We propose a new technique for the detection of microorganisms by elemental composition analyses of a sample extracted from regolith, permafrost, and ice of extraterrestrial bodies. We also describe ...the design of the ABIMAS instrument, which consists of the onboard time-of-flight laser mass-reflectron (TOF LMR) and the sample preparation unit (SPU) for biomass extraction. This instrument was initially approved to fly on board the ExoMars 2020 lander mission. The instrument can be used to analyze the elemental composition of possible extraterrestrial microbial communities and compare it to that of terrestrial microorganisms. We have conducted numerous laboratory studies to confirm the possibility of biomass identification via the following biomarkers: P/S and Ca/K ratios, and C and N abundances. We underline that only the combination of these factors will allow one to discriminate microbial samples from geological ones. Our technique has been tested experimentally in numerous laboratory trials on cultures of microorganisms and polar permafrost samples as terrestrial analogues for martian polar soils. We discuss various methods of extracting microorganisms and sample preparation. The developed technique can be used to search for and identify microorganisms in different martian samples and in the subsurface of other planets, satellites, comets, and asteroids-in particular, Europa, Ganymede, and Enceladus. Key Words: Mass spectrometry-Life-detection instruments-Biomarkers-Earth Mars-Biomass spectra. Astrobiology 17, 448-458.
This is a full report on the cosmic-ray spectra and composition obtained by the emulsion chambers on board 10 long-duration balloons, launched from Kamchatka between 1995 and 1999. The total exposure ...of these campaigns amounts to 575 m super(2) hr, with an average flight altitude of 632 km. We present final results on the energy spectra of two light elements, protons and helium nuclei, and on those of three heavy-element groups, CNO, NeMgSi, and Fe, covering the very high energy region of 10-1000 TeV particle super(-1). We additionally present the secondary/primary ratio, the all-particle spectrum, and the average mass of the primary cosmic rays. We find that our proton spectrum is in good agreement with other results, but the intensity of the helium component is nearly half that obtained by JACEE and SOKOL. The slopes of the spectra of these two elements obtained from RUNJOB data are almost parallel, with values of 2.7-2.8 in the energy range of 10-500 TeV nucleon super(-1). RUNJOB heavy-component spectra are in agreement with the extrapolation from those at lower energies obtained by CRN (Chicago group), monotonically decreasing with energy. We have also observed secondary components, such as the LiBeB group and the sub-Fe group, and present the secondary/primary ratio in the TeV nucleon super(-1) region. We determine the all-particle spectrum and the average mass of the primary cosmic rays in the energy region of 20-1000 TeV particle super(-1). The intensity of the RUNJOB all-particle spectrum is 40%-50% less than those obtained by JACEE and SOKOL, and the RUNJOB average mass remains almost constant up to 61 PeV.
Abstract
The flow rate is one of the most important elements of the river’s water regime. Establishing patterns in river flow rates’ changes within a year and by season is of great importance for the ...hydrological forecasts for spring floods, rain floods and hydrological calculations. By now, there are few publications on this area, both in Russia and abroad. The initial data were divided into 5 hydrological seasons – winter and summer low water, rise and fall of spring floods and autumn rain floods. For each season, an analysis of river flow rate over a period (1936-2013) was done. The average flow rate in rivers varied greatly depending on the water regime’ phase and the type of terrain in which the river flows. For all seasons, the amplitude of fluctuations in the flow rate on the plain rivers is less than on the mountain ones. So, in mountain rivers, flow rates vary from 0.04 to 2.42 m/s, and on flat rivers from 0.02 to 1.43 m/s. As well the pairwise and multiple correlation coefficients of flow rates for each morphometric and catchment characteristics were calculated. The highest correlation coefficients were obtained for the dependency between the average flow rate and the watershed elevation (0.30-0.75) and the watershed slope (0.42-0.76). The multiple correlation coefficients between the average flow rate and all catchment’s morphometric characteristics varied from 0.97 to 0.99. Results verification on an independent data demonstrated that the relative error was on average 2%.
