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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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35 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

Central and South America GPS geodesy - CASA Uno

In January 1988, scientists from over 25 organizations in 13 countries and territories cooperated in the largest GPS campaign in the world to date. A total of 43 GPS receivers collected approximately 590 station-days of data in American Samoa, Australia, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Sweden, United States, West Germany, and Venezuela. The experiment was entitled CASA Uno. Scientific goals of the project include measurements of strain in the northern Andes, subduction rates for the Cocos and Nazca plates beneath Central and South America, and relative motion between the Caribbean plate and South America. A second set of measurements are planned in 1991 and should provide preliminary estimates of crustal deformation and plate motion rates in the region.

Kellogg, James N.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Low-frequency source parameters of twelve large earthquakes

A global survey of the low-frequency (1-21 mHz) source characteristics of large events are studied. We are particularly interested in events unusually enriched in low-frequency and in events with a short-term precursor. We model the source time function of 12 large earthquakes using teleseismic data at low frequency. For each event we retrieve the source amplitude spectrum in the frequency range between 1 and 21 mHz with the Silver and Jordan method and the phase-shift spectrum in the frequency range between 1 and 11 mHz with the Riedesel and Jordan method. We then model the source time function by fitting the two spectra. Two of these events, the 1980 Irpinia, Italy, and the 1983 Akita-Oki, Japan, are shallow-depth complex events that took place on multiple faults. In both cases the source time function has a length of about 100 seconds. By comparison Westaway and Jackson find 45 seconds for the Irpinia event and Houston and Kanamori about 50 seconds for the Akita-Oki earthquake. The three deep events and four of the seven intermediate-depth events are fast rupturing earthquakes. A single pulse is sufficient to model the source spectra in the frequency range of our interest. Two other intermediate-depth events have slower rupturing processes, characterized by a continuous energy release lasting for about 40 seconds. The last event is the intermediate-depth 1983 Peru-Ecuador earthquake. It was first recognized as a precursive event by Jordan. We model it with a smooth rupturing process starting about 2 minutes before the high frequency origin time superimposed to an impulsive source.

Harabaglia, Paolo↗
NASA NTRS1995

Shuttle Earth Views, 1994

In this second part of a four-part video compilation of Space Shuttle Earth views, various geographical areas are shown, including both land and water masses. The views cover the southwestern, south central, and eastern United States, and the Caribbean area, Mexico, Gulf of Mexico, and South America (Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay). Each film clip has a heading that names the shuttle and the geographical location of the footage.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1999

Interannual and Decadal Variability of Summer Rainfall over South America

Using the CPC (Climate Prediction Center) Merged Analysis of Precipitation product along with the Goddard Earth Observing System reanalysis and the Climate Analysis Center sea surface temperature (SST) data, we conduct a diagnostic study of the interannual and decadal scale variability of summer rainfall over South America. Results show three leading modes of rainfall variation identified with interannual, decadal, and long-term trend variability. Together, these modes explain more than half the total variance. The first mode is highly correlated with El Nino/southern oscillation (ENSO), showing severe drought over Northeast Brazil and copious rainfall over the Ecuador coast and the area of Uruguay-Southern Brazil in El Nino years. This pattern is attributed to the large scale zonal shift of the Walker circulation and local Hadley cell anomaly induced by positive (negative) SST anomaly over the eastern (western) equatorial Pacific. In El Nino years, two convective belts indicated by upper tropospheric velocity potential trough and mid-tropospheric rising motion, which are somewhat symmetric about the equator, extend toward the northeast and the southeast into the tropical North and South Atlantic respectively. Sandwiched between the ascent is a region of descending motion over Northeast Brazil. The southern branch of the anomalous Hadley cell is dynamically linked to the increase of rainfall over Uruguay-Southern Brazil. The regional response of anomalous circulation shows a stronger South American summer monsoon and an enhanced (weakened) subtropical high over the South Atlantic (South Pacific) Ocean. The decadal variation displays a meridional shift of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), which is tie to the anomalous cross-equatorial SST gradient over the Atlantic and the eastern Pacific. In conjunction with this mode is a large scale mass swing between the polar regions and midlatitudes in both hemispheres. Over the South Atlantic and the South Pacific, the changes of the strength of the subtropical high and the associated surface wind are dynamically consistent with the distribution of local SST anomalies, suggesting the importance of the atmospheric forcing in the decadal time scale. The decadal mode also presents a weak summer monsoon in its positive phase, which reduces the moisture supply from the equatorial Atlantic and the Amazon Basin and results in negative rainfall anomalies over the central Andes and Gran Chaco. The long-term trend shows decrease of rainfall from the northwest coast to the southeast subtropical region and a southward shift of Atlantic ITCZ that leads to increased rainfall over northern and eastern Brazil. Our result shows a close link of this mode to the observed SST warming trend over the subtropical South Atlantic and a remote connection to the interdecadal SST variation over the extratropical North Atlantic found in previous studies.

