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At least 505 records · Page 28
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Biases in genome reconstruction from metagenomic data

Background Advances in sequencing, assembly, and assortment of contigs into species-specific bins has enabled the reconstruction of genomes from metagenomic data (MAGs). Though a powerful technique, it is difficult to determine whether assembly and binning techniques are accurate when applied to environmental metagenomes due to a lack of complete reference genome sequences against which to check the resulting MAGs. Methods We compared MAGs derived from an enrichment culture containing ~20 organisms to complete genome sequences of 10 organisms isolated from the enrichment culture. Factors commonly considered in binning software—nucleotide composition and sequence repetitiveness—were calculated for both the correctly binned and not-binned regions. This direct comparison revealed biases in sequence characteristics and gene content in the not-binned regions. Additionally, the composition of three public data sets representing MAGs reconstructed from the Tara Oceans metagenomic data was compared to a set of representative genomes available through NCBI RefSeq to verify that the biases identified were observable in more complex data sets and using three contemporary binning software packages. Results Repeat sequences were frequently not binned in the genome reconstruction processes, as were sequence regions with variant nucleotide composition. Genes encoded on the not-binned regions were strongly biased towards ribosomal RNAs, transfer RNAs, mobile element functions and genes of unknown function. Our results support genome reconstruction as a robust process and suggest that reconstructions determined to be >90% complete are likely to effectively represent organismal function; however, population-level genotypic heterogeneity in natural populations, such as uneven distribution of plasmids, can lead to incorrect inferences.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1972

Magnetospheric plasma.

This paper reviews the principal features of the distribution of plasma in the magnetosphere as inferred from observations of particles with energies in the keV range and below. Low energy electrons are found within the equatorial region of the magnetotail, where they form the plasma sheet, and throughout the outer magnetosphere, where they envelop the earth with a complicated and as yet only partly explored structure. The sum of particle and magnetic pressures is roughly constant across the plasma sheet. The intense electron fluxes of the plasma sheet terminate at the so-called inner boundary of the plasma sheet, which is located at about 11 earth radii in the evening side of the magnetosphere and approaches the plasmapause near the midnight meridian. During substorms, the inner boundary moves closer to the earth, while deep in the magnetotail the plasma sheet first becomes thinner and then expands. Comparison between magnetotail electron densities and whistler measurements suggests that the observed plasma sheet particles may constitute the thermal particle population of the magnetotail.

Vasyliunas, V. M.↗
NASA NTRS1972

The zodiacal light as seen from the Pioneer F/G and Helios probes.

During the years 1972-1976 the first deep-space observations of zodiacal light will be made: from the Pioneer F/G Asteroid-Jupiter probes and from the Helios solar probes which will penetrate to 0.25 AU. These vehicles provide a unique opportunity to determine the spatial distribution of interplanetary dust throughout the region from 0.1 to 5 AU and its concentration toward the ecliptic plane. Zodiacal light models are used to discuss the accuracy with which the spatial distribution of the interplanetary dust may be inferred from deep-space observations of zodiacal light, with special emphasis on the effects of a dust-free zone near the sun and of a particle concentration in the asteroid belt.

Hanner, M. S.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Stratospheric areal distribution of water vapor burden and the jet stream

Radiometrically inferred areal observations of the atmospheric water vapor burden have been made in the 270 to 520 per cm spectral band over western U.S. and the extreme eastern Pacific from the NASA C-141 Kuiper Airborne Observatory. Before this, very few observations from the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere over such a broad area have been made. A total of 30,600 individual observations from eight separate synoptic situations involving eight jet maxima were computer-averaged over 2-deg latitude x 2-deg longitude boxes and related to the polar continental jet. Mean water vapor burdens ranged from 0.00046 to 0.00143 g per sq cm at 13.4 km with a striking peak just north of the jet wind maximum over a region of strong upward vertical motion.

