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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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80 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1999

The prebiotic synthesis of modified purines and their potential role in the RNA world

Modified purines are found in all organisms in the tRNA, rRNA, and even DNA, raising the possibility of an early role for these compounds in the evolution of life. These include N6-methyladenine, 1-methyladenine, N6,N6-dimethyladenine, 1-methylhypoxanthine, 1-methylguanine, and N2-methylguanine. We find that these bases as well as a number of nonbiological modified purines can be synthesized from adenine and guanine by the simple reaction of an amine or an amino group with adenine and guanine under the concentrated conditions of the drying-lagoon or drying-beach model of prebiotic synthesis with yields as high as 50%. These compounds are therefore as prebiotic as adenine and guanine and could have played an important role in the RNA world by providing additional functional groups in ribozymes, especially for the construction of hydrophobic binding pockets.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗
NASA NTRS1995

Nucleosynthesis and the nova outburst

A nova outburst is the consequence of the accretion of hydrogen rich material onto a white dwarf and it can be considered as the largest hydrogen bomb in the Universe. The fuel is supplied by a secondary star in a close binary system while the strong degeneracy of the massive white dwarf acts to contain the gas during the early stages of the explosion. The containment allows the temperature in the nuclear burning region to exceed 10(sup 8)K under all circumstances. As a result a major fraction of CNO nuclei in the envelope are transformed into (beta)(sup +)-unstable nuclei. We discuss the effects of these nuclei on the evolution. Recent observational studies have shown that there are two compositional classes of novae; one which occurs on carbon-oxygen white dwarfs, and a second class that occurs on oxygen-neon-magnesium white dwarfs. In this review we will concentrate on the latter explosions since they produce the most interesting nucleosynthesis. We report both on the results of new observational determinations of nova abundances and, in addition, new hydrodynamic calculations that examine the consequences of the accretion process on 1.0M(sub (circle dot)), 1.25M(sub (circle dot)), and 1.35M(sub (circle dot)) white dwarfs. Our results show that novae can produce (sup 22)Na, (sup 26)Al, and other intermediate mass nuclei in interesting amounts. We will present the results of new calculations, done with updated nuclear reaction rates and opacities, which exhibit quantitative differences with respect to published work.

Starrfield, S.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Kinetic and mechanistic analysis of nonenzymatic, template-directed oligoribonucleotide ligation

The role of divalent cations in the mechanism of pyrophosphate-activated, template-directed oligoribonucleotide ligation has been investigated. The dependence of the reaction rate on Mg2+ concentration suggests a kinetic scheme in which a Mg2+ ion must bind before ligation can proceed. Mn2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, and Ba2+ can also catalyze the reaction. Although Pb2+ and Zn2+ do not catalyze the reaction in the absence of other divalent ions, they significantly modulate the reaction rate when added in the presence of Mg2+, with Pb2+ stimulating the reaction (up to 65-fold) and Zn2+ inhibiting the reaction. The logarithm of the ligation rate increases linearly, with slope of 0.95, as a function of pH, indicating that the reaction involves a single critical deprotonation step. The ligation rates observed with the different divalent metal ion catalysts (Mn2+ > Mg2+ > Ca2+ > Sr2+ = Ba2+) vary inversely with the pKa values of their bound water molecules. The pH profile and these relative ligation rates suggest a mechanism in which a metal-bound hydroxide ion located near the ligation junction promotes catalysis, most likely by deprotonation of the hydroxl nucleophile. The effects of changing either the leaving group or the attacking hydroxyl, together with the large delta S(++) value for oligonucleotide ligation (about -20 eu), are consistent with an associative transition state.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS1995

Affinity of guanosine derivatives for polycytidylate revisited

Evidence is presented for complexation of guanosine 5'-monophosphate 2-methylimidazolide (2-MeImpG) with polycytidylate (poly(C)) at pH 8.0 and 23 degrees C in the presence of 1.0 M NaCl2 and 0.2 M MgCl2 in water. The association of 2-MeImpG with poly(C) was investigated using UV-vis spectroscopy as well as by monitoring the kinetics of the nucleophilic substitution reaction of the imidazole moiety by amines. The results of both methods are consistent with moderately strong poly(C) 2-MeImpG complexation and the spectrophotometric measurements allowed the construction of a binding isotherm with a concentration of 2-MeImpG equal to 5.55 +/- 0.15 mM at half occupancy. UV spectroscopy was employed to establish the binding of other guanosine derivatives on poly(C). These derivatives are guanosine 5'-monophosphate (5'GMP), guanosine 5'-monophosphate imidazolide (ImpG), and guanosine 5'-monophosphate morpholidate (morpG). Within experimental error these guanosine derivatives exhibit the same affinity for poly(C) as 2-MeImpG.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS1978

The chemical activities of the Viking biology experiments and the arguments for the presence of superoxides, peroxides, gamma-Fe2O3 and carbon suboxide polymer in the Martian soil

