Gravitational and other perturbations of a satellite orbit.
Gravitational and radiation pressure effect on close satellite orbits analyzed for geophysical purposes
RADIATION PRESSURE↗
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Attempts to Localize and Identify the Gravity-sensing Device of Plant Seedlings
The growth hormone asymmetry develops within three minutes following the initiation of the gravitational asymmetry and radio-labeled compounds being transported from the seed to the shoot also show asymmetric distribution. It is found that the target of the gravity stimulus resides primarily in the permability of the vascular tissue that regulates the supply of hormone to the surrounding tissues. It is hypothesized that the gravitational stimulus induces an asymmetric change in the rate of secretion of the growth hormone, IAA, from the vascular tissue into the surrounding cortical cells. More hormone would be secreted from the vascular stele proximal to the lower side of a horizontally placed plant shoot than from the upper side. This results in more growth hormone in the lower cortical (plus epidermal) cells, and ultimately more growth, such that the plant grows asymmetrically and, ultimately attain its normal vertical orientation. A theory was developed of how plants respond to the gravitational stimulus. The theory is based upon the analytical results concerning the effects of gravity on the distribution of the plant growth hormone, IAA, in both its free and conjugated forms, and upon the effect of the growth stimulis on the distribution of externally applied radio-labeled compounds. Its advantage is that it is testable and that it is built upon solid knowledge of the effects of the gravitational stimulus upon the endogenous growth hormone, IAA, and upon the distribution of externally applied radio-labeled compounds.
Bandurski, R. S.↗
Gravity and light control of the developmental polarity of regenerating protoplasts isolated from prothallial cells of the fern Ceratopteris richardii
A procedure has been developed for isolating protoplasts from prothalli of Ceratopteris richardii which can be cultured and are capable of regeneration. Protoplasts were isolated from 2-week-old gametophytes in a medium containing wall-digesting enzymes in 0.5 M sucrose, followed by purification of the released protoplasts by floating them up into a 0.5 M sorbitol layer. Regeneration occurred over a period of 10-24 days, and, under optimal osmotic conditions, followed the developmental pattern seen during spore germination, in that the first division gave rise to a primary rhizoid. Thus, prothallial protoplasts are comparable to germinating spores as suitable models for studies of developmental polarity in single cells. As in germinating spores, the polarity of development in regenerating protoplasts is influenced by the vectors of gravity and unilateral light. However, the relative influence of light in fixing this polarity is greater in regenerating protoplasts, while in germinating spores, the influence of gravity is greater.
NASA Discipline Plant Biology↗
Interaction of light and gravitropism with nutation of hypocotyls of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings
Etiolated seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana nutated under conditions of physiological darkness while about ten percent of monitored individuals exhibited regular elliptical nutation, circumnutation. Pre-irradiation with red light prevented occurrence of circumnutation without having an effect on the average rate of the nutational movement. Phototropic response of seedlings to unilateral blue light appeared to be superimposed over nutation. Throughout gravitropism, some seedlings continued to exhibit nutation suggesting that these two processes are independently controlled. Based on these results, we suggest that nutation in Arabidopsis probably is not controlled by the mechanism predicted by the theory of gravitropic overshoots.
NASA Discipline Plant Biology↗
Beat-to-Beat Blood Pressure Monitor
This device provides non-invasive beat-to-beat blood pressure measurements and can be worn over the upper arm for prolonged durations. Phase and waveform analyses are performed on filtered proximal and distal photoplethysmographic (PPG) waveforms obtained from the brachial artery. The phase analysis is used primarily for the computation of the mean arterial pressure, while the waveform analysis is used primarily to obtain the pulse pressure. Real-time compliance estimate is used to refine both the mean arterial and pulse pressures to provide the beat-to-beat blood pressure measurement. This wearable physiological monitor can be used to continuously observe the beat-to-beat blood pressure (B3P). It can be used to monitor the effect of prolonged exposures to reduced gravitational environments and the effectiveness of various countermeasures. A number of researchers have used pulse wave velocity (PWV) of blood in the arteries to infer the beat-to-beat blood pressure. There has been documentation of relative success, but a device that is able to provide the required accuracy and repeatability has not yet been developed. It has been demonstrated that an accurate and repeatable blood pressure measurement can be obtained by measuring the phase change (e.g., phase velocity), amplitude change, and distortion of the PPG waveforms along the brachial artery. The approach is based on comparing the full PPG waveform between two points along the artery rather than measuring the time-of-flight. Minimizing the measurement separation and confining the measurement area to a single, well-defined artery allows the waveform to retain the general shape between the two measurement points. This allows signal processing of waveforms to determine the phase and amplitude changes. Photoplethysmography, which measures changes in arterial blood volume, is commonly used to obtain heart rate and blood oxygen saturation. The digitized PPG signals are used as inputs into the beat-to-beat blood pressure measurement algorithm.