Zhou, Jiayu↗
NASA NTRS2000

STS-99 Crew Activities Report / Flight Day 10 Highlights

The primary objective of the STS-99 mission was to complete high resolution mapping of large sections of the Earth's surface using the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), a specially modified radar system. This radar system produced unrivaled 3-D images of the Earth's Surface. The mission was launched at 12:31 on February 11, 2000 onboard the space shuttle Endeavour. and led by Commander Kevin Kregel. The crew was Pilot Dominic L. Pudwill Gorie and Mission Specialists Janet L. Kavandi, Janice E. Voss, Mamoru Mohri from the National Space Development Agency (Japanese Space Agency), and Gerhard P. J. Thiele from DARA (German Space Agency). This tape shows the activities of the tenth day of the mission. During this day the mapping of the Earth continued. Each of the astronauts gives a brief statement about the mission or some other point of interest. Some of the equipment and supplies on board the shuttle are shown, including the medical supplies. The videotape ends showing some of the images released during the day from the SRTM. These include views of Oahu, Hawaii; Miquelon Island and St. Pierre Island, Newfoundland; Kamchatka, and Baikal, Russia; Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany; Katmandu, Nepal; and Cotopaxi, Ecuador.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2001

Impacts of ENSO on the South American Summer Monsoon During 1997-1999

Using the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Reanalysis, and CPC Merged Analysis Product (CMAP) rainfall, we have compared and contrasted the anomalies of the South American Summer Monsoon (SASM) during two extreme years of 1997/98 (EI Nino) and 1998/99 (La Nina). The results are assessed against a "canonical" ENSO response (CER) pattern for the SASM obtained from empirical mode decomposition based on a previous period (1980-1995). Overall, the SASM anomalies compare well with CER, but with some important differences. Anomalies occurring in the warm phase of the 1997-98 El Nino are very significant and robust, while those occurring in 1998/99 La Nina, appear to be reversed from 1997/98, but are relatively weak and less well-defined. The most pronounced signal in DJF 1997/98 is the development of drought conditions in northern Brazil, excessive rainfall over northern Peru and Ecuador, and over Uruguay and southern Brazil. The tropical rainfall anomalies are associated with the eastward shift of the Walker circulation, which is represented by pronounced low-level anomalous westerlies over the equatorial eastern Pacific and easterlies over northern Brazil. The easterlies are deflected sharply southeastward by the steep topography of the Andes, enhancing the low-level jet (LLJ) along the eastern foothills of the Andes near 15-20 S. The LLJ penetrates deep into the extratropics, yielding rainfall anomalies further poleward compared to CER. During DJF 1997/98, the eastward expansion of the warm tropospheric temperature over the Nino-3 region causes anomalous geopotential height to develop in the upper troposphere above the Altiplano, leading to a strengthened Bolivian High. An upper-tropospheric jet anomaly maximum is found over the subtropical continent near 30 S, due to increasing meridional gradient of tropospheric temperature, as well as teleconnection patterns linking the South Pacific and the South Atlantic. Consistent with the CER, the South Pacific High is weakened, and the South Atlantic High is strengthened in DJF 1997/98. However, rather than appearing as a coherent large scale signal over the entire Atlantic as in CER, the South Atlantic High anomalies in DJF 1997/98 split into two separate high pressure centers; one located south of the Amazon basin, and another over the southeastern South Atlantic. The former is induced as a Rossby-wave response by ENSO-Induced sinking motion over nor-them and eastern Brazil, and the latter may be associated with extratropical teleconnection signals. Anomalous convection observed over equatorial western Africa may also have contributed to the different circulation response over the Atlantic in DFJ 1997/99 compared to the CER. Comparison of the evolution of the SASM anomalies in 1997-99 with their corresponding annual cycles, suggest that the anomalies are phase-locked to and represent either enhancement or reduction of the annual variations. Results suggest that, from a system perspective the SASM was strengthened during the 1997/98 El Nino and weakened, albeit to a lesser extent, during the 1998/99 La Nina.