The evolution of N2, Ar, O2, and CO2 from Martian soil as a function of humidity in the Gas Exchange Experiment are correlated with the mean level of water vapor in the Martian atmosphere. All but O2 are associated with desorption. The evolution of oxygen is consistent with the presence of alkaline earth and alkali metal superoxides; and their peroxides and the gamma-Fe2O3 in the soil can account for the generation of radioactive gas in the Labeled Release Experiment. The slower evolution of CO2 from both the Gas Exchange Experiment and the Labeled Release Experiment are associated with the direct oxidation of organics by gamma-Fe2O3. The Pyrolytic Release Experiment's second peak may be carbon suboxide as demonstrated by laboratory experiments. A necessary condition is that the polymer exists in the Martian soil. We ascribe the activity of the surface samples to the reaction of Martian particulates with an anhydrous CO2 atmosphere activated by uv and ionizing radiations. The surface particles are ultimately altered by exposure to small but significant amounts of water at the sites. From the working model, we have predicted the peculiar nature of the chemical entities and demonstrated that the model is justified by laboratory data. The final confirmation of this model will entail a return to Mars, but the nature and implications of this chemistry for the Martian surface is predicted to reveal even more about Mars with further simulations in the laboratory.

long duration↗
NASA NTRS2011

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

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, throughout testing, many variables and parameters need to be changed as more is learned about the system operation. The Master Events Controller (MEC) is run on a standard laptop PC using Windows XP. This PC runs in parallel to another laptop that monitors the GC, and a third PC that monitors the drilling/ crushing operation. These three PCs interface to the process through a CompactRIO, OPC Servers, and modems.

Moss, Thomas↗
NASA NTRS1998

Deuterated Water in Comet C/1996 B2 (Hyakutake) and its Implications for the Origin of Comets

The close approach to the Earth of comet C/1996 B2 (Hyakutake) in March 1996 allowed searches for minor volatile species outgassing from the nucleus. We report the detection of deuterated water (HDO) through its 1(sub 01)-0(sub 00) rotational transition at 464.925 GHz using the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory. We also present negative results of a sensitive research for the J(5-4) line of deuterated hydrogen cyanide (DCN) at 362.046 GHz. Simultaneous observations of two rotational lines of methanol together with HDO in the same spectrum allow us to determine the average gas temperature within the telescope beam to be 69 +/- 10 K. We are thus able to constrain the excitation conditions in the inner coma and determine reliably the HDO production rate as (1.20 +/- 0.28) x 10(exp 26)/s on March 23-24, 1996. Available IR, UV and radio measurements lead to a water production rate of (2.1 +/- 0.5) x 10(exp 29)/s at the time of our HDO observations. The resulting D/H ratio in cometary water is thus (29 +/- 10) x 10(exp -5) in good agreement with the values of (30.8(sub - 5.3, sup +3.8) (Balsiger et al. 1995) and (31.6 +/- 3.4) x 10(exp -5) (Eberhardt et al. 1995) determined in comet P/Halley from in situ ion mass spectra. The inferred 3 a upper limit for the D/H ratio in HCN is 1%. Deuterium abundance is a key parameter for studying the origin and the early evolution of the Solar System and of its individual bodies. Our HDO measurement confirms that, in cometary water, deuterium is enriched by a factor of at least 10 relative to the protosolar ratio, namely the D/H ratio in H2 in the primitive Solar Nebula which formed from the collapse of the protosolar cloud. This indicates that cometary water has preserved a major part of the high D/H ratio acquired in this protosolar cloud through ion-molecule isotopic exchanges or grain-surface reactions and was not re-equilibrated with H2 in the Solar Nebula. Scenarios of formation of comets consistent with these results are discussed.

Bockelee-Morvan, D.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Hydrogen Biogeochemistry in Anaerobic and Photosynthetic Ecosystems

The simple biochemistry of molecular hydrogen is central to a large number of microbial processes, affecting the interaction of organisms with each other and with the environment. In anoxic sediments, a great majority of microbial redox processes involve hydrogen as a reactant, product or potential by-product. Accordingly, the energetics (thermodynamics) of each of these processes is affected by variations in local H2 concentrations. It has long been established that this effect is important in governing microbe-microbe interactions and there are multiple demonstrations that "interspecies hydrogen transfer" can alter the products of, inhibit/stimulate, or even reverse microbial metabolic reactions. In anoxic sediments, H2 concentrations themselves are thought to be controlled by the thermodynamics of the predominant H2-consuming microbial process. In sediments from Cape Lookout Bight, this relationship quantitatively describes the co-variation of H2 concentrations with temperature (for methanogens and sulfate reducers) and with sulfate concentration (for sulfate reducers). The quantitative aspect is import= for two reasons: 1) it permits the modeling of H2-sensitive biogeochemistry, such as anaerobic methane oxidation or pathways of organic matter remineralization, as a function of environmental controls; 2) for such a relationship to be observed requires that intracellular biochemistry and bioenergetics are being directly expressed in a component of the extracellular medium. H2 could therefore be utilized a non-invasive probe of cellular energetic function in intact microbial ecosystems. Based on the latter principle we have measured down-core profiles of H2 and other relevant physico-chemical parameters in order to calculate the metabolic energy yields (DG) that support microbial metabolism in Cape Lookout Bight sediments. Methanogens in this system apparently function with energy yields significantly smaller than the minimum requirements suggested by pure culture studies. Our recent work has extended the study of hydrogen to cyanobacterial mat communities. The large amounts of reducing power generated during photosynthetic activity carry the potential to contribute a swamping term to the H2 economy of the anaerobic microbial populations within the mat - and thereby to alter the population structure and biogeochemical function of the mat as a whole. In hypersaline microbial mats, we observe a distinct diel cycle in H2 production and a substantial corresponding flux. On an early Earth dominated by microbial mats, this transmission of photosynthetic reducing power may have carried important implications for both biospheric and atmospheric evolution.

Hoehler, Tori M.↗