Lee, Yong Jin↗
Beat-to-Beat Blood Pressure Monitor
This device provides non-invasive beat-to-beat blood pressure measurements and can be worn over the upper arm for prolonged durations. Phase and waveform analyses are performed on filtered proximal and distal photoplethysmographic (PPG) waveforms obtained from the brachial artery. The phase analysis is used primarily for the computation of the mean arterial pressure, while the waveform analysis is used primarily to obtain the pulse pressure. Real-time compliance estimate is used to refine both the mean arterial and pulse pressures to provide the beat-to-beat blood pressure measurement. This wearable physiological monitor can be used to continuously observe the beat-to-beat blood pressure (B3P). It can be used to monitor the effect of prolonged exposures to reduced gravitational environments and the effectiveness of various countermeasures. A number of researchers have used pulse wave velocity (PWV) of blood in the arteries to infer the beat-to-beat blood pressure. There has been documentation of relative success, but a device that is able to provide the required accuracy and repeatability has not yet been developed. It has been demonstrated that an accurate and repeatable blood pressure measurement can be obtained by measuring the phase change (e.g., phase velocity), amplitude change, and distortion of the PPG waveforms along the brachial artery. The approach is based on comparing the full PPG waveform between two points along the artery rather than measuring the time-of-flight. Minimizing the measurement separation and confining the measurement area to a single, well-defined artery allows the waveform to retain the general shape between the two measurement points. This allows signal processing of waveforms to determine the phase and amplitude changes.
Lee, Yong Jin↗
A simplified model for the gravitational potential of the atmosphere and its effect on the geoid
The earth's atmosphere is considered as made up of oblate spheroidal layers of variable density lying over an oblate spheroidal earth. The gravitational attraction of the atmosphere at exterior points is computed and its contribution to the usual spherical harmonic gravitational expansion is assessed. The potential is also found for points at the bottom of the model atmosphere. This latter result is of interest for determination of the potential at the surface of the geoid. The atmospheric correction to the geoid determination from satellite coefficients is given.
Madden, S. J., Jr.↗
The effect of gravity modulation on thermosolutal convection
In a gravitational field, the opposing effects of components of different diffusivities, for example, temperature and solute, in the density profile in a fluid may produce convective instabilities that exhibit a broad range of dynamical behavior. The effect of time periodic vertical gravity modulation on the onset of these instabilities in an infinite horizontal layer with stress free boundaries is examined. This work is viewed as a first step in expanding previous results in solidification to the full problem of characterizing the effects of gravity modulation in thermosolutal convection during the directional solidification of binary alloys. Calculations carried out both with and without steady background acceleration are presented, the latter results being relevant to microgravity conditions.
Saunders, Bonita V.↗
Gravitational biology and the mammalian circadian timing system
Using published reports, this paper compares and contrasts results on the effects of altered gravitational fields on the regulation in mammals of several physiological and behavioral variables with the circadian regulation of the same variables. The variables considered include the temperature regulation, heart rate, activity, food intake, and calcium balance. It is shown that, in rats, the homeostatic regulation of the body temperature, heart rate, and activity becomes depressed following exposure to a 2 G hyperdynamic field, and recovers within 6 days of 1 G condition. In addition, the circadian rhythms of these variables exhibit a depression of the rhythm amplitude; a recovery of this condition requires a minimum of 7 days.
