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Epigenetic profiling by chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq) has become a powerful tool for genome-wide identification of regulatory elements, for defining transcriptional regulatory networks, and for screening for biomarkers. However, the ChIP-seq protocol for low-input samples is laborious and time-consuming and suffers from experimental variation, resulting in poor reproducibility and low throughput. Although prototypic microfluidic ChIP-seq platforms have been developed, these are poorly transferable as they require sophisticated custom-made equipment and in-depth microfluidic and ChIP expertise, while lacking parallelization. To enable standardized, automated ChIP-seq profiling of low-input samples, we constructed microfluidic PDMS-based plates capable of performing 24 sensitive ChIP reactions within 30 min of hands-on time and 4.5 h of machine-running time. These disposable plates can be conveniently loaded into a widely available controller for pneumatics and thermocycling. In light of the plug and play (PnP) ChIP plates and workflow, we named our procedure PnP-ChIP-seq. We show high-quality ChIP-seq on hundreds to a few thousand of cells for all six post-translational histone modifications that are included in the International Human Epigenome Consortium set of reference epigenomes. PnP-ChIP-seq robustly detects epigenetic differences on promoters and enhancers between naive and more primed mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). Furthermore, we used our platform to generate epigenetic profiles of rare subpopulations of mESCs that resemble the two-cell stage of embryonic development. PnP-ChIP-seq allows nonexpert laboratories worldwide to conveniently run robust, standardized ChIP-seq, whereas its high throughput, consistency, and sensitivity pave the way toward large-scale profiling of precious sample types such as rare subpopulations of cells or biopsies.

Mars Polar Science is an integrated, compelling system that serves as a nearby analogue to numerous other planets, supports human exploration, and habitability. Mars possesses the closest and most easily accessible layered ice deposits outside of Earth, and accessing those layers to read the climate record would be a triumph for planetary science.

Several large ridges, termed dorsa, stand over 800 m above their surroundings in a region centered on the trailing hemisphere of Saturn's icy moon Enceladus. In map view, these dorsa are linear to curvilinear, 20 km to more than 50 km long, and display near-orthogonal trends. They cross-cut (are younger than) most other geological features in the region. High-resolution limb profiles show the dorsa to be asymmetric in cross-sectioned profile and 5–6 km in width, and high-resolution images show striations along their crests. The structure and morphology of the dorsa suggest they are thrust blocks, possibly analogous to lobate scarps or wrinkle-ridges found on the terrestrial planets. The low slopes of their backlimbs and steeper forelimbs, suggest the dorsa were formed as wrinkle ridges or lobate scarps overlying thrust faults that penetrate 1–4 km deep to a detachment, most likely at the brittle-ductile transition (BDT). Their near-orthogonal trends are consistent with biaxial horizontal shortening. These relationships suggest that the central trailing hemisphere was recently subjected to a relatively high heat flow at the time that deformation occurred.

Epigenetic profiling by ChIP-Seq has become a powerful tool for genome-wide identification of regulatory elements, for defining transcriptional regulatory networks and for screening for biomarkers. However, the ChIP-Seq protocol for low-input samples is laborious, time-consuming and suffers from experimental variation, resulting in poor reproducibility and low throughput. Although prototypic microfluidic ChIP-Seq platforms have been developed, these are poorly transferable as they require sophisticated custom-made equipment and in-depth microfluidic and ChIP expertise, while lacking parallelisation. To enable standardized, automated ChIP-Seq profiling of low-input samples, we constructed PDMS-based plates containing microfluidic Integrated Fluidic Circuits capable of performing 24 sensitive ChIP reactions within 30 minutes hands-on time. These disposable plates can conveniently be loaded into a widely available controller for pneumatics and thermocycling, making the ChIP-Seq procedure Plug and Play (PnP). We demonstrate high-quality ChIP-seq on hundreds to few thousands of cells for multiple widely-profiled post-translational histone modifications, together allowing genome-wide identification of regulatory elements. As proof of principle, we managed to generate high-quality epigenetic profiles of rare totipotent subpopulations of mESCs using our platform. In light of the ready-to-go ChIP plates and the automated workflow, we named our procedure PnP-ChIP-Seq. PnP-ChIP-Seq allows non-expert labs worldwide to conveniently run robust, standardized ChIP-Seq, while its high-throughput, consistency and sensitivity paves the way towards large-scale profiling of precious sample types such as rare subpopulations of cells or biopsies.Reviewer link to dataAll sequencing data has been submitted to the NCBI GEO database. Reviewer link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?token=klwnocicrpaxrkv&acc=GSE120673

We examine the surface brightnesses of Saturn's smaller satellites using a photometric model that explicitly accounts for their elongated shapes and thus facilitates comparisons among different moons. Analyses of Cassini imaging data with this model reveals that the moons Aegaeon, Methone and Pallene are darker than one would expect given trends previously observed among the nearby mid-sized satellites. On the other hand, the trojan moons Calypso and Helene have substantially brighter surfaces than their co-orbital companions Tethys and Dione. These observations are inconsistent with the moons' surface brightnesses being entirely controlled by the local flux of E-ring particles, and therefore strongly imply that other phenomena are affecting their surface properties. The darkness of Aegaeon, Methone and Pallene is correlated with the fluxes of high-energy protons, implying that high-energy radiation is responsible for darkening these small moons. Meanwhile, Prometheus and Pandora appear to be brightened by their interactions with nearby dusty F ring, implying that enhanced dust fluxes are most likely responsible for Calypso's and Helene's excess brightness. However, there are no obvious structures in the E ring that would preferentially brighten these two moons, so there must either be something subtle in the E-ring particles' orbital properties that leads to asymmetries in the relevant fluxes, or something happened recently to temporarily increase these moons' brightnesses., 93 pages, 23 figures, 28 tables. Accepted for publication in AJ. Updated to fix some typographical errors identified in the proof stage

