers mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis in ECA-109 cells via production of reactive oxygen species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang H

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Haiping Wang,1 Xiaobing Wang,1 Shaoliang Zhang,2 Pan Wang,1 Kun Zhang,1 Quanhong Liu1 1Key Laboratory of Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Ministry of Education, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 2Qinglong High-Tech Co, Ltd, Yichun, Jiangxi, People's Republic of China Background: Sonodynamic therapy (SDT is a promising method that uses ultrasound to activate certain chemical sensitizers for the treatment of cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the sonoactivity of a novel sensitizer, sinoporphyrin sodium (DVDMS, and its sonotoxicity in an esophageal cancer (ECA-109 cell line. Methods: The fluorescence intensity of DVDMS, hematoporphyrin, protoporphyrin IX, and Photofrin II was detected by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Generation of singlet oxygen was measured using a 1, 3-diphenylisobenzofuran experiment. A 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay was used to examine cell viability. Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS and destabilization of the mitochondrial membrane potential were assessed by flow cytometry. Apoptosis was analyzed using Annexin-PE/7-amino-actinomycin D staining. Confocal microscopy was performed to assess mitochondrial damage and identify release of cytochrome C after treatment. Western blots were used to determine expression of oxidative stress-related and apoptosis-associated protein. Ultrastructural changes in the cell were studied by scanning electron microscopy. Results: DVDMS showed higher autofluorescence intensity and singlet oxygen production efficiency compared with other photosensitizers in both cancerous and normal cells. Compared with hematoporphyrin, DVDMS-mediated SDT was more cytotoxic in ECA-109 cells. Abundant intracellular ROS was found in the SDT groups, and the cytotoxicity

A cell for extended x-ray absorption fine structure studies of oxygen sensitive products of redox reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furenlid, L.R.; Renner, M.W.; Fajer, J.

1990-01-01

We describe a cell suitable for extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) studies of oxygen and/or water sensitive products of redox reactions. The cell utilizes aluminized Mylar windows that are transparent to x rays, provide low gas permeability, and allow vacuum to be maintained in the cell. The windows are attached to the glassware with an epoxy that resists attack by common organic solvents. Additional side arms allow multiple spectroscopic probes of the same sample under anaerobic and anhydrous conditions

Effects of dissolved oxygen concentration on photosynthetic bacteria wastewater treatment: Pollutants removal, cell growth and pigments production.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Fan; Yang, Anqi; Zhang, Guangming; Wang, Hangyao

2017-10-01

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is an important parameter in photosynthetic bacteria (PSB) wastewater treatment. This study set different DO levels and detected the pollutants removal, PSB growth and pigments production. Results showed that DO significantly influenced the performances of PSB wastewater treatment process. The highest COD (93%) and NH 3 -N removal (83%) was achieved under DO of 4-8mg/L, but DO of 2-4mg/L was recommended considering the aeration cost. PSB biomass reached 1645mg/L under DO of 4-8mg/L with satisfying co-enzyme Q10 content. The biomass yield was relatively stable at all DO levels. For bacteriochlorophyll and carotenoids, DO>1mg/L could satisfy their production. On the other hand, DOpigments production occurred at 24h; biomass reached peak at 48h; and the optimal time for pollutants removal was 72h. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of Oxygenated Compounds on Reaction Products in a Microwave Plasma Methane Pyrolysis Assembly for Post-Processing of Sabatier Methane

Science.gov (United States)

Mansell, J. Matthew; Abney, Morgan B.

2012-01-01

The state-of-the-art Carbon Dioxide Reduction Assembly (CRA) was delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) in April 2010. The system is designed to accept carbon dioxide from the Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly and hydrogen from the Oxygen Generation Assembly. The two gases are reacted in the CRA in a Sabatier reactor to produce water and methane. Venting of methane results in an oxygen resupply requirement of about 378 lbs per crew member per year. If the oxygen is supplied as water, the total weight for resupply is about 476 lb per crew member per year. For long-term missions beyond low Earth orbit, during which resupply capabilities will be further limited, recovery of hydrogen from methane is highly desirable. For this purpose, NASA is pursuing development of a Plasma Pyrolysis Assembly (PPA) capable of recovering hydrogen from methane. Under certain conditions, water vapor and carbon dioxide (nominally intended to be separated from the CRA outlet stream) may be present in the PPA feed stream. Thus, testing was conducted in 2010 to determine the effect of these oxygenated compounds on PPA performance, particularly the effect of inlet carbon dioxide and water variations on the PPA product stream. This paper discusses the test set-up, analysis, and results of this testing.

Air-adapted Methanosarcina acetivorans shows high methane production and develops resistance against oxygen stress.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ricardo Jasso-Chávez

Full Text Available Methanosarcina acetivorans, considered a strict anaerobic archaeon, was cultured in the presence of 0.4-1% O2 (atmospheric for at least 6 months to generate air-adapted cells; further, the biochemical mechanisms developed to deal with O2 were characterized. Methane production and protein content, as indicators of cell growth, did not change in air-adapted cells respect to cells cultured under anoxia (control cells. In contrast, growth and methane production significantly decreased in control cells exposed for the first time to O2. Production of reactive oxygen species was 50 times lower in air-adapted cells versus control cells, suggesting enhanced anti-oxidant mechanisms that attenuated the O2 toxicity. In this regard, (i the transcripts and activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase significantly increased; and (ii the thiol-molecules (cysteine + coenzyme M-SH + sulfide and polyphosphate contents were respectively 2 and 5 times higher in air-adapted cells versus anaerobic-control cells. Long-term cultures (18 days of air-adapted cells exposed to 2% O2 exhibited the ability to form biofilms. These data indicate that M. acetivorans develops multiple mechanisms to contend with O2 and the associated oxidative stress, as also suggested by genome analyses for some methanogens.

Effects of Agitation, Aeration and Temperature on Production of a Novel Glycoprotein GP-1 by Streptomyces kanasenisi ZX01 and Scale-Up Based on Volumetric Oxygen Transfer Coefficient

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yong Zhou

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The effects of temperature, agitation and aeration on glycoprotein GP-1 production by Streptomyces kanasenisi ZX01 in bench-scale fermentors were systematically investigated. The maximum final GP-1 production was achieved at an agitation speed of 200 rpm, aeration rate of 2.0 vvm and temperature of 30 °C. By using a dynamic gassing out method, the effects of agitation and aeration on volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (kLa were also studied. The values of volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient in the logarithmic phase increased with increase of agitation speed (from 14.53 to 32.82 h−1 and aeration rate (from 13.21 to 22.43 h−1. In addition, a successful scale-up from bench-scale to pilot-scale was performed based on volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient, resulting in final GP-1 production of 3.92, 4.03, 3.82 and 4.20 mg/L in 5 L, 15 L, 70 L and 500 L fermentors, respectively. These results indicated that constant volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient was appropriate for the scale-up of batch fermentation of glycoprotein GP-1 by Streptomyces kanasenisi ZX01, and this scale-up strategy successfully achieved 100-fold scale-up from bench-scale to pilot-scale fermentor.

