Icy Surfaces Research Articles

웨이블릿 영상처리에 의한 도로표면상태 인식 및 분류

본 연구는 도로 관제 목적으로 사용 중인 가시 카메라(Visible Camera)를 사용하여 촬영한 도로표면 영상을 화상 인식 도로표면의 상태를 식별하는 방법과 기준을 제안하였다. 먼저, 입력 화상은 낮 시간대의 아스팔트 포장 도로면을 촬영하여 도로표면 상태의 화상을 만들었고, 편광 및 웨이블릿 변환(Wavelet transform)으로 도로 표면을 5가지의 상태(건조, 습윤, 수막, 적설, 동결)로 인식할 수 있는 분류기준절차를 연구하였다. 표면 화상 인식 과정은 편광계수(수직/수평 편광 비율) 값이 1.3 이상이면 젖은 땅으로 분류한 후, 다음으로 젖은 땅을 제외한 나머지는 웨이블릿 패킷 변환을 통해 시간-주파수 분석을 하였다. 또한 영상 템플릿을 이용하여 마른 땅과 빙판의 표준적인 주파수 특성을 분석하여, 마른 땅과 빙판을 구분하였다. 입력 영상에 대해서 제안한 도로표면상태의 인식분류 및 기준에 따라, 도로표면영상에서 마른 부분과 젖은 부분을 구분한 결과를 정리하였다.

Organic molecules in saturnian E-ring particles. Probing subsurface oceans of Enceladus?

AbstractThe population of Saturn's outermost tenuous E-ring is dominated by tiny water ice particles, some of which contain organic or mineral impurities. Active cryo-volcanism on the moon Enceladus, embedded in the E-ring, has been known to be a major source of particles replenishing the ring since late 2005. Therefore, particles in the vicinity of Enceladus provide crucial information about the dynamic and chemical processes occurring far below the moon's icy surface.We present a compositional analysis of thousands of impact ionisation mass spectra of Saturn's E-ring particles, with sizes predominantly below 1 μm, detected by the Cosmic Dust Analyser onboard the Cassini spacecraft. Our findings imply that organic compounds are a significant component of icy particles ejected by Enceladus plumes. Our in situ measurements are supported by detections of other Cassini instruments. They hint at a dynamic interaction of a hot rocky core with liquid water below the icy surface, where the organic molecules are generated. Further insights are expected from two close Enceladus flybys to be performed by Cassini in 2008. Then, for the first time, we will obtain spectra of freshly ejected particles at the traversals through the cryo-volcanic plumes.

Physical properties and orbital stability of the Trojan asteroids

All the Trojan asteroids orbit about the Sun at roughly the same heliocentric distance as Jupiter. Differences in the observed visible reflection spectra range from neutral to red, with no ultra-red objects found so far. Given that the Trojan asteroids are collisionally evolved, a certain degree of variability is expected. Additionally, cosmic radiation and sublimation are important factors in modifying icy surfaces even at those large heliocentric distances. We search for correlations between physical and dynamical properties, we explore relationships between the following four quantities; the normalised visible reflectivity indexes ( S ′ ), the absolute magnitudes, the observed albedos and the orbital stability of the Trojans. We present here visible spectroscopic spectra of 25 Trojans. This new data increase by a factor of about 5 the size of the sample of visible spectra of Jupiter Trojans on unstable orbits. The observations were carried out at the ESO-NTT telescope (3.5 m) at La Silla, Chile, the ING-WHT (4.2 m) and NOT (2.5 m) at Roque de los Muchachos observatory, La Palma, Spain. We have found a correlation between the size distribution and the orbital stability. The absolute-magnitude distribution of the Trojans in stable orbits is found to be bimodal, while the one of the unstable orbits is unimodal, with a slope similar to that of the small stable Trojans. This supports the hypothesis that the unstable objects are mainly byproducts of physical collisions. The values of S ′ of both the stable and the unstable Trojans are uniformly distributed over a wide range, from 0%/1000 Å to about 15%/1000 Å. The values for the stable Trojans tend to be slightly redder than the unstable ones, but no significant statistical difference is found.