Fuller, Charles A.↗
Determination of the gravitational field of the moon by the motion of the AMS Luna-10
LUNIK X orbit studied to determine lunar gravitational field, taking into account effect of other planets
PLANETARY GRAVITATION↗
Magnetothermal instability in a rotating gravitating fluid
Magnetothermal instability and radiative effects on incipient fragmentation of rotating gravitating interstellar fluid forming condensations
Aggarwal, M.↗
Gravity as a Continuum: Effects of Altered Gravity on Drosophila Melanogaster Immunity
The impact of spaceflight on immune function is undoubtedly a critical focus in the area of space biology and human health research. Heat shock proteins (Hsp) are an evolutionarily conserved family of proteins that are expressed in response to cellular and physiological stressors, experienced during radiation exposure, confinement, circadian rhythm disruption, and altered gravity (hypergravity experienced at launch/landing and microgravity experienced in-flight). In particular, Hsp70 aids in the folding of proteins, facilitates the movement of proteins across the membranes during signal transductions and can stimulate innate immunity. Since Hsp70 is induced during cellular stress, and can act as a stimulator for innate immunity, we sought to address how a loss of Hsp70 affects immunity, under the stress-inducing model of acute and chronic hypergravity. Moreover, the effects of gravity as a continuum on the induction of Hsps and key immune genes were also assessed to determine if increased cellular stress, via increased gravity (g)-force, contributes to immune dysfunctions. For this, wildtype (W1118) and Hsp70 deficient (Hsp70null) Drosophila melanogaster were subjected to simulated hypergravity at increasing levels of g-force (1.2g, 3g, and 5g) for acute (1hr) and chronic (7-day) timepoints and were compared to 0g 'non-hypergravity' controls. Following simulation, whole bodies were sex-segregated, RNA was isolated and quantitative (q)PCR was performed to determine differential immune gene expression profiles. Further, functional output of hemocytes were assessed by a phagocytosis assay. Collectively, these studies evaluated the effects of Hsp70 in the context of immunity during acute and chronic hypergravity. Indeed, relevance for this work can directly translate to acute effects of launch/landing gravitational forces upon liftoff (~1.7g) and entry (~3.4g) that astronauts experience. In addition, the effects of chronic cellular stress is directly relevant to the immune health of astronauts on long duration missions, as well. Thus, as we approach the goal of returning to the Moon and landing the first humans on Mars, an evaluation of gravity as a continuum and the stress-inducing effects of altered gravity experienced during spaceflight on astronaut immunity and health are necessary.
Olivieri, Joe↗
The Universe at Moderate Redshift
The report covers the work done in the past year and a wide range of fields including properties of clusters of galaxies; topological properties of galaxy distributions in terms of galaxy types; patterns of gravitational nonlinear clustering process; development of a ray tracing algorithm to study the gravitational lensing phenomenon by galaxies, clusters and large-scale structure, one of whose applications being the effects of weak gravitational lensing by large-scale structure on the determination of q(0); the origin of magnetic fields on the galactic and cluster scales; the topological properties of Ly(alpha) clouds the Ly(alpha) optical depth distribution; clustering properties of Ly(alpha) clouds; and a determination (lower bound) of Omega(b) based on the observed Ly(alpha) forest flux distribution. In the coming year, we plan to continue the investigation of Ly(alpha) clouds using larger dynamic range (about a factor of two) and better simulations (with more input physics included) than what we have now. We will study the properties of galaxies on 1 - 100h(sup -1) Mpc scales using our state-of-the-art large scale galaxy formation simulations of various cosmological models, which will have a resolution about a factor of 5 (in each dimension) better than our current, best simulations. We will plan to study the properties of X-ray clusters using unprecedented, very high dynamic range (20,000) simulations which will enable us to resolve the cores of clusters while keeping the simulation volume sufficiently large to ensure a statistically fair sample of the objects of interest. The details of the last year's works are now described.
Cen, Renyue↗
The binary pulsar - Post-Newtonian timing effects
Certain post-Newtonian effects may be observable in the arrival times of pulses from the binary pulsar PSR 1913+16. Such effects include the gravitational propagation delay and the post-Newtonian corrections to the elliptical binary orbit. Fitting a model of these effects as they are predicted by general relativity to the pulse arrival times permits the estimation of more parameters than are necessary to determine the orbit and masses of the system. This redundancy provides an important check of the assumption that the observed periastron precession rate is entirely due to the effect of general relativity on compact masses.