Many obsects in the solar system are suspected to have experience reorientation of their spin axes. As their rotation rates are slow and their shapes are nearly spherical, the formation of mass anomalies, by either endogenic of exogenic processes, can change objects' moments of inertia. Therefore, the objects reorient to align their largest moment of inertia with their spin axis. Such phenomenon is called True Polar Wander (TPW). Here we report the discovery of a global series of topographic lows on Saturn's satellite Enceladus that we interpret to show that this synchronously locked moon has undergone TPW by ~55{\deg} about the tidal axis. We use improved topographic data from the spherical harmonic expansion of Cassini limb and stereogrammetric measurements to characterize regional topography over the surface of Enceladus. We identify a group of nearly antipodal basins orthogonal to a topographic basin chain tracing a non-equatorial circumglobal belt across Enceladus' surface. We argue that the belt and the antipodal regions are fossil remnants of an earlier equator and poles, respectively. We argue that these lows arise from isostasic compensation and that their pattern reflects spatial variations in internal dynamics of the ice shell. Our hypothesis is consistent with a variety of geological features visible in Cassini images.

Cassini's last look at Saturn's rings During the final stages of the Cassini mission, the spacecraft flew between the planet and its rings, providing a new view on this spectacular system (see the Perspective by Ida). Setting the scene, Spilker reviews the numerous discoveries made using Cassini during the 13 years it spent orbiting Saturn. Iess et al. measured the gravitational pull on Cassini, separating the contributions from the planet and the rings. This allowed them to determine the interior structure of Saturn and the mass of its rings. Buratti et al. present observations of five small moons located in and around the rings. The moons each have distinctive shapes and compositions, owing to accretion of ring material. Tiscareno et al. observed the rings directly at close range, finding complex features sculpted by the gravitational interactions between moons and ring particles. Together, these results show that Saturn's rings are substantially younger than the planet itself and constrain models of their origin. Science , this issue p. 1046 , p. eaat2965 , p. eaat2349 , p. eaau1017 ; see also p. 1028

An exceptional deposit covering an area of ∼7700 km 2 , displaying morphology indicative of an originally fluid material, occurs near 42.2°N, 167.4°E on the lunar farside. The material occurs as smooth, flat deposits (here termed “ponds”) on the bottoms of many craters and in other topographic depressions, as well as a veneer across the majority of the region. Within this area, the ponded deposits and widespread-veneer have an estimated volume of ∼8 km 3 ; the veneer constitutes the great majority of this volume. This material appears to have flowed downslope across the surface, collecting in flat-surface accumulations. The surfaces of the ponds and veneer are only lightly cratered, indicating a young (i.e., late Copernican) age. Four possible modes of origin are investigated: basin ejecta, pyroclastic volcanism, effusive volcanism, and ballistically emplaced impact-melt. Volcanism and basin ejecta appear to be inconsistent with the observed morphology: an implausible number of vents are required for volcanism and the morphological properties do not resemble basin ejecta. We suggest that ballistically emplaced impact melt is most consistent with the observations. Possible source craters for impact melt, based on minimum required size (>20 km diameter) and age, are at least 250 km distant and cannot be definitively tied to the pond deposits. This discovery places important new constraints on our knowledge of the distribution of impact melt relative to the parent crater.

Erosion of pits in the residual south polar cap (RSPC) of Mars concurrent with deposition and fluctuating cap boundaries raises questions about the mass balance and long term stability of the cap. Determining a mass balance by measurement of a net gain or loss of atmospheric CO 2 by direct pressure measurements (Haberle, R.M. et al. [2014]. Secular climate change on Mars: An update using one Mars year of MSL pressure data. American Geophysical Union (Fall). Abstract 3947), although perhaps the most direct method, has so far given ambiguous results. Estimating volume changes from imaging data faces challenges, and has previously been attempted only in isolated areas of the cap. In this study we use 6 m/pixel Context Imager (CTX) data from Mars year 31 to map all the morphologic units of the RSPC, expand the measurement record of pit erosion rates, and use high resolution images to place limits on vertical changes in the surface of the residual cap. We find the mass balance in Mars years 9–31 to be −6 to +4 km 3 /♂y, or roughly −0.039% to +0.026% of the mean atmospheric CO 2 mass/♂y. The indeterminate sign results chiefly from uncertainty in the amounts of deposition or erosion on the upper surfaces of deposits (as opposed to scarp retreat). Erosion and net deposition in this period appear to be controlled by summertime planetary scale dust events, the largest occurring in MY 9, another, smaller one in MY 28. The rates of erosion and the deposition observed since MY 9 appear to be consistent with the types of deposits and erosional behavior found in most of the residual cap. However, small areas ( 100 ♂y) of depositional and/or erosional conditions different from those occurring in the period since MY 9, although these environmental differences could be subtle.

Properties of the small inner satellites of Saturn are updated using final Cassini image data. The equatorial ridges on Pan and Atlas are morphologically, structurally, and gravitationally distinct from their cores and represent distinct additions to, rather than modifications of, the precursor bodies. Exposures of lineated substrates on Pandora and Epimetheus show a relationship between regolith grooves and structures in underlying bedrock. Structures exposed on Epimetheus suggest formation at depth including filling or annealing of fractures. These structures, and sharp bedrock-regolith boundaries indicate a history far more complex than simple rubble-pile assembly. These exposures of bedrock also indicate past removal of the expected regolith from large fractions of these object's surfaces late in their cratering records.

