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At least 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1985

Graphite Formation in Cast Iron

In the first phase of the project it was proven that by changing the ratio between the thermal gradient and the growth rate for commercial cast iron samples solidifying in a Bridgman type furnace, it is possible to produce all types of graphite structures, from flake to spheroidal, and all types of matrices, from ferritic to white at a certain given level of cerium. KC-135 flight experiments have shown that in a low-gravity environment, no flotation occurs even in spheroidal graphite cast irons with carbon equivalent as high as 5%, while extensive graphite flotation occurred in both flake and spheroidal graphite cast irons, in high carbon samples solidified in a high gravity environment. This opens the way for production of iron-carbon composite materials, with high carbon content (e.g., 10%) in a low gravity environment. By using KC-135 flights, the influence of some basic elements on the solidification of cast iron will be studied. The mechanism of flake to spheroidal graphite transition will be studied, by using quenching experiments at both low and one gravity for different G/R ratios.

Stefanescu, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A model for the biological precipitation of Precambrian iron-formation

A biological model for the precipitation of Precambrian iron formations is presented. Assuming an oxygen deficient atmosphere and water column to allow sufficient Fe solubility, it is proposed that local oxidizing environments, produced biologically, led to precipitation of iron formations. It is further suggested that spheroidal structures about 30 mm in diameter, which are widespread in low grade cherty rion formations, are relict forms of the organic walled microfossil Eosphaera tylerii. The presence of these structures suggests that the organism may have had a siliceous test, which allowed sufficient rigidity for accumulation and preservation. The model involves precipitation of ferric hydrates by oxidation of iron in the photic zone by a variety of photosynthetic organisms. Silica may have formed in the frustules of silica secreting organisms, including Eosphaera tylerii. Iron formates formed, therefore, by a sediment rain of biologically produced ferric hydrates and silica and other organic material. Siderite and hematite formed diagenetically on basin floors, and subsequent metamorphism produced magnetite and iron silicates.

Laberge, G. L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A nonmagmatic origin of group-IIE iron meteorites

New neutron activation data on 10 elements in 12 IIE and IIE-related irons lead to a reclassification of several irons. Seymchan and Lonaconing are removed from IIE, and Leshan added. Four IIE members are designated IIE-An to call attention to some anomalous properties. The eight normal IIE members define element-Ni trends generally similar to those in the nonmagmatic group IAB; the small negative slopes on W-Ni and Ir-Ni diagrams are strongly indicative of a nonmagmatic origin of the IIE irons. It is proposed that IIE irons like IAB irons originated as individual pools of impact-produced melt in the near-surface region of a chondritic parent body. The positive As-Ni and Au-Ni trends are the only evidence suggesting fractional crystallization, but their slopes are lower than those in magmatic group IIIAB, and only slightly higher than those of Cu and Sb in IAB. It is suggested that the S and C contents of the IIE precursor materials were much lower than those of the IAB precursors, thus higher temperatures were required to generate enough metallic melt to segregate into pools. These higher temperatures are also reflected in the nonchondritic compositions of the silicate inclusions.

Wasson, J. T.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Studies of implanted iron in silicon by channeling and Rutherford backscattering

Different amounts of 100-keV iron ions have been implanted into high-resistivity p-type FZ-silicon samples. The implantation damage, recovery of damage during various annealing periods and temperatures, movement of iron atoms under annealing and oxidation, and the kinds of defects created after implantation, annealing, or oxidation are all investigated by channeling and backscattering measurements. It is found that the critical fluence of 100-keV iron implanted into silicon at room temperature is about 2.5 x 10 to the 14th Fe/sq cm, and that iron atoms are gettered by silicon oxidation. In this supersaturated region, iron atoms diffuse slightly towards bulk silicon during high-temperature annealing (greater than or equal to 1100 C) but not at all during low-temperature annealing (less than or equal to 1000 C) in dry nitrogen ambient.

