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NASA NTRS2019

Considerations for Femtosecond Laser Electronic Excitation Tagging in High-Speed Flows

Femtosecond laser electronic excitation tagging (FLEET) is an unseeded method for molecular tagging which offers valuable opportunities for measurement of high-speed (transonic, supersonic or hypersonic) flows. The unique nature of high-speed testing demands certain performance from FLEET such as satisfactory signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at depressed static conditions (i.e., low temperatures, pressures and densities), wide dynamic range for velocity determination (especially single-shot), and measurements with acceptable accuracy and precision. This dissertation strives to evaluate FLEET in those regards and provide strategies to maximize the method's capabilities. A zero-dimensional kinetics model in nitrogen explains FLEET signal changes with pressure/density and/or temperature in terms of plasma-chemical reactions. Poorly known rate coefficients are tuned by comparing model output to measurements, with temporal agreement up to several hundred nanoseconds. Modeling reveals that initial signal peaks at reduced density because of slowed temporal evolution (and decay) of excited populations. Low temperatures enhance signal by enlarging cluster ion populations which contribute to excited species via electron-ion dissociative recombination. A purpose-built free jet facility provides experimental validation of the kinetics model and assesses FLEET velocimetry in low temperature and pressure/density conditions. Signal, lifetime, accuracy and precision results are obtained from unheated subsonic through Mach 4.0 operation of the facility, with best results noted. FLEET measurements of a sweeping jet (SWJ) actuator in compressible operation showcase its advantages in a highly unsteady jet containing subsonic through supersonic velocities. FLEET velocimetry is performed in the device's internal and external flow fields, with the latter compared to hot-wire anemometry. Internal measurements reveal the absence of shockwaves theorized to occur at high pressure ratios. Simultaneous qualitative measurements of compressible jet mixing are shown as a proof-of-concept. Overall, the work demonstrates that previous understanding of SWJ incompressible operation readily extends into the compressible realm. Practical aspects of performing FLEET velocimetry are detailed, along with strategies for improving measurement quality. Determination of a fundamental precision in nitrogen and air is attempted. Experiments show that increasing time delay and/or SNR improves velocimetry precision. A comparison of five camera systems indicates sensors with larger pixels capture higher SNR data and produce more precise results.

FLEET↗
NASA NTRS2017

Tropospheric Ozonesonde Profiles at Long-Term U.S. Monitoring Sites: 2. Links Between Trinidad Head, CA, Profile Clusters and Inland Surface Ozone Measurements

Much attention has been focused on the transport of ozone (O3) to the western U.S., particularly given the latest revision of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard to 70 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) of O3. This makes quantifying the contributions of stratosphere-to-troposphere exchange, local pollution, and pollution transport to this region essential. To evaluate free-tropospheric and surface O3 in the western U.S., we use self-organizing maps to cluster 18 years of ozonesonde profiles from Trinidad Head, CA. Three of nine O3 mixing ratio profile clusters exhibit thin laminae of high O3 above Trinidad Head. The high O3 layers are located between 1 and 6 km above mean sea level and reside above an inversion associated with a northern location of the Pacific subtropical high. Ancillary data (reanalyses, trajectories, and remotely sensed carbon monoxide) help identify the high O3 sources in one cluster, but distinguishing mixed influences on the elevated O3 in other clusters is difficult. Correlations between the elevated tropospheric O3 and surface O3 at high-altitude monitors at Lassen Volcanic and Yosemite National Parks, and Truckee, CA, are marked and long lasting. The temporal correlations likely result from a combination of transport of baseline O3 and covarying meteorological parameters. Days corresponding to the high O3 clusters exhibit hourly surface O3 anomalies of +5-10 ppbv compared to a climatology; the positive anomalies can last up to 3 days after the ozonesonde profile. The profile and surface O3 links demonstrate the importance of regular ozonesonde profiling at Trinidad Head.

STE↗
NASA NTRS2019

An Evolutionary System of Mineralogy: Proposal for A Classification of Planetary Materials Based on Natural Kind Clustering

Minerals reveal the nature of the co-evolving geosphere and biosphere through billions of years of Earth history. Mineral classification systems have the potential to elucidate this rich evolutionary story; however, the present mineral taxonomy, based as it is on idealized major element chemistry and crystal structure, lacks a temporal aspect, and thus cannot reflect planetary evolution. A complementary evolutionary system of mineralogy based on the quantitative recognition of “natural kind clustering” for a wide range of condensed planetary materials with different paragenetic origins has the potential to amplify, though not supersede, the present classification system.

