Development and field tests of a narrowband all-reflective spatial heterodyne spectrometer.

We describe the design, development, and performance of a narrowband, all-reflective, unaliased spatial heterodyne spectrometer (SHS) that has been tested in observations at the focus of the 1.6 m main telescope of the McMath-Pierce solar telescope on Kitt Peak. The all-reflective SHS described herein is a highly robust common-path Fourier transform spectrometer without moving parts that, over a limited spectral region, combines the large field of view and high resolving power characteristic of interference spectrometers but at substantially reduced instrument size and optical tolerances. The self-scanned region of wavelength space and resolving power of the SHS are determined by the beam size, the diffraction grating groove density, the number of detector elements, and the fixed orientation of a set of pilot mirrors. The results presented here represent the first successful implementation of this reflective SHS design for field use. We discuss concepts behind the unaliased reflective SHS design and report the performance of the instrument when used to observe terrestrial airglow and absorption features, the solar spectrum, and the Jovian spectrum near λ=6300 Å, at the achieved resolving power (R=λ/δλ) of R>100,000. The results confirm that reflective SHS instruments can deliver effective interferometric performance in the visible to the far-ultraviolet wavelengths with commercial optics of moderate surface quality.

Evidence for interacting gas flows and an extended volatile source distribution in the coma of comet C/1996 B2 (Hyakutake).

Images of comet C/1996 B2 (Hyakutake) taken during its close approach to Earth show differences in the distribution of gas and dust in the inner coma and reveal two arc-shaped molecular resonant emission features. The morphology of these features, as well as the apparent decoupling gas from dust in the inner coma, suggest that an extended region of icy grains surrounds the nucleus of Hyakutake and contributes substantially to the production of volatiles. Model simulations suggest the same conclusion and indicate that the brighter arc is explainable by the presence of a trailing condensation of ice-bearing granules with a rate of volatile production approximately 23 percent of that of the nucleus.

Response of the Io plasma torus to comet Shoemaker-Levy 9.

Spectroscopic and imaging observations of the Io plasma torus were made in June and July 1994 in conjunction with the encounter of periodic comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter. Characteristic emissions from sulfur and oxygen ions showed a decline of about 30 percent in the extreme ultraviolet and an increase of about 40 percent in the far ultraviolet relative to preimpact observations. Changes in the extreme ultraviolet may be indicative of small changes in the torus electron temperature as a result of quenching of electrons by dust associated with the comet passage. However, no new emission features indicative of fragment dust within the torus were detected. The characteristic torus morphology seen in ground-based imaging was typical of that observed in the past.

ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF OSTEOSCLEREIDS IN SEED COATS OF PISUM SATIVUM L.

The development of osteosclereids during seed-coat maturation in Pisum sativum was observed by light and electron microscopy. Osteosclereid precursors are small, densely staining cells which elongate and mature after the macrosclereids. The lateral cell walls in the region of the cell equator become heavily thickened preventing further expansion, while the ends of the cells retain their thin walls and continue to expand. This growth creates the bone-shaped cell typical of osteosclereids. The cells become separated from each other by accelerated circumferential expansion of the cell layers above and below them and by cell layers. Cell wall synthesis in osteosclereids involves coated and smooth vesicles from the Golgi, and vesicles with fibrillar contents from the endoplasmic reticulum.

Isolation of active mitochondria from tomato fruit.

An improved method for isolating mitochondria from tomato fruit (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is described. The fruit is chilled, and the tissue of the fruit wall cut by hand into very thin slices with a razor blade while immersed in a buffer containing 0.4 m sucrose, 2 mm MgCl(2), 8 mm EDTA, 4 mm cysteine, 10 mm KCl, 0.5 mg per ml bovine serum albumin 50 mm tris-HCl, pH 7.6. The pH is monitored and kept within the range of 7.0 to 7.2 by dropwise addition of 1 n KOH during cutting. The tissue is strained through 8 layers of cheesecloth and centrifuged at 2000 x g for 15 minutes. The supernatant is then centrifuged at 11,000 x g for 20 minutes, and the sediment is washed once with a medium containing 0.4 m sucrose, 10 mm KCl, 1 mm MgCl(2), 10 mm tris-HCl, 10 mm KH(2)PO(4) and bovine serum albumin (0.5 mg per ml), pH 7.2. Electron microscope studies show that this method gives homogeneous, relatively intact mitochondria; they have a higher respiratory control ratio than those reported by other workers. The method was also tested successfully on fruits of cantaloupe and ;Honey Dew' melon.