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At least 55 records · Page 3

Sources of atmospheric methane - Measurements in rice paddies and a discussion

Field measurements of methane fluxes from rice paddies, fresh water lakes, and saltwater marshes have been made to infer estimates of the size of these sources of atmospheric methane. The rice-paddy measurements, the first of their kind, show that the principal means of methane escape is through the plants themselves as opposed to transport across the water-air interface via bubbles or molecular diffusion. Nitrogen-fertilized plants release much more methane than unfertilized plants but even these measured rates are only one fourth as large as those inferred earlier by Koyama (1963, 1964) and on which all global extrapolations have been based to date. Measured methane fluxes from lakes and marshes are also compared to similar earlier data and it is found that extant data and flux-measurement methods are insufficient for reliable global extrapolations.

Cicerone, R. J.↗

The seasonal evolution of reactive chlorine in the Northern Hemisphere stratosphere

In situ measurements of chlorine monoxide (ClO) at mid- and high northern latitudes are reported for the period October 1991 to February 1992. As early as mid-December and throughout the winter, significant enhancements of this ozone-destroying radical were observed within the polar vortex shortly after temperatures dropped below 195 K. Decreases in ClO observed in February were consistent with the rapid formation of chlorine nitrate (ClONO2) by recombination of ClO with nitrogen dioxide (NO2) released photochemically from nitric acid (HNO3). Outside the vortex, ClO abundances were higher than in previous years as a result of NO(x) suppression by heterogeneous reactions on sulfate aerosols enhanced by the eruption of Mount Pinatubo.

Toohey, D. W.↗

Active chlorine and nitric oxide formation from chemical rocket plume afterburning

Chlorine and oxides of nitrogen (NO(x)) released into the atmosphere contribute to acid rain (ground level or low-altitude sources) and ozone depletion from the stratosphere (high-altitude sources). Rocket engines have the potential for forming or activating these pollutants in the rocket plume. For instance, H2/O2 rockets can produce thermal NO(x) in their plumes. Emphasis, in the past, has been placed on determining the impact of chlorine release on the stratosphere. To date, very little, if any, information is available to understand what contribution NO(x) emissions from ground-based engine testing and actual rocket launches have on the atmosphere. The goal of this work is to estimate the afterburning emissions from chemical rocket plumes and determine their local stratospheric impact. Our study focuses on the space shuttle rocket motors, which include both the solid rocket boosters (SRB's) and the liquid propellant main engines (SSME's). Rocket plume afterburning is modeled employing a one-dimensional model incorporating two chemical kinetic systems: chemical and thermal equilibria with overlayed nitric oxide chemical kinetics (semi equilibrium) and full finite-rate chemical kinetics. Additionally, the local atmospheric impact immediately following a launch is modeled as the emissions diffuse and chemically react in the stratosphere.

Leone, D. M.↗

Computer simulation of ion channel gating: the M(2) channel of influenza A virus in a lipid bilayer

The transmembrane fragment of the influenza virus M(2) protein forms a homotetrameric channel that transports protons. In this paper, we use molecular dynamics simulations to help elucidate the mechanism of channel gating by four histidines that occlude the channel lumen in the closed state. We test two competing hypotheses. In the "shuttle" mechanism, the delta nitrogen atom on the extracellular side of one histidine is protonated by the incoming proton, and, subsequently, the proton on the epsilon nitrogen atom is released on the opposite side. In the "water-wire" mechanism, the gate opens because of electrostatic repulsion between four simultaneously biprotonated histidines. This allows for proton transport along the water wire that penetrates the gate. For each system, composed of the channel embedded in a hydrated phospholipid bilayer, a 1.3-ns trajectory was obtained. It is found that the states involved in the shuttle mechanism, which contain either single-protonated histidines or a mixture of single-protonated histidines plus one biprotonated residue, are stable during the simulations. Furthermore, the orientations and dynamics of water molecules near the gate are conducive to proton transfer. In contrast, the fully biprotonated state is not stable. Additional simulations show that if only two histidines are biprotonated, the channel deforms but the gate remains closed. These results support the shuttle mechanism but not the gate-opening mechanism of proton gating in M(2).