Philosophy of mineralogy↗
NASA NTRS2007

Fragmentation hierarchy of bright sungrazing comets and the birth and orbital evolution of the Kreutz System. II. the case for cascading fragmentation

We examine the process of cascading fragmentation for the Kreutz sungrazer system to continue our exploration of its birth, orbital evolution, and temporal clumping. We modify and broaden the two-superfragment model from Paper I to include clusters of ~30 bright comets spanning four centuries and 1000 SOHO sungrazers from 1996 to 2006. The spectacular parent sungrazer X/1106 C1 is assumed to have tidally split shortly after perihelion into a train of major protofragments immersed in a cloud of particulate debris, which at larger heliocentric distances were breaking up nontidally over and over again. We describe potential evolutionary paths for the Kreutz system by linking X/1106 C1 in subgroup I-type orbit with the comet of February 423 in one scenario or with the comet of February 467 in another. The latter scenario accounts for sungrazer clusters in as early as the 16th century, suggests that the progenitor object may have been observed as the comet of 214 BCE, is quite consistent with the orbital distribution of the SOHO sungrazers that sample the central filament of the Kreutz system between the clusters of major sungrazers, and predicts future clusters until ~2120. Comet X/1106 C1 and the common parent of C/1882 R1 and C/1965 S1 were two first-generation fragments of the progenitor that split nontidally on the way to its 5th century perihelion, reminiscent of the superfragments in Paper I. We provide computational tools needed for solving the problem of the Kreutz system’s orbital evolution, but no unique scenarios are presented for the individual comets. Another cluster of bright sungrazers is expected to arrive in the coming decades, its earliest member possibly just several years from now.

Chodas, Paul W.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Impact basins in Southern Daedalia, Mars: Evidence for clustered impactors?

The distribution of ancient massifs and old cratered terrain in the southern Daedalia region indicate the presence of at least two and probably three impact basins of large size. One of these is located near where Craddock et al. placed their center for the Daedalia Basin, but it has very different ring diameters. These basins have rings exceeding 1000 km diameter and overlap significantly with centers separated by 500 to 600 km at nearly identical latitudes of -26 to -29 deg. The smaller westernmost basin appears slightly better preserved, but there is little evidence for obvious superposition that might imply a temporal sequence. Recognizing the improbability of random impacts producing aligned, nearly contemporaneous features, we suggest these basins may have resulted from clustered impactors.

Frey, Herbert↗
NASA NTRS2004

Functional Groups Based on Leaf Physiology: Are they Spatially and Temporally Robust?

The functional grouping hypothesis, which suggests that complexity in ecosystem function can be simplified by grouping species with similar responses, was tested in the Florida scrub habitat. Functional groups were identified based on how species in fire maintained Florida scrub regulate exchange of carbon and water with the atmosphere as indicated by both instantaneous gas exchange measurements and integrated measures of function (%N, delta C-13, delta N-15, C-N ratio). Using cluster analysis, five distinct physiologically-based functional groups were identified in the fire maintained scrub. These functional groups were tested to determine if they were robust spatially, temporally, and with management regime. Analysis of Similarities (ANOSIM), a non-parametric multivariate analysis, indicated that these five physiologically-based groupings were not altered by plot differences (R = -0.115, p = 0.893) or by the three different management regimes; prescribed burn, mechanically treated and burn, and fire-suppressed (R = 0.018, p = 0.349). The physiological groupings also remained robust between the two climatically different years 1999 and 2000 (R = -0.027, p = 0.725). Easy-to-measure morphological characteristics indicating functional groups would be more practical for scaling and modeling ecosystem processes than detailed gas-exchange measurements, therefore we tested a variety of morphological characteristics as functional indicators. A combination of non-parametric multivariate techniques (Hierarchical cluster analysis, non-metric Multi-Dimensional Scaling, and ANOSIM) were used to compare the ability of life form, leaf thickness, and specific leaf area classifications to identify the physiologically-based functional groups. Life form classifications (ANOSIM; R = 0.629, p 0.001) were able to depict the physiological groupings more adequately than either specific leaf area (ANOSIM; R = 0.426, p = 0.001) or leaf thickness (ANOSIM; R 0.344, p 0.001). The ability of life forms to depict the physiological groupings was improved by separating the parasitic Ximenia americana from the shrub category (ANOSIM; R = 0.794, p = 0.001). Therefore, a life form classification including parasites was determined to be a good indicator of the physiological processes of scrub species, and would be a useful method of grouping for scaling physiological processes to the ecosystem level.

