Spectral properties of Titan's impact craters imply chemical weathering of its surface.

We examined the spectral properties of a selection of Titan's impact craters that represent a range of degradation states. The most degraded craters have rims and ejecta blankets with spectral characteristics that suggest that they are more enriched in water ice than the rims and ejecta blankets of the freshest craters on Titan. The progression is consistent with the chemical weathering of Titan's surface. We propose an evolutionary sequence such that Titan's craters expose an intimate mixture of water ice and organic materials, and chemical weathering by methane rainfall removes the soluble organic materials, leaving the insoluble organics and water ice behind. These observations support the idea that fluvial processes are active in Titan's equatorial regions.

Rapid and extensive surface changes near Titan's equator: evidence of April showers.

Although there is evidence that liquids have flowed on the surface at Titan's equator in the past, to date, liquids have only been confirmed on the surface at polar latitudes, and the vast expanses of dunes that dominate Titan's equatorial regions require a predominantly arid climate. We report the detection by Cassini's Imaging Science Subsystem of a large low-latitude cloud system early in Titan's northern spring and extensive surface changes (spanning more than 500,000 square kilometers) in the wake of this storm. The changes are most consistent with widespread methane rainfall reaching the surface, which suggests that the dry channels observed at Titan's low latitudes are carved by seasonal precipitation.

The identification of liquid ethane in Titan's Ontario Lacus.

Titan was once thought to have global oceans of light hydrocarbons on its surface, but after 40 close flybys of Titan by the Cassini spacecraft, it has become clear that no such oceans exist. There are, however, features similar to terrestrial lakes and seas, and widespread evidence for fluvial erosion, presumably driven by precipitation of liquid methane from Titan's dense, nitrogen-dominated atmosphere. Here we report infrared spectroscopic data, obtained by the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) on board the Cassini spacecraft, that strongly indicate that ethane, probably in liquid solution with methane, nitrogen and other low-molecular-mass hydrocarbons, is contained within Titan's Ontario Lacus.

Oscillation and light induction of timeless mRNA in the mammalian circadian clock.

Circadian rhythms in Drosophila melanogaster depend on a molecular feedback loop generated by oscillating products of the period (per) and timeless (tim) genes. In mammals, three per homologs are cyclically expressed in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), site of the circadian clock, and two of these, mPer1 and mPer2, are induced in response to light. Although this light response distinguishes the mammalian clock from its Drosophila counterpart, overall regulation, including homologous transcriptional activators, appears to be similar. Thus, the basic mechanisms used to generate circadian timing have been conserved. However, contrary to expectations, the recently isolated mammalian tim homolog was reported not to cycle. In this study, we examined mRNA levels of the same tim homolog using a different probe. We observed a significant (approximately threefold) diurnal variation in mTim expression within mouse SCN using two independent methods. Peak levels were evident at the day-to-night transition in light-entrained animals, and the oscillation persisted on the second day in constant conditions. Furthermore, light pulses known to induce phase delays caused significant elevation in mTim mRNA. In contrast, phase-advancing light pulses did not affect mTim levels. The mTim expression profile and the response to nocturnal light are similar to mPer2 and are delayed compared with mPer1. We conclude that temporal ordering of mTim and mPer2 parallels that of their fly homologs. We predict that mTIM may be the preferred functional partner for mPER2 and that expression of mTim and mPer2 may, in fact, be driven by mPER1.

Radioassay problems associated with the clinical use of a 82Rb radionuclide generator.

The short-lived positron emitting radionuclide 82Rb (t1/2 1.27 min) is conveniently available from a 82Sr/82Rb generator system. The parent nuclide (t1/2 25.5d) produced from the spallation of molybdenum, has associated with it varying quantities of other long-lived strontium radionuclides, namely 85Sr, 89Sr and 90Sr. It is important therefore in the clinical use of such material that the levels of strontium radionuclides being administered to patients is carefully assayed and controlled. The problems associated with these measurements are discussed with special reference to the radiation dose received by the patient and the problems in resolving overlapping peaks with different FWHMs.

Rubidium-82 generators for imaging studies.

Strontium-82, produced by spallation reaction with medium-energy proton beams, was used to evaluate Bio-Rex 70 and Chelex-100 ion-exchange resins for use in a compact Rb-82 generator. Adsorption of Sr-82 to the resin column, Rb-82 elution yields, Sr breakthrough, and 82Rb-Sr separation factors were determined for newly prepared columns and for longterm elution conditions. Separation factors of 10(7) to 10(8) were obtained with 2% NaCl elutions from Bio-Rex 70 resin columns while the separation factors was about 5 X 10(4) with the Chelex-100 resin column.