The effect of lipid peroxidation products on reactive oxygen species formation and nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Science.gov (United States)

Ambrozova, Gabriela; Pekarova, Michaela; Lojek, Antonin

2011-02-01

Lipid peroxidation induced by oxidants leads to the formation of highly reactive metabolites. These can affect various immune functions, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) production. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of lipid peroxidation products (LPPs) - acrolein, 4-hydroxynonenal, and malondialdehyde - on ROS and NO production in RAW 264.7 macrophages and to compare these effects with the cytotoxic properties of LPPs. Macrophages were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (0.1 μg/ml) and treated with selected LPPs (concentration range: 0.1-100 μM). ATP test, luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence, Griess reaction, Western blotting analysis, amperometric and total peroxyl radical-trapping antioxidant parameter assay were used for determining the LPPs cytotoxicity, ROS and NO production, inducible nitric oxide synthase expression, NO scavenging, and antioxidant properties of LPPs, respectively. Our study shows that the cytotoxic action of acrolein and 4-hydroxynonenal works in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Further, our results imply that acrolein, 4-hydroxynonenal, and malondialdehyde can inhibit, to a different degree, ROS and NO production in stimulated macrophages, partially independently of their toxic effect. Also, changes in enzymatic pathways (especially NADPH-oxidase and nitric oxide synthase inhibition) and NO scavenging properties are included in the downregulation of reactive species formation. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oxygen: the two-faced elixir of life.

Science.gov (United States)

Biddle, Chuck

2008-02-01

Take a moment and consider our planet without oxygen. Imagine the earth some 2.5 billion years ago when oxygen first appeared as a waste product of early anaerobes. Oxygen, as we know it today, is essential for life. Abundant and relatively inexpensive to manufacture, oxygen has widespread use in industry and healthcare. Anesthesia providers routinely administer oxygen in concentrations exceeding that in ambient air to ensure clinical safety and to offset the predictable sequelae associated with patient, drug-related, and procedural factors. Understanding the history of this unique element is critical in evaluating the often contentious body of contemporary research that has illuminated its efficacy (as elixir) and its attendant complications (its "two-faced" nature). Of particular interest is its role in free radical formation as etiogenic in developing complications. Oxygen is a mainstay in the perioperative management of patients, but its administration should be guided by thoughtful and rational goal-directed outcomes to maximize efficacy and minimize complications associated with its use.

Reactions of atomic oxygen with the chlorate ion and the perchlorate ion

Science.gov (United States)

Anan'ev, Vladimir; Miklin, Mikhail; Kriger, Ludmila

2014-06-01

The reactions of the chlorate ion with atomic oxygen formed under photolysis of the nitrate ion introduced to potassium chlorate crystal by co-crystallization were studied by optical and infrared absorption spectroscopy. The perchlorate ion was found to form in solids as product of addition reaction of singlet atomic oxygen, formed under dissociation of the peroxynitrite ion - the product of isomerization of the excited nitrate ion. Triplet atomic oxygen does not react with the chlorate ion. The atomic oxygen formed under photolysis of the nitrate ion introduced to potassium perchlorate crystal by co-crystallization does not react with the perchlorate ion.

Effect of oxygen level on the oxidative stability of two different retail pork products stored using modified atmosphere packaging (MAP)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Spanos, Dimitrios; Ann Tørngren, Mari; Christensen, Mette

2016-01-01

The characteristics and the oxidative stability of pork steaks and of pork mince were investigated during 2, 5 and 7 days of refrigerated storage using oxygen (O2) levels of 0%, 20%, 50% and 80% in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). Steaks stored during 7 days were not affected by an increase i......%) O2 MAP. The results show that fresh pork products are affected differently by the MAP O2 concentration and strongly indicate that optimisation of MAP based on the retail product type would be of considerable benefit to their oxidative stability....

Production of a recombinant phospholipase A2 in Escherichia coli using resonant acoustic mixing that improves oxygen transfer in shake flasks.

Science.gov (United States)

Valdez-Cruz, Norma A; Reynoso-Cereceda, Greta I; Pérez-Rodriguez, Saumel; Restrepo-Pineda, Sara; González-Santana, Jesus; Olvera, Alejandro; Zavala, Guadalupe; Alagón, Alejandro; Trujillo-Roldán, Mauricio A

2017-07-25

Shake flasks are widely used during the development of bioprocesses for recombinant proteins. Cultures of recombinant Escherichia coli with orbital mixing (OM) have an oxygen limitation negatively affecting biomass growth and recombinant-protein production. With the aim to improve mixing and aeration in shake flask cultures, we analyzed cultures subjected to OM and the novel resonant acoustic mixing (RAM) by applying acoustic energy to E. coli BL21-Gold (DE3): a producer of recombinant phospholipase A2 (rPLA2) from Micrurus laticollaris snake venom. Comparing OM with RAM (200 rpm vs. 7.5g) at the same initial volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (k L a ≈ 80 h -1 ) ~69% less biomass was obtained with OM compared with RAM. We analyzed two more conditions increasing agitation until maximal speed (12.5 and 20g), and ~1.6- and ~1.4-fold greater biomass was obtained as compared with cultures at 7.5g. Moreover, the specific growth rate was statistically similar in all cultures carried out in RAM, but ~1.5-fold higher than that in cultures carried out under OM. Almost half of the glucose was consumed in OM, whereas between 80 and 100% of the glucose was consumed in RAM cultures, doubling biomass per glucose yields. Differential organic acid production was observed, but acetate production was prevented at the maximal RAM (20g). The amount of rPLA2 in both, OM and RAM cultures, represented 38 ± 5% of the insoluble protein. A smaller proportion of α-helices and β-sheet of purified inclusion bodies (IBs) were appreciated by ATR-FTIR from cultures carried out under OM, than those from RAM. At maximal agitation by RAM, internal E. coli localization patterns of protein aggregation changed, as well as, IBs proteolytic degradation, in conjunction with the formation of small external vesicles, although these changes did not significantly affect the cell survival response. In moderate-cell-density recombinant E. coli BL21-Gold (DE3) cultures, the agitation increases in

Ceria Based Composite Membranes for Oxygen Separation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gurauskis, Jonas; Ovtar, Simona; Kaiser, Andreas

2014-01-01

Mixed ionic-electronic conducting membranes for oxygen gas separation are attracting a lot of interest due to their promising potential for the pure oxygen and the syngas production. Apart from the need for a sufficiently high oxygen permeation fluxes, the prolonged stability of these membranes...... under the large oxygen potential gradients at elevated temperatures is decisive for the future applications. The gadolinium doped cerium oxide (CGO) based composite membranes are considered as promising candidates due to inherent stability of CGO phase. The CGO matrix is a main oxygen ion transporter......; meanwhile the primary role of a secondary phase in this membrane is to compensate the low electronic conductivity of matrix at intended functioning conditions. In this work thin film (15-20 μm) composite membranes based on CGO matrix and LSF electronic conducting phase were fabricated and evaluated...

