Chemical interactions between Saturn's atmosphere and its rings.

The Pioneer and Voyager spacecraft made close-up measurements of Saturn's ionosphere and upper atmosphere in the 1970s and 1980s that suggested a chemical interaction between the rings and atmosphere. Exploring this interaction provides information on ring composition and the influence on Saturn's atmosphere from infalling material. The Cassini Ion Neutral Mass Spectrometer sampled in situ the region between the D ring and Saturn during the spacecraft's Grand Finale phase. We used these measurements to characterize the atmospheric structure and material influx from the rings. The atmospheric He/H2 ratio is 10 to 16%. Volatile compounds from the rings (methane; carbon monoxide and/or molecular nitrogen), as well as larger organic-bearing grains, are flowing inward at a rate of 4800 to 45,000 kilograms per second.

Reliability of short comparative genomic hybridization in fibroblasts and blastomeres for a comprehensive aneuploidy screening: first clinical application.

BACKGROUND: Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) is a valuable alternative to fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) because it allows full karyotype analysis. However, this approach requires the cryopreservation of biopsied embryos until results are available. The aim of this study is to reduce the hybridization period of CGH, in order to make this short-CGH technique suitable for PGS of Day-3 embryos, avoiding the cryopreservation step. METHODS: Thirty-two fibroblasts from six aneuploid cell lines (Coriell) and 48 blastomeres from 10 Day-4 embryos, discarded after PGS by FISH with 9 probes (9-chr-FISH), were analysed by short-CGH. A reanalysis by the standard 72 h-CGH and FISH using telomeric probes was performed when no concordant results between short-CGH and FISH diagnosis were observed. The short-CGH was subsequently applied in a clinical case of advanced maternal age. RESULTS: In 100% of the fibroblasts analysed, the characteristic aneuploidies of each cell line were detected by short-CGH. The results of the 48 blastomeres screened by short-CGH were supported by both 72 h-CGH results and FISH reanalysis. The chromosomes most frequently involved in aneuploidy were 22 and 16, but aneuploidies for the other chromosomes, excepting 1, 10 and 13, were also detected. Forty-one of the 94 aneuploid events observed (43.6%) corresponded to chromosomes which are not analysed by 9-chr-FISH. CONCLUSIONS: We have performed a preliminary validation of the short-CGH technique, including one clinical case, suggesting this approach may be applied to Day-3 aneuploidy analysis, thereby avoiding embryo cryopreservation and perhaps helping to improve implantation rate after PGS.

An evolving view of Saturn's dynamic rings.

We review our understanding of Saturn's rings after nearly 6 years of observations by the Cassini spacecraft. Saturn's rings are composed mostly of water ice but also contain an undetermined reddish contaminant. The rings exhibit a range of structure across many spatial scales; some of this involves the interplay of the fluid nature and the self-gravity of innumerable orbiting centimeter- to meter-sized particles, and the effects of several peripheral and embedded moonlets, but much remains unexplained. A few aspects of ring structure change on time scales as short as days. It remains unclear whether the vigorous evolutionary processes to which the rings are subject imply a much younger age than that of the solar system. Processes on view at Saturn have parallels in circumstellar disks.

Cascade model for particle concentration and enstrophy in fully developed turbulence with mass-loading feedback.

A cascade model is described based on multiplier distributions determined from three-dimensional (3D) direct numerical simulations (DNS) of turbulent particle laden flows, which include two-way coupling between the phases at global mass loadings equal to unity. The governing Eulerian equations are solved using psuedospectral methods on up to 512(3) computional grid points. DNS results for particle concentration and enstrophy at Taylor microscale Reynolds numbers in the range 34-170 were used to directly determine multiplier distributions on spatial scales three times the Kolmogorov length scale. The multiplier probability distribution functions (PDFs) are well characterized by the beta distribution function. The width of the PDFs, which is a measure of intermittency, decreases with increasing mass loading within the local region where the multipliers are measured. The functional form of this dependence is not sensitive to Reynolds numbers in the range considered. A partition correlation probability is included in the cascade model to account for the observed spatial anticorrelation between particle concentration and enstrophy. Joint probability distribution functions of concentration and enstrophy generated using the cascade model are shown to be in excellent agreement with those derived directly from our 3D simulations. Probabilities predicted by the cascade model are presented at Reynolds numbers well beyond what is achievable by direct simulation. These results clearly indicate that particle mass loading significantly reduces the probabilities of high particle concentration and enstrophy relative to those resulting from unloaded runs. Particle mass density appears to reach a limit at around 100 times the gas density. This approach has promise for significant computational savings in certain applications.