Kuhn, P. M.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Lidar temperature profiling: Performance simulations of Masons method

Several methods of using lasers to measure atmospheric temperature profiles were described. Mason's suggestion was analyzed here to assess its capabilities for various lidar configurations. Temperatures were inferred from a measure of the Boltzmann distribution of rotational states in one of the vibrational bands of O2. Differential absorption was measured using three tunable, narrowband pulsed lasers. The outputs of two were tuned to wavelengths at the centers of absorption lines at either end of a particular branch in the band. The third wave-length was in a region of no absorption; its lidar return measured only the atmospheric backscatter, and therefore allowed calculations of the absorption coefficients at the other two wavelengths as a function of altitude. From the ratio of the two line absorption coefficients plus a priori knowledge of the line parameters, the temperature-altitude profile were calculated.

Schwemmer, G. K.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Lidar temperature profiling - Performance simulations of Mason's method

In Mason's method (1975) atmospheric temperatures are inferred from a measure of the Boltzmann distribution of rotational states in one of the vibrational bands of O2. Differential absorption is measured using three tunable, narrowband pulse lasers. The outputs of two are tuned to wavelengths at the centers of absorption lines at either end of a particular branch in the band; the third wavelength is in a region of no absorption. The temperature-altitude profile can be calculated from the ratio of the two line absorption coefficients plus a priori knowledge of the line parameters. In the present paper, computer simulations of various lidar configurations are made, using different line pairs in the atmospheric bands of O2 (approximately 630, 690, and 760 nm). Simulated results are presented for temperature profiles measured from a Space Shuttle lidar.

Schwemmer, G. K.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Aspects of modelling the tectonics of large volcanoes on the terrestrial planets

Analytic solutions for the responses of planetary lithospheres to volcanic loads have been used to model faulting and infer elastic plate thicknesses. Predictions of the distribution of faulting around volcanic loads, based on the application of Anderson's criteria for faulting to the results of the models, do not agree well with observations. Such models do not give the stress state in the load itself, but only suggest a state of horizontal compressive stress there. Further, these models have considered only the effect of an instantaneously emplaced load. They do not address the time evolution of stresses, nor do they consider the effect of a load which grows. A finite element approach allows us to assign elements to the load itself, and thus permits calculation of the stress state and stress history within the edifice. The effects of episodic load growth can also be treated. When these effects are included, models give much better agreement with observations. We use the finite element code TECTON to construct axisymmetric models of volcanoes resting on an elastic lithospheric plate overlying a viscoelastic asthenosphere. We have implemented time-dependent material properties in order to simulate incremental volcano growth. The viscoelastic layer was taken to extend to a sufficient depth so that a rigid lower boundary has no significant influence on the results. The code first calculates elastic deformations and stresses and then determines the time-dependent viscous deformations and stresses. Time in the model scales as the Maxwell time tau(m) in the asthenosphere. We consider a volcano 25 km in height and 200 km in radius on an elastic lithosphere 40 km thick (parameters approximately appropriate to Ascraeus Mons). The volcano consists of three load increments applied at intervals of 1000 tau(m). Contours of maximum deviatoric stress in the fully-grown edifice at the conclusion of flexure (t = 3000 tau(m)) are shown.

Mcgovern, Patrick J.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Diagnostic calculations of the circulation in the Martian atmosphere

The circulation of the martian atmosphere during late southern summer is inferred from observed atmospheric temperature and dust distributions. We use global maps of temperature and dust optical depth (approximately 0-60 km) retrieved from a subset of the Mariner 9 IRIS thermal emission spectra spanning L(sub s) equals 343-348 deg. This thermal structure is characterized by a reversed meridional temperature gradient at altitudes above about 40 km, and temperatures that decrease from equator to pole at lower altitudes. Zonal-mean zonal winds are derived from the zonally averaged temperatures assuming gradient wind balance and midlatitude westerly jets with velocities of 80-90 m s(exp -1) near 50 km; in the southern tropics the winds are easterly with velocities of 40 m s(exp -1) near 50 km. The north-south atmospheric transport includes contributions from both the zonal mean meridional circulation and large-scale waves.