Temperature controls oxidative phosphorylation and reactive oxygen species production through uncoupling in rat skeletal muscle mitochondria.

Science.gov (United States)

Jarmuszkiewicz, Wieslawa; Woyda-Ploszczyca, Andrzej; Koziel, Agnieszka; Majerczak, Joanna; Zoladz, Jerzy A

2015-06-01

Mitochondrial respiratory and phosphorylation activities, mitochondrial uncoupling, and hydrogen peroxide formation were studied in isolated rat skeletal muscle mitochondria during experimentally induced hypothermia (25 °C) and hyperthermia (42 °C) compared to the physiological temperature of resting muscle (35 °C). For nonphosphorylating mitochondria, increasing the temperature from 25 to 42 °C led to a decrease in membrane potential, hydrogen peroxide production, and quinone reduction levels. For phosphorylating mitochondria, no temperature-dependent changes in these mitochondrial functions were observed. However, the efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation decreased, whereas the oxidation and phosphorylation rates and oxidative capacities of the mitochondria increased, with increasing assay temperature. An increase in proton leak, including uncoupling protein-mediated proton leak, was observed with increasing assay temperature, which could explain the reduced oxidative phosphorylation efficiency and reactive oxygen species production. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A system for oxygen-15 labeled blood for medical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Subramanyam, R.; Bucelewicz, W.M.; Hoop, B. Jr.; Jones, S.C.

1977-01-01

Oxygen-15 labeled compounds in blood have been used successfully for cerebral circulation and cerebral oxygen metabolism measurements. The present paper describes a system for the rapid sequential production of 15 O-HgB, C 15 O-Hgb and H 2 15 O in blood under sterile and pyrogen-free conditions. A tonometer has been adopted for labeling blood without hemolysis and foam production. (author)

Optimization of burners in oxygen-gas fired glass furnace

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kersbergen, M.J. van; Beerkens, R.G.C.; Sarmiento-Darkin, W.; Kobayashi, H.

2012-01-01

The energy efficiency performance, production stability and emissions of oxygen-fired glass furnaces are influenced by the type of burner, burner nozzle sizes, burner positions, burner settings, oxygen-gas ratios and the fuel distribution among all the burners. These parameters have been optimized

Oxygen as a product of water radiolysis in high-LET tracks. II. Radiobiological implications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baverstock, K.F.; Burns, W.G.

1981-01-01

Consideration is given to the possibility that molecular oxygen generated in the tracks of energetic heavy ions is responsible for the reduction in oxygen enhancement ratio (OER) with increasing linear energy transfer (LET) observed for the loss of reproductive capacity caused by radiation in many cellular organisms. Yields of oxygen relationship of OER to LET for two organisms, Chlamydomonas reinhardii and Shigella flexneri, using a simple diffusion kinetic model for radiobiological action which takes account of the diffusion of oxygen after its formation. The results of these calculations show that the model accounts well for the shape of the OER vs. LET relationship

Evolving Oxygen Landscape of the Early Atmosphere and Oceans

Science.gov (United States)

Lyons, T. W.; Reinhard, C. T.; Planavsky, N. J.

2013-12-01

The past decade has witnessed remarkable advances in our understanding of oxygen on the early Earth, and a new framework, the topic of this presentation, is now in place to address the controls on spatiotemporal distributions of oxygen and their potential relationships to deep-Earth processes. Recent challenges to the Archean biomarker record have put an added burden on inorganic geochemistry to fingerprint and quantify the early production, accumulation, and variation of biospheric oxygen. Fortunately, a wide variety of techniques now point convincingly to photosynthetic oxygen production and dynamic accumulation well before the canonical Great Oxidation Event (GOE). Recent modeling of sulfur recycling over this interval allows for transient oxygen accumulation in the atmosphere without the disappearance of non-mass-dependent (NMD) sulfur isotope anomalies from the stratigraphic record and further allows for persistent accumulation in the atmosphere well before the permanent disappearance of NMD signals. This recent work suggests that the initial rise of oxygen may have occurred in fits and starts rather than a single step, and that once permanently present in the atmosphere, oxygen likely rose to high levels and then plummeted, in phase with the Paleoproterozoic Lomagundi positive carbon isotope excursion. More than a billion years of oxygen-free conditions in the deep ocean followed and set a challenging course for life, including limited abundances and diversity of eukaryotic organisms. Despite this widespread anoxia, sulfidic (euxinic) conditions were likely limited to productive ocean margins. Nevertheless, euxinia was sufficiently widespread to impact redox-dependent nutrient relationships, particularly the availability of bioessential trace metals critical in the nitrogen cycle, which spawned feedbacks that likely maintained oxygen at very low levels in the ocean and atmosphere and delayed the arrival of animals. Then, in the mid, pre-glacial Neoproterozoic

Batch culture of Azotobacter vinelandii under oxygen limitation conditionS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Camacho Rubio, F.; Martinez Nieto, L.; Fernandez Serrano, M.; Jimenez Moleon, M.C. [Departamento de Ingenieria Quimica, Universidad de Granada, Granada (Spain)

1996-12-01

The batch culture of Azotobacter vinealandii on glucose under nitrogen-fixing conditions, seeking oxygen limitation conditions, has been studied in order to use it as a Biological Test System for the experimental study of oxygen transfer enhancement methods in aerobic fermenters. overall kinetic parameters for exponential growth and for linear growth (under oxygen limitation) have been determined. It was noted an appreciable influence of the oxygen transfer rate on glucose and oxygen uptake, which seems to be due to alginate production, excreted as a nitrogenase protection mechanisms. (Author) 12 refs.

The development of zirconia membrane oxygen separation technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiacchi, F.T.; Badwal, S.P.S.; Velizko, V.