Lau, K.-M.↗
NASA NTRS2003

STS-113 Mission Highlights Resource Tape Flight Days 1-3. Tape: 1 of 4

This video, part 1 of 4, shows the activities of the crew of Space Shuttle Endeavour during flight days 1-3 of STS-113. The crew consists of Commander Jim Wetherbee, Pilot Paul Lockhart, Mission Specialists Michael Lopez-Alegria and John Herrington. With them were the Expedition 6 crewmembers of the International Space Station (ISS), Ken Bowersox, Nikolai Budarin, and Don Pettit. Pre-launch procedures are shown, and the rain-delayed night launch is shown from several camera angles. On flight day 2 there was a check out of the Canadarm on Endeavour, and some intravehicular activity. Flight day 3 highlights the docking of Endeavour and the ISS, and preparation for an extravehicular activity (EVA) the following day. Earth views include the English Channel at night with a close-up of London, the coast of Ecuador, and some views of Endeavour with the Earth in the background.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2007

Distribution of Aboveground Live Biomass in the Amazon Basin

The amount and spatial distribution of forest biomass in the Amazon basin is a major source of uncertainty in estimating the flux of carbon released from land-cover and land-use change. Direct measurements of aboveground live biomass (AGLB) are limited to small areas of forest inventory plots and site-specific allometric equations that cannot be readily generalized for the entire basin. Furthermore, there is no spaceborne remote sensing instrument that can measure tropical forest biomass directly. To determine the spatial distribution of forest biomass of the Amazon basin, we report a method based on remote sensing metrics representing various forest structural parameters and environmental variables, and more than 500 plot measurements of forest biomass distributed over the basin. A decision tree approach was used to develop the spatial distribution of AGLB for seven distinct biomass classes of lowland old-growth forests with more than 80% accuracy. AGLB for other vegetation types, such as the woody and herbaceous savanna and secondary forests, was directly estimated with a regression based on satellite data. Results show that AGLB is highest in Central Amazonia and in regions to the east and north, including the Guyanas. Biomass is generally above 300Mgha(sup 1) here except in areas of intense logging or open floodplains. In Western Amazonia, from the lowlands of Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia to the Andean mountains, biomass ranges from 150 to 300Mgha(sup 1). Most transitional and seasonal forests at the southern and northwestern edges of the basin have biomass ranging from 100 to 200Mgha(sup 1). The AGLB distribution has a significant correlation with the length of the dry season. We estimate that the total carbon in forest biomass of the Amazon basin, including the dead and below ground biomass, is 86 PgC with +/- 20% uncertainty.

rainforest↗
NASA NTRS2013

International Space Station Instmments Collect Imagery of Natural Disasters

A new focus for utilization of the International Space Station (ISS) is conducting basic and applied research that directly benefits Earth's citizenry. In the Earth Sciences, one such activity is collecting remotely sensed imagery of disaster areas and making those data immediately available through the USGS Hazards Data Distribution System, especially in response to activations of the International Charter for Space and Major Disasters (known informally as the "International Disaster Charter", or IDC). The ISS, together with other NASA orbital sensor assets, responds to IDC activations following notification by the USGS. Most of the activations are due to natural hazard events, including large floods, impacts of tropical systems, major fires, and volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. Through the ISS Program Science Office, we coordinate with ISS instrument teams for image acquisition using several imaging systems. As of 1 August 2013, we have successfully contributed imagery data in support of 14 Disaster Charter Activations, including regions in both Haiti and the east coast of the US impacted by Hurricane Sandy; flooding events in Russia, Mozambique, India, Germany and western Africa; and forest fires in Algeria and Ecuador. ISS‐based sensors contributing data include the Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean (HICO), the ISERV (ISS SERVIR Environmental Research and Visualization System) Pathfinder camera mounted in the US Window Observational Research Facility (WORF), the ISS Agricultural Camera (ISSAC), formerly operating from the WORF, and high resolution handheld camera photography collected by crew members (Crew Earth Observations). When orbital parameters and operations support data collection, ISS‐based imagery adds to the resources available to disaster response teams and contributes to the publicdomain record of these events for later analyses.

