Carbon isotopes in bulk carbonaceous chondrites

The chemical and physical processes involved in the formation of the solar system are examined. Primitive matter has been found on a microscopic scale in a variety of meteorites: fragments of small solar system bodies that were never part of a large planet. This primitive matter has, in most cases, been identified by the presence of anomalous abundances of some isotopes of the chemical elements. Of particular interest for carbon isotope studies are the primitive meteorites known as carbonaceous chondrites. Using a selective oxidation technique to sort out the carbon contained in different chemical forms (graphite, carbonates, and organic matter), four carbonaceous chondrites are analyzed. The presence of the (13) C-rich component was confirmed and additional carbon components with different, but characteristic, isotopic signatures were resolved

Oxygen isotope fractionation in Apollo 12 rocks and soils

Oxygen isotopic compositions and fractionations between coexisting minerals found in lunar samples from Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 flight

Heterogeneities in the solar nebula

Oxygen isotopic compositions of the high-temperatue phases in carbonaceous chondrites define a mixing line with an O-16 rich component and show little superimposed chemical isotope fractionation. Within a single inclusion in Allende, variations of delta O-18 and delta O-17 of 39% are found. The ordinary chondrites are slightly displaced from the terrestrial fractionation trend, implying that at least 0.2% of the oxygen in terrestrial rocks was derived from the O-16 rich component

Tunnel Diode Detector

Coordinated Science Laboratory changed its name from Control Systems LaboratoryContract DA-36-039-SC-8512

Classificational parameters for acapulcoites and lodranites: The cases of FRO 90011, EET 84302 and ALH A81187/84190

Acapulcoites and lodranites probably sample a common parent body, which has experienced a range of partial melting. We present classificational parameters which allow acapulcoites-lodranites to be distinguished from other groups of meteorites, as well as from each other. Petrography can complement oxygen isotopic compositions in separating these meteorites from other groups of stony-irons and primitive achondrites, while petrographic properties alone distinguish acapulcoites from lodranites. Acapulcoites differ from lodranites in having smaller grain sizes, abundant Fe, Ni-FeS as micron-sized veins and plagioclase which escaped melting. We have applied these criteria to three new members of the group. FRO 90011 is a typical lodranite; EET 84302 is intermediate in many properties between acapulcoites and lodranites; and ALH A81187/84190 are paired meteorites and are first low-FeO acapulcoites. These meteorites provide a wider spectrum of samples from the acapulcoite-lodranite parent body and suggests that this body may have had a complex structure

Statistical Asynchronous Regression: Determining the Relationship Between two Quantities that are not Measured Simultaneously

We introduce the Statistical Asynchronous Regression (SAR) method: a technique for determining a relationship between two time varying quantities without simultaneous measurements of both quantities. We require that there is a time invariant, monotonic function Y = u(X) relating the two quantities, Y and X. In order to determine u(X), we only need to know the statistical distributions of X and Y. We show that u(X) is the change of variables that converts the distribution of X into the distribution of Y, while conserving probability. We describe an algorithm for implementing this method and apply it to several example distributions. We also demonstrate how the method can separate spatial and temporal variations from a time series of energetic electron flux measurements made by a spacecraft in geosynchronous orbit. We expect this method will be useful to the general problem of spacecraft instrument calibration. We also suggest some applications of the SAR method outside of space physics.Comment: 27 pages, 10 figures, stronger motivations and rewriting to make the paper more accessible to a general audience. in press in J. Geophys. Res. (Space Physics

Disruption of pre-mRNA splicing in vivo results in reorganization of splicing factors

We have examined the functional significance of the organization of pre-mRNA splicing factors in a speckled distribution in the mammalian cell nucleus. Upon microinjection into living cells of oligonucleotides or antibodies that inhibit pre-mRNA splicing in vitro, we observed major changes in the organization of splicing factors in vivo. Interchromatin granule clusters became uniform in shape, decreased in number, and increased in both size and content of splicing factors, as measured by immunofluorescence. These changes were transient and the organization of splicing factors returned to their normal distribution by 24 h following microinjection. Microinjection of these oligonucleotides or antibodies also resulted in a reduction of transcription in vivo, but the oligonucleotides did not inhibit transcription in vitro. Control oligonucleotides did not disrupt splicing or transcription in vivo. We propose that the reorganization of splicing factors we observed is the result of the inhibition of splicing in vivo

Risk and Protective Factors of Micronesian Youth in Hawai\u27i: An Exploratory Study

This exploratory, qualitative study examined the risk and protective factors of Micronesian middle and high school students in Hawai\u27i. Forty one Micronesian youth participated in 9 focus groups that explored their experiences within their schools, families, and communities. The findings describe youths\u27 experiences of ecological stress beginning with their migration to Hawai\u27i, and the potential outcomes of this stress (e.g., fighting, gangs, and drug use). Cultural buffers, such as traditional practices and culturally specific prevention programs, were described as aspects that prevented adverse outcomes. Implications for prevention practice are discussed

The CR chondrite clan

The (1) CR chondrites, (2) LEW 85332,(3) Acfer 182,(4) ALH 85085-like chondrites, and (5) Bencubbin-like chondritic breccias are five kinds of chondritic groups which have dramatically different petrographic characteristics, but have mineralogical, bulk chemical, and oxygen and nitrogen isotopic similarities that indicate they are closely related. They are all considered to be members of what we term the CR chondrite clan. Distinguishing characteristics of CR clan chondrites include : (a) reduced, Mg-rich mafic silicates, (b) hydrous matrix and/or dark inclusions (except for Bencubbin-like chondrites), (c) high modal abundances of FeNi metal, (d) FeNi metal having a solar Ni : Co ratio, (e) solar (CI) abundances of refractory and moderately volatile lithophiles, and highly depleted abundances of volatile lithophiles, (f) similar oxygen isotopic compositions of whole rocks, chondrules and matrices, which are on or near the CR mixing line, and (g) anomalously high ^N abundances. CR clan chondrites must have formed in the same local region of the nebula, from closely related reservoirs of materials. The coexistence of anhydrous chondrules with hydrous matrix (and dark inclusions) in the LEW 85332,Acfer 182,and ALH 85085-like chondrites, as well as the widely differing degrees of hydration within and between chondritic samples, implies that hydration of the components was not variable in a single locality, but took place at a variety of locales prior to final lithification of the CR clan chondrites

Martian carbon dioxide: Clues from isotopes in SNC meteorites

Attempts to unravel the origin and evolution of the atmosphere and hydrosphere on Mars from isotopic data have been hampered by the impreciseness of the measurements made by the Viking Lander and by Earth-based telescopes. The SNC meteorites which are possibly pieces of the Martian surface offer a unique opportunity to obtain more precise estimates of the planet's volatile inventory and isotopic composition. Recently, we reported results on oxygen isotopes of water extracted by pyrolysis from samples of Shergotty, Zagami, Nakhla, Chassigny, Lafayette, and EETA-79001. Now we describe complementary results on the stable isotopic composition of carbon dioxide extracted simultaneously from those same samples. We will also report on C-14 abundances obtained by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) for some of these CO2 samples