2000-01-01

The oxygen separation technology based on ceramic membranes constructed from stabilised zirconia is currently under development for applications ranging from oxygen generation or air enrichment for medical use to control of oxygen concentration or oxygen removal from gas streams and enclosures for semiconductor, food packaging and process control instrumentation industries. The technology is based on a rugged tubular design with extensive thermal cycling capability. Several single and three tube devices have been operated for periods up to 5000h. An eight tube module, as a building block for larger scale oxygen production or removal devices, has been constructed and is being evaluated. In this paper, the construction of the device, oxygen generating capacity, life time tests and performance of the ceramic membrane device under development at CSIRO will be discussed. Copyright (2000) The Australian Ceramic Society

Mechanism of pulse discharge production of iodine atoms from CF3I molecules for a chemical oxygen-iodine laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kochetov, I V; Napartovich, A P; Vagin, N P; Yuryshev, N N

2009-01-01

The pulsed chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL) development is aimed at many new applications. Pulsed electric discharge is most effective in turning COIL operation into the pulse mode by instant production of iodine atoms. A numerical model is developed for simulations of the pulsed COIL initiated by an electric discharge. The model comprises a system of kinetic equations for neutral and charged species, electric circuit equation, gas thermal balance equation and the photon balance equation. Reaction rate coefficients for processes involving electrons are found by solving the electron Boltzmann equation, which is re-calculated in a course of computations when plasma parameters changed. The processes accounted for in the Boltzmann equation include excitation and ionization of atoms and molecules, dissociation of molecules, electron attachment processes, electron-ion recombination, electron-electron collisions, second-kind collisions and stepwise excitation of molecules. The last processes are particularly important because of a high singlet oxygen concentration in gas flow from the singlet oxygen chemical generator. Results of numerical simulations are compared with experimental laser pulse waveforms. It is concluded that there is satisfactory agreement between theory and the experiment. The prevailing mechanism of iodine atom formation from the CF 3 I donor in a very complex kinetic system of the COIL medium under pulse discharge conditions, based on their detailed numerical modelling and by comparing these results both with experimental results of other authors and their own experiments, is established. The dominant iodine atom production mechanism for conditions under study is the electron-impact dissociation of CF 3 I molecules. It was proved that in the conditions of the experiment the secondary chemical reactions with O atoms play an insignificant role.

Oxygen activation at the plasma membrane: relation between superoxide and hydroxyl radical production by isolated membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Heyno, Eiri; Mary, Véronique; Schopfer, Peter; Krieger-Liszkay, Anja

2011-07-01

Production of reactive oxygen species (hydroxyl radicals, superoxide radicals and hydrogen peroxide) was studied using EPR spin-trapping techniques and specific dyes in isolated plasma membranes from the growing and the non-growing zones of hypocotyls and roots of etiolated soybean seedlings as well as coleoptiles and roots of etiolated maize seedlings. NAD(P)H mediated the production of superoxide in all plasma membrane samples. Hydroxyl radicals were only produced by the membranes of the hypocotyl growing zone when a Fenton catalyst (FeEDTA) was present. By contrast, in membranes from other parts of the seedlings a low rate of spontaneous hydroxyl radical formation was observed due to the presence of small amounts of tightly bound peroxidase. It is concluded that apoplastic hydroxyl radical generation depends fully, or for the most part, on peroxidase localized in the cell wall. In soybean plasma membranes from the growing zone of the hypocotyl pharmacological tests showed that the superoxide production could potentially be attributed to the action of at least two enzymes, an NADPH oxidase and, in the presence of menadione, a quinone reductase.

Enhancing Activity for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frydendal, Rasmus; Busch, Michael; Halck, Niels Bendtsen

2014-01-01

Electrochemical production of hydrogen, facilitated in electrolyzers, holds great promise for energy storage and solar fuel production. A bottleneck in the process is the catalysis of the oxygen evolution reaction, involving the transfer of four electrons. The challenge is that the binding energies...... of all reaction intermediates cannot be optimized individually. However, experimental investigations have shown that drastic improvements can be realized for manganese and cobalt-based oxides if gold is added to the surface or used as substrate. We propose an explanation for these enhancements based...... that the oxygen evolution reaction overpotential decreases by 100–300 mV for manganese oxides and 100 mV for cobalt oxides....

Effects of dissolved oxygen and pH on nitrous oxide production rates in autotrophic partial nitrification granules.

Science.gov (United States)

Rathnayake, Rathnayake M L D; Oshiki, Mamoru; Ishii, Satoshi; Segawa, Takahiro; Satoh, Hisashi; Okabe, Satoshi

2015-12-01

The effects of dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH on nitrous oxide (N2O) production rates and pathways in autotrophic partial nitrification (PN) granules were investigated at the granular level. N2O was primarily produced by betaproteobacterial ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, mainly Nitrosomonas europaea, in the oxic surface layer (production increased with increasing bulk DO concentration owing to activation of the ammonia (i.e., hydroxylamine) oxidation in this layer. The highest N2O emissions were observed at pH 7.5, although the ammonia oxidation rate was unchanged between pH 6.5 and 8.5. Overall, the results of this study suggest that in situ analyses of PN granules are essential to gaining insight into N2O emission mechanisms in a granule. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design and Test of a Deployable Radiation Cover for the REgolith X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer

Science.gov (United States)

Carte, David B.; Inamdar, Niraj K.; Jones, Michael P.; Masterson, Rebecca A.

2014-01-01

The REgolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) instrument contains a one-time deployable radiation cover that is opened using a shape memory alloy actuator (a "Frangibolt") from TiNi Aerospace and two torsion springs. The door will be held closed by the bolt for several years in cold storage during travel to the target asteroid, Bennu, and it is imperative to gain confidence that the door will open at predicted operational temperatures. This paper briefly covers the main design features of the radiation cover and measures taken to mitigate risks to cover deployment. As the chosen FD04 model Frangibolt actuator has minimal flight heritage, the main focus of this paper is the testing, results and conclusions with the FD04 while discussing key lessons learned with respect to the use of the FD04 actuator in this application.

Singlet oxygen in the low-temperature plasma of an electron-beam-sustained discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vagin, N. P.; Ionin, A. A.; Klimachev, Yu. M.; Kotkov, A. A.; Kochetov, I. V.; Napartovich, A. P.; Podmar'kov, Yu. P.; Rulev, O. A.; Seleznev, L. V.; Sinitsyn, D. V.; Frolov, M. P.; Yuryshev, N. N.