Evans, C. A.↗
NASA NTRS2021

Climate Predicts Geographic and Temporal Variation in Mosquito-Borne Disease Dynamics on Two Continents

Climate drives population dynamics through multiple mechanisms, which can lead to seemingly context-dependent effects of climate on natural populations. For climate-sensitive diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika, climate appears to have opposing effects in different contexts. Here we show that a model, parameterized with laboratory measured climate-driven mosquito physiology, captures three key epidemic characteristics across ecologically and culturally distinct settings in Ecuador and Kenya: the number, timing, and duration of outbreaks. The model generates a range of disease dynamics consistent with observed Aedes aegypti abundances and laboratory-confirmed arboviral incidence with variable accuracy (28–85% for vectors, 44–88%for incidence). The model predicted vector dynamics better in sites with a smaller proportion of young children in the population, lower mean temperature, and homes with piped water and made of cement. Models with limited calibration that robustly capture climate-virus relationships can help guide intervention efforts and climate change disease projections.

Climate-change ecology↗
NASA NTRS2020

Global Distribution and 14-Year Changes in Erythemal Irradiance, UV Atmospheric Transmission, and Total Column Ozone 2005 – 2018 Estimated from OMI and EPIC Observations

Satellite data from the Ozone Measuring Instrument (OMI) and Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) are used to study changes and global distribution of UV erythemal irradiance in mW/m(exp 2) E(ζ,φ,z,t) and the dimensionless UV index (E/25 mWm(exp 2)) over the Earth’s surface as a function of latitude ζ, longitude φ, altitude z, and time t. OMI time series data starting in January 2005 to December 2018 are used to estimate 14-year changes in erythemal irradiance, total column ozone TCO3, scene reflectivity LER, and aerosol absorption τA at specific land sites in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres using publicly available OMI data. Estimates of changes in atmospheric transmission ΔCτ(ζ,φ,z,t) derived from OMI measured cloud and haze reflectivity show an increase between 60°S to 45°S almost no average 14-year change from 55°S to 30°N but show an increase from 35°N to 55°N. This implies increased solar insolation at higher latitudes that suggests positive feedback for global warming. Changes in aerosol absorption of UV irradiance ΔCA(ζ,φ,z,t) derived from changes in τA are mostly in the equatorial region and at higher southern latitudes resulting in correlated changes in E. TCO3 derived from OMI data has increased at a rate of 2% per decade for the latitudes between 60°S to 10°N changing to a decrease of 1% per decade between 40°N to 60°N. The result is an average decrease in E(ζ,φ,z,t) at a rate of 2% per decade in the Southern Hemisphere and an increase between 40°N to 60°N. For some specific sites (latitudes from 55°S to 45°N) there has been little or no change in E(ζ,φ,z,t) for the period 2005 – 2018. Nearly half the sites show strong correlation effects of both short- and long-term cloud and absorbing aerosol change as well as anticorrelation with total column ozone change ΔTCO3. Synoptic EPIC data from the sunlit Earth are used to derive ozone and reflectivity needed for global images of the distribution of E(ζ,φ,z,t) from sunrise to sunset centered on the Americas, Europe-Africa, and Asia. EPIC data are used to show the latitudinal distribution of E(ζ,φ,z,t) from the equator to 75° for specific longitudes. Dangerously high amounts of erythemal irradiance (12 < UV index < 18) are found for many low latitude and high-altitude sites (e.g., San Pedro, Chile (2.45 km), La Paz, Bolivia (3.78 km). Lower UV indices at some equatorial or high-altitude sites (e.g., Quito, Ecuador) are moderated by the presence of persistent cloud effects. High UVI levels (UVI > 6) are also found at most mid-latitude sites during the summer months.

