November 2023 – Page 2 – My WordPress Site

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy

Analysis of Chiral Oxirane Molecules in Preparation for Next Generation Telescopes: A Review, New Analysis, & a Chiral Molecule Database

by Keith CowingNovember 29, 2023November 29, 2023

Cold RNA misfolding and phase transitions. (A) Illustration of a multi-colored free-energy landscape (FEL) at different temperatures. The temperature arrow indicates the tendency to explore low-lying energy states with the FEL becoming rougher upon cooling: from high (red) to intermediate (green) and low (blue) temperatures. Transition state (TS) distances are typically shorter for M than N, denoting disordered and compact misfolded structures. The encircled schematic folds are for illustration purposes. (B) Temperature-dependent entropy (black) and enthalpy (grey) of N for H1L12A (empty symbols) and H1L4A (full symbols). The results are reported in Table S5 and S6, Supp. Info. Fits to the entropy values in the hot (red) and cold (blue) regimes for H1L12A (solid lines) and H1L4A (dashed lines) are also shown. The transition between the two regimes occurs at TG ⇠ 293K ⇠ 20C (dashed grey band) with a sudden change in Cp. Inset. Stability curves of H1L12A (empty black circles) and H1L4A (solid grey squares). Maximum stability is found at TS ⇠ 278K ⇠ 5C (vertical black line) with melting temperatures at TH ⇠ 370K ⇠ 100C (red lines). Extrapolations of G0(T) in the cold regime predict cold denaturation at TC ⇠ 220K ⇠ 50C for both hairpins (blue lines). -- PNAS

Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, TRAPPIST-1

The Carbon-Deficient Evolution Of TRAPPIST-1c

by Keith CowingNovember 29, 2023November 29, 2023

Proposed observing strategy and post-processing strategy for Roman Coronagraph operations. After the dark hole is created, high-order mode dithers are applied on the DM during the reference star observations and the corresponding science camera (EXCAM) images and low order wavefront sensor measurements are saved. After the science target observations, the science camera images are compared to the high-order mode dithered reference star image library using PCA-type algorithms to produce a custom speckle pattern that matches the science observations. This approach is a generalization of the tip-tilt and low-order mode dithers tested on JWST13 and Subaru11, 12 to high-order modes within a dark hole. In complement, the low-order wavefront sensor telemetry can be used to further inform the speckle pattern model by down-selecting or excluding specific images from the dither library depending on how they match with the science target telemetry. Simulated images and modes from 26, 53. astro-ph.EP

Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, TRAPPIST-1

Six Planets Orbit HD110067 System In A Harmonic Rhythm

by Keith CowingNovember 29, 2023November 29, 2023

This 120 second image of the comet was taken Dec. 2 by an iTelescope 50 mm refractor located at an observatory near Mayhill, New Mexico. The streak below the comet was produced by a rocket body (upper stage) passing through the telescope's field of view during the exposure. Credit: NASA

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Extinction events, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives

Planetary Landscape Dynamics Determined The Evolution Of Biodiversity On Earth

by Keith CowingNovember 29, 2023November 29, 2023

MAJIS images of the Pacific Ocean -- ESA

Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Mars, Meteorites & Asteroids, Microbiology & Virology

Renaissance For Magnetotactic Bacteria In Astrobiology

by Keith CowingNovember 29, 2023November 29, 2023

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy

Millimetre And Submillimetre Spectroscopy Of Isobutene And Its Detection In The Molecular Cloud G+0.693

by Keith CowingNovember 29, 2023November 29, 2023

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Origin & Evolution of Life

Building Blocks For Life Could Have Formed Near New Stars And Planets

by Keith CowingNovember 29, 2023November 29, 2023

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Habitable Zones, Missions & Hardware, NASA Astrobiology Program, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Titan, Tricorders & Sensors

Dragonfly Astrobiology Mission To Titan Can Proceed With Final Mission Design Work

by Keith CowingNovember 28, 2023November 28, 2023

Comparing the ranges of possible F1500W day-side emission (for five observed eclipses) from the bare rock model, the atmospheric model with zero heat redistribution, and the atmospheric model with full heat redistribution. Each observation is modelled as the average of five secondary eclipses, with a baseline of four eclipse durations outside the eclipse. Each plotted range compiles the relevant models from the suites like those in Figure 2; for example, the left-most range shows the range of possible F1500W emission values for TRAPPIST-1 c due to all the different surface types in Table 1. The planets are ordered by equilibrium temperature. TRAPPIST-1 c and GJ 486 b are highlighted in bold, as they are plotted in more detail in Figure 2. The bare-rock surfaces can only be distinguished from the atmospheres with zero heat redistribution on GJ 806 b and LTT 1445 A b (that is, the uncertainties on their lower limits do not overlap). The bare-rock surfaces can be distinguished from some of the atmospheres with full heat redistribution on more planets, for a subset of atmospheres with both full heat redistribution and a low CO2 abundance. -- astro-ph.EP

Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Space Life Science, Tricorders & Sensors

Tricorder Tech: UCSC Astrobiologist David Deamer And Mark Akeson Honored For Invention Of Nanopore Sequencing

by Keith CowingNovember 28, 2023January 4, 2025

Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Gravitational Biology, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Space Life Science, Space Stations

Bacteriophage-host Interactions In Microgravity Onboard The International Space Station

by Keith CowingNovember 28, 2023November 28, 2023