The Formation of Glycolonitrile (HOCH 2 CN) from Reactions of C + with HCN and HNC on Icy Grain Mantles
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Radiative lifetimes have been measured for CN (A 2 Pi i v-prime = 2...7). Ground-state radicals formed in the 193 nm photolysis of C2N2 and ClCN were excited to A 2 Pi i v-prime = 2...7 vibrational levels. The decay was monitored by following the fluorescence. Cascading effects were eliminated by working at low pressures and monitoring emission from a single vibrational band. Quenching rates and zero-pressure radiative lifetimes were obtained from Stern-Volmer plots. The lifetimes are significantly lower than previous measurements and theoretical calculations for vibrational states v-prime over 2.
The Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment (IDGE) is a NASA space flight experiment which flew as part of the United States Microgravity Payload (USMP-2), in early 1994. The IDGE measured dendritic growth rates, tip radii, and crystal morphologies of ultra-pure succinonitrile (CN-(CH2)2-CN) at supercoolings in the range from 0.05 - 2.0 K. Data taken in the form of slow-scan binary digitized images telemetered to the ground from orbit in near-real time, combined with the IDGE terrestrial data set, provide the first quantitative assessment of various theories on dendritic solidification and the effects of convection on dendritic growth.
We present spectrally resolved observations of the young multiple system T Tau in atomic and molecular lines obtained with the Heterodyne Instrument for the Far Infrared on board Herschel. While CO, H2O, [C ii], and SO lines trace the envelope and the outflowing gas up to velocities of 33 km s(exp −1) with respect to systemic, the CN 5-4 hyperfine structure lines at 566.7, 566.9 GHz show a narrow double-peaked profile centered at systemic velocity, consistent with an origin in the outer region of the compact disk of T Tau N. Disk modeling of the T Tau N disk with the thermo-chemical code ProDiMo produces CN line fluxes and profiles consistent with the observed ones and constrain the size of the gaseous disk (R(sub out) = 110(+10/−20) AU) and its inclination (i = 25 deg +/- 5 deg). The model indicates that the CN lines originate in a disk upper layer at 40-110 AU from the star, which is irradiated by the stellar UV field and heated up to temperatures of 50-700 K. With respect to previously observed CN 2-1 millimeter lines, the CN 5-4 lines appear to be less affected by envelope emission, due to their larger critical density and excitation temperature. Hence, high-J CN lines are a unique confusion-free tracer of embedded disks, such as the disk of T Tau N.
Band-head wavelengths of some radicals & their ions for intepreting ultraviolet spectra of dayglow, twilight & aurorae of earth, mars & venus
The impact of microgravity on the human body is a significant concern for space travelers. We report here initial results from a pilot study designed to explore the utility of artificial gravity (AG) as a countermeasure to the effects of microgravity, specifically to bone loss. After an initial phase of adaptation and testing, 15 male subjects underwent 21 days of 6 head-down bed rest to simulate the deconditioning associated with space flight. Eight of the subjects underwent 1 h of centrifugation (AG, 1 gz at the heart, 2.5 gz at the feet) each day for 21 days, while 7 of the subjects served as untreated controls (CN). Blood and urine were collected before, during, and after bed rest for bone marker determinations. At this point, preliminary data are available on the first 8 subjects (6 AG, and 2 CN). Comparing the last week of bed rest to before bed rest, urinary excretion of the bone resorption marker n-telopeptide increased 95 plus or minus 59% (mean plus or minus SD) in CN but only 32 plus or minus 26% in the AG group. Similar results were found for another resorption marker, helical peptide (increased 57 plus or minus 0% and 35 plus or minus 13% in CN and AG respectively). Bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, a bone formation marker, did not change during bed rest. At this point, sample analyses are continuing, including calcium tracer kinetic studies. These initial data demonstrate the potential effectiveness of short-radius, intermittent AG as a countermeasure to the bone deconditioning that occurs during bed rest.
The isotopic abundance ratio C-12/C-13 for the M supergiant alpha Orionis is derived from photoelectric high-resolution scans of the CN 2-0 red system and high-resolution interferometric spectra of the CO second-overtone bands. The two molecules yield consistent results and the final value for the C-12/C-13 ratio is 7.0 plus or minus 1.5. Rationale is offered for the causes contributing to an earlier suggestion that C-12/C-13 ratios from CO and CN were in disagreement.
The near-edge structure (XANES) of the Au L3 and Cu K edges of YBa2Au(0.3)Cu(2.7)O(7-delta) was studied. X ray diffraction suggests that Au goes on the Cu(1) site and XANES shows that this has little effect on the oxidation state of the remaining copper. The gold L3 edge develops a white line feature whose position lies between that of trivalent gold oxide (Au2O3) and monovalent potassium gold cyanide (KAu(CN)2) and whose intensity relative to the edge step is smaller than in the two reference compounds. The L3 EXAFS for Au in the superconductor resembles that of Au2O3. However, differences in the envelope of the Fourier filtered component for the first shell suggest that the local structure of the Au in the superconductor is not equivalent to Au2O3.
