Evolution and ecology of influenza A viruses.

Cosmochemistry of the rare earth elements: meteorite studies.

▪ Abstract At luminosities above 1011 , infrared galaxies become the dominant population of extragalactic objects in the local Universe (z ≲ 0.3), being more numerous than optically selected starburst and Seyfert galaxies and quasi-stellar objects at comparable bolometric luminosity. The trigger for the intense infrared emission appears to be the strong interaction/merger of molecular gas-rich spirals, and the bulk of the infrared luminosity for all but the most luminous objects is due to dust heating from an intense starburst within giant molecular clouds. At the highest luminosities (Lir > 1012 ), nearly all objects appear to be advanced mergers powered by a mixture of circumnuclear starburst and active galactic nucleus energy sources, both of which are fueled by an enormous concentration of molecular gas that has been funneled into the merger nucleus. These ultraluminous infrared galaxies may represent an important stage in the formation of quasi-stellar objects and powerful radio galaxies. They may al...

/pdf/luminous-infrared-galaxies-zoi3y3hutv.pdf

Luminous infrared galaxies

We construct size distributions for carbonaceous and silicate grain populations in different regions of the Milky Way, LMC, and SMC. The size distributions include sufficient very small carbonaceous grains (including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon molecules) to account for the observed infrared and microwave emission from the diffuse interstellar medium. Our distributions reproduce the observed extinction of starlight, which varies depending on the interstellar environment through which the light travels. As shown by Cardelli, Clayton, and Mathis in 1989, these variations can be roughly parameterized by the ratio of visual extinction to reddening, RV. We adopt a fairly simple functional form for the size distribution, characterized by several parameters. We tabulate these parameters for various combinations of values for RV and bC, the C abundance in very small grains. We also find size distributions for the line of sight to HD 210121 and for sight lines in the LMC and SMC. For several size distributions, we evaluate the albedo and scattering asymmetry parameter and present model extinction curves extending beyond the Lyman limit.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/318651/pdf

Dust Grain-Size Distributions and Extinction in the Milky Way, Large Magellanic Cloud, and Small Magellanic Cloud

▪ Abstract This review surveys the observed properties of interstellar dust grains: the wavelength-dependent extinction of starlight, including absorption features, from UV to infrared; optical lum...

https://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/users/reipurth/reviews/draine.pdf

Interstellar dust grains

/pdf/bacterial-life-in-space-3x6pkwq9c5.pdf

Bacterial life in space

Refractory grains of graphite and silicates ejected from cool giant stars acquire mantles of organic polymers typified by polyoxymethyline in interstellar clouds. Infrared emission from theTrapezium nebula is consistent with the occurrence of such polymers.

Formaldehyde Polymers in Interstellar Space

We report on the physical, chemical and mineral properties of a series of stone fragments recovered from the North Central Province of Sri Lanka following a witnessed fireball event on 29 December 2012. The stones exhibit highly porous poikilitic textures comprising of isotropic silica-rich/plagioclase-like hosts. Inclusions range in size and shape from mm-sized to smaller subangular grains frequently more fractured than the surrounding host and include ilmenite, olivine (fayalitic), quartz and accessory zircon. Bulk mineral compositions include accessory cristobalite, hercynite, anorthite, wuestite, albite, anorthoclase and the high pressure olivine polymorph wadsleyite, suggesting previous endurance of a shock pressure of ~20 GPa. Further evidence of shock is confirmed by the conversion of all plagioclase to maskelynite. Here the infrared absorption spectra in the region 580 cm-1 to 380 cm-1 due to the Si-O-Si or Si-O-Al absorption band shows a partial shift in the peak at 380 cm-1 towards 480 cm-1 indicating an intermediate position between crystalline and amorphous phase. Host matrix chemical compositions vary between samples, but all are rich in SiO2. Silica-rich melts display a heterogeneous K-enrichment comparable to that reported in a range of non-terrestrial material from rare iron meteorites to LL chondritic breccias and Lunar granites. Bulk chemical compositions of plagioclase-like samples are comparable to reported data e.g. Miller Ranger 05035 (Lunar), while Si-rich samples accord well with mafic and felsic glasses reported in NWA 1664 (Howardite) as well as data for fusion crust present in a variety of meteoritic samples. Triple oxygen isotope results show Δ17O = -0.335 with δ18O (‰ rel. SMOW) values of 17.816 ± 0.100 and compare well with those of known CI chondrites and are within the range of CI-like (Meta-C) chondrites. Rare earth elemental abundances show a profound Europium anomaly of between 0.7 and 0.9 ppm while CI normalized REE patterns accord well with those of high potassium and high aluminium glasses found in lunar and 4 Vesta samples. Twoelement discrimination maps of FeO vs SiO2, FeO vs TiO2, FeO vs Al2O3 and FeO vs Na2O similarly match those of impact glasses present in lunar samples and remain within relatively close proximity of the KREEP component. Iridium levels of between 1-7ppm, approximately 104 times that of terrestrial crustal rocks, were detected in all samples.

/pdf/physical-chemical-and-mineral-properties-of-the-polonnaruwa-v1kvrtma81.pdf

Physical, chemical, and mineral properties of the Polonnaruwa stones

The expulsion of metal-rich grains from collapsing protostars is considered, and it is concluded that stars of mass greater than 21M⊙ could be significantly depleted in heavy metals during their formation

On the formation of metal-poor stars

The Rosetta mission has given us remarkable images of comet 67P/C-G both from the orbiter, and recently from the Philae lander during its brief days before running out of power. Though its crust is very black, there are several indicators of an underlying icy morphology. Comet 67P displays smooth, planar ‘seas’ (the largest 600 m x 800 m) and flat-bottomed craters, both features seen also on comet Tempel-1. Comet 67P’s surface is peppered with mega-boulders (10-70 km) like comet Hartley-2, while parallel furrowed terrain appears as a new ice feature. The largest sea (‘Cheops’ Sea, 600 x 800 m) curves around one lobe of the 4 km diameter comet, and the crater lakes extending to ~150 m across are re-frozen bodies of water overlain with organic-rich debris (sublimation lag) of order 10 cm. The parallel furrows relate to flexing of the asymmetric and spinning two-lobe body, which generates fractures in an underlying body of ice. The mega-boulders are hypothesised to arise from bolide impacts into ice. In the very low gravity, boulders ejected at a fraction of 1 m/s would readily reach ~100 m from the impact crater and could land perched on elevated surfaces. Where they stand proud, they indicate stronger refrozen terrain or show that the surface they land on (and crush) sublimates more quickly. Outgassing due to ice-sublimation was already evident in September at 3.3AU, with surface temperature peaks of 220-230 K, which implies impure ice mixtures with less strongly-bound H2O. Increasing rates of sublimation as Rosetta follows comet 67P around its 1.3 AU perihelion will further reveal the nature and prevalence of near-surface ices.

/pdf/rosetta-images-of-comet-67p-churyumov-gerasimenko-inferences-v3cxxyvjhx.pdf

N. C. Wickramasinghe

Papers

Bacterial life in space

Formaldehyde Polymers in Interstellar Space

Physical, chemical, and mineral properties of the Polonnaruwa stones

On the formation of metal-poor stars

Rosetta Images of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko: Inferences from Its Terrain and Structure