Wang, P. W.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Ungrouped iron meteorites in Antarctica - Origin of anomalously high abundance

Eighty-five percent of the iron meteorites collected outside Antarctica are assigned to 13 compositionally and structurally defined groups; the remaining 15 percent are ungrouped. Of the 31 iron meteorites recovered from Antarctica, 39 percent are ungrouped. This major difference in the two sets is almost certainly not a stochastic variation, a latitudinal effect, or an effect associated with differences in terrestrial ages. It seems to be related to the median mass of Antarctic irons, which is about 1/100 that of non-Antarctic irons. During impacts on asteroids, smaller fragments tend to be ejected into space at higher velocities than larger fragments, and, on average, small meteoroids have undergone more changes in orbital velocity than large ones. As a result, the set of asteroids that contributes small meteoroids to earth-crossing orbits is larger than the set that contributes large meteoroids. Most small iron meteorites may escape from the asteroid belt as a result of impact-induced changes in velocity that reduce their perihelia to values less than the aphelion of Mars.

Wasson, John T.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Iron Moessbauer spectroscopy: Superparamagnetism in hydrothermal vents and the search for evidence of past life on Mars

In view of the demonstrated value of Iron Moessbauer Spectroscopy (FeMS) in the study of extraterrestrial iron and the fact that, after silicon and oxygen, iron is the most abundant element on the surface of Mars, we proposed, and have under development, a backscatter Moessbauer spectrometer with x ray fluorescence capability (BaMS/XRF) for use on Mars as a geophysical prospecting instrument. Specifically, we have proposed BaMS/XRF as part of the geochemistry instrumentation on NASA's Mars Environment Survey (MESUR) mission. BaMS/XRF will have applications in: (1) the study of past environments through the examination of sedimentary material; (2) the study of the contemporary Martian environment; and (3) the study of iron-containing minerals of possible biogenic origin. Development of a reference library from a geophysical point of view for putative Martian surface materials at appropriate temperatures is now underway. We carried out preliminary optical reflectance and FeMS measurements on mineral products (iron oxyhydroxides) of deep-sea hydrothermal activity. Various aspects of this investigation are presented.

Agresti, David G.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Reflectance spectroscopy and GEX simulation of palagonite and iron-rich montmorillonite clay mixtures: Implications for the surface composition of Mars

Because of the power of remote sensing reflectance spectroscopy in determining mineralogy, it has been used as the major method of identifying a possible mineral analogue of the martian surface. A summary of proposed martian surface compositions from reflectance spectroscopy before 1979 was presented by Singer et al. Since that time, iron-rich montmorillonite clay, nanocrystalline or nanophase hematite, and palagonite have been suggested as Mars soil analogue materials. Palagonite in petrological terms is best described as an amorphous, hydrated, ferric iron, silica gel. Montmorillonite is a member of the smectite clay group, and its structure is characterized by an octahedral sheet in coordination with two tetrahedral sheets in which oxygen atoms are shared. The crystal unity of montmorillonite is well defined in contrast to palagonite where it is considered amorphous or poorly crystalline at best. Because of the absence of the diagnostic strong 2.2-micron reflectance band characteristic of clays in the near-infrared (NIR) spectrum of Mars and palagonite and based upon a consideration of wide wavelength coverage (0.3-50 microns), Roush et al. concluded that palagonite is a more likely Mars surface analogue. In spite of the spectral agreement of palagonite and the Mars reflectance spectrum in the 2.2-micron region, palagonite shows poor correspondence with the results of the Viking LR experiment. In contrast, iron-rich montmorillonite clays show relatively good agreement with the results of the Viking LR experiment. This spectral study was undertaken to evaluate the spectral properties of mixtures of palagonite and Mars analogue iron-rich montmorillonite clay (16-18 wt. percent Fe as Fe2O3) as a Mars surface mineralogical model. Mixtures of minerals as Mars surface analogue materials have been studied before, but the mixtures were restricted to crystalline clays and iron oxides.

Orenberg, J. B.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Iron and nickel isotopic mass fractionation in deep-sea spherules

Magnetite-wuestite spherules collected from deep-sea sediments are thought to have originally been Fe-Ni metal particles at the top of the atmosphere that were oxidized and melted during entry into the earth's atmosphere. Some likely sources for the metal particles are Fe-Ni interplanetary dust particles (IDP's) and metal or sulfide from stony IDP's that separated after melting. Davis et al. reported that four of these spherules are enriched in the heavy isotopes of iron, with enrichments of 8-23%/amu. We have developed a technique for analysis of both iron and nickel isotopes on the same ion microprobe spot and have applied this technique to a number of deep-sea spherules in order to better understand the processes leading to isotopic mass fractionation. Eight spherules show iron and nickel isotopic mass fractionation, with iron and nickel enriched in the heavy isotopes by 10-19%/amu and 4-32%/amu, respectively. If the mass fractionations are due to Rayleigh fractionation during evaporation, these spherules lost 76-94% of their original mass. We have analyzed the four magnetite-wuestite spherules for which iron isotopic data were reported by Davis et al. as well as four new spherules.

