Energetics of water in the Solar System

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akshay Rao ◽  
Abhimanyu Das ◽  
Owen Li ◽  
David Warsinger
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Pure Water ◽  
Resource Extraction ◽  
Water Harvesting ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Fuel Reformation ◽  
Vapor Mixtures ◽  
System 1 ◽  
Physical Mixtures

Abstract Water is vital for space exploration, from drinking to fuel reformation, and is naturally abundant in the Solar System [1–16]. While in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) requires vastly less energy than transporting resources, the energetics has scarcely been explored besides on Earth and limited analysis on Mars’ vapor. Here, we develop a thermodynamic framework to quantify the energy requirements for resource extraction from 18 water sources on 11 planetary bodies. We find that desalinating saline liquid brines, where available, could be the most energetically favorable option and the energy required to access water vapor can be four to ten times higher than accessing ice deposits. While desalination energetics are highly sensitive to salt concentration, we show that desalination energetics only vary by a factor of 2 with respect to the type of salt present. Additionally, unlike chemical mixtures, the minimum energetics are insensitive to composition in physical mixtures (e.g., ice-regolith and inert vapor mixtures). Additionally, by deriving and computing the equation-of-state for pure water, we extend the least work estimates of atmospheric water harvesting by 94°C lower than previous studies that depend on predetermined databases. The presented approach and data may inform decisions regarding water harvesting, habitation, and resource reformation.

scholarly journals In-Situ Exploration of Dust in the Solar System and Initial Results from the Galileo Dust Detector

1991 ◽  
Vol 126 ◽  
pp. 21-28
Author(s):  
E. Grün ◽  
H. Fechtig ◽  
M. S. Hanner ◽  
J. Kissel ◽  
B.-A. Lindblad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Impact Ionization ◽  
Interplanetary Space ◽  
Interplanetary Dust ◽  
High Mass ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Dust Flux ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Low Mass

AbstractIn-situ measurements of interplanetary dust have been performed in the heliocentric distance range from 0.3 AU out to 18 AU. Due to their small sensitive areas (typically 0.01 m2for the highly sensitive impact ionization sensors) or low mass sensitivities (≥10−9g of the large area penetration detectors) previous instruments recorded only a few 100 impacts during their lifetimes. Nevertheless, important information on the distribution of dust in interplanetary space has been obtained between 0.3 and 18 AU distance from the Sun. The Galileo dust detector combines the high mass sensitivity of impact ionization detectors (10−15g) together with a large sensitive area (0.1 m2). The Galileo spacecraft was launched on October 18, 1989 and is on its solar system cruise towards Jupiter. Initial measurements of the dust flux from 0.7 to 1.2 AU are presented.

A highly sensitive and selective fluorescent probe for hypochlorite in pure water with aggregation induced emission characteristics

2017 ◽  
Vol 196 ◽  
pp. 427-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Can Wang ◽  
Hongyu Ji ◽  
Mengshu Li ◽  
Likun Cai ◽  
Zhipeng Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Solubility ◽  
Pure Water ◽  
Response Speed ◽  
Aqueous Samples ◽  
Strong Emission ◽  
Aggregation Induced Emission ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Distinct Increase

As a reactive oxygen species (ROS), hypochlorite (OCl−) plays a crucial role in oxidative stress and signal transduction, controlling a wide range of physiological functions. In addition, the wide use of OCl− in the treatment of food and water might possibly threaten human health if the residual quantity was out of limits. Currently, sensitive methods employed to selectively monitor OCl− in aqueous samples in situ are still scarce and badly needed. Boron esters or acids are considered to be suitable functional groups for the detection of hydrogen peroxide due to their reliable reactivity. In this work, we try to develop a highly sensitive and selective OCl− probe (TPE2B) based on the mechanism of aggregation induced emission (AIE). Due to the distinct increase in water solubility of TPE2OH, which is generated from the reaction between TPE2B and OCl−, the strong emission of TPE2B is quenched dramatically. The response speed was as fast as 30 seconds with a detection limit as low as 28 nM. Additionally, test papers were also fabricated and exhibited a highly sensitive response to 0.1 mM OCl−.