Cosmic ray muonography is a novel technique for imaging of the internal structures of large natural and industrial objects. It exploits the capability of high energy muons from cosmic rays to ...penetrate large thicknesses of large subjects to be studied, in order to obtain a density map. It uses muon flux attenuation and absorption in materials of investigated objects. Nuclear emulsions are tracking detectors well suited to be employed in muonography for investigations of inner structure of large objects up to kilometers size, since emulsions have firstly an excellent angular resolution, they are compact and robust, do not require power supply. The muonography methods are applied to study one of UNESCO world heritage objects, the unusual building in the Naryn-Kala citadel hidden underground. The use of nuclear emulsions as probing radiation detectors provides for a uniquely high resolution capacity of recording instrumentation combined with the potential of modern image analysis methods giving 3D reconstruction of the internal structures of the investigated object.
A new study of a historical object on the territory of the Russian Federation, the Holy Trinity Danilov Monastery, implemented by the muon radiography is presented. The method is based on the ...registration of changes in the cosmic muon fluxes during their passage through the object under study. Nuclear photoemulsions with unique spatial and angular resolution having the widest range of applications in experimental nuclear physics were used as experimental equipment. The experiment demonstrates a high efficiency of the method in the search for hidden objects, the presence of which on the territory of the monastery is confirmed by the results obtained.
This paper focuses on the basic principles of the muon radiography method, reviews the major muon radiography experiments, and presents the first results in Russia obtained by the authors using this ...method based on emulsion track detectors.
The results of an experiment devoted to studying archeological objects in the territory of the Holy Trinity Danilov Monastery in the town of Pereslavl-Zalessky, Yroslavl region, and performed by the ...muon radiography method are presented. The experiment in question is described, and the first results of the data analysis, which demonstrate the sensitivity of the chosen method to the task at hand, are presented.
The method for visualizing the internal structure of objects (muography method) based on the analysis of the features of passages of atmospheric muons generated in cosmic ray interactions, is based ...on the spatial distributions of trajectories of penetrating muons recorded by detectors. The method is at the junction of elementary particle physics with many other areas of natural science, e.g., with archaeology. The article presents the results of a muographic study of two objects in the cave complex of a unique historical and archaeological monument, i.e., the Holy Dormition Pskovo-Pechersky Monastery. The experimental technique is based on nuclear emulsion detectors.
Abstract
We present a study of a directional search for Dark Matter boosted forward when scattered by cosmic-ray nuclei, using a module of the NEWSdm experiment. The boosted Dark Matter flux at the ...edge of the Earth's atmosphere is expected to be pointing to the Galactic Center, with a flux 15 to 20 times larger than in the transverse direction.
The module of the NEWSdm experiment consists of a 10 kg stack of Nano Imaging Trackers, i.e. newly developed nuclear emulsions with AgBr crystal sizes down to a few tens of nanometers. The module is installed on an equatorial telescope.
The relatively long recoil tracks induced by boosted Dark Matter, combined with the nanometric granularity of the emulsion, result in an extremely low background.
This makes an installation at the INFN Gran Sasso laboratory, both on the surface and underground, viable. A comparison between the two locations is made.
The angular distribution of nuclear recoils induced by boosted Dark Matter in the emulsion films at the surface laboratory is expected to show an excess with a factor of 3.5 in the direction of the Galactic Center. This excess allows for a Dark Matter search with directional sensitivity.
The surface laboratory configuration prevents the deterioration of the signal in the rock overburden and it emerges as the most powerful approach for a directional observation of boosted Dark Matter with high sensitivity.
We show that, with this approach, a 10 kg module of the NEWSdm experiment exposed for one year at the Gran Sasso surface laboratory can probe Dark Matter masses between 1 keV/c
2
and 1 GeV/c
2
and cross-section values down to 10
-30
cm
2
with a directional sensitive search.
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