The Residual South Polar Cap (RSPC) of Mars is a thin covering of CO2 ice resting on water-ice rich deposits. As such, it is a likely indicator of the net effects of recent polar climate. This covering has had minor changes in outline for the period of spacecraft observation (Piqueux and Christensen, 2008a) and estimates of its recent mass balance suggest fractionally small changes in its volume (Thomas et al., 2016). Pit growth by scarp retreat (Malin et al., 2001; Byrne and Ingersoll, 2003a; Thomas et al., 2005, 2013) is a major, relatively easily measured component of the cap's mass balance. This scarp retreat is only the beginning of a process: fracturing, slumping, and sublimation (Byrne et al., 2008; Thomas et al., 2009) lead to production of a trail of debris. This study focuses on that debris using spacecraft imaging data. The rough, relatively dark debris forms ubiquitous ramps, typically tens of m wide, around scarps within pits or on perimeters of mesas. Much wider accumulations of debris, “debris fields,” mimic distinctive scalloped outlines of mesas and are observed to originate by merging of expanding pits within a mesa. The subsequent evolution of debris fields includes repeated year-to-year local relief inversions that involve trapping and retention of seasonal ice in low areas that effectively reduce the vertical loss rates. Complete loss of the CO2 debris from a surface of water-ice rich Polar Layered Deposits (PLD) can initiate new net accumulation of CO2 ice. The longevity of some debris fields, essentially instances of slow downwasting, appear to facilitate relief inversion on large scales by allowing the surrounding areas to accumulate new CO2 ice and to thicken relative to the debris fields.

International audience; This report continues the practice where the IAU Working Group on Cartographic Coordinates and Rotational Elements revises recommendations regarding those topics for the planets, satellites, minor planets, and comets approximately every 3 years. The Working Group has now become a "functional working group" of the IAU, and its membership is open to anyone interested in participating. We describe the procedure for submitting questions about the recommendations given here or the application of these recommendations for creating a new or updated coordinate system for a given body. Regarding body orientation, the following bodies have been updated: Mercury, based on MESSENGER results; Mars, along with a refined longitude definition; Phobos; Deimos; (1) Ceres; (52) Europa; (243) Ida; (2867) Šteins; Neptune; (134340) Pluto and its satellite Charon; comets 9P/Tempel 1, 19P/Borrelly, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, and 103P/Hartley 2, noting that such information is valid only between specific epochs. The special challenges related to mapping 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko are also discussed. Approximate expressions for the Earth have been removed in order to avoid confusion, and the low precision series expression for the Moon's orientation has been removed. The previously online only recommended orientation model for (4) Vesta is repeated with an explanation of how it was updated. Regarding body shape, text has been included to explain the expected uses of such information, and the relevance of the cited uncertainty information. The size of the Sun has been updated, and notation added that the size and the ellipsoidal axes for the Earth and Jupiter have been recommended by an IAU Resolution. The distinction of a reference radius for a body (here, the Moon and Titan) is made between cartographic uses, and for orthoprojection and geophysical uses. The recommended radius for Mercury has been updated based on MESSENGER results. The recommended radius for Titan is returned to its previous value. Size information has been updated for 13 other Saturnian satellites and added for Aegaeon. The sizes of Pluto and Charon have been updated. Size information has been updated for (1) Ceres and given for (16) Psyche and (52) Europa. The size of (25143) Itokawa has been corrected. In addition, the discussion of terminology for the poles (hemispheres) of small bodies has been modified and a discussion on cardinal directions added. Although they continue to be used for planets and their satellites, it is assumed that the planetographic and planetocentric coordinate system definitions do not apply to small bodies. However, planetocentric and planetodetic latitudes and longitudes may be used on such bodies, following the right-hand rule. We repeat our previous recommendations that planning and efforts be made to make controlled cartographic products; newly recommend that common formulations should be used for orientation and size; continue to recommend that a community consensus be developed for the orientation models of Jupiter and Saturn; newly recommend that historical summaries of the coordinate systems for given bodies should be developed, and point out that for planets and satellites planetographic systems have generally been historically preferred over planetocentric systems, and that in cases when planetographic coordinates have been widely used in the past, there is no obvious advantage to switching to the use of planetocentric coordinates. The Working Group also requests community input on the question submitting process, posting of updates to the Working Group website, and on whether recommendations should be made regarding exoplanet coordinate systems.

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) consists of two imaging systems that provide multispectral and high resolution imaging of the lunar surface. The Wide Angle Camera (WAC) is a seven color push-frame imager with a 90∘ field of view in monochrome mode and 60∘ field of view in color mode. From the nominal 50 km polar orbit, the WAC acquires images with a nadir ground sampling distance of 75 m for each of the five visible bands and 384 m for the two ultraviolet bands. The Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) consists of two identical cameras capable of acquiring images with a ground sampling distance of 0.5 m from an altitude of 50 km. The LROC team geometrically calibrated each camera before launch at Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego, California and the resulting measurements enabled the generation of a detailed camera model for all three cameras. The cameras were mounted and subsequently launched on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) on 18 June 2009. Using a subset of the over 793000 NAC and 207000 WAC images of illuminated terrain collected between 30 June 2009 and 15 December 2013, we improved the interior and exterior orientation parameters for each camera, including the addition of a wavelength dependent radial distortion model for the multispectral WAC. These geometric refinements, along with refined ephemeris, enable seamless projections of NAC image pairs with a geodetic accuracy better than 20 meters and sub-pixel precision and accuracy when orthorectifying WAC images.