Laboratory and in-situ analysis of comet dust

1988 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
pp. 8-9
Author(s):  
D.E. Brownlee ◽  
A.L. Albee
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Solar System ◽  
Laboratory Study ◽  
Isotopic Analysis ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Sem Analysis ◽  
Early Solar System ◽  
Cometary Material ◽  
Comet Dust

Comets are primitive, kilometer-sized bodies that formed in the outer regions of the solar system. Composed of ice and dust, comets are generally believed to be relic building blocks of the outer solar system that have been preserved at cryogenic temperatures since the formation of the Sun and planets. The analysis of cometary material is particularly important because the properties of cometary material provide direct information on the processes and environments that formed and influenced solid matter both in the early solar system and in the interstellar environments that preceded it.The first direct analyses of proven comet dust were made during the Soviet and European spacecraft encounters with Comet Halley in 1986. These missions carried time-of-flight mass spectrometers that measured mass spectra of individual micron and smaller particles. The Halley measurements were semi-quantitative but they showed that comet dust is a complex fine-grained mixture of silicates and organic material. A full understanding of comet dust will require detailed morphological, mineralogical, elemental and isotopic analysis at the finest possible scale. Electron microscopy and related microbeam techniques will play key roles in the analysis. The present and future of electron microscopy of comet samples involves laboratory study of micrometeorites collected in the stratosphere, in-situ SEM analysis of particles collected at a comet and laboratory study of samples collected from a comet and returned to the Earth for detailed study.

scholarly journals In Situ exploration of the giant planets

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Mousis ◽  
D. H. Atkinson ◽  
R. Ambrosi ◽  
S. Atreya ◽  
D. Banfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Giant Planets ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
Formation History ◽  
History Of ◽  
Composition Structure ◽  
Galileo Probe ◽  
Probe Measurements

AbstractRemote sensing observations suffer significant limitations when used to study the bulk atmospheric composition of the giant planets of our Solar System. This impacts our knowledge of the formation of these planets and the physics of their atmospheres. A remarkable example of the superiority of in situ probe measurements was illustrated by the exploration of Jupiter, where key measurements such as the determination of the noble gases’ abundances and the precise measurement of the helium mixing ratio were only made available through in situ measurements by the Galileo probe. Here we describe the main scientific goals to be addressed by the future in situ exploration of Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, placing the Galileo probe exploration of Jupiter in a broader context. An atmospheric entry probe targeting the 10-bar level would yield insight into two broad themes: i) the formation history of the giant planets and that of the Solar System, and ii) the processes at play in planetary atmospheres. The probe would descend under parachute to measure composition, structure, and dynamics, with data returned to Earth using a Carrier Relay Spacecraft as a relay station. An atmospheric probe could represent a significant ESA contribution to a future NASA New Frontiers or flagship mission to be launched toward Saturn, Uranus, and/or Neptune.

scholarly journals Spatial expression pattern of serine proteases in the blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni determined by fluorescence RNA in situ hybridization

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lenka Ulrychová ◽  
Pavel Ostašov ◽  
Marta Chanová ◽  
Michael Mareš ◽  
Martin Horn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
In Situ Hybridization ◽  
Schistosoma Mansoni ◽  
Rna Sequencing ◽  
Serine Proteases ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Host Parasite Interactions ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Host Parasite

Abstract Background The blood flukes of genus Schistosoma are the causative agent of schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease that infects more than 200 million people worldwide. Proteases of schistosomes are involved in critical steps of host–parasite interactions and are promising therapeutic targets. We recently identified and characterized a group of S1 family Schistosoma mansoni serine proteases, including SmSP1 to SmSP5. Expression levels of some SmSPs in S. mansoni are low, and by standard genome sequencing technologies they are marginally detectable at the method threshold levels. Here, we report their spatial gene expression patterns in adult S. mansoni by the high-sensitivity localization assay. Methodology Highly sensitive fluorescence in situ RNA hybridization (FISH) was modified and used for the localization of mRNAs encoding individual SmSP proteases (including low-expressed SmSPs) in tissues of adult worms. High sensitivity was obtained due to specifically prepared tissue and probes in combination with the employment of a signal amplification approach. The assay method was validated by detecting the expression patterns of a set of relevant reference genes including SmCB1, SmPOP, SmTSP-2, and Sm29 with localization formerly determined by other techniques. Results FISH analysis revealed interesting expression patterns of SmSPs distributed in multiple tissues of S. mansoni adults. The expression patterns of individual SmSPs were distinct but in part overlapping and were consistent with existing transcriptome sequencing data. The exception were genes with significantly low expression, which were also localized in tissues where they had not previously been detected by RNA sequencing methods. In general, SmSPs were found in various tissues including reproductive organs, parenchymal cells, esophagus, and the tegumental surface. Conclusions The FISH-based assay provided spatial information about the expression of five SmSPs in adult S. mansoni females and males. This highly sensitive method allowed visualization of low-abundantly expressed genes that are below the detection limits of standard in situ hybridization or by RNA sequencing. Thus, this technical approach turned out to be suitable for sensitive localization studies and may also be applicable for other trematodes. The results suggest that SmSPs may play roles in diverse processes of the parasite. Certain SmSPs expressed at the surface may be involved in host–parasite interactions. Graphic abstract

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document