Epstein, R.↗
Test of the Gravitational Force Law on Cosmological Scales Using the Kinematic Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect
The mean pairwise velocity of massive halos reflects the gravitational force law on cosmic scales. For this work, we combine cosmic microwave background intensity maps from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope and a galaxy catalog from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to estimate the mean pairwise velocity using the kinematic Sunyaev-Zeldovich (kSZ) effect. On scales from 30 to 230 megaparsecs, we constrain the gravitational acceleration between pairs of halos at separation 𝑟 to be 𝑔 ∝ 1/𝑟 𝑛 with 𝑛 = 2.1 ± 0.3, which is consistent with Newtonian gravity in an expanding spacetime (i.e., the standard Λ CDM model). This constraint shows agreement with an inverse quadratic radial dependence over the large distances separating galaxy halos, as expected in standard cosmology. Upcoming surveys have the potential to rule out 𝑛 = 1 at 10𝜎 significance. Our results establish the kSZ effect as a powerful tool for testing gravity on cosmological scales.
alternative gravity theories↗
Gravitational Signal of Mass Redistribution Due to Interannual Meteorological Oscillations in Atmosphere and Ocean
Interannual meteorological oscillations (ENSO, QBO, NAO, etc.) have demonstrable influences on Earth's rotation. Here we study their effects on global gravitational field, whose temporal variations are being studied using SLR (satellite laser ranging) data and in anticipation of the new space mission GRACE. The meteorological oscillation modes are identified using the EOF (empirical orthogonal function)/PC (principal component) decomposition of surface fields (in which we take care of issues associated with the area-weighting and non-zero mean). We examine two fields, one for the global surface pressure field for the atmosphere obtained from the NCEP reanalysis (for the past 40 years), one for the surface topography field for the ocean from the Topex/Poseidon (T/P) data (for the past 8 years). We use monthly maps, and remove the mean-monthly ("climatology") values from each grid point, hence focusing only on non-seasonal signals. The T/P data were first subject to a steric correction where the steric contribution to the ocean surface topography was removed according to output of the numerical POCM model. The respective atmospheric and oceanic contributions to the gravitational variation, in terms of harmonic Stokes coefficients, are then combined mode-by-mode. Since the T/P data already contain the oceanic response to overlying atmospheric pressure, no regards to the inverted-barometer behavior for the ocean need be considered. Results for the lowest-degree Stokes coefficients can then be compared with space geodetic observations including the Earth's rotation and the SLR data mentioned above, to identify the importance of each meteorological oscillations in gravitational variation signals.
Chao, B. F.↗
Relativistic time corrections for Apollo 12 and Apollo 13
Results are presented of computer calculations on the relativistic time corrections relative to a ground-based clock of on-board clock readings for a lunar mission, using simple Newtonian gravitational potentials of earth and moon and based on actual trajectory data for Apollo 12 and Apollo 13. Although the second order Doppler effect and the gravitational red shift give rise to corrections of opposite sign, the net accumulated time corrections, namely a gain of 560 (+ or - 1.5) microseconds for Apollo 12 and gain of 326 (+ or - 1.3) microseconds for Apollo 13, are still large enough that with present day atomic frequency standards, such as the rubidium clock, they can be measured with an accuracy of about + or - 0.5 percent.
Lavery, J. E.↗
Cell and Particle Interactions and Aggregation During Electrophoretic Motion
The objectives of this research were (i) to perform experiments for observing and quantifying electrophoretic aggregation, (ii) to develop a theoretical description to appropriately analyze and compare with the experimental results, (iii) to study the combined effects of electrophoretic and gravitational aggregation of large particles, and the combined effects of electrophoretic and Brownian aggregation of small particles, and (iv) to perform a preliminary design of a potential future flight experiment involving electrophoretic aggregation. Electrophoresis refers to the motion of charged particles, droplets or molecules in response to an applied electric field. Electrophoresis is commonly used for analysis and separation of biological particles or molecules. When particles have different surface charge densities or potentials, they will migrate at different velocities in an electric field. This differential migration leads to the possibility that they will collide and aggregate, thereby preventing separation.
Davis, Robert H.↗