While potentially powerful, access to molecular diagnostics is substantially limited in the developing world. Here we present an approach to reduced cost molecular diagnostic instrumentation that has the potential to empower developing world communities by reducing costs through streamlining the sample preparation process. In addition, this instrument is capable of producing its own consumable devices on demand, reducing reliance on assay suppliers. Furthermore, this instrument is designed with an "open" architecture, allowing users to visually observe the assay process and make modifications as necessary (as opposed to traditional "black box" systems). This open environment enables integration of microfluidic fabrication and viral RNA purification onto an easy-to-use modular system via the use of interchangeable trays. Here we employ this system to develop a protocol to fabricate microfluidic devices and then use these devices to isolate viral RNA from serum for the measurement of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) viral load. Results obtained from this method show significantly reduced error compared with similar nonautomated sample preparation processes.

More than a dozen small (

The residual south polar cap (RSPC) of Mars has been subject to competing processes during recent Mars years of high resolution image coverage: continuing erosion of scarps while the maximum extent grows as well as shrinks (Piqueux, S., Christensen, P.R. [2008]. J. Geophys. Res. (Planets) 113, 2006; James, P.B., Thomas, P.C., Malin, M.C. [2010]. Icarus 208, 82–85). Additionally, the cap has a variety of morphologies and erosion (scarp retreat) rates (Thomas, P.C., James, P.B., Calvin, W.M., Haberle, R., Malin, M.C. [2009]. Icarus 203, 352–375). Do these different forms and competing processes indicate an aging and possibly disappearing cap, a growing cap, or a fluctuating cap, and is it possible to infer the timescales of the processes acting on the RSPC? Here we use the latest imaging data from Mars’ southern summer in Mars year 30 (Calendar year 2011) to evaluate erosion rates of forms in the RSPC over 6 Mars years, and to map more fully features whose sizes can be used to predict deposit ages. Data through Mars year 30 show that scarp retreat rates in the RSPC have remained approximately the same for at least 6 Mars years and that these rates of erosion also apply approximately over the past 21 Mars years. The thicker units appear to have undergone changes in the locations of new pit formation about 30–50 Mars years ago. The thinner units have some areas that are possibly 80 Mars years old, with some younger materials having accumulated more than a meter in thickness since Mars year 9. Formation of the thicker units probably required over 100 Mars years. The upper surfaces of most areas, especially the thicker units, show little change at the few-cm level over the last 2 Mars years. This observation suggests that current conditions are substantially different from those when the thicker units were deposited. A prime characteristic of the evolution of the RSPC is that some changes are progressive, such as those involving scarp retreat, while others, such as the geography of initiation of new pits or the areal coverage of ice, appear to be more episodic.

International audience; Re-calibrated near-infrared spectroscopy of the resolved nucleus of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 acquired by the Deep Impact spacecraft has been analyzed by utilizing the post-Stardust-NExT nucleus shape model and spin pole solution, as well as a novel thermophysical model that explicitly accounts for small-scale surface roughness and thermal inertia. We find that the thermal inertia varies measurably across the surface, and that thermal emission from certain regions only can be reproduced satisfactory if surface roughness is accounted for. Particularly, a scarped/pitted terrain that experienced morning sunrise during the flyby is measurably rough (Hapke mean slope angle similar to 45 degrees) and has a thermal inertia of at most 50J m(-2) K-1 s(-1/2), but probably much lower. However, thick layered terrain and thin layered terrain experiencing local noon during the flyby have a substantially larger thermal inertia, reaching 150J m(-2) K-1 s(-1/2) if the surface is as rough as the scarped/pitted terrain, but 200J m(-2) K-1 s(-1/2) if the terrain is considered locally flat. Furthermore, the reddening of the nucleus near-infrared 1.5-2.2 gm spectrum varies between morphological units, being reddest for thick layered terrain (median value 3.4% k angstrom(-1)) and most neutral for the smooth terrain known to contain surface water ice (median value 3.1% k angstrom(-1)). Thus, Comet 9P/Tempel 1 is heterogeneous in terms of both thermophysical and optical properties, due to formation conditions and/or post-formation processing. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

We derive the spin state of the nucleus of Comet 103P/Hartley 2, its orientation in space, and its short-term temporal evolution from a mixture of observations taken from the DIXI (Deep Impact Extended Investigation) spacecraft and radar observations. The nucleus is found to spin in an excited long-axis mode (LAM) with its rotational angular momentum per unit mass, M, and rotational energy per unit mass, E, slowly decreasing while the degree of excitation in the spin increases through perihelion passage. M is directed toward (RA, Dec; J2000) = 8+/-+/- 4 deg., 54 +/- 1 deg. (obliquity = 48 +/- 1 deg.). This direction is likely changing, but the change is probably