Scaling properties of particle density fields formed in simulated turbulent flows.

Direct numerical simulations of particle concentrations in fully developed three-dimensional turbulence were carried out in order to study the nonuniform structure of the particle density field. Three steady-state turbulent fluid fields with Taylor microscale Reynolds numbers (Re(lambda)) of 40, 80, and 140 were generated by solving the Navier-Stokes equations with pseudospectral methods. Large-scale forcing was used to drive the turbulence and maintain temporal stationarity. The response of the particles to the fluid was parametrized by the particle Stokes number St, defined as the ratio of the particle's stopping time to the mean period of eddies on the Kolmogorov scale (eta). In this paper, we consider only passive particles optimally coupled to these eddies (St approximately 1) because of their tendency to concentrate more than particles with lesser or greater St values. The trajectories of up to 70x10(6) particles were tracked in the equilibrated turbulent flows until the particle concentration field reached a statistically stationary state. The nonuniform structure of the concentration fields was characterized by the multifractal singularity spectrum f(alpha), derived from measures obtained after binning particles into cells ranging from 2eta to 15eta in size. We observed strong systematic variations of f(alpha) across this scale range in all three simulations and conclude that the particle concentration field is not statistically self-similar across the scale range explored. However, spectra obtained at the 2eta, 4eta, and 8eta scales of each flow case were found to be qualitatively similar. This result suggests that the local structure of the particle concentration field may be flow independent. The singularity spectra found for 2eta-sized cells were used to predict concentration distributions in good agreement with those obtained directly from the particle data. This singularity spectrum has a shape similar to the analogous spectrum derived for the inertial-range energy dissipation fields of experimental turbulent flows at Re(lambda)=110 and 1100. Based on this agreement, and the expectation that both dissipation and particle concentration are controlled by the same cascade process, we hypothesize that singularity spectra similar to the ones found in this work provide a good characterization of the spatially averaged statistical properties of preferentially concentrated particles in higher Re(lambda) turbulent flows.

Voyager 2 at neptune: imaging science results.

Voyager 2 images of Neptune reveal a windy planet characterized by bright clouds of methane ice suspended in an exceptionally clear atmosphere above a lower deck of hydrogen sulfide or ammonia ices. Neptune's atmosphere is dominated by a large anticyclonic storm system that has been named the Great Dark Spot (GDS). About the same size as Earth in extent, the GDS bears both many similarities and some differences to the Great Red Spot of Jupiter. Neptune's zonal wind profile is remarkably similar to that of Uranus. Neptune has three major rings at radii of 42,000, 53,000, and 63,000 kilometers. The outer ring contains three higher density arc-like segments that were apparently responsible for most of the ground-based occultation events observed during the current decade. Like the rings of Uranus, the Neptune rings are composed of very dark material; unlike that of Uranus, the Neptune system is very dusty. Six new regular satellites were found, with dark surfaces and radii ranging from 200 to 25 kilometers. All lie inside the orbit of Triton and the inner four are located within the ring system. Triton is seen to be a differentiated body, with a radius of 1350 kilometers and a density of 2.1 grams per cubic centimeter; it exhibits clear evidence of early episodes of surface melting. A now rigid crust of what is probably water ice is overlain with a brilliant coating of nitrogen frost, slightly darkened and reddened with organic polymer material. Streaks of organic polymer suggest seasonal winds strong enough to move particles of micrometer size or larger, once they become airborne. At least two active plumes were seen, carrying dark material 8 kilometers above the surface before being transported downstream by high level winds. The plumes may be driven by solar heating and the subsequent violent vaporization of subsurface nitrogen.