NASA Center ARC↗

In-Space Production of Storable Propellants

Our exploration of the feasibility of in-space production of storable propellants from resourcesavailable on asteroids, and also on Mars and the Moon, has considered the process of sampleacquisition; the energy requirements for heating and volatile release; the thermodynamic behaviorof gas release from minerals and organic polymers containing hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, sulfur,and nitrogen; purification of the released water and carbon dioxide; the storage and transportation of these materials in the condensed state; synthesis of fuels including methanol and dimethyl ether(DME); and the co-production, concentration, stability, and storage of the complementary oxidizer high-test hydrogen peroxide (HTP). We call attention to the ability of the storable propellant/oxidizer combination of DME and HTP to carry out deep-space missions and to perform retrieval and relocation of any and all space-derived resources, such as retrieving asteroidal metal to high Earth orbit. This study's analyses are based on returning resources to a storage/processing/dispensing facility in a Highly Eccentric Earth Orbit (HEEO) with a perigee above geosynchronous orbit and an apogee approach or beyond the Moon's orbit.The methane/LOX option, notable for good engine performance, has not been included in this study because our scope includes only fully storable propellants.

Lewis, John S.↗

Roots selectively decompose litter to mine nitrogen and build new soil carbon

Abstract Plant–microbe interactions in the rhizosphere shape carbon and nitrogen cycling in soil organic matter (SOM). However, there is conflicting evidence on whether these interactions lead to a net loss or increase of SOM. In part, this conflict is driven by uncertainty in how living roots and microbes alter SOM formation or loss in the field. To address these uncertainties, we traced the fate of isotopically labelled litter into SOM using root and fungal ingrowth cores incubated in a Miscanthus x giganteus field. Roots stimulated litter decomposition, but balanced this loss by transferring carbon into aggregate associated SOM. Further, roots selectively mobilized nitrogen from litter without additional carbon release. Overall, our findings suggest that roots mine litter nitrogen and protect soil carbon.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Multiple microbial guilds mediate soil methane cycling along a wetland salinity gradient

ABSTRACT Estuarine wetlands harbor considerable carbon stocks, but rising sea levels could affect their ability to sequester soil carbon as well as their potential to emit methane (CH 4 ). While sulfate loading from seawater intrusion may reduce CH 4 production due to the higher energy yield of microbial sulfate reduction, existing studies suggest other factors are likely at play. Our study of 11 wetland complexes spanning a natural salinity and productivity gradient across the San Francisco Bay and Delta found that while CH 4 fluxes generally declined with salinity, they were highest in oligohaline wetlands (ca. 3-ppt salinity). Methanogens and methanogenesis genes were weakly correlated with CH 4 fluxes but alone did not explain the highest rates observed. Taxonomic and functional gene data suggested that other microbial guilds that influence carbon and nitrogen cycling need to be accounted for to better predict CH 4 fluxes at landscape scales. Higher methane production occurring near the freshwater boundary with slight salinization (and sulfate incursion) might result from increased sulfate-reducing fermenter and syntrophic populations, which can produce substrates used by methanogens. Moreover, higher salinities can solubilize ionically bound ammonium abundant in the lower salinity wetland soils examined here, which could inhibit methanotrophs and potentially contribute to greater CH 4 fluxes observed in oligohaline sediments. IMPORTANCE Low-level salinity intrusion could increase CH4 flux in tidal freshwater wetlands, while higher levels of salinization might instead decrease CH4 fluxes. High CH4 emissions in oligohaline sites are concerning because seawater intrusion will cause tidal freshwater wetlands to become oligohaline. Methanogenesis genes alone did not account for landscape patterns of CH4 fluxes, suggesting mechanisms altering methanogenesis, methanotrophy, nitrogen cycling, and ammonium release, and increasing decomposition and syntrophic bacterial populations could contribute to increases in net CH4 flux at oligohaline salinities. Improved understanding of these influences on net CH4 emissions could improve restoration efforts and accounting of carbon sequestration in estuarine wetlands. More pristine reference sites may have older and more abundant organic matter with higher carbon:nitrogen compared to wetlands impacted by agricultural activity and may present different interactions between salinity and CH4. This distinction might be critical for modeling efforts to scale up biogeochemical process interactions in estuarine wetlands.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Isotopic characterisation of prebiotic synthesis of organic material