Davis, Andrew M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

An iridium-rich iron micrometeorite with silicate inclusions from the Moon

We have found a 0.1 mg iron micrometeorite containing meteoritic silicate inclusions in an agglutinate from 2-2.5 cm deep in regolith core 60014. The metal is 93 percent iron, 6.5 percent nickel, 0.5 percent cobalt, approximately 150 ppm iridium, and less than 2 ppm gold. Although the Ir concentration is higher than that reported previously for any iron meteorite group, it lies on the extrapolation to low Ni and high Ir concentrations of several meteorite groups on Ni,Ir plots (groups 2C,D,E, and 3AB,E,F). Tiny, subrounded silicate inclusions comprise low-Ca pyroxene (En83), olivine (FO80), and albitic and potassic feldspars, as mixtures of minerals or glasses. Minor phases include oldhamite (CaS) and, tentatively, hercynite (FeAl2O4). The inclusions have pyroxene FeO/MnO of approximately 25 and olivine FeO/MnO of 40-60. In comparison with known iron meteorites, the inclusions are most similar to those in type 2E, e.g., Weekeroo Station, Colomera, and Kodaikanal. As far as we know, this is the first observation of an iron meteorite with silicate inclusions from a lunar sample. No metal fragments with meteoritic, nonmetallic inclusions were reported in several previous, exhaustive studies of soil particles.

Jolliff, Bradley L.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Kinetic Studies of Iron Deposition in Horse Spleen Ferritin Using H2O2 and O2 as Oxidants

The reaction of horse spleen ferritin (HoSF) with Fe(2+) at pH 6.5 and 7.5 using O2, H2O2 and 1:1 a mixture of both showed that the iron deposition reaction using H2O2 is approx. 20- to 50-fold faster than the reaction with O2 alone. When H2O2 was added during the iron deposition reaction initiated with O2 as oxidant, Fe(2+) was preferentially oxidized by H2O2, consistent with the above kinetic measurements. Both the O2 and H202 reactions were well defined from 15 to 40 C from which activation parameters were determined. The iron deposition reaction was also studied using O2 as oxidant in the presence and absence of catalase using both stopped-flow and pumped-flow measurements. The presence of catalase decreased the rate of iron deposition by approx. 1.5-fold, and gave slightly smaller absorbance changes than in its absence. From the rate constants for the O2 (0.044 per second) and H2O2 (0.67 per second) iron-deposition reactions at pH 7.5, simulations of steady-state H2O2 concentrations were computed to be 0.45 micromolar. This low value and reported Fe2(+)/O2 values of 2.0-2.5 are consistent with H2O2 rapidly reacting by an alternate but unidentified pathway involving a system component such as the protein shell or the mineral core as previously postulated.

Lowery, Thomas J., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Considerations on Terrestrial Iron Depositing Analogs to Earliest Mars

Iron oxide and hydroxide minerals, including hematite, can mineralize and preservemicrofossils and physical biomarkers (Allen at al., 2004). Preserved remnants of phototrophic microorganisms are recognized as biosignatures of past life on Earth (Schopf, 2006). To date, two types of surface iron depositing environments have been studied as analogs to possible habitable environments on earliest Mars: the highly acidified Rio Tinto River (Iberian Belt, Spain) [Gomez Ortis et al., 2007], and the nearneutral iron depositing Chocolate Pots Hot Spring (Yellowstone National Park, US) [Parenteau at al., 2005]. While phototrophs in the Rio Tinto are only represented by eukaryotic algae (Amaral Zettler et all., 2002), Chocolate Pots is mainly populated with cyanobacteria (Pierson et all., 2000; Brown et all., 2007). Which of these environments is the closer analog to a potentially habitable early Mars? Paleobiological data, combined with recent "tree of life" interpretations, suggest that phototrophic eukaryotes evolved not earlier than 2.5 - 2.8 b.y. after Earth s accretion (4.6 b.y.), while cyanobacteria and /or their iron-tolerant predecessors evolved between 1 - 1.5 b.y. after accretion (Brown et al., 2007). Lindsay and Brasier (2002) postulated that microbial life on Mars surface could have lasted no more than 1-1.5 b.y. after Mars accretion (also 4.6 b.y.). Recent multispectral mapping of Mars suggests that near-neutral wet environments prevailed at approximately this time (Bibring, et al., 2006). Thus, near-neutral iron depositing hot springs such as Chocolate Pots Hot Spring seem to be the more likely habitable analogs for earliest Mars.