Foster, Tammy E.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Two-dimensional spatiotemporal coding of linear acceleration in vestibular nuclei neurons

Response properties of vertical (VC) and horizontal (HC) canal/otolith-convergent vestibular nuclei neurons were studied in decerebrate rats during stimulation with sinusoidal linear accelerations (0.2-1.4 Hz) along different directions in the head horizontal plane. A novel characteristic of the majority of tested neurons was the nonzero response often elicited during stimulation along the "null" direction (i.e., the direction perpendicular to the maximum sensitivity vector, Smax). The tuning ratio (Smin gain/Smax gain), a measure of the two-dimensional spatial sensitivity, depended on stimulus frequency. For most vestibular nuclei neurons, the tuning ratio was small at the lowest stimulus frequencies and progressively increased with frequency. Specifically, HC neurons were characterized by a flat Smax gain and an approximately 10-fold increase of Smin gain per frequency decade. Thus, these neurons encode linear acceleration when stimulated along their maximum sensitivity direction, and the rate of change of linear acceleration (jerk) when stimulated along their minimum sensitivity direction. While the Smax vectors were distributed throughout the horizontal plane, the Smin vectors were concentrated mainly ipsilaterally with respect to head acceleration and clustered around the naso-occipital head axis. The properties of VC neurons were distinctly different from those of HC cells. The majority of VC cells showed decreasing Smax gains and small, relatively flat, Smin gains as a function of frequency. The Smax vectors were distributed ipsilaterally relative to the induced (apparent) head tilt. In type I anterior or posterior VC neurons, Smax vectors were clustered around the projection of the respective ipsilateral canal plane onto the horizontal head plane. These distinct spatial and temporal properties of HC and VC neurons during linear acceleration are compatible with the spatiotemporal organization of the horizontal and the vertical/torsional ocular responses, respectively, elicited in the rat during linear translation in the horizontal head plane. In addition, the data suggest a spatially and temporally specific and selective otolith/canal convergence. We propose that the central otolith system is organized in canal coordinates such that there is a close alignment between the plane of angular acceleration (canal) sensitivity and the plane of linear acceleration (otolith) sensitivity in otolith/canal-convergent vestibular nuclei neurons.

NASA Discipline Neuroscience↗
NASA NTRS2014

Spatiotemporal Organization of Energy Release Events in the Quiet Solar Corona

Using data from the STEREO and SOHO spacecraft, we show that temporal organization of energy release events in the quiet solar corona is close to random, in contrast to the clustered behavior of flaring times in solar active regions. The locations of the quiet-Sun events follow the meso- and supergranulation pattern of the underling photosphere. Together with earlier reports of the scale-free event size statistics, our findings suggest that quiet solar regions responsible for bulk coronal heating operate in a driven self-organized critical state, possibly involving long-range Alfvenic interactions.

sun activity↗
NASA NTRS2011

Spatial and Temporal Signatures of Flux Transfer Events in Global Simulations of Magnetopause Dynamics

Flux transfer events (FTEs) were originally identified by transient bipolar variations of the magnetic field component normal to the nominal magnetopause centered on enhancements in the total magnetic field strength. Recent Cluster and THEMIS multi-point measurements provided a wide range of signatures that are interpreted as evidence for FTE passage (e.g., crater FTE's, traveling magnetic erosion regions). We use the global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) code BATS-R-US developed at the University of Michigan to model the global three-dimensional structure and temporal evolution of FTEs during multi-spacecraft magnetopause crossing events. Comparison of observed and simulated signatures and sensitivity analysis of the results to the probe location will be presented. We will demonstrate a variety of observable signatures in magnetic field profile that depend on space probe location with respect to the FTE passage. The global structure of FTEs will be illustrated using advanced visualization tools developed at the Community Coordinated Modeling Center

Kuznetsova, Maria M.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Time Dependence of Collision Probabilities During Satellite Conjunctions