An organic heteropolymer (Titan tholin) was produced by continuous dc discharge through a 0.9 N2/0.1 CH4 gas mixture at 0.2 mbar pressure, roughly simulating the cloudtop atmosphere of Titan. Treatment of this tholin with 6N HCl yielded 16 amino acids by gas chromatography after derivatization of N-trifluroacetyl isopropyl esters on two different capillary columns. Identifications were confirmed by GC/MS. Glycine, aspartic acid, and alpha- and beta-alanine were produced in greatest abundance; the total yield of amino acids was approximately 10(-2), approximately equal to the yield of urea. The presence of "nonbiological" amino acids, the absence of serine, and the fact that the amino acids are racemic within experimental error together indicate that these molecules are not due to microbial or other contamination, but are derived from the tholin. In addition to the HCN, HC2CN, and (CN)2 found by Voyager, nitriles and aminonitriles should be sought in the Titanian atmosphere and, eventually, amino acids on the surface. These results suggest that episodes of liquid water in the past or future of Titan might lead to major further steps in prebiological organic chemistry on that body.
The concentration of ammonia from dilute aqueous solution could have facilitated many prebiotic reactions. This may be especially true if this concentration involves incorporation into an organized medium. We have shown that (unlike iron(III) ferrocyanide) zinc ferrocyanide,Zn2Fe(CN)6 xH2O, preferentially takes up ammonium ions from 0.01 M NH4Cl to give the known material Zn3(NH4)2[Fe(CN)6]2 xH2O, even in the presence of 0.01 M KCl. KCl alone gave Zn3K2[Fe(CN)6]2 xH2O. Products were characterized by elemental (CHN) analysis and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). We attribute the remarkable specificity for the ammonium ion to the open framework of the product, which offers enough space for hydrogen-bonded ammonium ions, and infer that other inorganic materials with internal spaces rich in water may show a similar preference.
Absorption cross sections of electronic band systems of diatomic nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen oxide, and carbon-nitrogen molecules at high temperatures
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Chemical model for CN nonequilibrium radiant emission intensity profiles in shock heated mixture of N and carbon dioxide
A rather general computer code has been developed for the numerical solution of the laminar boundary layer and thin shock layer (stagnation point only) equations for a multi-component gas mixture with finite reaction rates. The purpose of this paper is to indicate the capabilities of this computer program by presenting solutions for pure air flows and flows with carbon ablation. At the body surface the effects of oxidation and sublimation of carbon are taken into account with the following species included in the gas model: 0 2 , N 2 , O, N, NO, NO + , C 1 , C 2 , C 3 , CN, CO, and CO 2 . Results for the boundary layer along a 10° half-angle hyperboloid with ablation of carbon are compared to pure air results. Shock layer results for several wall temperatures and altitudes are presented and compared to pure air results. Other types of problems that can be solved with this computer code are indicated.
Comet Austin (1989c1) was observed post-perihelion at a heliocentric distance near 1.25 AU. The wavelength range was from the atmospheric cutoff at 3000 to 4000 A. The coma spectra were calibrated into flux units and the contaminating sky spectrum and solar scattered light continuum were subtracted, leaving an ultraviolet spectrum of about 1.5-A resolution and excellent signal-to-noise ratio. The spectrum is dominated by emissions from OH, NH, CH, C3, and CN, some of the weaker emissions of which are seen here for the first time. More bands of CO(2+) were found than in any previous investigation and several intensity anomalies were noted; H2CO, OH(+), NCN, N(2+), and CN(+) may be present. Several emission features well above the noise level remain unidentified. The relative intensities of the OH and CN bands agree with the predictions of resonance fluorescence when one considers the potential effects of contamination by other molecules. The effects of the ozone absorption spectrum are not fully removed by the data-reduction process, although this does not affect these results.
Gas-phase molecules in cometary atmospheres (comae) originate primarily from (1) outgassing by the nucleus, (2) sublimation of icy grains in the near-nucleus coma, and (3) coma (photo)chemical processes. However, the majority of cometary gases observed at radio wavelengths have yet to be mapped, so their production/release mechanisms remain uncertain. Here we present observations of six molecular species toward comet 46P/Wirtanen, obtained using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array during the comet's unusually close (∼0.1 au) approach to Earth in 2018 December. Interferometric maps of HCN, CH 3 OH, CH 3 CN, H 2 CO, CS, and HNC were obtained at an unprecedented sky-projected spatial resolution of up to 25 km, enabling the nucleus and coma sources of these molecules to be accurately quantified. The HCN, CH 3 OH, and CH 3 CN spatial distributions are consistent with production by direct outgassing from (or very close to) the nucleus, with a significant proportion of the observed CH 3 OH originating from sublimation of icy grains in the near-nucleus coma (at a scale length L p = 36 ± 7 km). On the other hand, H 2 CO, CS, and HNC originate primarily from distributed coma sources (with L p values in the range 550–16,000 km), the identities of which remain to be established. The HCN, CH 3 OH, and HNC abundances in 46P are consistent with the average values previously observed in comets, whereas the H 2 CO, CH 3 CN, and CS abundances are relatively low.
The rotational-vibrational product state distributions of the CN(X 2Sigma (+)) radicals which are produced in photolysis at a wavelength of about 160 nm were monitored by laser-induced fluorescence detection. A nitrogen laser pumped dye laser was used to excite the violet band fluorescence of CN. The number of collisions the radicals undergo between formation and detection was controlled by the total pressure and the time delay between the flash lamp pulse and the laser pulse. An argon flash lamp with a Suprasil transmission window was used to dissociate the ClCN. Disequilibrated rotational distributions of CN(X) are displayed, the spectrum showing that the nu = 0 and 1 levels are rotationally hot. The rotational distributions of CN(X 2 Sigma (+), nu = 0) are shown as a function of collision number. At a pressure of 0.070 torr and a delay of 2.0 microsecs, the distribution shows clearly that the excited rotational levels peak near N equals 66-70.