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At least 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Photosynthetic and stomatal response, and leaf traits, of two pine species, Talladega National Forest, Alabama, 2023

Photosynthetic response to irradiance (AQ), CO2 (ACi) and stomatal response to irradiance measurements on two pine species common to the southeast United States, long leaf pine, Pinus palustris Mill., and loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L.. Data were collected in June 2023 within the Oakmulgee District of the Talladega National Forest in west-central Alabama at the NEON site (TALL). Measurements were made with four LI-COR LI-6800 and one LI-COR LI-6400XT gas exchange systems. ACi and AQ curves enable the estimation of photosynthetic parameters (e.g., Vcmax, Jmax, Rd, aQY), while stomatal response curves enable the estimation of stomatal slope and intercept parameters. Foliar trait data (needle dimensions, leaf mass per area, leaf nitrogen concentration) is provided for all gas exchange samples. The data package files include multiple raw and processed data files (csv), metadata files (csv), the complete instrument output for all measurements in .zip format, and a pdf describing the experimental protocol.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2004

Functional Groups Based on Leaf Physiology: Are they Spatially and Temporally Robust?

The functional grouping hypothesis, which suggests that complexity in ecosystem function can be simplified by grouping species with similar responses, was tested in the Florida scrub habitat. Functional groups were identified based on how species in fire maintained Florida scrub regulate exchange of carbon and water with the atmosphere as indicated by both instantaneous gas exchange measurements and integrated measures of function (%N, delta C-13, delta N-15, C-N ratio). Using cluster analysis, five distinct physiologically-based functional groups were identified in the fire maintained scrub. These functional groups were tested to determine if they were robust spatially, temporally, and with management regime. Analysis of Similarities (ANOSIM), a non-parametric multivariate analysis, indicated that these five physiologically-based groupings were not altered by plot differences (R = -0.115, p = 0.893) or by the three different management regimes; prescribed burn, mechanically treated and burn, and fire-suppressed (R = 0.018, p = 0.349). The physiological groupings also remained robust between the two climatically different years 1999 and 2000 (R = -0.027, p = 0.725). Easy-to-measure morphological characteristics indicating functional groups would be more practical for scaling and modeling ecosystem processes than detailed gas-exchange measurements, therefore we tested a variety of morphological characteristics as functional indicators. A combination of non-parametric multivariate techniques (Hierarchical cluster analysis, non-metric Multi-Dimensional Scaling, and ANOSIM) were used to compare the ability of life form, leaf thickness, and specific leaf area classifications to identify the physiologically-based functional groups. Life form classifications (ANOSIM; R = 0.629, p 0.001) were able to depict the physiological groupings more adequately than either specific leaf area (ANOSIM; R = 0.426, p = 0.001) or leaf thickness (ANOSIM; R 0.344, p 0.001). The ability of life forms to depict the physiological groupings was improved by separating the parasitic Ximenia americana from the shrub category (ANOSIM; R = 0.794, p = 0.001). Therefore, a life form classification including parasites was determined to be a good indicator of the physiological processes of scrub species, and would be a useful method of grouping for scaling physiological processes to the ecosystem level.

Foster, Tammy E.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Data for Increased bundle sheath leakiness of CO2 during photosynthetic induction shows a lack of coordination between the C4 and C3 cycles

We developed a new application of isotopic gas exchange which couples a tunable diode laser absorption spectroscope (TDL) with a leaf gas exchange system, analyzing leakiness through induction of C4 photosynthesis on dark to high-light transitions. The youngest fully expanded leaf was measured on 40-45 day-old maize(B73) and sorghum (Tx430). Detail definition of each variable in raw Li-6400XT and Li-6800 (in "Original_data_AND_Data_processing_code.zip") is summarized in: https://www.licor.com/env/support/LI-6800/topics/symbols.html#const

bundle sheath leakage↗
DOE OSTI2024

Air temperature, Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska, July 15-17, 2022

Air temperature measured at 15 minute intervals using a HOBO 64K Pendant UA-001-64 housed in a solar radiation shield. Data were collected 15-27 July 2022, on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO), Utqiagvik, Alaska. The data package files are in .csv format, and include a data file and metadata file. These data were collected in support of stomatal response gas exchange measurements collected during this time period. See related data packages for leaf gas exchange data, leaf trait data (leaf mass per area, leaf nitrogen concentration), and phenocamera images collected at the same time and location. The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a research effort to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research. The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska. Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