International audience; On February 14, 2011 Stardust-NExT (SN) flew by Comet Tempel 1, the target of the Deep Impact (DI) mission in 2005, obtaining dust measurements and high-resolution images of areas surrounding the 2005 impact site, and extending image coverage to almost two thirds of the nucleus surface. The nucleus has an average radius of 2.83 +/- 0.1 km and a uniform geometric albedo of about 6% at visible wavelengths. Local elevation differences on the nucleus reach up to 830 m. At the time of encounter the spin rate was 213 degrees per day (period = 40.6 h) and the comet was producing some 130 kg of dust per second. Some 30% of the nucleus is covered by smooth flow-like deposits and related materials, restricted to gravitational lows. This distribution is consistent with the view that the smooth areas represent material erupted from the subsurface and date from a time after the nucleus achieved its current shape. It is possible that some of these eruptions occurred after 1609 when the comet's perihelion distance decreased from 3.5 AU to the current 1.5 AU. Much of the surface displays evidence of layering: some related to the smooth flows and some possibly dating back to the accretion of the nucleus. Pitted terrain covers approximately half the nucleus surface. The pits range up to 850 m in diameter. Due to their large number, they are unlikely to be impact scars: rather they probably result from volatile outbursts and sublimational erosion. The DI impact site shows a subdued depression some 50 m in diameter implying surface properties similar to those of dry, loose snow. It is possible that the 50-m depression is all that remains of an initially larger crater. In the region of overlapping DI and SN coverage most of the surface remained unchanged between 2005 and 2011 in albedo, photometric properties and morphology. Significant changes took place only along the edges of a prominent smooth flow estimated to be 10-15 m thick, the margins of which receded in places by up to 50 m. Coma and jet activity were lower in 2011 than in 2005. Most of the jets observed during the SN flyby can be traced back to an apparently eroding terraced scarp. The dust instruments detected bursts of impacts consistent with a process by which larger aggregates of material emitted from the nucleus subsequently fragment into smaller particles within the coma. (c) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Observations from the second encounter of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 by the Stardust-NExT spacecraft provide an improved shape model and rotational pole for the nucleus (Thomas, P.C. et al. [2012]. Icarus 222, 453–466) that allows us to greatly improve our knowledge of its rotational evolution beyond that outlined earlier in Belton et al. (Belton, M.J.S. et al. [2011]. Icarus 213, 345–368). Model light curves are shown to fit observations at both perihelia with a single pole direction indicating that polar precession during a single perihelion passage is small. We show that the rotational phasing associated with observations taken far from perihelion in the previous work was incorrectly assessed by approximately half a cycle leading us to a significant reassessment of the evolution of the non-gravitational torques acting on the nucleus. We present an updated spin rate profile (torque model) for the 2005 perihelion passage and show that retardation of the spin rate well before perihelion is no longer a required feature. With the exception of the spin rate before the 2000 perihelion passage, the evolution of rotational rates through the three most recent perihelion passages is largely unaffected as is the prediction of the rotational phase of the comet’s nucleus at the Stardust-NExT near-perihelion encounter. We find a spin rate of 209.4 ± 0.01°/d likely applies in the quiescent period before the 2000 perihelion, a 0.2% change, and that the rotational period shortened by 12.3 ± 0.2 min during the 2000 perihelion passage. We present an analysis of Stardust-NExT time-series photometry that yields a spin rate near 213.3 ± 0.8°/d at the time of encounter. An application of the 2005 torque model suggests that, while roughly similar, the torques were probably weaker during the 2011 perihelion passage.

NASA’s Stardust–NExT mission used the Stardust spacecraft to deliver a scientific payload, including a panchromatic visible camera designated NAVCAM, to a close flyby of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 in February 2011. Proper interpretation of the NAVCAM images depends on accurate calibration of the camera performance. While the NAVCAM had been calibrated during the primary Stardust mission to Comet 81P/Wild 2 in 2004, that calibration was incomplete and somewhat lacking in fidelity. Substantial improvements in the NAVCAM calibration were achieved during Stardust–NExT in the areas of geometric correction, spatial resolution, and radiometric calibration (in particular, zero-exposure signal levels, shutter time offsets, absolute radiometric response, noise, and scattered light characterization). These improvements will allow upgrades to the calibration of images returned from the Stardust primary mission as well as high-quality calibration of the Stardust–NExT images. The upgraded calibration results have been incorporated into the Stardust–NExT image processing pipeline via new routines and updated constants and files in preparation for archiving calibrated images in the NASA Planetary Data System.

The photometric properties of the nucleus of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 as modeled from the Stardust-NExT images agree with those reported by Li et al. (Li, J.-Y. et al. [2007a]. Icarus 187, 41–55; Li, J.-Y., A’Hearn, M.F., McFadden, L.A., Belton, M.J.S. [2007b]. Icarus 188, 195–211) from Deep Impact images. No significant changes are detectable by comparing the two image-sets taken one comet year apart. The overall photometric variations on the ∼70% of the surface of Tempel 1 observed by Deep Impact and Stardust-NExT are small, with albedo variations of ±10% full-width-at-half-maximum and non-detectable variations in phase function and surface roughness. Some bright surface albedo features visible in the outbound images have an albedo about 25% higher than that of surrounding area. No bright albedo features similar to those ice patches reported by Sunshine et al. (Sunshine, J.M., et al. [2006]. Science 311, 1453–1455) are seen on the outbound side, which was not imaged by DI. The similar global photometric properties among cometary nuclei may indicate that these properties are dominated by cometary activity that results in constant resurfacing on comets. Tiny amounts of ice concentration on their surface can significantly change the local photometric properties.

The Deep Impact Spacecraft flew past Comet 103P/Hartley 2 on November 4th, 2010. Images revealed the comet to be enveloped in a field of debris composed of fine grained dust, ice, and hundreds of discrete millimeter to decimeter sized particles. In this work, a selection of the brightest particles are identified and photogrammetrically located in 3D space to examine their positions and dynamics. 90% of the particles detected were within 10 km of the nucleus and traveling a few meters per second or slower. The particles exhibit a high degree of temporal variability in brightness, suggesting rotating, heterogeneous and faceted geometries. This style of near-nucleus environment has not been observed in any other comet to date and it may help explain the hyperactive nature of water production on Hartley 2 and similar comets.