The NASA Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis (CARA) team has recently implemented updated software to calculate the probability of collision (P (sub c)) for Earth-orbiting satellites. The algorithm can employ complex dynamical models for orbital motion, and account for the effects of non-linear trajectories as well as both position and velocity uncertainties. This “3D P (sub c)” method entails computing a 3-dimensional numerical integral for each estimated probability. Our analysis indicates that the 3D method provides several new insights over the traditional “2D P (sub c)” method, even when approximating the orbital motion using the relatively simple Keplerian two-body dynamical model. First, the formulation provides the means to estimate variations in the time derivative of the collision probability, or the probability rate, R (sub c). For close-proximity satellites, such as those orbiting in formations or clusters, R (sub c) variations can show multiple peaks that repeat or blend with one another, providing insight into the ongoing temporal distribution of risk. For single, isolated conjunctions, R (sub c) analysis provides the means to identify and bound the times of peak collision risk. Additionally, analysis of multiple actual archived conjunctions demonstrates that the commonly used “2D P (sub c)” approximation can occasionally provide inaccurate estimates. These include cases in which the 2D method yields negligibly small probabilities (e.g., P (sub c)) is greater than 10 (sup -10)), but the 3D estimates are sufficiently large to prompt increased monitoring or collision mitigation (e.g., P (sub c) is greater than or equal to 10 (sup -5)). Finally, the archive analysis indicates that a relatively efficient calculation can be used to identify which conjunctions will have negligibly small probabilities. This small-P (sub c) screening test can significantly speed the overall risk analysis computation for large numbers of conjunctions.

Hall, Doyle T.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Spatial and temporal relations between coronae and extensional belts, northern Lada Terra, Venus

Preliminary studies of the distribution of coronae and volcanic rises on Venus show that many of these features tend to cluster along zones of rifting and extension. The plains north of Lada Terra are crossed by two such extensional belts. Each belt is composed of grabens, ridges, faults, volcanic flows, coronae and coronalike features. The longer and more prominent belt is the NW trending Alpha-Lada extensional belt, which is over 6000 km long and 50-200 km wide, and includes the coronae Eve, Tamfana, Carpo, Selu, Derceto, Otygen, and an unnamed corona south of Otygen. The second belt is the NNE trending Derceto-Quetzalpetlatl extensional belt, which is about 2000 km long and in places over 300 km wide, and includes the coronae Sarpanitum, Eithinoha, and Quetzalpetlatl. The two belts intersect at the 1600 x 600 km wide Derceto volcanic plateau. It is apparent that deformation along the two belts overlapped in time, though deformation along the Alpha-Lada extensional belt probably continued after the deformation along the Derceto-Quetzalpetlatl extensional belt terminated. In certain areas, volcanism originated in grabens within the extensional belts, whereas in other areas, such as in Eve, Selu, Derceto, and Quetzalpetlatl, volcanism originated in the coronae and flowed into the lower parts of the extensional belts. Regional extension has affected the evolution of all the coronae at some stage of their development. Regional deformation occurred before the initiation of Derceto and Eithinoha of their development. Regional deformation occurred before the initiation of Derceto and Eithinoha and after the initiation of Carpo, Tamfana, Otygen, and Sarpanitum. It is thus unlikely that coronae formation along the belts is solely a consequence of the regional extension, and it is also unlikely that regional extension has been caused solely by the coronae. No corona along the belts was formed subsequent to the cessation of the regional extension. We therefore suggest that the regional extension and the coronae are interrelated. Some of the coronae may have determined the location of the surface expression of the regional extension, whereas the locations of other coronae may have been influenced by the concentration of regional extensional stresses.

Baer, Gidon↗
NASA NTRS2022

Quasi-Periodic Whistler Mode Emission in the Plasmasphere as Observed By the DSX Spacecraft

We describe the quasi-periodic (QP) whistler-mode emissions found in the plasmasphere as detected by electric and magnetic instrumentation onboard the Demonstration and Science Experiments (DSX) spacecraft in medium Earth orbit. Over the course of the nearly 2-year mission, at least 45 episodes of whistler mode QP emissions were detected by the Broad Band Receiver (BBR) onboard DSX. Episodes of QP emissions were identified by discrete events having a clear unambiguous periodic nature as detected by both the electric antennae and search coil magnetic sensor in the BBR survey data at 30 second temporal resolution. Most of the QP episodes occurred in a frequency range between 1- 4 kHz, in a band previously identified by Van Allen Probes and Cluster investigators. However, episodes were also detected by DSX at higher frequencies - events in these episodes extending all the way to 15 kHz. We present our findings on these unusual high frequency events in the presentation herein. Specifically, these high frequency QP episodes tended to be observed near dawn/dusk when the spacecraft was at relatively high magnetic latitudes and on magnetic L-shells between 3-5. Another unusual feature of these episodes is that individual up-drifting events making up the episode were found to sometimes occur concurrently in time: The high frequency portion of one up-drifting ‘polliwog-shaped’ event overlapped in time with the low frequency portion of the subsequent event. This behavior of the QP emissions has not been previously emphasized and we consider how this temporal concurrence relates to the source processes.