One Stomatal Model to Rule Them All? Toward Improved Representation of Carbon and Water Exchange in Global Models

Abstract Stomatal conductance schemes that optimize with respect to photosynthetic and hydraulic functions have been proposed to address biases in land‐surface model (LSM) simulations during drought. However, systematic evaluations of both optimality‐based and alternative empirical formulations for coupling carbon and water fluxes are lacking. Here, we embed 12 empirical and optimization approaches within a LSM framework. We use theoretical model experiments to explore parameter identifiability and understand how model behaviors differ in response to abiotic changes. We also evaluate the models against leaf‐level observations of gas‐exchange and hydraulic variables, from xeric to wet forest/woody species spanning a mean annual precipitation range of 361–3,286 mm yr −1 . We find that models differ in how easily parameterized they are, due to: (a) poorly constrained optimality criteria (i.e., resulting in multiple solutions), (b) low influence parameters, (c) sensitivities to environmental drivers. In both the idealized experiments and compared to observations, sensitivities to variability in environmental drivers do not agree among models. Marked differences arise in sensitivities to soil moisture (soil water potential) and vapor pressure deficit. For example, stomatal closure rates at high vapor pressure deficit range between −45% and +70% of those observed. Although over half the new generation of stomatal schemes perform to a similar standard compared to observations of leaf‐gas exchange, two models do so through large biases in simulated leaf water potential (up to 11 MPa). Our results provide guidance for LSM development, by highlighting key areas in need for additional experimentation and theory, and by constraining currently viable stomatal hypotheses.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

The carbon-concentrating mechanism of the extremophilic red microalga Cyanidioschyzon merolae

Abstract Cyanidioschyzon merolae is an extremophilic red microalga which grows in low-pH, high-temperature environments. The basis of C. merolae ’s environmental resilience is not fully characterized, including whether this alga uses a carbon-concentrating mechanism (CCM). To determine if C. merolae uses a CCM, we measured CO 2 uptake parameters using an open-path infra-red gas analyzer and compared them to values expected in the absence of a CCM. These measurements and analysis indicated that C. merolae had the gas-exchange characteristics of a CCM-operating organism: low CO 2 compensation point, high affinity for external CO 2 , and minimized rubisco oxygenation. The biomass δ 13 C of C. merolae was also consistent with a CCM. The apparent presence of a CCM in C. merolae suggests the use of an unusual mechanism for carbon concentration, as C. merolae is thought to lack a pyrenoid and gas-exchange measurements indicated that C. merolae primarily takes up inorganic carbon as carbon dioxide, rather than bicarbonate. We use homology to known CCM components to propose a model of a pH-gradient-based CCM, and we discuss how this CCM can be further investigated.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Vegetation Warming Experiment: Plant Physiology, Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska, 2021

Leaf gas exchange measurements on Carex aquatilis Wahlenb. following a single season warming treatment. Data were collected in 2021 from 5 treatment warming chambers and paired control plots located on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO), Utqiagvik, Alaska. Data include CO2 response (ACi) curves, light response (AQ) curves, and dark-adapted respiration (Rdark) logged data measured at controlled leaf temperatures from 5–25 °C. The data package includes 4 data files in .csv format, 10 metadata files and the complete instrument output for all measurements. These data were collected as part of an experiment using Zero Power Warming (ZPW) chambers that delivered a single season warming treatment of ~4 °C above ambient air temperature. Four different plant species were targeted over four experimental years from 2017–2021. See related data packages for processed gas exchange data, leaf trait data (leaf mass per area, leaf nitrogen concentration), ambient and chamber environmental conditions, phenocamera images, thaw depth and GPS locations of chambers. The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a 15-year research effort (2012-2027) to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research. The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska. Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Vegetation Warming Experiment: Plant Physiology, Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska, 2017