Many primitive meteorites contain an insoluble organic material, much like terrestrial kerogen, whose mode of origin is currently unknown. When sujbected to stepwise decomposition, this material, unlike its terrestrial counterpart, reveals characteristic release patterns for the stable isotopes of carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen as a function of fractional release of each element. The purpose of this study is to try to match those release patterns using organic matter synthesised in the laboratory under controlled conditions. If successful, such a study would shed light on the origin of kerogen-like organic matter in the early solar system and, by extension, on prebiotic organic synthesis in general. The range of possible syntheses, starting materials and reaction conditions to be investigated is considerable. Samples analysed to date include: a heavy oil produced by Fischer-Tropsch-type catalysis of CO + H2; a solid residue generated by a plasma discharge in CO + H2 + N2; a solid deposited on the electrodes of a Miller-Urey synthesis operating on CH4 + H2O + N2; and a solid residue formed by polymerization of light hydrocarbons procured by a Miller-Urey discharge acting on CH4. Significant structure is observed in the release patterns for the carbon and hydrogen isotopes from the synthetic samples, though there is little evidence for isotopic fractionation during the analysis itself.

Kerridge, J. F.↗

Genetic variation in nitrogen‐use efficiency and its associated traits in dryland winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars released from the 1940s to the 2010s in Shaanxi Province, China

Abstract BACKGROUND Improving the nitrogen‐use efficiency (NUE) of wheat can help mitigate the problems of poor soil fertility under dryland conditions. We conducted field experiments using three nitrogen (N) fertilization levels (0, 120, and 180 kg ha −1 ) applied to eight dryland wheat cultivars to assess NUE and its associated traits. RESULTS The grain yield significantly increased with the improvement in variety, mainly as a result of a substantial increase in 1000‐grain weight and harvest index. Modern wheat varieties have stabilized at an optimal plant height and exhibited improved performance in terms of NUE, partial N productivity, N harvest index, and grain protein content compared to older varieties. The NUE of wheat gradually increased with variety replacement. The net photosynthesis rate of the flag leaves in the filling stage improved with the year of cultivar release; Increasing soil–plant analysis development (SPAD) values of flag leaves in the flowering and filling stages were observed over time, with the flag leaves of modern varieties showing a high chlorophyll content in the filling stage. Additionally, the principal component analysis showed that the SPAD value, grain number per unit area, transpiration rate, leaf area, and grain protein content positively contributed to the clustering of the N180 and modern cultivars (from the 2000s to 2010s). CONCLUSION Overall, high levels of N application did not significantly improve the NUE of wheat. However, modern wheat varieties can optimize N distribution, increase flag leaf photosynthetic capacity, and improve photosynthesis ability, thus enhancing NUE to achieve high yields under a suitable level of N supply. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Lian, Huida↗

Cyanobacterial Biofertilizer Production by Guanidine-Producing Enzymes

Cyanobacterial production of a biofertilizer shows promise as an environmentally benign alternative to conventional nitrogen fertilizers, reducing environmental and energy burdens through light-driven nitrogen and carbon fixation. One route to realizing the potential for a nitrogen-rich, slow-releasing biofertilizer involves the genetic engineering of cyanobacteria to produce guanidine. Recent advances have demonstrated enzymatic guanidine production in cyanobacteria, but an understanding of cyanobacterial guanidine metabolism is still limited. This Perspective highlights strategies and opportunities for cyanobacterial guanidine production in a Design−Build−Test−Learn cycle. Exploring new guanidine-producing enzymes via phylogenetics could expand candidate enzymes, while understanding the metabolism of substrates can identify constraints and opportunities in substrate utilization. Additionally, guanidine sensing and export are crucial areas of study to enable continuous fertilizer production and stable nitrogen flux. These strategies will guide the development of advanced nitrogen biofertilizer strategies for the agricultural sector.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Rapid, efficient reduction of iron oxide with ammonia