2006-01-01

Results are presented from experimental and theoretical studies of the production of singlet delta oxygen in a pulsed electron-beam-sustained discharge ignited in a large (∼18-1) volume at a total gas mixture pressure of up to 210 Torr. The measured yield of singlet oxygen reaches 10.5%. It is found that varying the reduced electric field from ∼2 to ∼11 kV/(cm atm) slightly affects singlet oxygen production. It is shown experimentally that an increase in the gas mixture pressure or the specific input energy reduces the duration of singlet oxygen luminescence. The calculated time evolution of the singlet oxygen concentration is compared with experimental results

Sulfur Isotope Trends in Archean Microbialite Facies Record Early Oxygen Production and Consumption

Science.gov (United States)

Zerkle, A.; Meyer, N.; Izon, G.; Poulton, S.; Farquhar, J.; Claire, M.

2014-12-01

The major and minor sulfur isotope composition (δ34S and Δ33S) of pyrites preserved in ~2.65-2.5 billion-year-old (Ga) microbialites record localized oxygen production and consumption near the mat surface. These trends are preserved in two separate drill cores (GKF01 and BH1-Sacha) transecting the Campbellrand-Malmani carbonate platform (Ghaap Group, Transvaal Supergroup, South Africa; Zerkle et al., 2012; Izon et al., in review). Microbialite pyrites possess positive Δ33S values, plotting parallel to typical Archean trends (with a Δ33S/δ34S slope of ~0.9) but enriched in 34S by ~3 to 7‰. We propose that these 34S-enriched pyrites were formed from a residual pool of sulfide that was partially oxidized via molecular oxygen produced by surface mat-dwelling cyanobacteria. Sulfide, carrying the range of Archean Δ33S values, could have been produced deeper within the microbial mat by the reduction of sulfate and elemental sulfur, then fractionated upon reaction with O2 produced by oxygenic photosynthesis. Preservation of this positive 34S offset requires that: 1) sulfide was only partially (50­­-80%) consumed by oxidation, meaning H2S was locally more abundant (or more rapidly produced) than O2, and 2) the majority of the sulfate produced via oxidation was not immediately reduced to sulfide, implying either that the sulfate pool was much larger than the sulfide pool, or that the sulfate formed near the mat surface was transported and reduced in another part of the system. Contrastingly, older microbialite facies (> 2.7 Ga; Thomazo et al., 2013) appear to lack these observed 34S enrichments. Consequently, the onset of 34S enrichments could mark a shift in mat ecology, from communities dominated by anoxygenic photosynthesizers to cyanobacteria. Here, we test these hypotheses with new spatially resolved mm-scale trends in sulfur isotope measurements from pyritized stromatolites of the Vryburg Formation, sampled in the lower part of the BH1-Sacha core. Millimeter

Luminescence spectroscopic observation of singlet oxygen formation in extra virgin olive oil as affected by irradiation light wavelengths, 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, irradiation time, and oxygen bubbling.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Mun Y; Choi, Dong S; Park, Ki H; Lee, Bosoon; Min, David B

2011-01-01

A spectrofluorometer equipped with a highly sensitive near-IR InGaAs detector was used for the direct visualization of singlet oxygen emission at 1268 nm in olive oil during light irradiation with various different wavelengths. The virgin olive oil in methylene chloride (20% w/v, oxygen saturated) was irradiated at the 301, 417, 454, 483, and 668 nm, then the emission at 1268 nm, singlet oxygen dimole decaying was observed. The result showed the highest production of (1)O(2) with light irradiation at 417 nm, and followed by at 668 nm in virgin olive oil, indicating that pheophytin a and chlorophyll a were the most responsible components for the production of singlet oxygen. The UV light irradiations at the wavelength of 200, 250, and 300 nm did not induce any detectable luminescence emission at 1268 nm, but 350 nm produced weak emission at 1269 nm. The quantity of (1)O(2) produced with excitation at 350 nm was about 1/6 of that of irradiation at 417 nm. Addition of an efficient (1)O(2) quencher, 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, in virgin olive oil in methylene chloride greatly decreased the luminescence emission at 1268 nm, confirming the singlet oxygen production in olive oil. Singlet oxygen production was more efficient in oxygen-purged virgin olive oil than in oxygen non-purged olive oil. This represents first report on the direct observation of singlet oxygen formation in olive oil as well as in real-food system after visible light illumination. Practical Application: The present results show the positive evidence of the singlet oxygen involvement in rapid oxidative deterioration of virgin olive oil under visible light. This paper also shows the effects of different wavelength of light irradiation on the formation of singlet oxygen in olive oil. The present results would provide important information for the understanding of the mechanism involved in rapid oxidative quality deterioration of virgin olive oil under light illumination and for searching the

An approximate method for calculating composition of the non-equilibrium explosion products of hydrocarbons and oxygen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shargatov, V A; Gubin, S A; Okunev, D Yu

2016-01-01

We develop a method for calculating the changes in composition of the explosion products in the case where the complete chemical equilibrium is absent but the bimolecular reactions are in quasi-equilibrium with the exception bimolecular reactions with one of the components of the mixture. We investigate the possibility of using the method of 'quasiequilibrium' for mixtures of hydrocarbons and oxygen. The method is based on the assumption of the existence of the partial chemical equilibrium in the explosion products. Without significant loss of accuracy to the solution of stiff differential equations detailed kinetic mechanism can be replaced by one or two differential equation and a system of algebraic equations. This method is always consistent with the detailed mechanism and can be used separately or in conjunction with the solution of a stiff system for chemically non-equilibrium mixtures replacing it when bimolecular reactions are near to equilibrium. (paper)

Eastward shift and maintenance of Arabian Sea oxygen minimum zone: Understanding the paradox

Science.gov (United States)

Acharya, Shiba Shankar; Panigrahi, Mruganka K.

2016-09-01

The dominance of Oxygen Minimum Zone in the eastern part of the Arabian Sea (ASOMZ) instead of the more bio-productive and likely more oxygen consuming western part is the first part of the paradox. The sources of oxygen to the ASOMZ were evaluated through the distributions of different water masses using the extended optimum multiparameter (eOMP) analysis, whereas the sinks of oxygen were evaluated through the organic matter remineralization, using the apparent oxygen utilization (AOU). The contributions of major source waters to the Arabian Sea viz. Indian Deep water (dIDW), Indian Central water (ICW), Persian Gulf Water (PGW) and Red Sea Water (RSW) have been quantified through the eOMP analysis which shows that the PGW and RSW are significant for the eastward shift of ASOMZ instead of voluminous ICW and dIDW. The distribution of Net Primary Production (NPP) and AOU clearly suggest the transport of organic detritus from the highly productive western Arabian Sea to its eastern counterpart which adds to the eastward shifting of ASOMZ. A revised estimate of the seasonal variation of areal extent and volume occupied by ASOMZ through analysis of latest available data reveals a distinct intensification of ASOMZ by 30% and increase in its volume by 5% during the spring-summer transition. However, during this seasonal transition the productivity in the Arabian Sea shows 100% increase in mean NPP. This disparity between ASOMZ and monsoonal variation of productivity is the other part of the paradox, which has been constrained through apparent oxygen utilization, Net Primary Production along with a variation of core depths of source waters. This study reveals a subtle balance between the circulation of marginal oxygen-rich water masses from the western Arabian Sea and organic matter remineralization in the eastern Arabian Sea in different seasons that explains the maintenance of ASOMZ throughout the year.