Ozone Measuring Instrument (OMI) and Earth Polychr↗
DOE OSTI2025

Cross‐Cultural Validation of the Binge Eating Disorder Screener‐7 ( BEDS ‐7) Across 42 Countries

ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Binge Eating Disorder Screener‐7 (BEDS‐7) across 42 countries and 26 languages, assessing its reliability and validity as a screening tool for binge‐eating disorder (BED) in diverse cultural contexts. Specifically, it sought to enhance early recognition of BED symptoms in primary care settings globally, contributing to a standardized framework for assessing BED. Method The International Sex Survey, a cross‐sectional online study, was conducted in 42 countries and 26 languages. A diverse community sample of 82,243 participants, aged 18 years or older, completed the BEDS‐7 and measures of sexuality, mental health, substance use, and sociodemographic characteristics. Confirmatory factor analyses and tests of measurement invariance were employed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the BEDS‐7 across languages, countries, genders, and sexual orientations. Results The BEDS‐7 demonstrated scalar factorial invariance across languages and countries, indicating consistent factor loadings and item intercepts. In contrast, the screener showed residual invariance across gender and sexual orientation groups, supporting its robustness across these demographics. Kruskal–Wallis tests revealed significant differences in BED symptoms across languages, countries, genders, and sexual orientations, with the highest BED scores observed among queer, pansexual, and gender‐diverse individuals. The BEDS‐7 also demonstrated adequate reliability (Cronbach's alpha > 0.80) and moderate criterion validity. Discussion The findings provide further evidence of the reliability and validity of the BEDS‐7 as a potential screening tool for identifying probable cases of BED globally, facilitating early intervention in primary care settings.

Gewirtz‐Meydan, Ateret [School of Social Work, Fac↗
DOE OSTI2024

Alkaloids are associated with increased microbial diversity and metabolic function in poison frogs

Shifts in host-associated microbiomes can impact both host and microbes. It is of interest to understand how perturbations, like the introduction of exogenous chemicals, impact microbiomes. In poison frogs (family Dendrobatidae), the skin microbiome is exposed to alkaloids that the frogs sequester for defense. These alkaloids are antimicrobial; however, their effect on the frogs’ skin microbiome is unknown. To test this, we characterized microbial communities from field-collected dendrobatid frogs. Then, we conducted a laboratory experiment to monitor the effect of the alkaloid decahydroquinoline (DHQ) on the microbiome of two frog species with contrasting alkaloid loads in nature. In both datasets, we found that alkaloid-exposed microbiomes were more phylogenetically diverse, with an increase in diversity among rare taxa. Further, to better understand the isolate-specific response to alkaloids, we cultured microbial isolates from poison frog skin and found that many isolates exhibited enhanced growth or were not impacted by the addition of DHQ. To further explore the microbial response to alkaloids, we sequenced the metagenomes from high- and low-alkaloid frogs and observed a greater diversity of genes associated with nitrogen and carbon metabolism in high-alkaloid frogs. From these data, we hypothesized that some strains may metabolize the alkaloids. We used stable isotope tracing coupled to nanoSIMS (nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry), which supported the idea that some of these isolates are able to metabolize DHQ. Together, these data suggest that poison frog alkaloids open new niches for skin-associated microbes with specific adaptations, such as alkaloid metabolism, that enable survival in this environment.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Synthesis and Evaluation of Cu@ZnO Core@Shell Nanowires for Use in the Carbon Dioxide Thermal Reduction Reaction

Copper-based core@shell nanomaterials are of interest for the catalytic hydrogenation of carbon dioxide toward value-added products. In this context, we have developed a facile, microwave-based procedure for the reliable and reproducible synthesis of Cu@ZnO core@shell nanowires. A systematic assessment of the effect of rationally varying various reaction conditions on this protocol was completed in order to better evaluate the growth process of these core–shell motifs. We determined that among different reaction parameters, it was the critical role of reaction time which enabled the quantitatively reliable growth of external shells with tunable thicknesses of up to 20 nm. As a demonstration of the material’s practical viability, catalytic testing was subsequently performed for the reverse water–gas shift reaction (CO 2 + H 2 → CO + H 2 O), with the evolution of the process followed with in situ X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy in order to probe structural changes and gauge stability. These tests found the catalysts to be effective at converting CO 2 to CO, with notable stability detected in the shell layer and no observed alloying between copper and zinc. Furthermore, our studies support the idea that the Cu–ZnO and CuO x –ZnO interfaces are essential for the effective activation of CO 2 and H 2 .