Reducing iron oxide to iron metal with fossil fuels produces circa 4% of annual anthropogenic CO 2 , ca. 2 Gt/a, as direct chemical emissions from the process. Using ammonia instead of coke—releasing only water and nitrogen as byproducts—could be a widely deployable method of decarbonizing industrial ironmaking, because ammonia carries hydrogen and can be transported easily worldwide. However, initial reports suggest that the reaction of ammonia with iron oxide is slow and inefficient, completed only in hours and using only a few percent of the ammonia supplied. Drawing on thermodynamic and kinetic analysis of the reaction, we explored high-temperature, high-flow reaction conditions designed to increase the reaction rate and the ammonia utilization. We report the reduction of iron oxide in 1 min while using 64% of the ammonia supplied. We show that these insights translate to the gram scale and the reduction of pelletized ore, a common form used industrially.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

A hybrid data–model approach to map soil thickness in mountain hillslopes

Abstract. Soil thickness plays a central role in the interactions between vegetation, soils, and topography, where it controls the retention and release of water, carbon, nitrogen, and metals. However, mapping soil thickness, here defined as the mobile regolith layer, at high spatial resolution remains challenging. Here, we develop a hybrid model that combines a process-based model and empirical relationships to estimate the spatial heterogeneity of soil thickness with fine spatial resolution (0.5 m). We apply this model to two aspects of hillslopes (southwest- and northeast-facing, respectively) in the East River watershed in Colorado. Two independent measurement methods – auger and cone penetrometer – are used to sample soil thickness at 78 locations to calibrate the local value of unconstrained parameters within the hybrid model. Sensitivity analysis using the hybrid model reveals that the diffusion coefficient used in hillslope diffusion modeling has the largest sensitivity among all input parameters. In addition, our results from both sampling and modeling show that, in general, the northeast-facing hillslope has a deeper soil layer than the southwest-facing hillslope. By comparing the soil thickness estimated between a machine-learning approach and this hybrid model, the hybrid model provides higher accuracy and requires less sampling data. Modeling results further reveal that the southwest-facing hillslope has a slightly faster surface soil erosion rate and soil production rate than the northeast-facing hillslope, which suggests that the relatively less dense vegetation cover and drier surface soils on the southwest-facing slopes influence soil properties. With seven parameters in total for calibration, this hybrid model can provide a realistic soil thickness map with a relatively small amount of sampling dataset comparing to machine-learning approach. Integrating process-based modeling and statistical analysis not only provides a thorough understanding of the fundamental mechanisms for soil thickness prediction but also integrates the strengths of both statistical approaches and process-based modeling approaches.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Modeling the Dynamics and Export of Dissolved Organic Matter in the Northeastern U.S. Continental Shelf

Continental shelves are believed to play a major role in carbon cycling due to their high productivity. Particulate organic carbon (POC) burial has been included in models as a carbon sink, but we show here that seasonally produced dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on the shelf can be exported to the open ocean by horizontal transport at similar rates (1-2 mol C/sq m/yr) in the southern U.S. Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB). The dissolved organic matter (DOM) model imbedded in a coupled circulation-biogeochemical model reveals a double dynamics: the progressive release of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in the upper layer during summer increases the regenerated primary production by 30 to 300%, which, in turns ; enhances the DOC production mainly from phytoplankton exudation in the upper layer and solubilization of particulate organic matter (POM) deeper in the water column. This analysis suggests that DOM is a key element for better representing the ecosystem functioning and organic fluxes in models because DOM (1) is a major organic pool directly related to primary production, (2) decouples partially the carbon and nitrogen cycles (through carbon excess uptake, POM solubilization and DOM mineralization) and (3) is intimately linked to the residence time of water masses for its distribution and export.