Formation of alcohols on ice surfaces

AbstractAs the number of detections of complex molecules keeps increasing, answering the question about their formation becomes more pressing. Many of the saturated organic molecules are found to have a very low gas phase formation rate and are therefore thought to be formed on the icy surfaces of dust grains. In the Sackler Laboratory for Astrophysics we started a systematic study of the surface reaction routes that have been suggested over the years. Here we present the experimental results on the formation of methanol and ethanol by hydrogenation reactions of carbon monoxide and acetaldehyde ice. Computer simulations of the surface processes under similar conditions using the continuous-time random-walk Monte Carlo technique reveal some of the underlying physical processes. A better understanding of the physical conditions in which these molecules are formed can help in the interpretation of the observational results. The CO hydrogenation results will appear in detail in Fuchs et al. (2008). For more details on ethanol formation we refer to Bisschop et al. (2007).

A Theoretical Study of the Formation of the Aminoacetonitrile Precursor of Glycine on Icy Grain Mantles in the Interstellar Medium

Electronic structure calculations have been carried out for one of the key reactions in a Strecker synthesis route to the amino acid glycine, in connection with amino acid production in the interstellar medium (ISM). Density functional calculations at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level have been performed for the reaction between methanimine, CH2NH, and the two isomers HNC/HCN, leading to aminoacetonitrilesa known precursor of glycinesin both the gas phase and on a model icy grain surface. Three mechanisms are evidenced in the reference gas-phase calculations; for CH2NH reacting with HCN, there are two routes referred to as indirect and direct, and for CH2NH reacting with the isomer HNC, a one-step mechanism is found. All of these reaction paths have quite high barriers, but on a model interstellar grain icy surface, very considerable barrier reduction results due to a concerted proton relay mechanism. Explicit water molecules in a reaction ring are shown to participate in this relay mechanism in the reactions of CH2NH both with HCN and with the HNC isomer. The inclusion of two explicit H2O molecules leads to the strongest effect for the concerted proton transfer. With several further solvating waters included, this proton relay route to aminoacetonitrile for the HNC isomer via a direct mechanism is found to have a very low free-energy barrier at 50 K, ¢G50K < 1 kcal/mol, and thus appears to be feasible in the ISM. The corresponding reaction with HCN, however, has a much higher barrier, ¢G50K ) 7 kcal/mol. The significance of these results for glycine production in the ISM is discussed.

The librations, shape, and icy shell of Europa

Europa, the smallest of the Galilean satellites, has a young icy surface and most likely contains an internal ocean. The primary objective of possible future missions to Europa is the unambiguous detection and characterization of a subsurface ocean. The thickness of the overlying icy shell provides important information on the thermal evolution of the satellite and on the interaction between the ocean and the surface, the latter being fundamental for astrobiology. However, the thickness is not well known, and estimates range from several hundred of meters to some ten of kilometers. Here, we investigate the use of libration (rotation variation) observations to study the interior structure of Europa and in particular its icy shell. A dynamical libration model is developed, which includes gravitational coupling between the icy shell and the heavy solid interior. The amplitude of the main libration signal at 3.55 days (the orbital period) is shown to depend on Europa's shape and structure. Models of the interior structure of Europa are constructed and the equatorial flattening of the internal layers, which are key parameters for the libration, are calculated by assuming that Europa is in hydrostatic equilibrium. Europa's flattened shape is assumed to be due to rotation and permanent tides, and we extend the classical Radau equation for rotationally flattened bodies to include also tidal deformation. We show that the presence of an ocean increases the amplitude of libration by about 10%, depending mainly on the thickness of the icy shell. Therefore, libration observations offer possibility of detection of a subsurface ocean in Europa and estimation of the thickness of its overlying icy shell.