Leaf gas exchange measurements on Petasites frigidus (L.) Fr. following a single season warming treatment. Data were collected in 2017 from 5 treatment warming chambers and paired control plots located on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO), Utqiagvik, Alaska. Data include CO2 response (ACi) curves, light response (AQ) curves, and dark-adapted respiration (Rdark) logged data measured at controlled leaf temperatures from 5-25 °C. The data package includes 4 data files in .csv format, 10 metadata files and the complete instrument output for all measurements. These data were collected as part of an experiment using Zero Power Warming (ZPW) chambers that delivered a single season warming treatment of ~4 °C above ambient air temperature. Four different plant species were targeted over four experimental years from 2017-2021. See related data packages for processed gas exchange data, leaf trait data (leaf mass per area, leaf nitrogen concentration), ambient and chamber environmental conditions, phenocamera images, thaw depth and GPS locations of chambers. The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a 15-year research effort (2012-2027) to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research. The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska. Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Vegetation Warming Experiment: Plant Physiology, Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska, 2018

Leaf gas exchange measurements on Arctagrostis latifolia (R. Br.) Griseb. following a single season warming treatment. Data were collected in 2018 from 5 treatment warming chambers and paired control plots located on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO), Utqiagvik, Alaska. Data include CO2 response (ACi) curves, light response (AQ) curves, and dark-adapted respiration (Rdark) logged data measured at controlled leaf temperatures from 5–25 °C. The data package includes 4 data files in .csv format, 10 metadata files and the complete instrument output for all measurements. These data were collected as part of an experiment using Zero Power Warming (ZPW) chambers that delivered a single season warming treatment of ~4 °C above ambient air temperature. Four different plant species were targeted over four experimental years from 2017–2021. See related data packages for processed gas exchange data, leaf trait data (leaf mass per area, leaf nitrogen concentration), ambient and chamber environmental conditions, phenocamera images, thaw depth and GPS locations of chambers. The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a 15-year research effort (2012-2027) to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research. The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska. Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Vegetation Warming Experiment: Plant Physiology, Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska, 2019

Leaf gas exchange measurements on Eriophorum angustifolium Honck. following a single season warming treatment. Data were collected in 2019 from 5 treatment warming chambers and paired control plots located on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO), Utqiagvik, Alaska. Data include CO2 response (ACi) curves, light response (AQ) curves, and dark-adapted respiration (Rdark) logged data measured at controlled leaf temperatures from 5–25 °C. The data package includes 4 data files in .csv format,, and include 4 data files, 10 metadata files and the complete instrument output for all measurements. These data were collected as part of an experiment using Zero Power Warming (ZPW) chambers that delivered a single season warming treatment of ~4 °C above ambient air temperature. Four different plant species were targeted over four experimental years from 2017–2021. See related data packages for processed gas exchange data, leaf trait data (leaf mass per area, leaf nitrogen concentration), ambient and chamber environmental conditions, phenocamera images, thaw depth and GPS locations of chambers. The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a 15-year research effort (2012-2027) to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research. The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska. Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2010

Air Circulation and Heat Exchange Under Reduced Pressures

Heat exchange rates decrease non-linearly with reductions in atmospheric pressure. This decrease creates risk of thermal stress (elevated leaf temperatures) for plants under reduced pressures. Forced convection (fans) significantly increases heat exchange rate under almost all pressures except below ~ 10 kPa. Plant cultivation techniques under reduced pressures will require forced convection. The cooling curve technique is a reliable means of assessing the influence of environmental variables like pressure and gravity on gas exchange of plant. These results represent the extremes of gas exchange conditions for simple systems under variable pressures. In reality, dense plant canopies will exhibit responses in between these extremes. More research is needed to understand the dependence of forced convection on atmospheric pressure. The overall thermal balance model should include latent and radiative exchange components.

Rygalov, V.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Phenomenological Model of Nonlinear Dynamics and Deterministic Chaotic Gas Migration in Bentonite: Experimental Evidence and Diagnostic Parameters