Brown, Igor I.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Studying Prokaryotic Communities in Iron Depositing Hot Springs (IDHS): Implication for Early Mars Habitability

We speculate that both external and intracellular iron precipitate in iron-tolerant CB might be involved in oxidative stress suppression shown by [9]. Significant differences are apparent between a set of proteins involved in the maintenance of Fe homeostasis and oxidative stress protection in iron-tolerant and fresh-water and marine CB. Correspondingly, these properties may help to make iron-tolerant CB as dominant organisms in IDHS and probably on early Earth and Mars. Further comparative analyses of hot springs metagenomes and the genomes of iron-tolerant microbes versus fresh-water/marine ones may point out to different habitable zones on early Mars.

Sarkisova, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Novel Thermotolerant Siderophilic Filamentous Cyanobacterium that Produces Intracellular Iron-Rich Phases

Cyanobacteria are the main producers of organic compounds in iron-depositing hot springs despite photosynthetically generated-oxygen and the abundance of reduced iron (Fe2+) that likely leads to enormous oxidative stress within cyanobacterial cells. Therefore, the study of cyanobacterial diversity, phylogeny, and biogeochemical activity in iron-depositing hot springs will not only provide insights into the contribution of CB to iron redox cycling in these environments, but it could also provide insights into CB evolution. This study characterizes the phylogeny, morphology, and physiology of isolate JSC-1, a novel filamentous CB isolated from an iron-depositing hot spring. While isolate JSC-1 is morphologically similar to the CB genus Leptolyngbya, 16S rDNA sequence data indicated that it shares 95 percent sequence similarity to the type strain L. boryanum. Strain JSC-1 fixes N2 and exhibited an unusually high ratio between photosystem (PS) I and PS II and was capable of complementary chromatic adaptation. Further, it synthesized only chlorophyll a and a unique set of carotenoids. Strain JSC-1 not only required high levels of Fe for growth (greater than or equal to 40 microM), but it also accumulated large amounts of extracellular ferrihydrite and generated intracellular ferric phosphates. Strain JSC-1 was found to secrete 2-oxoglutaric acid and possesses one ortholog and one paralog of bacterioferritin. Surprisingly, the latter has 70.13 % identity with a bacterioferritin in marine-proteobacterium HTCC 2080 and has joint node with bacterioferritins found in enterobacteria. Collectively, these observations provide insights into the physiological strategies that might have allowed CB to develop and proliferate in Fe-rich environments. Based on its genotypic and phenotypic characterization of strain, JSC-1 represents a new operational taxonomical unit (OTU) JSC-1.

Broun, Igor I.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Iron Homeostasis in Yellowstone National Park Hot Spring Microbial Communities

It has been postulated that life may have originated on Earth, and possibly on Mars, in association with hydrothermal activity and high concentrations of ferrous iron. However, it is not clear how an iron-rich thermal hydrosphere could be hospitable to microbes, since reduced iron appears to stimulate oxidative stress in all domains of life and particularly in oxygenic phototrophs. Therefore, the study of microbial diversity in iron-depositing hot springs (IDHS) and the mechanisms of iron homeostasis and suppression of oxidative stress may help elucidate how Precambrian organisms could withstand the extremely high concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by interaction between environmental Fe(2+) and O2. Proteins and clusters of orthologous groups (COGs) involved in the maintenance of Fe homeostasis found in cyanobacteria (CB) inhabiting environments with high and low [Fe] were main target of this analysis. Preliminary results of the analysis suggest that the Chocolate Pots (CP) microbial community is heavily dominated by phototrophs from the cyanobacteria (CB), Chloroflexi and Chlorobi phyla, while the Mushroom Spring (MS) effluent channel harbors a more diverse community in which Chloroflexi are the dominant phototrophs. It is speculated that CB inhabiting IDHS have an increased tolerance to both high concentrations of Fe(2+) and ROS produced in the Fenton reaction. This hypothesis was explored via a comparative analysis of the diversity of proteins and COGs involved in Fe and redox homeostasis in the CP and MS microbiomes.

