The biogeochemical iron cycle and astrobiology

Biogeochemistry investigates chemical cycles which influence or are influenced by biological activity. Astrobiology studies the origin, evolution and distribution of life in the universe. The biogeochemical Fe cycle has controlled major nutrient cycles such as the C cycle throughout geological time. Iron sulfide minerals may have provided energy and surfaces for the first pioneer organisms on Earth. Banded iron formations document the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis. To assess the potential habitability of planets other than Earth one looks for water, an energy source and a C source. On Mars, for example, Fe minerals have provided evidence for the past presence of liquid water on its surface and would provide a viable energy source. Here we present Mössbauer spectroscopy investigations of Fe and C cycle interactions in both ancient and modern environments. Experiments to simulate the diagenesis of banded iron formations indicate that the formation of ferrous minerals depends on the amount of biomass buried with ferric precursors rather than on the atmospheric composition at the time of deposition. Mössbauer spectra further reveal the mutual stabilisation of Fe-organic matter complexes against mineral transformation and decay of organic matter into CO₂. This corresponds to observations of a ‘rusty carbon sink’ in modern sediments. The stabilisation of Fe-organic matter complexes may also aid transport of particulate Fe in the water column while having an adverse effect on the bioavailability of Fe. In the modern oxic ocean, Fe is insoluble and particulate Fe represents an important source. Collecting that particulate Fe yields small sample sizes that would pose a challenge for conventional Mössbauer experiments. We demonstrate that the unique properties of the beam used in synchrotron-based Mössbauer applications can be utilized for studying such samples effectively. Reactive Fe species often occur in amorphous or nanoparticulate form in the environment and are therefore difficult to study with standard mineralogical tools. Sequential extraction techniques are commonly used as proxies. We provide an example where Mössbauer spectroscopy can replace sequential extraction techniques where mineralogical information is sought. Where mineral separation is needed, for example in the investigation of Fe or S isotope fractionation, Mössbauer spectroscopy can help to optimize sequential extraction procedures. This can be employed in a large number of investigations of soils and sediments, potentially even for mineral separation to study Fe and S isotope fractionation in samples returned from Mars, which might reveal signatures of biological activity. When looking for the possibility of life outside Earth, Jupiter’s icy moon Europa is one of the most exciting places. It may be just in reach for a Mössbauer spectrometer deployed by a future lander to study the red streak mineral deposits on its surface to look for clues about the composition of the ocean hidden under the moon’s icy surface.     

Structure of the temperature field in a flow over heated waves

Liquid crystal thermometry (LCT) was used to quantify temperature fields in a flow over resistively heated waves and assess the effect of the large-scale longitudinal structures that were previously obtained in the velocity field for an isothermal flow (A. Günther and P. Rudolf von Rohr, submitted article, 2002). The wavelength 6 was 10 times larger than the amplitude, and the considered Reynolds numbers were 725 and 3300, defined with the bulk velocity and the half-channel height. A constant heat flux was imposed at the wavy bottom wall. For the first time, LCT was used to determine the fluid temperature in a wall-bounded flow with heat transfer. The dominant spanwise scale obtained from a proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) of the fluid temperature field above an uphill location of the wavy wall was 1.56. It agrees well with the one previously obtained for a decomposition of the streamwise velocity.     

Influence of the optical configuration on temperature measurements with fluid-dispersed TLCs

An accurate temperature calibration of fluid-dispersed thermochromic liquid crystal (TLC) particles is an important prerequisite for quantitative liquid crystal thermometry (LCT) measurements in flows. Encapsulated TLCs are subjected to uniform and linear temperature fields and are illuminated with a sheet of white light. A digital camera records the color distribution reflected by the particles. For the first time, a telecentric objective is used to eliminate the angular dependence of the color within the image plane. The paper systematically assesses how the temperature calibration is affected by the angle between the camera axis and the light-sheet plane, and by the properties of the working fluid. The obtained results provide design criteria for quantitative LCT measurements in situations where small spatial variations of the fluid temperature need to be resolved, namely for turbulent heat transfer problems in wall-bounded flows. Received: 22 January 2001/Accepted: 16 October 2001     

SPARC collaboration: new strategy for storage ring physics at FAIR

SPARC collaboration at FAIR pursues the worldwide unique research program by utilizing storage ring and trapping facilities for highly-charged heavy ions. The main focus is laid on the exploration of the physics at strong, ultra-short electromagnetic fields including the fundamental interactions between electrons and heavy nuclei as well as on the experiments at the border between nuclear and atomic physics. Very recently SPARC worked out a realization scheme for experiments with highly-charged heavy-ions at relativistic energies in the High-Energy Storage Ring HESR and at very low-energies at the CRYRING coupled to the present ESR. Both facilities provide unprecedented physics opportunities already at the very early stage of FAIR operation. The installation of CRYRING, dedicated Low-energy Storage Ring (LSR) for FLAIR, may even enable a much earlier realisation of the physics program of FLAIR with slow anti-protons.     

Nano‐antennae assisted emission of extreme ultraviolet radiation

High‐order harmonic generation in xenon with oscillator repetition rates is studied. The necessary intensity is reached via plasmonic field enhancement at nanostructured arrays of bow‐tie gold antennae. The theoretical analysis focuses on the thermal properties and the damage threshold of the bow‐tie antennae. On the experimental side the number of contributing atoms is determined and optimized. Extreme ultraviolet radiation is successfully observed with photon fluxes almost an order of magnitude larger than previously reported.