Understanding gas migration in compacted clay materials, e.g., bentonite and claystone, is important for the design and performance assessment of an engineered barrier system of a radioactive waste repository system, as well as many practical applications. Existing field and laboratory data on gas migration processes in low-permeability clay materials demonstrate the complexity of flow and transport processes, including various types of instabilities, caused by nonlinear dynamics of coupled processes of liquid–gas exchange, dilation, fracturing, fracture healing, etc., which cannot be described by classical models of fluid dynamics in porous media. We here show that the complexity of gas migration processes can be explained using a phenomenological concept of nonlinear dynamics and deterministic chaos theory. To do so, we analyzed gas pressure and gas influx (i.e., input) and outflux (i.e., output), recorded during the gas injection experiment in the compact Mx80-D bentonite sample, and calculated a set of the diagnostic parameters of nonlinear dynamics and chaos, such a global embedding dimension, a correlation dimension, an information dimension, and a spectrum of Lyapunov exponents, as well as plotted 2D and 3D pseudo-phase-space strange attractors, based on the univariate influx and outflux time series data. These results indicate the presence of phenomena of low-dimensional deterministic chaotic behavior of gas migration in bentonite. In particular, during the onset of gas influx in the bentonite core, before the breakthrough, the development of gas flow pathways is characterized by the process of chaotic gas diffusion. After the breakthrough, with inlet-to-outlet movement of gas, the prevailing process is chaotic advection. During the final phase of the experiment, with no influx to the sample, the relaxation pattern of gas outflux is resumed back to a process of chaotic diffusion. The types of data analysis and a proposed phenomenological model can be used to establish the basic principles of experimental data-gathering, modeling predictions, and a research design.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Catalase protects against nonenzymatic decarboxylations during photorespiration in Arabidopsis thaliana

Abstract Photorespiration recovers carbon that would be otherwise lost following the oxygenation reaction of rubisco and production of glycolate. Photorespiration is essential in plants and recycles glycolate into usable metabolic products through reactions spanning the chloroplast, mitochondrion, and peroxisome. Catalase in peroxisomes plays an important role in this process by disproportionating H 2 O 2 resulting from glycolate oxidation into O 2 and water. We hypothesize that catalase in the peroxisome also protects against nonenzymatic decarboxylations between hydrogen peroxide and photorespiratory intermediates (glyoxylate and/or hydroxypyruvate). We test this hypothesis by detailed gas exchange and biochemical analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana mutants lacking peroxisomal catalase. Our results strongly support this hypothesis, with catalase mutants showing gas exchange evidence for an increased stoichiometry of CO 2 release from photorespiration, specifically an increase in the CO 2 compensation point, a photorespiratory‐dependent decrease in the quantum efficiency of CO 2 assimilation, increase in the 12 CO 2 released in a 13 CO 2 background, and an increase in the postillumination CO 2 burst. Further metabolic evidence suggests this excess CO 2 release occurred via the nonenzymatic decarboxylation of hydroxypyruvate. Specifically, the catalase mutant showed an accumulation of photorespiratory intermediates during a transient increase in rubisco oxygenation consistent with this hypothesis. Additionally, end products of alternative hypotheses explaining this excess release were similar between wild type and catalase mutants. Furthermore, the calculated rate of hydroxypyruvate decarboxylation in catalase mutant is much higher than that of glyoxylate decarboxylation. This work provides evidence that these nonenzymatic decarboxylation reactions, predominately hydroxypyruvate decarboxylation, can occur in vivo when photorespiratory metabolism is genetically disrupted.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2012

Developing Physiologic Models for Emergency Medical Procedures Under Microgravity

Several technological enhancements have been made to METI's commercial Emergency Care Simulator (ECS) with regard to how microgravity affects human physiology. The ECS uses both a software-only lung simulation, and an integrated mannequin lung that uses a physical lung bag for creating chest excursions, and a digital simulation of lung mechanics and gas exchange. METI's patient simulators incorporate models of human physiology that simulate lung and chest wall mechanics, as well as pulmonary gas exchange. Microgravity affects how O2 and CO2 are exchanged in the lungs. Procedures were also developed to take into affect the Glasgow Coma Scale for determining levels of consciousness by varying the ECS eye-blinking function to partially indicate the level of consciousness of the patient. In addition, the ECS was modified to provide various levels of pulses from weak and thready to hyper-dynamic to assist in assessing patient conditions from the femoral, carotid, brachial, and pedal pulse locations.