Gait Muscle Activity during Walking on an Inclined Icy Surface

The objective of this study was to explain the contribution of lower extremity muscle activity to gait kinetic and kinematic adaptations for maintaining gait dynamic balance when walking on an inclined icy surface and the biomechanical mechanisms used to counteract slip risk. A two-way factorial experimental design was applied. The two independent variables were the walkway surface (ice and treadmill) and the walkway inclination (0 masculine, 6 masculine, 8 masculine). The dependent variable was the amplitude of the surface EMG of four right lower extremity muscles (tibialis anterior TA, gastrocnemius lateralis GL, rectus femoris RF, and biceps femoris BF). Twelve healthy subjects (7 males and 5 females) participated in the walking trials. A two-way ANOVA analysis showed that on the icy surface in the heel contact phase, EMG amplitudes significantly decreased in TA and RF compared to those for the treadmill surface. In the mid-stance phase, the GL muscle activity significantly decreased on ice compared to treadmill and all four muscle activities increased significantly with the inclination. During the toe off phase, GL and RF activities increased with the inclination. The mechanisms identified may be applied to develop intervention, rehabilitation and training techniques, and to improve performance in human locomotion, such as for winter sports.

Radiation chemistry of H 2O + O 2 ices

The chemistry and spectroscopy of proton-irradiated H 2O + O 2 ices have been investigated in relation to the production of oxidants in icy satellite surfaces. Hydrogen peroxide (H 2O 2), ozone (O 3), and the hydroperoxy (HO 2) and hydrogen trioxide (HO 3) radicals have all been observed, and their temperature and dose dependent production trends have been measured. We find that O 2 aggregates form during the growth of H 2O + O 2 ice films, and the presence of these aggregates greatly affects the HO 2 and H 2O 2 yields. In addition, we have found that the position of the spectral maximum of the ν 3 vibration of O 3 shifts with ice composition, giving an indication of the degree of dispersion of O 3 molecules within the ice. We discuss the relevance of these measurements to icy satellite surfaces.

The E-ring in the vicinity of Enceladus: II. Probing the moon's interior—The composition of E-ring particles

The population of Saturn's outermost tenuous E-ring is dominated by tiny water ice particles. Active volcanism on the moon Enceladus, embedded in the E-ring, has since late 2005 been known to be a major source of particles replenishing the ring. Therefore particles in the vicinity of Enceladus may provide crucial information about the dynamical and chemical processes occurring below the moon's icy surface. Here we present a statistical evaluation of more than 2000 impact ionisation mass spectra of Saturn's E-ring particles, with sizes predominantly below 1 μm, detected by the Cosmic Dust Analyser onboard the Cassini spacecraft. We focus on the identification of non-water features in spectra otherwise dominated by water ice signatures. Here we specify the categorisation of two different spectrum types, which probably represent two particle populations. Type I spectra imply pure water ice particles, whereas in Type II spectra organic compounds and/or silicate minerals are identified as impurities within the icy particles. This finding supports the hypothesis of a dynamic interaction of Enceladus' rocky core with liquid water.

Concerted Proton-Transfer Mechanism and Solvation Effects in the HNC/HCN Isomerization on the Surface of Icy Grain Mantles in the Interstellar Medium

In order to better understand the isomerization between HNC and HCN on icy grain (or comet nuclei) surfaces in the interstellar medium in connection with a Strecker synthesis route to glycine, B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) calculations have been carried out on the mechanisms of direct proton transfer (PT), where water molecules play a purely solvating role, and indirect PT, where water molecules participate in a proton relay mechanism. In the direct PT mechanism, a rather high-energy barrier exists for isomerization of HNC to HCN. In the much more important indirect mechanism, a concerted PT process is possible for isomerization in the presence of several water molecules. The calculations show that three water molecules bound to HNC and HCN give rise to a ring reaction significantly favoring the isomerization, a mechanism previously found for this reaction by Gardebien and Sevin (J. Phys. Chem. A 2003, 107, 3925). Further quite important solvation effects are included in the present work by addition of explicit solvating water molecules, and by a comparison with Polarizable Continuum Model (PCM) solvation. The final calculated free-energy barrier at 50 K is 3.4 kcal/mol for the isomerization of HNC to HCN with three water molecules in a ring acting as a bridge for concerted PT and seven explicit solvating water molecules; PCM solvation of this entire system leads to a further free-energy barrier reduction of 0.8 kcal/mol. The back isomerization of HCN to HNC, however, is unlikely, with an estimated free-energy barrier of 9.5 kcal/mol at 50 K. These results imply that, on icy surfaces in the interstellar medium, the isomerization of HNC to HCN occurs relatively easily, and the implications for the Strecker synthesis of glycine are discussed.