Brown, I.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Iron-Air Rechargeable Battery

Embodiments include an iron-air rechargeable battery having a composite electrode including an iron electrode and a hydrogen electrode integrated therewith. An air electrode is spaced from the iron electrode and an electrolyte is provided in contact with the air electrode and the iron electrodes. Various additives and catalysts are disclosed with respect to the iron electrode, air electrode, and electrolyte for increasing battery efficiency and cycle life.

Narayan, Sri R.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Carbon Solubility in Silicon-Iron-Bearing Metals during Core Formation on Mercury

Recent results obtained from the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft showed the surface of Mercury has high S abundances (approximately 4 wt%) and low Iron(II) Oxide abundances (less than 2 wt%). Based on these extreme values, the oxygen fugacity of Mercury's surface materials was estimated to be approximately 3 to 7 log(sub 10) units below the IW buffer (Delta IW-3 to Delta IW-7). This highly reducing nature of the planet has resulted in a large core and relatively thin mantle, extending to only approximately 420 km depth (corresponding to a core-mantle boundary pressure of approximately 4-7 GPa) within the planet. Furthermore, MESSENGER results have suggested the presence of carbon on the surface of the planet. Previous experimental results from have also suggested the possibility of a primary floatation crust on Mercury composed of graphite, produced after a global magma ocean event. With these exotic conditions of this compositional end-member planet, it begs the question, what is the core composition of Mercury? Although no definitive conclusion has been reached, previous studies have made advances towards answering this question. Riner et al. and Chen et al. looked at iron sulfide systems and implemented various crystallization and layered core scenarios to try and determine the composition and structure of Mercury's core. Malavergne et al. examined core crystallization scenarios in the presence of sulfur and silicon. Hauck et al. used the most recent geophysical constraints from the MESSENGER spacecraft to model the internal structure of Mercury, including the core, in a iron-sulfur-silicon system. More recently, Chabot et al. conducted a series of metal-silicate partitioning experiments in a iron-sulfur-silicon system. These results showed the core of Mercury has the potential to contain more than 15 wt% silicon. However, with the newest results from MESSENGER's low altitude campaign, carbon is another potential light element that could be incorporated into Mercury's core. The goal of this study is to determine the carbon concentration at graphite saturation in various silicon-iron bearing metals relevant to possible mercurian core compositions. Future experiments will include the addition of sulfur into these metals.

Vander Kaaden, Kathleen E.↗
NASA NTRS2021

Anaerobic Expression and Purification of Holo-CCIS, an Artificial Iron-sulfur Protein

Iron-sulfur proteins are ubiquitous among all living organisms and are indispensable for almost all metabolic pathways ranging from photosynthesis, respiration, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide cycles. The iron-sulfur clusters primarily serve as electron acceptors and donors and transfer electrons to active sites of various enzymes, thus driving the energy metabolism. Prokaryotes like E. coli have ISC and SUF pathways that help in the assembly and maturation of iron-sulfur proteins. These ironsulfur proteins, especially with [4Fe-4S] clusters, are highly sensitive to molecular oxygen, and it would be advantageous if the de novo proteins and native proteins having iron-sulfur binding sites are expressed and isolated under anaerobic conditions. Bacterially assembled iron-sulfur proteins, when isolated and purified anaerobically, exhibit improved biochemical and biophysical stabilities in comparison to the counterparts expressed and purified aerobically and reconstituted under anaerobic conditions. This protocol outlines the expression and purification of the artificial protein, Coiled-Coil IronSulfur (CCIS). It may be deployed to both natural and artificial [4Fe-4S] proteins when heterologously expressed in E. coli.

Bhanu P. Jagilinki↗
NASA NTRS2000

Nonbiological fractionation of iron isotopes

Laboratory experiments demonstrate that iron isotopes can be chemically fractionated in the absence of biology. Isotopic variations comparable to those seen during microbially mediated reduction of ferrihydrite are observed. Fractionation may occur in aqueous solution during equilibration between inorganic iron complexes. These findings provide insight into the mechanisms of iron isotope fractionation and suggest that nonbiological processes may contribute to iron isotope variations observed in sediments.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