Santee, Michelle↗
NASA NTRS1993

Aspects of modelling the tectonics of large volcanoes on the terrestrial planets

Analytic solutions for the response of planetary lithospheres to volcanic loads have been used to model faulting and infer elastic plate thicknesses. Predictions of the distribution of faulting around volcanic loads, based on the application of Anderson's criteria for faulting to the results of the models, do not agree well with observations. Such models do not give the stress state and stress history within the edifice. The effects of episodic load growth can also be treated. When these effects are included, models give much better agreement with observations.

Mcgovern, Patrick J.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Photoionization of disk galaxies: An explanation of the sharp edges in the H I distribution

We have reproduced the observed radial truncation of the H I distribution in isolated spiral galaxies with a model in which extragalactic radiation photoionizes the gaseous disk. For a galactic mass distribution model that reproduces the observed rotation curves, including dark matter in the disk and halo, the vertical structure of the gas is determined self-consistently. The ionization structure and column densities of H and He ions are computed by solving the radiation transfer equation for both continuum and lines. Our model is similar to that of Maloney, and the H I structure differs by less than 10%. The radial structure of the column density of H I is found to be more sensitive to the extragalactic radiation field than to the distribution of mass. For this reason, considerable progress can be made in determining the extragalactic flux of ionizing photons, phi(sub ex), with more 21 cm observations of isolated galaxies. However, owing to the uncertainty of the radial distribution of total hydrogen at large radii, inferring the extragalactic flux by comparing the observed edges to photoionization models is somewhat subjective. We find 1 x 10(exp 4)/sq cm/s is less than or approximately phi(sub ex) is less than or approximately 5 x 10(exp 4)/sq cm/s, corresponding to 2.1 is less than or approximately iota(sub 0) is less than or approximately 10.5 x 10(exp -23) ergs/sq cm/s/Hz/sr for a 1/nu spectrum. Although somewhat higher, our inferred range of iota(sub 0) is consistent with the large range of values obtained by Kulkarni & Fall from the 'proximity effect' toward Quasi-Stellar Objects (QSOs) at approximately 0.5.

Dove, James B.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Thermal Inertia of Rocks and Rock Populations and Implications for Landing Hazards on Mars

Rocks represent an obvious potential hazard to a landing spacecraft. They also represent an impediment to rover travel and objects of prime scientific interest. Although Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) images are of high enough resolution to distinguish the largest rocks (an extremely small population several meters diameter or larger), traditionally the abundance and distribution of rocks on Mars have been inferred from thermal inertia and radar measurements, our meager ground truth sampling of landing sites, and terrestrial rock populations. In this abstract, we explore the effective thermal inertia of rocks and rock populations, interpret the results in terms of abundances and populations of potentially hazardous rocks, and conclude with interpretations of rock hazards on the Martian surface and in extremely high thermal inertia areas.

Golombek, M. P.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Water Vapor Feedback and Links to Mechanisms of Recent Tropical Climate Variations

Recent variations of tropical climate on interannual to near-decadal scales have provided a useful target for studying feedback processes. A strong warm/cold ENSO couplet (e.g. 1997-2000) along with several subsequent weaker events are prominent interannual signals that are part of an apparent longer term strengthening of the Walker circulation during the mid to late1990 s with some weakening thereafter. Decadal scale changes in tropical SST structure during the 1990s are accompanied by focusing of precipitation over the Indo-Pacific warm pool and an increase in tropical ocean evaporation of order 1.0 %/decade. Here we use a number of diverse satellite measurements to explore connections between upper-tropospheric humidity (UTH) variations on these time scales and changes in other water and energy fluxes. Precipitation (GPCP, TRMM), turbulent fluxes (OAFlux), and radiative fluxes (ERBE / CERES, SRB) are use to analyze vertically-integrated divergence of moist static energy, divMSE, and its dry and moist components. Strong signatures of MSE flux transport linking ascending and descending regions of tropical circulations are found. Relative strengths of these transports compared to radiative flux changes are interpreted as a measure of efficiency in the overall process of heat rejection during episodes of warm or cold SST forcing. In conjunction with the diagnosed energy transports we explore frequency distributions of upper-tropospheric humidity as inferred from SSM/T-2 and AMSU-B passive microwave measurements. Relating these variations to SST changes suggests positive water vapor feedback, but at a level reduced from constant relative humidity.