We have studied the photometric properties of the nucleus of a hyperactive comet, 103P/Hartley 2, at visible wavelengths using the DIXI flyby images with both disk-integrated and disk-resolved analyses. The disk-integrated phase function of the nucleus has a linear slope of 0.046 ± 0.002 mag/deg and an absolute magnitude of 18.4 ± 0.1 at V -band. The nucleus displays an overall linear, featureless spectrum between 400 nm and 850 nm. The linear spectral slope is 7.6 ± 3.6% per 100 nm, corresponding to broadband solar-illuminated color indices B – V of 0.75 ± 0.05 and V – R of 0.43 ± 0.04. Disk-resolved photometric analysis with a Hapke model returns a best-fit single-scattering albedo of 0.036 ± 0.006, an asymmetry factor of the Henyey–Greenstein single-particle phase function of −0.46 ± 0.06, and a photometric roughness of 15 ± 10°. The model yields a geometric albedo of 0.045 ± 0.009 and a Bond albedo of 0.012 ± 0.002. The overall photometric variations of the nucleus are small, with an equivalent albedo variation of 15% FWHM, and a color variation of 12% FWHM. Some areas near the terminator visible in the inbound images show an albedo of more than twice the global average value, and a much bluer color than the average nucleus. The overall photometric properties and variations of the nucleus of Hartley 2 are similar to those of the nuclei of Comets Wild 2 and Tempel 1 as studied from previous spacecraft flyby missions at similar resolutions.

We consider the origin of ∼380 quasi-circular depressions (pits) seen to be distributed in a broad band across the surface of 9P/Tempel 1 and show that possibly ∼96% may be due to outburst activity. Of the rest, 4 kg and find that the resulting pit should have a diameter in the range 10–30 m. Published locations of mini-outbursts are revised to account for changes in the nucleus shape, rotation rate, and rotation pole that have resulted from observations made during the Stardust-NExT mission. Both of these locations are found to fall in, or on the edge of, the band of pits that encircles the nucleus. We have identified features in high-resolution images near one of these locations as the possible places of origin of the mini-outbursts. These features show close packing of multiple pits in the appropriate diameter range. We consider the distribution of pit diameters and show that the largest pits follow a power–law with exponent −2.24 ± 0.09. Using the June 14, 2005, mini-outburst and the Deep Impact crater to provide a calibration, we establish empirical relationships between pit diameter, D , the total outburst energy, E , and the visual magnitude change, Δ m abs , which is the visual amplitude of the outburst referenced to a standard initial brightness. We find Log 10 D ∼ 0.107(±0.004)Δ m abs + 1.3(±0.4) and Log 10 E ∼ 0.32(±0.01)Δ m abs + 10.1(±1.2) where the uncertainties represent the range of values for the coefficient rather than formal error. We apply these approximate relationships to the mega -outburst on 17P/Holmes and predict that it left a pit-like scar on the surface with a diameter in the range 160–1300 m, that the total energy released was in the range 7 × 10 12 –3 × 10 15 J, and that between 6 × 10 7 and 1.3 × 10 11 kg of material was ejected from the surface. While these predictions are crude they encompass, particularly near the upper end of the range, the results on kinetic energy release and mass loss found by Reach et al. (Reach, W.T., Vaubaillon, J., Lisse, C.M., Holloway, M., Rho, J. [2010]. Icarus 208, 276–292) based on IR observations of 17P.

Random bombardment by comets, asteroids and associated fragments form and alter the lunar regolith and other rocky surfaces. The accumulation of impact craters over time is of fundamental use in evaluating the relative ages of geologic units. Crater counts and radiometric ages from returned samples provide constraints with which to derive absolute model ages for unsampled units on the Moon and other Solar System objects. However, although studies of existing craters and returned samples offer insight into the process of crater formation and the past cratering rate, questions still remain about the present rate of crater production, the effect of early-stage jetting during impacts and the influence that distal ejecta have on the regolith. Here we use Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) temporal ('before and after') image pairs to quantify the contemporary rate of crater production on the Moon, to reveal previously unknown details of impact-induced jetting, and to identify a secondary impact process that is rapidly churning the regolith. From this temporal dataset, we detected 222 new impact craters and found 33 per cent more craters (with diameters of at least ten metres) than predicted by the standard Neukum production and chronology functions for the Moon. We identified broad reflectance zones associated with the new craters that we interpret as evidence of a surface-bound jetting process. We also observe a secondary cratering process that we estimate churns the top two centimetres of regolith on a timescale of 81,000 years-more than a hundred times faster than previous models estimated from meteoritic impacts (ten million years).

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) consists of two imaging systems that provide synoptic and high resolution imaging of the lunar surface. The Wide Angle Camera (WAC) is a seven color push frame imager with a 90° field of view in monochrome mode and 60° field of view in color mode. From the nominal 50 km polar orbit, the WAC acquires images with a nadir pixel scale of 75 m for each visible band and 384 m for the two ultraviolet bands. The Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) consists of two identical cameras capable of acquiring images with a pixel scale of 0.5 to 1.0 m from a 50 km orbit. Each camera was geometrically calibrated prior to launch at Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego, California. Using thousands of images acquired since launch in June of 2009, improvements to the relative and absolute pointing of the twin NACs were made allowing images on the surface to be projected with an accuracy of 20 meters. Further registration of WAC and NAC images allowed the derivation of a new distortion model and pointing updates for the WAC, thus enabling sub-pixel accuracy in projected WAC images.

We describe a new approach to creating hybrid polymer hydrogels that comprise two different gel types (gel 1 and gel 2) juxtaposed in predetermined zones or patterns and with the unique properties of each gel being retained. The key to our approach is to ensure that the viscosities of the pregel mixtures are high when they are brought into contact and subsequently polymerized; this limits the diffusion at gel/gel interfaces. The final gel appears as a single, homogeneous, transparent material with smooth, robust interfaces between the dissimilar zones. However, its hybrid nature is revealed by specific tests. In one example, we use the same monomer, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, for gels 1 and 2, but gel 1 is cross-linked by a chemical cross-linker while gel 2 is cross-linked by laponite nanoparticles. In this case, when the hybrid gel is immersed in a mixed solution of cationic and anionic dyes, gel 2 selectively absorbs the cationic dye due to the strong affinity of the nanoparticles in it for cationic specie...