Slips and falls in a cold climate: Underfoot surface, footwear design and worker preferences for preventive measures

Slips and falls and associated outdoor injuries are prevalent in cold climates. The objectives of this field investigation were to describe the consequences of slips and falls on ice and snow and the associated injuries, to assess the risks of various icy and snowy surfaces, to identify design needs of footwear, and to ascertain preventive measure preferences of outdoor workers. The organizations investigated were a newspaper delivery service, a military regiment, mining and construction industries. The results showed that fall events occur most frequently on ice covered with snow. This is due to the difficulty of perceiving hidden risks in order to adjust gait strategies. The professional footwear provided does not provide enough protection against slips and falls. Slip resistant properties are ranked as one of the top requirements by the users. Their most preferred preventive measures are footwear with anti-slip properties and the application of anti-slip materials, such as sand or salt.

Ammonia–water ice laboratory studies relevant to outer Solar System surfaces

Although water- and ammonia-ices have been observed or postulated as important components of the icy surfaces of planetary satellites in the outer Solar System, significant gaps exist in our knowledge of the spectra and behavior of such mixtures under astrophysical conditions. To that end, we have completed low-temperature spectroscopic studies (1–20 μm) of water–ammonia mixtures, with an emphasis on features in the near-IR, a region which is accessible to ground-based observations. The influences of composition, formation temperature, thermal- and radiation-processing, and phase (crystalline or amorphous) of the components were examined. Spectra of both pure NH 3 and H 2O–NH 3 icy mixtures with ratios from 0.7 to 57 were measured at temperatures from 10 to 120 K. Conditions for the formation and thermal stability of the ammonia hemihydrate (2NH 3⋅H 2O) and the ammonia monohydrate (NH 3⋅H 2O) have been examined. Band positions of NH 3 in different H 2O-ices and major band positions of the hydrates were measured. We report spectral shifts that depend on concentration and temperature. The radiation-induced amorphization of the hemihydrate was observed and the radiation destruction of NH 3 in H 2O-ices was measured. Implications of these results for the formation, stability, and detection of ammonia on outer satellite surfaces are discussed.

Grain sizes, surface areas, and porosities of vapor-deposited H 2O ices used to simulate planetary icy surfaces

Mean grain sizes and specific surface areas (SSAs) of ice substrates formed by vapor deposition at low temperatures are of importance in simulating external surfaces of icy satellites in the solar system. Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) was used to obtain granule sizes and to observe the phase of ice granules prepared on borosilicate, silicon, and metallic plates. Ices prepared at a temperature lower than 140 K appear to be amorphous, and their granule sizes are typically submicrometer. At slightly warmer temperatures, near 180–200 K, ice films are composed of either hexagonal or cubic granules with sizes up to a few micrometers. When briefly annealed to even warmer temperatures, ice granule sizes approach ∼ 10 μm . SSAs of ice substrates were determined from BET (Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller) analysis of gas adsorption isotherms in the temperature range from 83.5 to 261 K. SSAs decrease drastically from 102 m 2/g at 83.5 K to 0.87 m 2/g at 150 K and further decrease slowly to 0.22 m 2/g at 261 K, suggesting that the transition from amorphous to crystalline forms occurs at ∼ 150 K . The overall decrease in SSAs is primarily due to metamorphism and sintering. These results are comparable to recent field and laboratory measurements. Possible implications for theoretical models of icy satellites of outer planets using remote sensing techniques are also discussed.