Robertson, F. R.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Near-IR Polarized Scattered Light Imagery of the DoAr 28 Transitional Disk

We present the first spatially resolved polarized scattered light H-band detection of the DoAr 28 transitional disk. Our two epochs of imagery detect the scattered light disk from our effective inner working angle of 0 double prime.10 (13 AU) out to 0double prime.50 (65 AU). This inner working angle is interior to the location of the system's gap inferred by previous studies using spectral energy distribution modeling (15 AU). We detected a candidate point source companion 1 double prime.08 northwest of the system; however, our second epoch of imagery strongly suggests that this object is a background star. We constructed a grid of Monte Carlo Radiative Transfer models of the system, and our best fit models utilize a modestly inclined (50 degrees), 0.01 solar mass disk that has a partially depleted inner gap from the dust sublimation radius out to approximately 8 AU. Subtracting this best fit, axi-symmetric model from our polarized intensity data reveals evidence for two small asymmetries in the disk, which could be attributable to a variety of mechanisms.

polarized scattered light H-band↗
NASA NTRS1973

Determination of Atmospheric Aerosol Characteristics from the Polarization of Scattered Radiation

Aerosols affect the polarization of radiation in scattering, hence measured polarization can be used to infer the nature of the particles. Size distribution, particle shape, real and absorption parts of the complex refractive index affect the scattering. From Lorenz-Mie calculations of the 4-Stokes parameters as a function of scattering angle for various wavelengths the following polarization parameters were plotted: total intensity, intensity of polarization in plane of observation, intensity perpendicular to the plane of observation, polarization ratio, polarization (using all 4-Stokes parameters), plane of the polarization ellipse and its ellipticity. A six-component log-Gaussian size distribution model was used to study the effects of the nature of the polarization due to variations in the size distribution and complex refractive index. Though a rigorous inversion from measurements of scattering to detailed specification of aerosol characteristics is not possible, considerable information about the nature of the aerosols can be obtained. Only single scattering from aerosols was used in this paper. Also, the background due to Rayleigh gas scattering, the reduction of effects as a result of multiple scattering and polarization effects of possible ground background (airborne platforms) were not included.

Harris, F. S., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Implications of the Interstellar Object 1I/'Oumuamua for Planetary Dynamics and Planetesimal Formation

'Oumuamua, the first bona fide interstellar planetesimal, was discovered passing through our Solar system on a hyperbolic orbit. This object was likely dynamically ejected from an extrasolar planetary system after a series of close encounters with gas giant planets. To account for 'Oumuamua's detection, simple arguments suggest that ∼1M⊕ of planetesimals are ejected per solar mass of Galactic stars. However, that value assumes mono-sized planetesimals. If the planetesimal mass distribution is instead top-heavy, the inferred mass in interstellar planetesimals increases to an implausibly high value. The tension between theoretical expectations for the planetesimal mass function and the observation of 'Oumuamua can be relieved if a small fraction (∼0.1−1 per cent) of planetesimals are tidally disrupted on the pathway to ejection into 'Oumuamua-sized fragments. Using a large suite of simulations of giant planet dynamics including planetesimals, we confirm that 0.1–1 per cent of planetesimals pass within the tidal disruption radius of a gas giant on their pathway to ejection. 'Oumuamua may thus represent a surviving fragment of a disrupted planetesimal. Finally, we argue that an asteroidal composition is dynamically disfavoured for 'Oumuamua, as asteroidal planetesimals are both less abundant and ejected at a lower efficiency than cometary planetesimals.