Oxygen transport membrane system and method for transferring heat to catalytic/process reactors

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Sean M; Kromer, Brian R; Litwin, Michael M; Rosen, Lee J; Christie, Gervase Maxwell; Wilson, Jamie R; Kosowski, Lawrence W; Robinson, Charles

2014-01-07

A method and apparatus for producing heat used in a synthesis gas production is provided. The disclosed method and apparatus include a plurality of tubular oxygen transport membrane elements adapted to separate oxygen from an oxygen containing stream contacting the retentate side of the membrane elements. The permeated oxygen is combusted with a hydrogen containing synthesis gas stream contacting the permeate side of the tubular oxygen transport membrane elements thereby generating a reaction product stream and radiant heat. The present method and apparatus also includes at least one catalytic reactor containing a catalyst to promote the stream reforming reaction wherein the catalytic reactor is surrounded by the plurality of tubular oxygen transport membrane elements. The view factor between the catalytic reactor and the plurality of tubular oxygen transport membrane elements radiating heat to the catalytic reactor is greater than or equal to 0.5.

Oxygen transport membrane system and method for transferring heat to catalytic/process reactors

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Sean M.; Kromer, Brian R.; Litwin, Michael M.; Rosen, Lee J.; Christie, Gervase Maxwell; Wilson, Jamie R.; Kosowski, Lawrence W.; Robinson, Charles

2016-01-19

A method and apparatus for producing heat used in a synthesis gas production process is provided. The disclosed method and apparatus include a plurality of tubular oxygen transport membrane elements adapted to separate oxygen from an oxygen containing stream contacting the retentate side of the membrane elements. The permeated oxygen is combusted with a hydrogen containing synthesis gas stream contacting the permeate side of the tubular oxygen transport membrane elements thereby generating a reaction product stream and radiant heat. The present method and apparatus also includes at least one catalytic reactor containing a catalyst to promote the steam reforming reaction wherein the catalytic reactor is surrounded by the plurality of tubular oxygen transport membrane elements. The view factor between the catalytic reactor and the plurality of tubular oxygen transport membrane elements radiating heat to the catalytic reactor is greater than or equal to 0.5

Oxygen vacancy rich Cu2O based composite material with nitrogen doped carbon as matrix for photocatalytic H2 production and organic pollutant removal.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Lele; Xu, Xinxin; Yan, Jiaming; Shi, Fa-Nian; Huo, Yuqiu

2018-02-06

A nitrogen doped carbon matrix supported Cu 2 O composite material (Cu/Cu2O@NC) was fabricated successfully with a coordination polymer as precursor through calcination. In this composite material, Cu 2 O particles with a size of about 6-10 nm were dispersed evenly in the nitrogen doped carbon matrix. After calcination, some coordinated nitrogen atoms were doped in the lattice of Cu 2 O and replace oxygen atoms, thus generating a large number of oxygen vacancies. In Cu/Cu2O@NC, the existence of oxygen vacancies has been confirmed by electron spin resonance (ESR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Under visible light irradiation, Cu/Cu2O@NC exhibits excellent H 2 production with the rate of 379.6 μmol h -1 g -1 . Its photocatalytic activity affects organic dyes, such as Rhodamine B (RhB) and methyl orange (MO). In addition to photocatalysis, Cu/Cu2O@NC also exhibits striking catalytic activity in reductive conversion of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol with in presence of sodium borohydride (NaBH 4 ). The conversion efficiency reaches almost 100% in 250 s with the quantity of Cu/Cu2O@NC as low as 5 mg. The outstanding H 2 production and organic pollutants removal are attributed to the oxygen vacancy. We expect that Cu/Cu2O@NC will find its way as a new resource for hydrogen energy as well as a promising material in water purification.

A novel differential electrochemical mass spectrometry method to determine the product distribution from parasitic Methanol oxidation reaction on oxygen reduction reaction catalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Jurzinsky, Tilman; Kurzhals, Philipp; Cremers, Carsten

2018-06-01

The oxygen reduction reaction is in research focus since several decades due to its importance for the overall fuel cell performance. In direct methanol fuel cells, the crossover of methanol and its subsequent parasitic oxidation are main issues when it comes to preventing fuel cell performance losses. In this work, we present a novel differential electrochemical mass spectrometry method to evaluate oxygen reduction reaction catalysts on their tolerance to methanol being present at the cathode. Besides this, the setup allows to measure under more realistic fuel cell conditions than typical rotating disc electrode measurements, because the oxygen reduction reaction is evaluated in gaseous phase and a gas diffusion electrode is used as working electrode. Due to the new method, it was possible to investigate the oxygen reduction reaction on two commonly used catalysts (Pt/C and Pt3Co/C) in absence and presence of methanol. It was found, that Pt3Co/C is less prone to parasitic current losses due to methanol oxidation reaction. By connecting a mass spectrometer to the electrochemical cell, the new method allows to determine the products formed on the catalysts due to parasitic methanol electrooxidation.

Technology for Solar Array Production on the Moon

Science.gov (United States)

Landis, Geoffrey A.

2002-01-01

Silicon, aluminum, and glass are the primary raw materials that will be required for production of solar arrays on the moon. A process sequence is proposed for producing these materials from lunar regolith is proposed, consisting of separating the required materials from lunar rock with fluorine. Fluorosilane produced by this process is reduced to silicon; the fluorine salts are reduced to metals by reaction with metallic potassium. Fluorine is recovered from residual MgF and CaF2 by reaction with K2O. Aluminum, calcium oxide, and magnesium oxide are recovered to manufacture structural materials and glass.