Plasma Desorption Mass Spectrometry analysis of HCOOH ice

Planetary magnetospheres, in which outer planet satellites orbit, are bombarded by energetic particles inducing chemical and physical changes in their icy surfaces. The existing condensed gases react to form new products, which then undergo thermal evolution from the natural day/night cycles of these satellites. Plasma irradiation of ice causes phase changes, e.g., water ice from crystalline to amorphous over short timescales. When ice is recrystallized by heating, the surface layers retain some disorder, which promote reactions among adsorbed molecules such as H 2O, CO 2, CH 2CO, HCOOH and theirs radiolysis products. In this work, chemical reactions involving formic acid condensed at 56 K are analyzed by using Plasma Desorption Mass Spectrometry-time-of-flight ( 252Cf-PDMS-TOF). Mass spectra of positive and negative desorbed ions were obtained, giving information on the structure and abundance of the molecules on the ice; the expected cations and anions generated by the HCOOH dissociation have been observed. Furthermore, several series of cluster ions were also detected, all exhibiting the structure X n Y m R ±, where X and Y are the neutral ice molecules, such as HCOOH or H 2O, and R ± is either an atomic or a molecular ion, such as H +, H 3O + or COOH −. In general, the desorption yields of the observed positive and negative ions are characterized by a decreasing exponential function as the emitted ion mass increases; however, the (HCOOH) n OH − series presents its maximum at n = 8.

The Diverse Solar Phase Curves of Distant Icy Bodies. I. Photometric Observations of 18 Trans-Neptunian Objects, 7 Centaurs, and Nereid

We have measured the solar phase curves in B, V, and I for 18 trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs), 7 Centaurs, and Nereid and determined the rotation curves for 10 of these targets. For each body we have made ~100 observations uniformly spread over the entire visible range. We find that all the targets except Nereid have linear phase curves at small phase angles (0.1°-2.0°) with widely varying phase coefficients (0.0-0.4 mag deg-1). At phase angles of 2°-3°, the Centaurs (54598) Bienor and (32532) Thereus have phase curves that flatten. The recently discovered Pluto-scale bodies (2005 FY9, 2003 EL61, and 2003 UB313—now known as 136199 Eris), like Pluto, have neutral colors compared to most TNOs and small phase coefficients (0.1 mag deg-1). Together, these two properties are a likely indication of large TNOs with high-albedo, freshly coated icy surfaces. We find several bodies with significantly wavelength-dependent phase curves. The TNOs (50000) Quaoar, (120348) 2004 TY364, and (47932) 2000 GN171 have unusually high I-band phase coefficients and much lower coefficients in the B and V bands. Their phase coefficients increase in proportion to wavelength by 0.5-0.8 mag deg-1 μm-1 . The phase curves for TNOs with small B-band phase coefficients (<0.1 mag deg-1) have a similar but weaker wavelength dependence. Coherent backscatter is the likely cause for the wavelength dependence for all these bodies. We see no such dependence for the Centaurs, which have visual albedos of ~0.05.

Failure modes of the lineaments on Jupiter's moon, Europa: Implications for the evolution of its icy crust

Lineaments referred to as ridges, troughs, bands, and faults on the icy surface of Jupiter's moon, Europa, have long been interpreted as extensional structures due to brittle fracturing of ice and intrusion of mobile materials from the interior of the satellite. Based on detailed mapping and possibly analogous structures present on Earth, we propose that the kinematics and failure mechanisms of these structures are variable and more complex than previously thought. A dense network of structures of multiple generations, forming the background on the surface of the planet, is here interpreted as localized zones of volumetric strain, likely compaction and/or dilation bands. The next class of linear failure structures is shear bands with significant offset of pre-existing markers. A few additional phases of less pervasive but more prominent volumetric deformation bands overprint the shear zones and background network. The mode of younger features can be characterized as sharp, dilational, brittle fracturing and subsequent shearing, thereby producing comminution and fragmentation in various sizes, leading to a series of younger faults with detectable lateral, as well as vertical, offset. This rich variability in the nature of the distribution, localization, kinematics, and formation mechanisms, if true, suggests that the conditions prevailing within the crust of Europa must have changed dramatically over time. The implication of this conclusion is that structures interpreted to be compaction/dilation bands and shear bands on Europa are composed of deformed materials similar to the surrounding ice, whereas only the younger faults, developed by brittle fracturing and fragmentation, may be conduits for mobile substrate to reach the surface and thus offer the highest potential for recovering evidence for life in the satellite.