Parker, Nigel↗
NASA NTRS2012

Developing Physiologic Models for Emergency Medical Procedures Under Microgravity

Several technological enhancements have been made to METI's commercial Emergency Care Simulator (ECS) with regard to how microgravity affects human physiology. The ECS uses both a software-only lung simulation, and an integrated mannequin lung that uses a physical lung bag for creating chest excursions, and a digital simulation of lung mechanics and gas exchange. METI s patient simulators incorporate models of human physiology that simulate lung and chest wall mechanics, as well as pulmonary gas exchange. Microgravity affects how O2 and CO2 are exchanged in the lungs. Procedures were also developed to take into affect the Glasgow Coma Scale for determining levels of consciousness by varying the ECS eye-blinking function to partially indicate the level of consciousness of the patient. In addition, the ECS was modified to provide various levels of pulses from weak and thready to hyper-dynamic to assist in assessing patient conditions from the femoral, carotid, brachial, and pedal pulse locations.

Parker, Nigel↗
NASA NTRS1998

The Coupling of Solution Chemistry to Plant Nutrient Demand in an on Demand Nutrient Delivery System

The goal of the proposal will be to determine the suitability of the DASI instrument in providing a signal that can be recognized and be utilized as an indicator of plant stress. The method to be utilized for evaluating stress is the presentation of an every increasing level of nutrient deficiency and salinity stress (addition of salt (NACl) or increasing concentration of balanced nutrient) while simultaneously recording spectral reflectance using the DASI instrument and monitoring the traditional processes of gas exchange and nutrient uptake parameters. In this manner, we will be able to directly compare the DASI measurements with known stresses as determined by the traditional gas exchange and nutrient uptake measures of stress. We anticipate that the DASI will provide a sensitive identifier of plant stress; recording signals of the resulting changes in plant metabolism in real time, far before any visible effects of stress could be observed. Thus, there is a potential for very early management intervention to correct a stress condition before damage could develop. The present response time for the observation of visual symptoms of plant stress is considerable and only provides an indication that a stress is present after it has been present for an extended period of time. Thus, the impact of a plant-based life support function will have already been significant. An additional benefit of this research to regenerative life support will be the characterization of a potential recovery scenario from various degrees of stress. The experimental approach to be employed includes the removal of the stress at various points in the stress gradient and the characterization of plant performance and reflectance spectra during recovery from various degrees of stress. Spectral reflectance imaging techniques have been developed and used to measure the biochemical composition of plants and relate these characteristics to the fluxes of biochemical elements within the ecosystem.

Savage, Wayne↗
NASA NTRS1994

Exchange of nitrous oxide within the Hudson Bay lowland

The source strength of atmospheric trace gases from natural ecosystems must be quantified in order to assess the effect of such inputs on the background tropospheric chemistry. A static chamber technique and a gas exchange technique were used to determine the emissions of nitrous oxide from five sites within the Hudson Bay Lowland, as part of the Northern Wetland Study. Two mechanisms, one diffusive and the other episodic, were found likely to be responsible for the emissions of nitrous oxide. The annual diffusive flux ranged from -3.8 mg(N2O)/sq m in a treed bog to 7.9 mg(N2O)/sq m in an open fen. The addition of the episodic flux, increased this range to -2.1 mg(N2O)/sq m and 18.5 mg(N2O)/sq m respectively. These episodic emissions occurred in from 2.5% to 16.7% of the samples during the late summer peak emission period. Since the gas exchange rate could not detect the episodic emissions, it was found to be a poor method for water emission rate determination within the wetland. LANDSAT-Thermatic Mapper (TM) imagery was used to scale the emissions, from the chamber level to an integrated average over the entire Hudson Bay Lowland. The total emission rate of N2O from the Hudson Bay Lowland, was determined to be 1.2 Gg(N2O)/year, of which 80% was attributed to episodic emissions.

Schiller, C. L.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Fe(VI) as a Possible Oxidant on the Martian Surface

The essential findings of the three biological experiments (Gas Exchange, Labeled Released, and Pyrolitic Release) aboard the Viking Mars landers were the discovery of the presence of one or more strong oxidants on the Martian surface. The Gas Exchange experiments showed that wetting Martian soil leads to the evolution of oxygen, while in the Labeled Release experiment addition of a nutrient solution containing C-14-labeled formate, glycine, lactate, alanine, and glycolic acid induced CO2 evolution. A general consensus was reached that all data taken together pointed to the presence on Martian surface of a strong oxidant, or most probably several different types of oxidants. Several candidates have been proposed as oxidants, including superoxides, hydrogen peroxide, and iron oxides (possibly gamma-Fe2O3). Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Tsapin, A. I.↗