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Seasonal Reconfiguration of Electrical Distribution Systems to Mitigate the Impact of Electric Vehicle Charging

Power grids face challenges in their infrastructure related to the integration of electric vehicles (EV). In particular, EV charging stations may induce instability in key system parameters such as substantial voltage drops, active power losses, and transformer overload due to high demand during charging periods. This article presents a seasonal reconfiguration strategy based on the differential evolution (DE) algorithm, aimed at enhancing system performance under highly variable and stochastic load profiles, particularly those driven by EV charging. The DEA algorithm is hybridized with the find-union (FU) algorithm to efficiently ensure network radiality throughout the optimization process. The proposed methodology is validated on a hybrid distribution system composed of the IEEE 33-bus network, a modified IEEE 13-bus system, and a specific 13-bus microgrid. Results have demonstrated that seasonal reconfiguration significantly reduces active power losses and mitigates transformer loading during critical demand hours, thereby quantifiably increasing the system’s performance. As an integral component of the proposed approach, an analysis of CO2 emissions associated with energy losses is included, allowing a contextualized assessment of the environmental benefits of seasonal reconfiguration in various geographical areas.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Phosphorus sorption and its environmental predictors across pantropical forest soils sampled over the past decade

Tropical forest productivity is frequently constrained by soil phosphorus (P) availability, yet global Land Surface Model (LSM), which are used to simulate ecosystem processes, still represent P cycling in tropical regions only in a limited way, largely because of scarce observational data. Phosphorus adsorption and desorption of dissolved inorganic P to and from soil minerals (hereafter termed sorption), is an important process for predicting how much P is available to plants. This dataset was created to improve predictions of soil P sorption in tropical soils by identifying the isotherm equation that best describes pantropical soils. It includes raw measurements of environmental variables, such as soil properties and climate, together with P sorption data collected from 40 forest soil pits from 9 Forest Global Earth Observatory (ForestGEO) sites across 7 tropical countries during 2018-2022. The data are organized by site, country, and continent. Each site may include several soil pits. For each pit, P sorption was measured across a range of soil P concentrations to build sorption isotherm curves, typically with about 6 to 8 measurements per curve. While sorbed P varies across these concentration levels, the other environmental variables remain constant at the plot level.

Aluminum oxide↗
NASA NTRS1989

C-O-H ratios of silicate melt inclusions in basalts from the Galapagos Spreading Center near 95 degrees W: a laser decrepitation mass spectrometry study

Volatile ratios (primarily of H2O and CO2) in individual silicate melt (glass) inclusions in minerals have been analyzed using laser volatilization and mass spectrometry. A Nd-glass laser was used to produce 50-micrometer diameter pits in silicate melt inclusions. Released volatiles were analyzed directly with a computer-controlled quadrupole mass spectrometer. The detection limits for CO2 and H2O were on the order of 3 x 10(-14) and 3 x 10(-13) moles, respectively. The reproducibility for CO2/H2O was better than +/- 9%. The total range of volatile ratios from vitreous silicate glass inclusions contained in a suite of Galapagos lavas were: 0.018 to 1.193 for CO2/H2O; 0.002 to 0.758 for CO/H2O; 0 to 0.454 for CH4/H2O; and 0 to 0.432 for Ar/H2O. The mean CO2/H2O from the propagating rift (0.245 +/- 0.068) silicate glass inclusions is significantly lower than that of the actively failing rift (0.641 +/- 0.241); this difference probably reflects different degrees of degassing during magmatic histories for the two regions. Relatively undifferentiated failing rift magmas must have relatively short crustal residence times prior to eruption and, therefore, have not undergone significant degassing of CO2, as would appear to be the case for the more highly fractionated propagating rift magmas. The laser-mass spectrometric system described herein has the ability to act as a point-source probing device that can differentiate between the various volatile sites in minerals and rocks (as well as synthetic materials) on a micrometer scale.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