Voyager 2 in the uranian system: imaging science results.

Voyager 2 images of the southern hemisphere of Uranus indicate that submicrometersize haze particles and particles of a methane condensation cloud produce faint patterns in the atmosphere. The alignment of the cloud bands is similar to that of bands on Jupiter and Saturn, but the zonal winds are nearly opposite. At mid-latitudes (-70 degrees to -27 degrees ), where winds were measured, the atmosphere rotates faster than the magnetic field; however, the rotation rate of the atmosphere decreases toward the equator, so that the two probably corotate at about -20 degrees . Voyager images confirm the extremely low albedo of the ring particles. High phase angle images reveal on the order of 10(2) new ringlike features of very low optical depth and relatively high dust abundance interspersed within the main rings, as well as a broad, diffuse, low optical depth ring just inside the main rings system. Nine of the newly discovered small satellites (40 to 165 kilometers in diameter) orbit between the rings and Miranda; the tenth is within the ring system. Two of these small objects may gravitationally confine the e ring. Oberon and Umbriel have heavily cratered surfaces resembling the ancient cratered highlands of Earth's moon, although Umbriel is almost completely covered with uniform dark material, which perhaps indicates some ongoing process. Titania and Ariel show crater populations different from those on Oberon and Umbriel; these were probably generated by collisions with debris confined to their orbits. Titania and Ariel also show many extensional fault systems; Ariel shows strong evidence for the presence of extrusive material. About halfof Miranda's surface is relatively bland, old, cratered terrain. The remainder comprises three large regions of younger terrain, each rectangular to ovoid in plan, that display complex sets of parallel and intersecting scarps and ridges as well as numerous outcrops of bright and dark materials, perhaps suggesting some exotic composition.

Discovery of Jupiter's 'gossamer' ring.

Jupiter's ring system has previously been described as being composed of a 'bright' narrow ring and an interior, vertically-extended halo. The one image which reveals this morphology most clearly is Voyager 2's parting shot of the Jupiter system, a wide-angle (WA) view of the ring ansa in forward-scattered light (FDS 20693.02). The bright ring is plainly visible, and the halo appears after slight contrast enhancement. By further enhancement of this image we have discovered an additional ring, which is far fainter than either of the (already faint) components previously identified, extending to a radius of 210,000 km.

Eccentric ringlet in the maxwell gap at 1.45 saturn radii: multi-instrument voyager observations.

The Voyager spacecraft observed a narrow, eccentric ringlet in the Maxwell gap (1.45 Saturn radii) in Saturn's rings. Intercomparison of the Voyager imaging, photopolarimeter, ultraviolet spectrometer, and radio science observations yields results not available from individual observations. The width of the ringlet varies from about 30 to about 100 kilometers, its edges are sharp on a radial scale < 1 kilometer, and its opacity exhibits a double peak near the center. The shape and width of the ringlet are consistent with a set of uniformly precessing, confocal ellipses with foci at Saturn's center of mass. The ringlet precesses as a unit at a rate consistent with the known dynamical oblateness of Saturn; the lack of differential precession across the ringlet yields a ringlet mass of about 5 x 10(18) grams. The ratio of surface mass density to particle cross-sectional area is about five times smaller than values obtained elsewhere in the Saturn ring system, indicating a relatively larger fraction of small particles. Also, comparison of the measured transmission of the ringlet at radio, visible, and ultraviolet wavelengths indicates that about half of the total extinction is due to particles smaller than 1 centimeter in radius, in contrast even with nearby regions of the C ring. However, the color and brightness of the ringlet material are not measurably different from those of nearby C ring particles. We find this ringlet is similar to several of the rings of Uranus.

A new look at the saturn system: the voyager 2 images.