Druon, J.N.↗

The OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft and the Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM)

The Origins, Spectral-Interpretation, Resource-Identification, Security and Regolith- Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft supports all aspects of the mission science objectives, from extensive remote sensing at the asteroid Bennu, to sample collection and return to Earth. In general, the success of planetary missions requires the collection, return, and analysis of data, which in turn depends on the successful operation of instruments and the host spacecraft. In the case of OSIRIS-REx, a sample-return mission, the spacecraft must also support the acquisition, safe stowage, and return of the sample. The target asteroid is Bennu, a B-class near-Earth asteroid roughly 500 m diameter. The Lockheed Martin-designed and developed OSIRIS-REx spacecraft draws significant heritage from previous missions and features the Touch-and-Go-Sample-Acquisition-Mechanism, or TAGSAM, to collect sample from the surface of Bennu. Lockheed Martin developed TAGSAM as a novel, simple way to collect samples on planetary bodies. During short contact with the asteroid surface, TAGSAM releases curation-grade nitrogen gas, mobilizing the surface regolith into a collection chamber. The contact surface of TAGSAM includes "contact pads", which are present to collect surface grains that have been subject to space weathering. Extensive 1-g laboratory testing, "reduced-gravity" testing (via parabolic flights on an airplane), and analysis demonstrate that TAGSAM will collect asteroid material in nominal conditions, and a variety of off-nominal conditions, such as the presence of large obstacles under the TAGSAM sampling head, or failure in the sampling gas firing. TAGSAM, and the spacecraft support of the instruments, are central to the success of the mission.

Spacecraft↗

Challenges and opportunities for enhancing food security and greenhouse gas mitigation in smallholder farming in sub-Saharan Africa. A review

Smallholder farmers struggle to achieve food security in many countries of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It is urgently required to find appropriate practices for enhancing crop production while avoiding large increases in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in SSA. This review aims to identify common smallholder farming practices for enhancing crop production, to assess how these affect GHG emissions and to identify strategies that not only enhance crop production but also mitigate GHG emissions in SSA. To increase crop production and ensure food security, smallholder farmers usually expand agricultural land, develop water harvesting and irrigation techniques and increase cropping intensity and fertilizer use. These practices may result in changing carbon stocks and GHG emissions, potentially creating trade-offs between food security and GHG mitigation. Agricultural land expansion at the expense of forests is the most dominant source of GHG emissions in SSA. While water harvesting and irrigation can increase soil organic carbon, they can trigger GHG emissions. Increasing cropping intensity can enhance the decomposition of soil organic matter, thus releasing carbon dioxide. Increasing nitrogen fertilizer use can enhance soil organic carbon, but also leads to increasing nitrous oxide emissions. An integrated land, water and nutrient management strategy is necessary to enhance crop production and mitigate GHG emissions. Among the most relevant strategies found, agroforestry practices in degraded and marginal lands could replace expanding agricultural croplands. In addition, water management, via adequate rainwater harvesting and irrigation techniques, together with appropriate nutrient management should be considered. Therefore, a land-water-nutrient nexus (LWNN) approach will enable an integrated and sustainable solution to increasing crop production and mitigating GHG emissions. Various technical, economic and policy barriers hinder implementing the LWNN approach on the ground, but these may be overcome through developing appropriate technologies, disseminating them through farmer to farmer approaches and developing specific policies to address smallholder land tenure issues and motivate long-term investment.

Sub-Sahara Africa↗

Upping the TEMPO on Air Pollution Observations from Space for Enhanced Science Applications

The Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) mission was launched into Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) to 91°W longitude on April 7, 2023, and had a successful First Light period from July 31 – August 2 where the first hourly daytime scans across the TEMPO Field of Regard (FoR) covering greater North America were performed. First light images of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were released to the public on August 24. In addition to NO2, TEMPO will provide hourly daytime observations of formaldehyde (HCHO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), bromine (BrO), water vapor (H2O), and aerosols, at high spatial resolution (~2.0 x 4.75 km2) across the FoR. The hyperspectral ultraviolet-to-visible measurements from the TEMPO imaging grating spectrometer will permit an ozone profile retrieval capable of monitoring the diurnal evolution of ozone in the planetary boundary layer. The non-standard or special scan operations of TEMPO at sub-hourly frequency (e.g., 2-10 minutes) over selected slices of the FoR will further enhance monitoring capabilities during air quality disasters (e.g., wildfires, volcanic eruptions, dust storms, industrial accidents), research studies, and field campaign operations. A large diversity of stakeholders and end-users have been engaged in the TEMPO Early Adopters Program, supported by the NASA Applied Sciences Program, which aims to enhance health and air quality applications and maximize the societal benefit of TEMPO data when operational data becomes publicly available in the spring of 2024. Key outcomes from the Early Adopters Program include the pre-launch use of TEMPO proxy data to prepare the community for operational data, tailoring the data dissemination and visualization tools for the mission based on user needs, and enhancing the TEMPO special operations component of the mission through early adopter studies. This presentation will provide the latest TEMPO mission and Early Adopters Program updates, initiatives from the TEMPO special operations, and early demonstrations of science applications enabled through TEMPO data, while also showcasing the First Light imagery.

Air Quality↗

Expanding Fungal Diets Through Synthetic Algal-Fungal Mutualism

Fungi can synthesize numerous molecules with important properties, and could be valuable production platforms for space exploration and colonization. However, as heterotrophs, fungi require reduced carbon. This limits their efficiency in locations such as Mars, where reduced carbon is scarce. We propose a system to induce mutualistic symbiosis between the green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and the filamentous fungi Neurospora crassa. This arrangement would mimic natural algal-fungal relationships found in lichens, but have added advantages including increased growth rate and genetic tractability. N. crassa would metabolize citrate (C6H5O7 (sup -3)) and release carbon dioxide (CO2) that C. reinhardtii would assimilate into organic sugars during photosynthesis. C. reinhardtii would metabolize nitrate (NO3−) and release ammonia (NH3) as a nitrogen source for N. crassa. A N. crassa mutant incapable of reducing nitrate will be used to force this interaction. This system eliminates the need to directly supply its participants with carbon dioxide and ammonia. Furthermore, the release of oxygen by C. reinhardtii via photosynthesis would enable N. crassa to respire. We hope to eventually create a system closer to lichen, in which the algae transfers not only nitrogen but reduced carbon, as organic sugars, to the fungus for growth and production of valuable compounds.

Fungi↗

International Space Station (ISS) Gas Logistics Planning in the Post Shuttle Era

Over its life the International Space Station (ISS) has received gas (nitrogen, oxygen, and air) from various sources. Nitrogen and oxygen are used in the cabin to maintain total pressure and oxygen partial pressures within the cabin. Plumbed nitrogen is also required to support on-board experiments and medical equipment. Additionally, plumbed oxygen is required to support medical equipment as well as emergency masks and most importantly EVA support. Gas are supplied to ISS with various methods and vehicles. Vehicles like the Progress and ATV deliver nitrogen (both as a pure gas and as air) and oxygen via direct releases into the cabin. An additional source of nitrogen and oxygen is via tanks on the ISS Airlock. The Airlock nitrogen and oxygen tanks can deliver to various users via pressurized systems that run throughout the ISS except for the Russian segment. Metabolic oxygen is mainly supplied via cabin release from the Elektron and Oxygen Generator Assembly (OGA), which are water electrolyzers. As a backup system, oxygen candles (Solid Fuel Oxygen Generators-SFOGs) supply oxygen to the cabin as well. In the past, a major source of nitrogen and oxygen has come from the Shuttle via both direct delivery to the cabin as well as to recharge the ISS Airlock tanks. To replace the Shuttle capability to recharge the ISS Airlock tanks, a new system was developed called Nitrogen/Oxygen Recharge System (NORS). NIORS consists of high pressure (7000 psi) tanks which recharge the ISS Airlock tanks via a blowdown fill for both nitrogen and oxygen. NORS tanks can be brought up on most logistics vehicles such as the HTV, COTS, and ATV. A proper balance must be maintained to insure sufficient gas resources are available on-orbit so that all users have the required gases via the proper delivery method (cabin and/or plumbed).

Leonard, Daniel J.↗