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) investigation will use a 2-megapixel color camera with a focusable macro lens aboard the rover, Curiosity, to investigate the stratigraphy and grain-scale texture, structure, mineralogy, and morphology of geologic materials in northwestern Gale crater. Of particular interest is the stratigraphic record of a ∼5 km thick layered rock sequence exposed on the slopes of Aeolis Mons (also known as Mount Sharp). The instrument consists of three parts, a camera head mounted on the turret at the end of a robotic arm, an electronics and data storage assembly located inside the rover body, and a calibration target mounted on the robotic arm shoulder azimuth actuator housing. MAHLI can acquire in-focus images at working distances from ∼2.1 cm to infinity. At the minimum working distance, image pixel scale is ∼14 μm per pixel and very coarse silt grains can be resolved. At the working distance of the Mars Exploration Rover Microscopic Imager cameras aboard Spirit and Opportunity, MAHLI’s resolution is comparable at ∼30 μm per pixel. Onboard capabilities include autofocus, auto-exposure, sub-framing, video imaging, Bayer pattern color interpolation, lossy and lossless compression, focus merging of up to 8 focus stack images, white light and longwave ultraviolet (365 nm) illumination of nearby subjects, and 8 gigabytes of non-volatile memory data storage.

Saturn’s satellite Phoebe is the best-characterized representative of large outer Solar System planetesimals, thanks to the close flyby by the Cassini spacecraft in June 2004. We explore the information contained in Phoebe’s physical properties, density and shape, which are significantly different from those of other icy objects in its size range. Phoebe’s higher density has been interpreted as evidence that it was captured, probably from the proto-Kuiper-Belt. First, we demonstrate that Phoebe’s shape is globally relaxed and consistent with a spheroid in hydrostatic equilibrium with its rotation period. This distinguishes the satellite from ‘rubble-piles’ that are thought to result from the disruption of larger proto-satellites. We numerically model the geophysical evolution of Phoebe, accounting for the feedback between porosity and thermal state. We compare thermal evolution models for different assumptions on the formation of Phoebe, in particular the state of its water, amorphous or crystalline. We track the evolution of porosity and thermal conductivity as well as the destabilization of amorphous ice or clathrate hydrates. While rubble-piles may never reach temperatures suitable for porous ice to creep and relax, we argue that Phoebe’s shape could have relaxed due to heat from the decay of 26Al, provided that this object formed less than 3 Myr after the production of the calcium–aluminum inclusions. This is consistent with the idea that Phoebe could be an exemplar of planetesimals that formed in the transneptunian region and later accreted onto outer planet satellites, either during the satellite’s formation stage, or still later, during the late heavy bombardment.

We describe the creation of monodisperse microbeads of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) via a microfluidic approach. Using a flow-focusing configuration, a PDMS precursor solution is dispersed into microdroplets within an aqueous continuous phase. These droplets are collected and thermally cured off-chip into solid microbeads. Our microfluidic technique allows for direct integration of payloads into the PDMS microbeads. Specifically, we integrate an oxygen-sensitive porphyrin dye into the beads and show that the resulting structures can function as non-invasive and real-time oxygen microsensors utilizing a simple optical readout at the single-particle level.

The evolution of the spin rate of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 through two perihelion passages (in 2000 and 2005) is determined from 1922 Earth-based observations taken over a period of 13 year as part of a World-Wide observing campaign and from 2888 observations taken over a period of 50 days from the Deep Impact spacecraft. We determine the following sidereal spin rates (periods): 209.023 +/- 0.025 degrees/dy (41.335 +/- 0.005 h) prior to the 2000 perihelion passage, 210.448 +/- 0.016 degrees/dy (41.055 +/- 0.003 h) for the interval between the 2000 and 2005 perihelion passages, 211.856 +/- 0.030 degrees/dy (40.783 +/- 0.006 h) from Deep Impact photometry just prior to the 2005 perihelion passage, and 211.625 +/- 0.012 degrees/dy (40.827 +/- 0.002 h) in the interval 2006-2010 following the 2005 perihelion passage. The period decreased by 16.8 +/- 0.3 min during the 2000 passage and by 13.7 +/- 0.2 min during the 2005 passage suggesting a secular decrease in the net torque. The change in spin rate is asymmetric with respect to perihelion with the maximum net torque being applied on approach to perihelion. The Deep Impact data alone show that the spin rate was increasing at a rate of 0.024 +/- 0.003 degrees/dy/dy at JD2453530.60510 (i.e., 25.134 dy before impact), which provides independent confirmation of the change seen in the Earth-based observations. The rotational phase of the nucleus at times before and after each perihelion and at the Deep Impact encounter is estimated based on the Thomas et al. (Thomas et al. [2007]. Icarus 187, 4-15) pole and longitude system. The possibility of a 180 error in the rotational phase is assessed and found to be significant. Analytical and physical modeling of the behavior of the spin rate through of each perihelion is presented and used as a basis to predict the rotational state of the nucleus at the time of the nominal (i.e., prior to February 2010) Stardust-NExT encounter on 2011 February 14 at 20:42. We find that a net torque in the range of 0.3-2.5 x 10(7) kg m(2) s(-2) acts on the nucleus during perihelion passage. The spin rate initially slows down on approach to perihelion and then passes through a minimum. It then accelerates rapidly as it passes through perihelion eventually reaching a maximum post-perihelion. It then decreases to a stable value as the nucleus moves away from the Sun. We find that the pole direction is unlikely to precess by more than similar to 1 degrees per perihelion passage. The trend of the period with time and the fact that the modeled peak torque occurs before perihelion are in agreement with published accounts of trends in water production rate and suggests that widespread H(2)O out-gassing from the surface is largely responsible for the observed spin-up. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Saturn’s moon, Hyperion, is subject to strongly-varying solid body torques from its primary and lacks a stable spin state resonant with its orbital frequency. In fact, its rotation is chaotic, with a Lyapunov timescale on the order of 100 days. In 2005, Cassini made three close passes of Hyperion at intervals of 40 and 67 days, when the moon was imaged extensively and the spin state could be measured. Curiously, the spin axis was observed at the same location within the body, within errors, during all three fly-bys—~ 30° from the long axis of the moon and rotating between 4.2 and 4.5 times faster than the synchronous rate. Our dynamical modeling predicts that the rotation axis should be precessing within the body, with a period of ~ 16 days. If the spin axis retains its orientation during all three fly-bys, then this puts a strong constraint on the in-body precessional period, and thus the moments of inertia. However, the location of the principal axes in our model are derived from the shape model of Hyperion, assuming a uniform composition. This may not be a valid assumption, as Hyperion has significant void space, as shown by its density of 544± 50 kg m−3 (Thomas et al. in Nature 448:50, 2007). This paper will examine both a rotation model with principal axes fixed by the shape model, and one with offsets from the shape model. We favor the latter interpretation, which produces a best-fit with principal axes offset of ~ 30° from the shape model, placing the A axis at the spin axis in 2005, but returns a lower reduced χ2 than the best-fit fixed-axes model.