Quasi-periodic↗
NASA NTRS1976

Uhuru observations of the Norma X-ray burster

Four X-ray bursts consistent with a single source in Norma are reported which were discovered by reexamining Uhuru data obtained between 1970 and 1973. The temporal and spectral characteristics of the bursts are described and shown to be similar to those displayed by bursts from the globular cluster NGC 6224. An error box of the source location is given, and it is found that both the position and intensity of the four bursts are consistent with those of 10 bursts detected by the Vela satellites in 1976. It is concluded that the source is the same as that observed by the Vela and is an X-ray burster with characteristics similar to those of certain other bursters. XB 1608-52 is suggested as the designation of this burster, possible burst models are considered, and it is noted that the error box of the present source contains an identified globular cluster.

Grindlay, J.↗
NASA NTRS1979

HEAO A-2 extragalactic results

Results from the HEAO A-2 experiment concerning the extragalactic X-ray sky are discussed. All-sky maps of hard X-ray sources detected are presented reflecting the temporal variability of the sources that make up the extragalactic X-ray sky. Most of the identified extragalactic objects are not clusters of galaxies but isolated galaxies. Spectra for sources representing classes of active galz galaxies, BL Lacertae objects, and N galaxies are discussed in order of luminosity.

Boldt, E. A.↗
NASA NTRS2011

NASA Tech Briefs, January 2011

The topics include: 1) Distributed Aerodynamic Sensing and Processing Toolbox; 2) Collaborative Supervised Learning for Sensor Networks; 3) Hazard Detection Software for Lunar Landing; 4) Onboard Nonlinear Engine Sensor and Component Fault Diagnosis and Isolation Scheme; 5) Network-Capable Application Process and Wireless Intelligent Sensors for ISHM; 6) Interface Supports Multiple Broadcast Transceivers for Flight Applications; 7) FPGA Sequencer for Radar Altimeter Applications; 8) Miniature Sapphire Acoustic Resonator - MSAR; 9) Process-Hardened, Multi-Analyte Sensor for Characterizing Rocket Plume Constituents; 10) SAD5 Stereo Correlation Line-Striping in an FPGA; 11) Hybrid Composite Cryogenic Tank Structure; 12) Nanoscale Deformable Optics; 13) Reliability-Based Design Optimization of a Composite Airframe Component; 14) Zinc Oxide Nanowire Interphase for Enhanced Lightweight Polymer Fiber Composites; 15) Plasma Igniter for Reliable Ignition of Combustion in Rocket Engines; 16) Wire Test Grip Fixture; 17) A Sub-Hertz, Low-Frequency Vibration Isolation Platform; 18) Carbon Nanofibers Synthesized on Selective Substrates for Nonvolatile Memory and 3D Electronics; 19) Nanoparticle/Polymer Nanocomposite Bond Coat or Coating; 20) High-Resolution Wind Measurements for Offshore Wind Energy Development; 21) Spring Tire; 22) Marsviewer 2008; 23) Mission Services Evolution Center Message Bus; 24) Major Constituents Analysis for the Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Monitor; 25) Astronaut Health Participant Summary Application; 26) Adaption of the AMDIS Method to Flight Status on the VCAM Instrument; 27) Natural Language Interface for Safety Certification of Safety-Critical Software; 28) Cryogenic Caging for Science Instrumentation; 29) Wide-Range Neutron Detector for Space Nuclear Applications; 30) In Situ Guided Wave Structural Health Monitoring System; 31) Multiplexed Energy Coupler for Rotating Equipment; 32) Attitude Estimation in Fractionated Spacecraft Cluster Systems; 33) Full Piezoelectric Multilayer-Stacked Hybrid Actuation/Transduction Systems; 34) Active Flow Effectors for Noise and Separation Control; 35) Method and System for Temporal Filtering in Video Compression Systems; 36) Apparatus for Measuring Total Emissivity of Small, Low-Emissivity Samples; 37) Multiple-Zone Diffractive Optic Element for Laser Ranging Applications; 38) Simplified Architecture for Precise Aiming of a Deep-Space Communication Laser Transceiver; 39) Two-Photon-Absorption Scheme for Optical Beam Tracking; 40) High-Sensitivity, Broad-Range Vacuum Gauge Using Nanotubes for Micromachined Cavities; 41) Wide-Field Optic for Autonomous Acquisition of Laser Link; 42) Extracting Zero-Gravity Surface Figure of a Mirror; 43) Modeling Electromagnetic Scattering From Complex Inhomogeneous Objects; 44) Visual Object Recognition and Tracking of Tools; 45) Method for Implementing Optical Phase Adjustment; 46) Visual SLAM Using Variance Grid Maps; 47) Rapid Calculation of Spacecraft Trajectories Using Efficient Taylor Series Integration; 48) Efficient Kriging Algorithms; 49) Predicting Spacecraft Trajectories by the WeavEncke Method; 50) An Augmentation of G-Guidance Algorithms; 51) Comparison of Aircraft Icing Growth Assessment Software; 52) Silicon-Germanium Voltage-Controlled Oscillator at 105 GHz; 53) Estimation of Coriolis Force and Torque Acting on Ares-1; 54) Null Lens Assembly for X-Ray Mirror Segments; and 55) High-Precision Pulse Generator.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2022