planetesimals↗
NASA NTRS2021

An Encounter with the Ion and Electron Diffusion Regions at a Flapping and Twisted Tail Current Sheet

We analyze data returned by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission (MMS) constellation during a rapid (~1.5 s) traversal of a flapping and reconnecting current sheet (CS) in the near-Earth magnetotail (X ~ -20 RE). The CS was highly tilted, with its normal pointing strongly duskward. Its extreme thinness was confirmed by a curvature analysis of the magnetic field lines. The event was associated with a guide field of 8% of the reconnecting components. From the pitch angle distributions of low-energy electrons we infer that the crossing occurred earthward of the X-line. Traveling practically normal to the CS, MMS encountered an ion diffusion region (IDR) in which was embedded an electron diffusion region (EDR). IDR signatures included breaking of the ion frozen-in condition in the presence of Hall B and E fields. EDR signatures included a strong out of-plane current associated with a super-Alfvenic electron jet, evidence of positive energy transfer, and a temperature anisotropy (TeII > Te1) which disappeared at the field reversal. Derived scale sizes normal to the CS are: ~6.9 de (EDR) and ~0.4 di (IDR) (40 and 100 km). We estimate the average dimensionless reconnection rate as 0.077 + 0.050. The observations and inferences are supported by PIC numerical simulations. We find very good agreement in the reconnection rates. We also discuss the effects of asymmetries in the density, temperature and magnetic field strength on the Hall fields and length of the outflow jets. The event is associated with a substorm onset which began 7 min after the MMS observations.

C J Farrugia↗
NASA NTRS2023

Solar-Energetic-Particle Track-Production Rates at 1 au: Comparing In-Situ Particle Fluxes with Lunar Sample-Derived Track Densities

Heavy ( Z > 26) solar energetic particles (SEPs) with energies ~1 MeV/nucleon are known to leave visible damage tracks in meteoritic materials. The density of such `solar flare tracks' in lunar and asteroidal samples has been used as a measure of a sample's exposure time to space, yielding critical information on planetary space weathering rates, the dynamics and lifetimes of interplanetary dust grains, and the long-term history of solar particle fluxes. Knowledge of the SEP track accumulation rate in planetary materials at 1 au is critical for properly interpreting observed track densities. Here, we use in-situ particle observations of the 0.50-3.0 MeV/nuc Fe-group SEP ux taken by NASA's Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) to calculate a flux of track-inducing particles at 1 au of 6.0 × 10 5 cm -2 yr -1 str -1 . Using the observed energy spectrum of Fe-group SEPs, we find that the depth distribution of SEP-induced damage tracks inferred from ACE measurements matches closely to that recently measured in lunar sample 64455; however, the magnitude of the ACE-inferred rate is approximately 25× higher than that observed in the lunar sample. We discuss several hypotheses for the nature of this discrepancy, including inefficiencies in track formation, thermal annealing of lunar samples, erosion via space weathering processing, and variations in the SEP flux at the Moon, yet find no satisfactory explanation. We encourage further research on both the nature of SEP track formation in meteoritic materials and the flux of Fe-group SEPs at the lunar surface in recent and geologic times to resolve this discrepancy.

Interplanetary dust↗
NASA NTRS2024

Gravitational Inferences on Lunar Igneous History Beyond Mare Volcanism

The source, distribution, and volume of igneous material on the Moon sheds light into its thermal evolution. Previous work has focused on extrusive mare volcanism, but intrusions and non-mare compositions are equally as important. Constraints on the ratio of magma production to volcanic output (intrusive/extrusive ratio) inform mantle melting rates and the conditions that allowed transport of magma through the crust. Additionally, the lithological diversity of lunar volcanic products sheds light on the timeline of lunar cooling and fracturing of the crust.

K Izquierdo↗