No evidence for thick deposits of ice at the lunar south pole

Shackleton crater at the Moon's south pole has been suggested as a possible site of concentrated deposits of water ice, on the basis of modelling of bi-static radar polarization properties and interpretations of earlier Earth-based radar images. This suggestion, and parallel assumptions about other topographic cold traps, is a significant element in planning for future lunar landings. Hydrogen enhancements have been identified in the polar regions, but these data do not identify the host species or its local distribution. The earlier Earth-based radar data lack the resolution and coverage for detailed studies of the relationship between radar scattering properties, cold traps in permanently shadowed areas, and local terrain features such as the walls and ejecta of small craters. Here we present new 20-m resolution, 13-cm-wavelength radar images that show no evidence for concentrated deposits of water ice in Shackleton crater or elsewhere at the south pole. The polarization properties normally associated with reflections from icy surfaces in the Solar System were found at all the observed latitudes and are strongly correlated with the rock-strewn walls and ejecta of young craters, including the inner wall of Shackleton. There is no correlation between the polarization properties and the degree of solar illumination. If the hydrogen enhancement observed by the Lunar Prospector orbiter indicates the presence of water ice, then our data are consistent with the ice being present only as disseminated grains in the lunar regolith.

Mapping of Titan: Results from the first Titan radar passes

The first two swaths collected by Cassini's Titan Radar Mapper were obtained in October of 2004 (Ta) and February of 2005 (T3). The Ta swath provides evidence for cryovolcanic processes, the possible occurrence of fluvial channels and lakes, and some tectonic activity. The T3 swath has extensive areas of dunes and two large impact craters. We interpret the brightness variations in much of the swaths to result from roughness variations caused by fracturing and erosion of Titan's icy surface, with additional contributions from a combination of volume scattering and compositional variations. Despite the small amount of Titan mapped to date, the significant differences between the terrains of the two swaths suggest that Titan is geologically complex. The overall scarcity of impact craters provides evidence that the surface imaged to date is relatively young, with resurfacing by cryovolcanism, fluvial erosion, aeolian erosion, and likely atmospheric deposition of materials. Future radar swaths will help to further define the nature of and extent to which internal and external processes have shaped Titan's surface.

Laboratory simulation experiments on the solid-state greenhouse effect in planetary ices

Icy surfaces like the polar caps of Mars, comets, Edgeworth–Kuiper belt objects or the surface areas of many moons in the outer Solar System behave different than rock and soil surfaces when irradiated by solar light. The latter ones absorb and reflect incoming solar radiation immediately at the surface. In contrast, ices are partially transparent in the visible spectral range and opaque in the infrared. Due to this fact it is possible for the solar radiation to reach a certain depth and increase the temperature of the sub-surface layers directly. This internal temperature rise is called “solid-state greenhouse effect,” in analogy to the classical greenhouse effect in an atmosphere. It may play an important role in the energy balance of various icy bodies in the Solar System. Within the scope of a project conducted at the Space Research Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Graz the solid-state greenhouse effect was investigated experimentally and theoretically. A number of experiments with diverse materials, focussing mainly on layered samples with a surface cover consisting of transparent H 2O-ice, were performed. The samples were irradiated under cryo-vacuum conditions by a solar simulator. The temperature distributions inside the samples were measured and compared with the results of numerical model calculations. We found that the predicted sub-surface temperature maximum is very clearly measurable in glass beads samples with various particle size distributions, but can also be detected in transparent compact surface ice layers. However, in the latter case it is less distinct than originally expected. Measuring the effect by laboratory methods turned out to be a difficult task due to the shallow depth where the temperature maximum occurs.

Reflectance spectra and chemical structure of Titan's tholins: Application to the analysis of Cassini–Huygens observations

Titan's tholins are used as analogs of Titan's aerosols and N-rich organic solids present on many icy surfaces. However, it is not clear whether or not they are relevant analogs, and which kind of tholins should be used among a wide set available in literature. This paper presents reflectance spectral data of two tholins selected as end-members of a series of samples covering a very wide range of continuous chemical and optical properties. These samples were formed under experimental conditions fairly consistent with Titan's stratosphere. A general framework for using these laboratory data to the analysis of spectral observation of Titan's surface or other objects is suggested. Furthermore, the study reports the first in situ unambiguous identification of aromatics compounds and evidences variations in the sp 2 carbon structure, which controls the absorption properties in the visible/NIR. These results also point out it is very unlikely to derive quantitative chemical information (e.g., N content, sp 2/sp 3 ratio) from remote sensing reflectance data.