Active oxygen doctors the evidence

Science.gov (United States)

Castelló, Ana; Francès, Francesc; Corella, Dolores; Verdú, Fernando

2009-02-01

Investigation at the scene of a crime begins with the search for clues. In the case of bloodstains, the most frequently used reagents are luminol and reduced phenolphthalein (or phenolphthalin that is also known as the Kastle-Meyer colour test). The limitations of these reagents have been studied and are well known. Household cleaning products have evolved with the times, and new products with active oxygen are currently widely used, as they are considered to be highly efficient at removing all kinds of stains on a wide range of surfaces. In this study, we investigated the possible effects of these new cleaning products on latent bloodstains that may be left at a scene of a crime. To do so, various fabrics were stained with blood and then washed using cleaning agents containing active oxygen. The results of reduced phenolphthalein, luminol and human haemoglobin tests on the washed fabrics were negative. The conclusion is that these new products alter blood to such an extent that it can no longer be detected by currently accepted methods employed in criminal investigations. This inability to locate bloodstains means that highly important evidence (e.g. a DNA profile) may be lost. Consequently, it is important that investigators are aware of this problem so as to compensate for it.

Receptor for advanced glycation end products involved in lung ischemia reperfusion injury in cardiopulmonary bypass attenuated by controlled oxygen reperfusion in a canine model.

Science.gov (United States)

Rong, Jian; Ye, Sheng; Liang, Meng-ya; Chen, Guang-xian; Liu, Hai; Zhang, Jin-Xin; Wu, Zhong-kai

2013-01-01

Controlled oxygen reperfusion could protect the lung against ischemia-reperfusion injury in cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) by downregulating high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a high affinity receptor of HMGB1. This study investigated the effect of controlled oxygen reperfusion on receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) expression and its downstream effects on lung ischemia-reperfusion injury. Fourteen canines received CPB with 60 minutes of aortic clamping and cardioplegic arrest followed by 90 minutes of reperfusion. Animals were randomized to receive 80% FiO2 during the entire procedure (control group) or to a test group receiving a controlled oxygen reperfusion protocol. Pathologic changes in lung tissues, RAGE expression, serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were evaluated. The lung pathologic scores after 25 and 90 minutes of reperfusion were significantly lower in the test group compared with the control group (p RAGE expression, TNF-α, and IL-6 were downregulated by controlled oxygen treatment (p RAGE might be involved in the lung ischemia-reperfusion injury in canine model of CPB, which was downregulated by controlled oxygen reperfusion.

DEM Solutions Develops Answers to Modeling Lunar Dust and Regolith

Science.gov (United States)

Dunn, Carol Anne; Calle, Carlos; LaRoche, Richard D.

2010-01-01

With the proposed return to the Moon, scientists like NASA-KSC's Dr. Calle are concerned for a number of reasons. We will be staying longer on the planet's surface, future missions may include dust-raising activities, such as excavation and handling of lunar soil and rock, and we will be sending robotic instruments to do much of the work for us. Understanding more about the chemical and physical properties of lunar dust, how dust particles interact with each other and with equipment surfaces and the role of static electricity build-up on dust particles in the low-humidity lunar environment is imperative to the development of technologies for removing and preventing dust accumulation, and successfully handling lunar regolith. Dr. Calle is currently working on the problems of the electrostatic phenomena of granular and bulk materials as they apply to planetary surfaces, particularly to those of Mars and the Moon, and is heavily involved in developing instrumentation for future planetary missions. With this end in view, the NASA Kennedy Space Center's Innovative Partnerships Program Office partnered with OEM Solutions, Inc. OEM Solutions is a global leader in particle dynamics simulation software, providing custom solutions for use in tackling tough design and process problems related to bulk solids handling. Customers in industries such as pharmaceutical, chemical, mineral, and materials processing as well as oil and gas production, agricultural and construction, and geo-technical engineering use OEM Solutions' EDEM(TradeMark) software to improve the design and operation of their equipment while reducing development costs, time-to-market and operational risk. EDEM is the world's first general-purpose computer-aided engineering (CAE) tool to use state-of-the-art discrete element modeling technology for the simulation and analysis of particle handling and manufacturing operations. With EDEM you'can quickly and easily create a parameterized model of your granular solids

Self-Cleaning Boudouard Reactor for Full Oxygen Recovery from CO2

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Oxygen recovery from respiratory CO2 is an important aspect of human spaceflight. Methods exist to sequester the CO2­, but production of oxygen needs further...

Low oxygen eddies in the eastern tropical North Atlantic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grundle, D. S.; Löscher, C. R.; Krahmann, G.

2017-01-01

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a climate relevant trace gas, and its production in the ocean generally increases under suboxic conditions. The Atlantic Ocean is well ventilated, and unlike the major oxygen minimum zones (OMZ) of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, dissolved oxygen and N2O concentrations in th...

Investigation of tungsten mass transfer in rarefied air oxygen and water vapors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evsikov, A.S.; Makeev, A.A.; Lyubimova, L.L.; Sinyavskij, V.V.

1989-01-01

The results of experimental investigations of oxygen and water vapor effect on the rate of tungsten evaporation are presented. Methods for carrying out an experiment are presented. The experiments are carried out at the 2600 degC tungsten wire temperature and the pressure of oxygen and water vapors (2x10 -3 -5) Pa. Registration of final products of mass transfer is carried out by the DRON-2.0 diffractometer using a detachable substrate. Empirical dependence taking into account oxygen and water vapor effect on the rate of tungsten evaporation is suggested. It is marked that air oxygen and water vapor increase evaporation rate uniformly the difference is observed only in final products of interaction

Potential of Probing the Lunar Regolith using Rover-Mounted Ground Penetrating Radar: Moses Lake Dune Field Analog Study

Science.gov (United States)

Horz, F.; Heggy, E.; Fong, T.; Kring, D.; Deans, M.; Anglade, A.; Mahiouz, K.; Bualat, M.; Lee, P.; Bluethmann, W.

2009-01-01

Probing radars have been widely recognized by the science community to be an efficient tool to explore lunar subsurface providing a unique capability to address several scientific and operational issues. A wideband (200 to 1200 MHz) Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) mounted on a surface rover can provide high vertical resolution and probing depth from few tens of centimeters to few tens of meters depending on the sounding frequency and the ground conductivity. This in term can provide a better understand regolith thickness, elemental iron concentration (including ilmenite), volatile presence, structural anomalies and fracturing. All those objectives are of important significance for understanding the local geology and potential sustainable resources for future landing sites in particular exploring the thickness, structural heterogeneity and potential volatiles presence in the lunar regolith. While the operation and data collection of GPR is a straightforward case for most terrestrial surveys, it is a challenging task for remote planetary study especially on robotic platforms due to the complexity of remote operation in rough terrains and the data collection constrains imposed by the mechanical motion of the rover and limitation in data transfer. Nevertheless, Rover mounted GPR can be of great support to perform systematic subsurface surveys for a given landing site as it can provide scientific and operational support in exploring subsurface resources and sample collections which can increase the efficiency of the EVA activities for potential human crews as part of the NASA Constellation Program. In this study we attempt to explore the operational challenges and their impact on the EVA scientific return for operating a rover mounted GPR in support of potential human activity on the moon. In this first field study, we mainly focused on the ability of GPR to support subsurface sample collection and explore shallow subsurface volatiles.