Dayside Transient Phenomena and Their Impact on the Magnetosphere and Ionosphere

Dayside transients, such as hot flow anomalies, foreshock bubbles, magnetosheath jets, flux transfer events, and surface waves, are frequently observed upstream from the bow shock, in the magnetosheath, and at the magnetopause. They play a significant role in the solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. Foreshock transient phenomena, associated with variations in the solar wind dynamic pressure, deform the magnetopause, and in turn generates field-aligned currents (FACs) connected to the auroral ionosphere. Solar wind dynamic pressure variations and transient phenomena at the dayside magnetopause drive magnetospheric ultra low frequency (ULF) waves, which can play an important role in the dynamics of Earth’s radiation belts. These transient phenomena and their geoeffects have been investigated using coordinated in-situ spacecraft observations, spacecraft-borne imagers, ground-based observations, and numerical simulations. Cluster, THEMIS, Geotail, and MMS multi-mission observations allow us to track the motion and time evolution of transient phenomena at different spatial and temporal scales in detail, whereas ground-based experiments can observe the ionospheric projections of transient magnetopause phenomena such as waves on the magnetopause driven by hot flow anomalies or flux transfer events produced by bursty reconnection across their full longitudinal and latitudinal extent. Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), hybrid, and particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations are powerful tools to simulate the dayside transient phenomena. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the present understanding of dayside transient phenomena at Earth and other planets, their geoeffects, and outstanding questions.

Bow shock↗
NASA NTRS2009

Cavities of Weak Magnetic Field Strength in the Wake of FTEs: Results from Global Magnetospheric MHD Simulations

We use the global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) code BATS-R-US to model multipoint observations of Flux Transfer Event (FTE) signatures. Simulations with high spatial and temporal resolution predict that cavities of weak magnetic field strength protruding into the magnetosphere trail FTEs. These predictions are consistent with recently reported multi-point Cluster observations of traveling magnetopause erosion regions (TMERs).

Kuznetsova, M. M.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Quantitative assessment of Hox complex expression in the indirect development of the polychaete annelid Chaetopterus sp

A prediction from the set-aside theory of bilaterian origins is that pattern formation processes such as those controlled by the Hox cluster genes are required specifically for adult body plan formation. This prediction can be tested in animals that use maximal indirect development, in which the embryonic formation of the larva and the postembryonic formation of the adult body plan are temporally and spatially distinct. To this end, we quantitatively measured the amount of transcripts for five Hox genes in embryos of a lophotrochozoan, the polychaete annelid Chaetopterus sp. The polychaete Hox complex is shown not to be expressed during embryogenesis, but transcripts of all measured Hox complex genes are detected at significant levels during the initial stages of adult body plan formation. Temporal colinearity in the sequence of their activation is observed, so that activation follows the 3'-5' arrangement of the genes. Moreover, Hox gene expression is spatially localized to the region of teloblastic set-aside cells of the later-stage embryos. This study shows that an indirectly developing lophotrochozoan shares with an indirectly developing deuterostome, the sea urchin, a common mode of Hox complex utilization: construction of the larva, whether a trochophore or dipleurula, does not involve Hox cluster expression, but in both forms the complex is expressed in the set-aside cells from which the adult body plan derives.

Non-NASA Center↗