Voyager 2 photography has complemented that of Voyager I in revealing many additional characteristics of Saturn and its satellites and rings. Saturn's atmosphere contains persistent oval cloud features reminiscent of features on Jupiter. Smaller irregular features track out a pattern of zonal winds that is symmetric about Saturn's equator and appears to extend to great depth. Winds are predominantly eastward and reach 500 meters per second at the equator. Titan has several haze layers with significantly varying optical properties and a northern polar "collar" that is dark at short wavelengths. Several satellites have been photographed at substantially improved resolution. Enceladus' surface ranges from old, densely cratered terrain to relatively young, uncratered plains crossed by grooves and faults. Tethys has a crater 400 kilometers in diameter whose floor has domed to match Tethys' surface curvature and a deep trench that extends at least 270 degrees around Tethys' circumference. Hyperion is cratered and irregular in shape. Iapetus' bright, trailing hemisphere includes several dark-floored craters, and Phoebe has a very low albedo and rotates in the direction opposite to that of its orbital revolution with a period of 9 hours. Within Saturn's rings, the "birth" of a spoke has been observed, and surprising azimuthal and time variability is found in the ringlet structure of the outer B ring. These observations lead to speculations about Saturn's internal structure and about the collisional and thermal history of the rings and satellites.

Encounter with saturn: voyager 1 imaging science results.

As Voyager 1 flew through the Saturn system it returned photographs revealing many new and surprising characteristics of this complicated community of bodies. Saturn's atmosphere has numerous, low-contrast, discrete cloud features and a pattern of circulation significantly different from that of Jupiter. Titan is shrouded in a haze layer that varies in thickness and appearance. Among the icy satellites there is considerable variety in density, albedo, and surface morphology and substantial evidence for endogenic surface modification. Trends in density and crater characteristics are quite unlike those of the Galilean satellites. Small inner satellites, three of which were discovered in Voyager images, interact gravitationally with one another and with the ring particles in ways not observed elsewhere in the solar system. Saturn's broad A, B, and C rings contain hundreds of "ringlets," and in the densest portion of the B ring there are numerous nonaxisymmetric features. The narrow F ring has three components which, in at least one instance, are kinked and crisscrossed. Two rings are observed beyond the F ring, and material is seen between the C ring and the planet.

Biostereometric analysis of surgically corrected abnormal faces.

Biostereometrics is an accurate anthropometric system for quantifying geometric changes of facial form and the relationship of features as they are influenced by growth and by surgery. Facial features distant from the site of surgical intervention are influenced in their geometric relationship to each other by changes in the soft-tissue drape brought about by manipulation of skeletal tissues. The most accurate coordinate system should be elsewhere than on the surface of the face, but if this is not possible it should be in an area farthest removed from the surgical site. This investigation demonstrates that a usable coordinate transformation system can be created by connecting points supernasale and subnasale for establishing the Y Z plane and the construction of the X Z plane at subnasale. Accurate comparative numerical measurements can be made by using soft-tissue landmarks.

Biostereometric analysis of body form: the second manned Skylab mission.

Biostereometrics is the measurement and the mathematical description of the three-dimensional form of biological objects. Stereophotogrammetry was used to derive the Cartesian coordinates of numerous points on the body surface of the Skylab crewmen, both before and after flight, on all three Skylab missions. Mathematical analysis of the coordinate description allows the computation of surface area and volume of the body, as well as the volume of body segments, and the area and shape of cross sections. Loss of body weight in the first two Skylab flight crews was accompanied by comparable loss of volume and little change in density. Volume loss wad divided about equally between the trunk and the legs; however, because the volume of the legs is less than that of the trunk, this finding represented a greater proportional volume loss in the legs. Comparison of cross-sectional areas suggests that the calf undergoes shrinkage to a greater extent than does the thigh. The suggested interpretation of these changes is that, during flight, a reduction in bulk of many of the body tissues occurs. This reduction is probably caused, at least in part, by disuse atrophy of skeletal muscles in the absence of gravity. The atrophy is lessened to some extent by the in-flight exercise program. The stereoscopic images of the crewmen from a permanent archival record of body form on which more detailed measurements may be made in the future.