Effect of magnesium on reactive oxygen species production in the thigh muscles of broiler chickens.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Y X; Guo, Y M; Wang, Z

2007-02-01

1. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of magnesium (Mg) on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the thigh muscles of broiler chickens. A total of 96 1-d-old male Arbor Acre broiler chickens were randomly allocated into two groups, fed either on low-Mg or control diets containing about 1.2 g/kg or 2.4 g Mg/kg dry matter. 2. The low-Mg diet significantly increased malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration and decreased glutathione (GSH) in the thigh muscles of broiler chickens. ROS production in the thigh muscle homogenate was significantly higher in the low-Mg group than in the control group. Compared with the control, muscle Mg concentration of broiler chickens from the low-Mg group decreased by 9.5%. 3. Complex II and III activities of the mitochondrial electron transport chain in broilers on low-Mg diet increased by 23 and 35%, respectively. Significant negative correlations between ROS production and the activities of mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) complexes were observed. 4. The low-Mg diet did not influence contents of iron (Fe) or calcium (Ca) in the thigh muscles of broiler chickens and did not influence unsaturated fatty acid composition (except C18:2) in the thigh muscles. 5. A low-Mg diet decreased Mg concentration in the thigh muscles of broiler chickens and then induced higher activities of mitochondrial ETC, consequently increasing ROS production. These results suggest that Mg modulates the oxidation-anti-oxidation system of the thigh muscles at least partly through affecting ROS production.

Singlet oxygen quenching by oxygen in tetraphenyl-porphyrin solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dedic, Roman; Korinek, Miloslav; Molnar, Alexander; Svoboda, Antonin; Hala, Jan

2006-01-01

Time-resolved measurement of singlet oxygen infrared phosphorescence is a powerful tool for determination of quantum yields and kinetics of its photosensitization. This technique was employed to investigate in detail the previously observed effect of singlet oxygen quenching by oxygen. The question whether the singlet oxygen is quenched by oxygen in ground or in excited state was addressed by study of two complementary dependencies of singlet oxygen lifetimes: on dissolved oxygen concentration and on excitation intensity. Oxygen concentration dependence study of meso-tetra(4-sulphonato)phenylporphyrin (TPPS 4 ) phosphorescence kinetics showed linearity of the dependence of TPPS 4 triplet state rate-constant. Corresponding bimolecular quenching constant of (1.5±0.1)x10 9 l/mol s was obtained. On the other hand, rate constants of singlet oxygen depopulation exhibit nonlinear dependence on oxygen concentration. Comparison of zero oxygen concentration-extrapolated value of singlet oxygen lifetime of (6.5±0.4) μs to (3.7±0.1) μs observed under air-saturated conditions indicates importance of the effect of quenching of singlet oxygen by oxygen. Upward-sloping dependencies of singlet oxygen depopulation rate-constant on excitation intensity evidence that singlet oxygen is predominantly quenched by oxygen in excited singlet state

Gallic acid as an oxygen scavenger in bio-based multilayer packaging films

OpenAIRE

Pant, Astrid; Sängerlaub, Sven; Müller, Kajetan

2017-01-01

Oxygen scavengers are used in food packaging to protect oxygen-sensitive food products. A mixture of gallic acid (GA) and sodium carbonate was used as an oxygen scavenger (OSc) in bio-based multilayer packaging films produced in a three-step process: compounding, flat film extrusion, and lamination. We investigated the film surface color as well as oxygen absorption at different relative humidities (RHs) and temperatures, and compared the oxygen absorption of OSc powder, monolayer films, and ...

Carp head kidney leukocytes display different patterns of oxygen radical production after stimulation with PAMPs and DAMPs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jiménez, Natalia Ivonne Vera; Nielsen, Michael Engelbrecht

2013-01-01

. Consistent with a pathogen eradication strategy, ROS responses to PAMP stimulation (β-glucan) was fast, vigorous and highly dominated by production of superoxide anion. In contrast, stimulation with DAMPs led to a slow, subtle but long-lasting production of oxygen radicals dominated by hydrogen peroxide....... Using an in vitro model of scratch-wounded CCB fibroblast cell cultures and a novel PhotoID proliferation assay, stimulation with low and continuous levels of hydrogen peroxide (5μM) led to a slight increase in the percentage of wound recovery and thus promoted wound closure. In contrast, high doses...... and thereby potential tissue damage. Direct in vitro stimulation with β-glucans did not impact fibroblast scratch-wound recovery, which further suggests that interaction with tissue-resident leukocytes or other components of the fish immune system are required to induce fibroblast proliferation and thus...

Anoxygenic photosynthesis modulated Proterozoic oxygen and sustained Earth's middle age

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, D. T.; Wolfe-Simon, F.; Pearson, A.; Knoll, A. H.

2009-01-01

Molecular oxygen (O2) began to accumulate in the atmosphere and surface ocean ca. 2,400 million years ago (Ma), but the persistent oxygenation of water masses throughout the oceans developed much later, perhaps beginning as recently as 580–550 Ma. For much of the intervening interval, moderately oxic surface waters lay above an oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) that tended toward euxinia (anoxic and sulfidic). Here we illustrate how contributions to primary production by anoxygenic photoautotrophs (including physiologically versatile cyanobacteria) influenced biogeochemical cycling during Earth's middle age, helping to perpetuate our planet's intermediate redox state by tempering O2 production. Specifically, the ability to generate organic matter (OM) using sulfide as an electron donor enabled a positive biogeochemical feedback that sustained euxinia in the OMZ. On a geologic time scale, pyrite precipitation and burial governed a second feedback that moderated sulfide availability and water column oxygenation. Thus, we argue that the proportional contribution of anoxygenic photosynthesis to overall primary production would have influenced oceanic redox and the Proterozoic O2 budget. Later Neoproterozoic collapse of widespread euxinia and a concomitant return to ferruginous (anoxic and Fe2+ rich) subsurface waters set in motion Earth's transition from its prokaryote-dominated middle age, removing a physiological barrier to eukaryotic diversification (sulfide) and establishing, for the first time in Earth's history, complete dominance of oxygenic photosynthesis in the oceans. This paved the way for the further oxygenation of the oceans and atmosphere and, ultimately, the evolution of complex multicellular organisms. PMID:19805080