We report an improved measurement of the rotational axis orientation of Asteroid (4) Vesta. By analyzing and combining all previous measurements using a limb-fitting technique from ground/HST data collected from 1983 to 2006, we derive a pole solution of (RA = 304.5°, Dec = 41.5°). Images of Vesta acquired with the Wide Field Camera 3 onboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in February 2010 are combined with images from the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 on HST obtained in 1994, 1996, and 2007 at similar spatial resolution and wavelengths to perform new measurements. Control point stereogrammetry returns a pole solution of (305.1°, 43.4°). An alternate method tracks surface features and fits their projected paths with ellipses to determine a great circle containing the pole for each HST observation. Combined, the four great circles yield a pole solution of (309.3°, 41.9°). These three solutions obtained with almost independent methods are within 3.5° of each other, suggesting a robust solution. Combining the results from all three techniques, we propose an improved value of the rotational axis of Vesta as RA = 305.8° ± 3.1°, Dec = 41.4° ± 1.5° (1- σ error). This new solution changes from (301°, 41°) reported by Thomas et al. (Thomas, P.C., Binzel, R.P., Gaffey, M.J., Zellner, B.H., Storrs, A.D., Wells, E. [1997a]. Icarus 128, 88–94) by 3.6°, and from (306°, 38°) reported by Drummond and Christou (Drummond, J.D., Christou, J. [2008]. Icarus 197, 480–496) by 3.4°. It changes the obliquity of Vesta by up to ∼3°, but increases the Sun-centered RA of Vesta at equinox by ∼8°, and postpones the date of equinox by ∼35 days. The change of the pole position is less than the resolution of all previous images of Vesta, and should not change the main science conclusions of previous research about Vesta.

There are ∼300 features on the Asteroid 433 Eros that morphologically resemble ponds (flat-floored and sharply embaying the bounding depression in which they sit). Because boulders on Eros are apparently eroding in place and because ponds with associated boulders tend to be larger than ponds without blocks, we propose that ponds form from thermally disaggregated and seismically flattened boulder material, under the assumption that repeated day/night cycling causes material fatigue that leads to erosion of the boulders. Results from a simple boulder emplacement/thermal erosion model with boulders emplaced in a few discrete events (i.e., large impacts) match well the observed size distribution. Under this scenario, the subtle color differences of ponds (somewhat bluer than the rest of the surface) might be due to some combination of less space-weathered material and density stratification of silicate-rich chondrules and more metal-rich matrix from a disaggregated boulder. Volume estimates of ponds derived from NEAR Laser Rangefinder profiles are consistent with what can be supplied by boulders. Ponds are also observed to be concentrated in regions of low slope and high elevation, which suggests the presence of a less mobile regolith and thus a contrast in the resistance to seismic shaking between the pond material and the material that makes up the bounding depression. Future tests include shake-table experiments and temperature cycling (fatigue) of ordinary chondrites to test the thermal erosion mechanism.

Lunar Lobate Scarps Revealed Lunar lobate scarps are relatively small-scale landforms that are thought to be formed by tectonic thrust faulting. Previously, lunar lobate scarps could only be identified clearly in high-resolution Apollo Panoramic Camera images confined to the lunar equatorial zone. Now, an analysis by Watters et al. (p. 936 ) of images returned by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera reveals 14 previously unknown lobate scarps and shows that lunar lobate scarps may be globally distributed. Their appearance suggests that lunar scarps are relatively young landforms (less than 1 Ga), possibly formed during a recent episode of global lunar radial contraction.

The Cassini spacecraft has provided data on over twenty satellites orbiting Saturn. In this study we update the shape measurements derived from imaging data of nearly all the observed regular satellites (those with low eccentricities and inclinations) and briefly discuss some of the implications of their properties. In particular, the improved data show that Rhea’s shape is hydrostatic.